Prof. Dr. Claudia Mareis
Prof. Dr. Claudia Mareis is an expert for Design as well as Cultural History and Theory. Since 2021, she has been Professor of Design and History of Knowledge at the Department of Cultural History and Theory at the Humboldt University of Berlin.
Her research interests include history, theory and methodology of design in the 20th century, knowledge cultures in design, experimental design and media practices, cultural history of creativity, design and material politics.
After initial training in Graphic Design, she studied Design, Art and Cultural Studies in Zurich, Berlin and Linz. Research and teaching positions subsequently took her to the Max Planck Institute for the History of Science in Berlin, the University of the Arts Berne, the University of Basel, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge/MA, and the Vilnius Academy of Art, among others.
From 2013 to 2021, she directed the Institute for Experimental Design and Media Cultures (IXDM) as well as the Critical Media Lab at the FHNW Academy of Art and Design in Basel. At IXDM she has built up a pioneering interdisciplinary research group converging Design, Media Arts, Anthropology, Historical Studies, and Technology.
As a member of several leading design research associations in Germany and Switzerland, Claudia Mareis has excellent networks in the field of Design Research. From 2016 to 2020 she was the vice president of the Swiss Design Network (SDN), and from 2008 to 2021 she was a board member of the German Society for Design Theory and Research (DGTF). From 2018 to 2021, she represented the field of Design and Art Research as a member of the National Research Council of the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF).
Claudia Mareis is Co-Director of »Matters of Activity« and co-leads the Cluster with Horst Bredekamp, Peter Fratzl, and Director Wolfgang Schäffner.
Member of the Executive Board
Symbolic Material (Principal Investigator)
Material Form Function (Cluster Professor)
Symbolic Material (Cluster Professor)
Cluster of Excellence
»Matters of Activity«
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
Sophienstr. 22a
10178 Berlin
Monographs & Books
Mareis, C. 2023. Théories du design – Une introduction. Preface by Claire Brunet and Emanuele Quinz. Postface by Guy Julier. Translated from the German by Maxime Le Calvé. Trans. of Theorien des Designs zur Einführung. Dijon: Les presses du réel.
Mareis, C., Rottmann, M. 2020. Entwerfen mit System. Studienhefte Problemorientiertes Design, 10, Hamburg: Adocs.
Mareis, C. 2014. Theorien des Designs zur Einführung. (Third corrected edition, 2022). Hamburg: Junius.
https://www.junius-verlag.de/Programm/Theorien-des-Designs-zur-Einfuehrung.html
Mareis, C. 2011. Design als Wissenskultur: Interferenzen zwischen Design- und Wissensdiskursen seit 1960. Bielefeld: transcript.
Edited Volumes & Exhibition Catalogues
Mareis, C., Greiner-Petter, M., Renner, M. eds. 2022. Critical by Design? Genealogies, Practices, Positions. Bielefeld: transcript.
https://doi.org/10.14361/9783839461044
Mareis, C., Paim, N. eds. 2021. Design Struggles. Intersecting Histories, Pedagogies, and Perspectives. PLURAL, 3. Amsterdam: Valiz.
https://www.valiz.nl/images/DesignStruggles-DEF_978-94-92095-88-6single-28September22-VALIZ-def.pdf
Blümle, C., Mareis, C., Windgätter, C. eds. 2019. Visuelle Zeitgestaltungen. Bildwelten des Wissens. Kunsthistorisches Jahrbuch für Bildkritik. Berlin/Boston: Akademie Verlag.
Mareis, C., Windgätter, C. eds. 2018. Wild Thing. Unordentliche Prozesse in Design und Wissenschaft. Berlin: Kadmos.
Schmitz, T., Häußling, R., Mareis, C., Groninger, H. eds. 2016. Manifestationen im Entwurf. Design – Architektur – Ingenieurwesen. Bielefeld: transcript.
