»Comparing apples
and oranges is my
daily bread.«

Juli Gudehus

Teaching

2017 to 2018

lectureship at the Universität der Künste, topic: »signs of life«, Berlin

2016

visiting professor at the Bauhaus-University in ­Dessau, topic: »fences«, Dessau

2014

lectureship at Berliner Technischen Kunsthochschule standing in for Prof. Yang Liu, topic: »playing & rules«, Berlin

2007 to 2008 

visiting professor for integrated design and methodology at the Bauhaus-University, international masters program, topics: »fake« and »shit happens«, Dessau

1999 to 2000 

lectureship at Fachhoch­schule Düssel­dorf, faculty of visual communication, topics: »Why are there so many fonts?« und »documents«, Düsseldorf

/ / /

Great Moments in teaching for me, are those when I can literally watch a sudden insight and understanding flash in a student’s mind. When I see the eyes brighten with joy – sparks of creative thought.

Joy is an integral component of my teaching. When students discover, unfold and refine their creative potential, the pleasure is both their’s and mine.

In teaching I do not only communicate knowledge and skills – I prioritise the whole individual, and his / her holistic development. Students need different amounts of time and care. Most of them learn best when they have a personal relation to their teacher. This relation can also be a rebellious one. Rather than capable service providers, our society needs designer personalities with hearts, esprit and guts, and a good eye for what is missing, or for what could be more beautiful, easier, livelier and or funnier.

For this reason, my teaching focuses on evoking an awareness of problems, and sharpening the perception of niches that can be explored and occupied. In other words: on recognising and making use of chances. Accordingly, I let the students set themselves individual tasks within a given topic. I offer some of these topics as workshops as well.

My husband is a computer scientist, and he says that there are countless ways of doing something wrong, and only a few to do something right. Design however, is not about right or wrong. Instead, we are concerned with tension, effect, functionality, adequacy, appeal – and to create these, there are countless possibilities. You cannot measure design with a ruler. That is why, in teaching, discourse is vital. I am to encourage a student’s own sensorium and conscience.

Some basic elements of my teaching would include short lectures – either given by me, or the students –, excursions, warm-ups, test series, and collective explorations I focus more on methodical approaches, and on cogent concepts, than on aesthetics, style or trends.

During my visiting professorship in Dessau, I taught students from all over the world with very different educational backgrounds. Among them were many industrial designers, and architects, without any basic knowledge in communication design. This was a big challenge. A former Chinese student, who had previously studied computer science, now works in a responsible position at MetaDesign in Beijing. Some time ago, he visited me here in Berlin. With a real Chinese bow he thanked me for the »approach and attitude« that he learned from me. I was overjoyed to hear that.

In case you like to set up a professorship for me at your academy or university, the job description is »poetic systematics«.

It was a real pleasure to be part of your class. I learnt a lot.

Kushtrim H., Kosovan student

Thanks for your advice for our thesis project. I clarified my ideas, defined in a much better way my research area. […] Now everything is fine. I can say that I found my way. Thanks for everything!

Safak D., Turkish student

Dear Prof Gudehus! How are you … I miss your lectures …

Bertha B., Indonesian student

Juli Gudehus has been part of the avant-garde of German design for decades. Her work is a unique source of inspiration for design and art students alike.

Prof. Michael Buttgereit, ecosign / Akademie für Gestaltung Köln, on LinkedIn