The History of the Basel School of Design

“Basics in Design“ is based on fifty years of didactic experience, as well as on the refinement of process- and form-oriented instruction in the field of design. For this particular approach the Basel School of Design is renowned.
The programme has its roots in the rich heritage of the Swiss graphic design scene of the 1950s and 1960s. Teachers and designers of that era had a strong influence on the methodology and the content of the “Vorkurs“. Its tradition was shaped by influential personalities such as Armin Hofmann, Emil Ruder, and Kurt Hauert. To this day, the name of the school represents an educational approach which perpetuates their ideas: to lay a strong and broad foundation for the major design disciplines.
In addition, the concept of the programme “Basics in Design“ is built on the school’s thirty years of experience in running classes for international students. It revives the spirit of the Advanced Class for Graphic Design, the “Weiterbildungsklasse für Grafik“, developed by Armin Hofmann starting in 1968.