Articles in Edited Volumes
Mareis, C. 2024. »Design und Wissenschaft.« In Handbuch Designwissenschaft: Geschichte – Theorie – Praxis, edited by Hensel, T., Ruf, O. Stuttgart: J.B. Metzler Verlag, Forthcoming.
Mareis, C., Greiner-Petter, M., Renner, M. 2022. »Critical by design? An introduction.« In Critical by Design? Genealogies, Practices, Positions, edited by Mareis, C., Greiner-Petter, M., Renner, M. 8-31.
https://doi.org/10.14361/9783839461044-001
Mareis, C. 2022. »From Invisible Design to Post-Optimal Objects. Interface Design and Discourses of Dematerialization since circa 1960.« In Design, Gestaltung, Formatività. Philosophies of Making, edited by Ribault, P. Basel: Birkhäuser, 147-158.
https://doi.org/10.1515/9783035622447-011
Mareis, C., Paim, N. 2021. »DESIGN STRUGGLES. An Attempt to Imagine Design Otherwise.« In Design Struggles. Intersecting Histories, Pedagogies, and Perspectives, edited by Mareis, C., Paim, N. Amsterdam: Valiz, 11-22.
https://www.valiz.nl/images/DesignStruggles-DEF_978-94-92095-88-6single-28September22-VALIZ-def.pdf
Mareis, C. 2019. »Archetyp und Alltagsding.« In Objekte der Begierde. Surrealismus und Design 1924 – heute, edited by Kries, M., Coles, A., Fijalkowski, A., Cunz, T., Mareis, C., Sacchetti, V. Vitra Design Museum, 48-59.
Mareis, C. 2019. »Die Zeitlichkeit des Entwerfens. Visuelle Prozessmodelle und ihre temporale Bedeutung.« In Visuelle Zeitgestaltung, edited by Blümle, C., Mareis, C., Windgätter, C. Bildwelten des Wissens. Kunsthistorisches Jahrbuch für Bildkritik, 15. Berlin/Boston: Akademie Verlag, 114–123.
https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110565423
Mareis, C. 2019. »Sensations of the Ordinary. Das Bild der Dinge zwischen Geschichte und Projektion.« In Objekte der Begierde. Surrealismus und Design 1924 – heute. Ausstellungskatalog Vitra Design Museum. Weil a. Rhein, edited by Kries, M. 283–305.
Mareis, C. 2019. »Systematisieren. Entwerfen um 1960. Methodische Objektivität zwischen Kalkül und Intuition.« In Experimentieren. Vergleich experimenteller Kulturen in Wissenschaft und Gestaltung, edited by Marguin, S., Rabe, H., Schäffner, W., Schmidgall, F. Bielefeld: transcript, 325–340.
Mareis, C., Windgätter, C. 2018. »Wilde Dinge machen. Neue Perspektiven auf Design und Wissenschaft.« In Wild Thing. Unordentliche Prozesse in Design und Wissenschaft, edited by Mareis, C., Windgätter, C. Berlin: Kadmos, 9-22.
Mareis, C. 2018. »Design.« In The Creativity Complex. A Companion to Contemporary Culture, edited by Beyes, T., Metelmann, J. Bielefeld: Transcript, 120–125.
Mareis, C. 2017. »'Designerly Ways of Knowing' The Impertinent Promise of an Epistemic Culture of Design.« Exh. cat. Martin Gropius Bau, Berlin. In +ultra. knowledge & gestaltung, edited by Doll, N., Bredekamp, H., Schäffner, W. Leipzig: E. A. Seemann, 71-77.
Mareis, C. 2016. »Angewandte Imagination und Kreativität um 1960.« In Designing Thinking: Angewandte Imagination und Kreativität um 1960, edited by Mareis, C. München: Fink, 9-37.
Mareis, C. 2016. »Designerly Ways of Knowing. Potentiale und Zumutungen einer Wissenskultur des Designs.« Exh. Cat. Martin Gropius Bau, Berlin. In +ultra. gestaltung schafft wissen, edited by Doll, N., Bredekamp, H., Schäffner, W. Leipzig: E. A. Seemann, 75-82.
