Weimar, Germany

BIY - Build It Yourself: Democratically

BIY – Build It Yourself: Democratically Designed Furniture

Is good design attainable to the masses? Explore making with simple materials and techniques to create a furniture design for all.

Build It Yourself (B.I.Y.) looks at creating a furniture design made from simple materials and techniques that reflect democratic design principles. In 1974, Italian designer Enzo Mari published Autoprogettazione?, a booklet of design plans for people to build their own furniture. Mari believed that good design should be accessible to all and not just a select few. Utilising the same concepts of attainable materials, simple construction, and developing an instruction guide, students will explore their personal ideas of what makes an object both good and accessible to everyone, culminating in final full-scale furniture design.

The ten-day workshop will cover research, hands-on model making, full-scale test mock-ups, and final prototype building. We will learn 3D modelling and rendering to explore early concepts and create the material needed for an instructional guide.

The first week will be exploratory, and students will learn the basic skills. We will split our time between the classroom building models and the computer lab learning 3D programmes. During the second week, students will focus on making the final design, documenting, and creating a compelling instructional guide for anyone to build his or her own. The workshop will come to an end with a group exhibition and presentation.

Course leader

Jessica Fügler

- Designer based in New York, United States
- Senior Product Developer
- Bachelor’s of Industrial Design, Pratt Institute, Brooklyn
- Master’s of Design Products, Royal College of Art London

Jess Fügler (jessfugler

Target group

Bachelor's and Master's students of industrial design, furniture design, architecture, or interior design.

Credits info

3 EC
After successful completion of the language course, you will receive a certificate of participation issued by the Bauhaus Summer School.

Participants earn 3 credit points (ECTS) after completion of the two-week course. In order to receive credit points, t is necessary to attend at least 80% of the course lessons and to fulfil the required tasks. It is possible to receive 2 extra credit points (ECTS) for the course if you book an additional module.

Prior to your participation, it is essential that you clarify whether your home university will recognise the foreign credits you intend to earn.

If you would like to receive a grade, you must discuss this with the teacher at the beginning of the course! The fulfilment of additional tasks may be necessary.

Fee info

EUR 890: 2 weeks (90 hrs)

The course fee is 890 EUR.
EUR 690: 690 EURO for students & alumni.
350 EURO for BUW students.

The course fee includes:

- Orientation & Support
- Programme according to description
- Teaching materials
- Bauhaus Summer School ID card
- Daily Lunch at the University Cafeteria (Monday - Friday)
- Certificate
- Internet access at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar
- Free use of library
- Accompanying programme including excursions
- Free entrance to museums belonging to Klassik Stiftung Weimar

The course fee does NOT include:

- Travel costs
- Accommodation
- Insurance
- Additional module(s) (190 €)