Knowledge Design. Design in the Age of Information

[Translate to English:]

Knowledge Design. Design in the Age of Information

Data is often associated with science, finance, and computational infrastructures—domains shaped by institutions, platforms, and algorithmic systems. At the same time, data structures increasingly mediate everyday life: from the continuous production of digital traces through personal devices, to climate models and public health statistics that shape political and social decision-making. This lecture examines the role of design in making data and information perceptible, interpretable, and debatable. It focuses on how design translates numbers, datasets, statistics, and complex scientific relations into visual and experiential forms—and how these translations shape understanding, interpretation, and agency. Drawing on examples from data visualization, information design, and artistic research, the talk discusses visualization not merely as a tool for communication, but as a form of knowledge production. Visualizations do not only represent facts; they frame questions, expose assumptions, and make power structures, absences, and uncertainties visible. The lecture argues that data visualization produces specific narratives about society in the 21st century—narratives that cannot be articulated in the same way through text or numbers alone. In this sense, design becomes a critical practice: one that enables reflection on data practices, supports scientific and journalistic inquiry, and opens spaces for public engagement with complex systems shaping contemporary life.

The lecture will be held in English.

Bio

Kim Albrecht, born on an island in the North Sea, Germany, is a Professor of Information Design at the Folkwang University of the Arts. His work explores the intersection of data visualization, technology, and culture, delving into the aesthetic and conceptual dimensions of data. Albrecht holds a BA in Graphic Design, an MA in Interface Design, and a Ph.D. in Media Theory from the University of Potsdam. His career includes research appointments at the Center for Complex Network Research under Prof. Laszlo Barabasi and at metaLAB (at) Harvard with Jeffrey Schnapp, where he served as a principal. He is also a Faculty Associate at the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society. Albrecht’s work bridges teaching, research, and practice, offering new perspectives on how data shapes and reflects contemporary culture.

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