Mareis, C. 2016. »Design the Future – Mind the Past.« In Manifestationen im Entwurf: Design – Architektur – Ingenieurwesen, edited by Schmitz, T., Häußling, R., Mareis, C., Groninger, H. Bielefeld: transcript, 95-112.
Mareis, C. 2016. »Doing Research: Design Research in the Context of the 'Practice Turn'.« In Design as Research: Positions, Arguments, Perspectives, edited by Joost, G., Bredies, K., Christensen, M., Conradi, F., Unteidig, A. Basel: Birkhäuser, 35-41.
https://doi.org/10.1515/9783035607383-006
Mareis, C. 2013. »Eine multidisziplinäre Geschichte. Designforschung, Kreativitätstechniken und Methodenfragen.« In Long Lost Friends. Wechselbeziehungen zwischen Design-, Medien- und Wissenschaftsforschung, edited by Mareis, C., Windgätter, C. Zürich: Diaphanes, 205-222.
Articles
Mareis, C., Barrett, B. 2020. »Brainstorming Revisited: On Instrumental Creativity and Human Productivity in the Mid-Twentieth Century.« Cultural Politics, 16 (1): 50-69.
https://doi.org/10.1215/17432197-8017256
Mareis, C. 2015. »TRIZ in the aftermath of a transnational post-war history.« Procedia Engineering, 131: 500–508.
Mareis, C. 2012. »The epistemology of the unspoken: On the concept of tacit knowledge in contemporary design research.« Design Issues, 28 (2): 61–71.
Conference Proceedings
Mareis, C., Bruder, J. 2016. »Demystifying the ›Creative‹. A Sketch for Creativity Research in the Context of Creative Industries and Design Research since the 1960s.« In Valentine, Louise et al. (ed.) The Value of Design Research: Proceedings of the 11th International Conference of the European Academy of Design, Paris Descartes University, 22-24 April 2015. Sheffield: Sheffield Hallam University/European Academy of Design.
https://ead.yasar.edu.tr/conferences/ead-11-france-2015/11th-ead-proceedings/
Others
Cluster of Excellence »Matters of Activity«, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin 2023. Report (2019–2022).
Exhibitions
Beyer, B., De Visscher, E., Hathroubi, S., Hengge, R., Liedtke, M., Mareis C., Miodragovic, N., Rešetar, I., Suárez, D. Bacterial Cellulose: Co-Weaving Biofilms. Exhibition. Installation for the Triennale XXIII: »Unknown Unknows, An Introduction to Mysteries«. Milan. 15 July 2022 - 11 December 2022.
https://www.matters-of-activity.de/de/activities/8617/bacterial-cellulose-co-weaving-biofilms
Büsse, M. (curator), de Visscher, E. (curator), Dean, M., Dierichs, D., Eder, M., Eigen, L., Guiducci, L., Hehemeyer-Cürten, J., Jalkh, H., Kycia, A., Mareis, C., Nyakatura, J. A., Rasehorn, F., Rešetar, I., Ribault, P., Sauer, C., Sauer, I., Schneider, M., Stock, R., Shone, J., Wenig, C. Design Lab #13. Material Legacies. Exhibition. Cluster of Excellence »Matters of Activity«, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Museum of Decorative Arts. Kunstgewerbemuseum. 3 November 2022 - 26 February 2023.
https://www.smb.museum/en/museums-institutions/kunstgewerbemuseum/exhibitions/detail/design-lab-13/
Highlighted by TAZ, 15.11.2022.
Talks & Presentations
Mareis, C. Un-learning Histories of Resilient Futures. New European Bauhaus Conference, Art, Architecture, Design, and the Climate Crisis: Old Bauhaus Politics. Virtual. 5 March 2022.
https://forajustdesignofclimatepolitics.com/
Beyer, B., Cubasch, A., Fratzl, P., Hengge, R., Mareis, C., Perraudin, L., Sauer, C., Schäffner, W., for the Cluster of Excellence »Matters of Activity«. Can Bacteria Spin a Yarn? We Need a New Culture of Materials. Panel Presentation at the »Can Bacteria Spin a Yarn? We Need a New Culture of Materials«, Humboldt Forum Berlin. Hybrid. 29 April 2021.
https://www.humboldtforum.org/en/programm/termin/science-humanities/do-bacteria-spin-a-yarn-20472/
Mareis, C. Theory and Geschichte Materiale Kulturen. Keynote at the 25th Annual DRHA Conference »Digital Matters: Designing/Performing Agency for the Anthropocene«, Heilig-Geist Kapelle, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. In cooperation with the Cluster of Excellence EXC 2020 »Temporal Communities: Doing Literature in a Global Perspective«, Freie Universität Berlin, and the practice-based research project »Viral Theatres«. Cluster of Excellence »Matters of Activity«, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. Hybrid. 6 September 2021.
https://www.drha.uk/2021/program-2/
Mareis, C. Design als dritte Wissenskultur. Keynote at the Vorlesungsreihe »Schnittstellen«, Kunstuniversität Linz. Virtual. 19 May 2020.
Mareis, C. The Design Turn – Historical experiments into an epistemology of practice. Keynote at the COOP-Design Research Programm, Bauhaus Dessau Foundation. Virtual. 9 June 2020.
Mareis, C. Truth to Materials: Entangled Histories of Design and Material Politics. Talk at the 1st Annual Conference »The Analog in the Digital Age«, Cluster of Excellence »Matters of Activity«, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. Cluster of Excellence »Matters of Activity«, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. Virtual. 11 November 2020.
https://www.virtualspace.matters-of-activity.de/annualconference/?id=1
Mareis, C. Vom ›richtigen‹ Gebrauch des Materials. Materialdebatten Mitte des 19. Jh. revisited. Talk at the »Coworking Materials. Für einen aktiven Materialismus« Joint Conference of the Cluster of Excellence »Matters of Activity«, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and the International Research Center for Cultural Studies, University of Art and Design Linz. Joint conference of the Cluster »Matters of Activity«, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and the International Research Center for Cultural Studies, University of Art and Design Linz. Cluster of Excellence »Matters of Activity«, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, International Research Center for Cultural Studies, University of Art and Design Linz. Virtual. 8 October 2020.
https://www.matters-of-activity.de/en/activities/2328/coworking-materials-fr-einen-aktiven-materialismus
Mareis, C. The design turn: Bridging the humanities and sciences divide. Keynote at the International AGYA Conference: The Place Of Humanities In Research, Education and Society: An Arab-German Dialogue, Berlin-Brandenburgische Akademie der Wissenschaften. 9 November 2019.
Mareis, C. Vom Patent zur Methode: Zur Systematisierung kreativer Arbeit am Beispiel der TRIZ (Theorie zur Lösung erfinderischer Probleme). Panel Presentation at the GfM-Jahrestagung ›Medien-Materialitäten‹, Materialität des Erfindens. Medien und Designpatente. Universität Köln. 26 September 2019.
Events & Workshops
Mareis, C, Büsse, M., Gründel, A., Perraudin, L. Lecture Series Dis/Entangling Material Futures. Cluster of Excellence »Matters of Activity«, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Department of Cultural History and Theory at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. Virtual. 25 April 2022 - 18 July 2022.
https://www.matters-of-activity.de/en/activities/7704/dis-entangling-material-futures
Held, M. (co-chair), Kimpel, K. (co-chair), Mareis, C. (co-chair), Perraudin, L. (organization), Sauer, C. (co-chair), Winkler, C. (organization). »Material Trajectories. Designing with Care«, 17th Annual Conference of the German Society for Design Theory and Research (DGTF). Cluster of Excellence »Matters of Activity«, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, weißensee school of art and design berlin. Virtual. 6 May 2021 - 8 May 2021.
https://materialtrajectories.dgtf.de/
Mareis, C., Büsse, M. Design and the History of Knowledge. Cluster of Excellence »Matters of Activity«, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. Virtual. 30 June 2021.
Mareis, C., de Visscher, E. Material Negotiations: Practices of Biodesign. Cluster of Excellence »Matters of Activity«, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. Virtual. 8 October 2021.
https://www.matters-of-activity.de/en/activities/6395/material-negotiations-practices-of-biodesign
Mareis, C. with Büsse, M., Gruendel, A., Perraudin, L. Dis/Entangling Perspectives in Material Research. Cluster of Excellence »Matters of Activity«, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Department of Cultural History and Theory at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. Virtual. 25 October 2021 - 14 February 2022.
https://www.matters-of-activity.de/de/activities/6386/dis-entangling-perspectives-in-material-research
Mareis, C., Miyazaki, S., Bruder, J., Himmelsbach, S., Magrin, B. Re-Imagining AI. Scholars, Artists and Designers in Dialogue. FHNW Academy of Art and Design Basel. 20 June 2019 - 21 June 2019.
Mareis, C. , Rešetar, I. , De Visscher, E. Capsules, Sheets and Fibers – Designing Soft Interfaces. 1st Retreat of the Cluster »Matters of Activity«, Nauen. Cluster of Excellence »Matters of Activity«, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. 2 November 2019.
Teaching & Courses
Maries, M (design theory), Clark, J. (anthropology), Bühn, S. (ecology), le Calvé, M. (anthropology), Weber, R. »Dark Fluidity: An immersive exploration of liquid ontologies in practice along the multispecies material ecologies of the river Schwärze«. Summer School: Frictioned Functionality. Un/designing Un/sustainable Matter. Matters of Activity, Humboldt University of Berlin. 17 October 2022 - 22 October 2022.
https://www.matters-of-activity.de/en/activities/8495/frictioned-functionality-un-designing-un-sustainable-matter
Razghandi, K., Mareis, C., Stock, R., Auger, J., Lockwood, J., Wenig, C., Norris, L., Stark, S., Weber, R., Bühn, S., Clark, J., le Calvé. M. »Frictioned Functionality: Un/Designing Un/Sustainable Matter«. »Dark Fluidity. An immersive exploration of liquid ontologies in practice along the multispecies material ecologies of the Schwärze river«. MoA's First Interdisciplinary Autumn School., Cluster of Excellence »Matters of Activity«, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. 17 October 2022 - 22 October 2022.
https://www.matters-of-activity.de/en/activities/8495/frictioned-functionality-un-designing-un-sustainable-matter
External Grants, Fellowships, Scholarships & Residencies
Perraudin, L., Brock, O., Coelho Mollo, D., Mareis, C., Müller, M., Nestler, A., Puhlmann, S., Schäffner, W., Steinhardt, S. 2021. »Wenn Materie lebendig wird«. Experimentallabor für Wissenschaftskommunikation »CollActive Materials«. Berlin University Alliance, project funding for 2022-2024.
https://www.collactive-materials.de/
Mareis, C., Cupers, K., Halpern, O. 2020. Governing through Design: an interdisciplinary phenomenon. Sinergia Grant of the Swiss National Science Foundation Project funding.
https://governingthrough.design/
Memberships
Mareis, C. Since 2022. Guest member in the jury of the TaDA »Artist in Residence« programme. TaDA Textile and Design Alliance, St. Gallen.
https://tada-residency.ch
Press Articles
Molitor, N. 2022. »Ausstellungsempfehlung für Berlin: Am Knotenpunkt des Materials. Das 13. Design Lab im Kunstgewerbemuseum geht den Geschichten diverser Bau- und Designmaterialien auf den Grund. Befragt werden Werke aus der Sammlung.« taz, 15 November 2022.
https://taz.de/Ausstellungsempfehlung-fuer-Berlin/!5892190/