Forschung
Design research at Industrial Design ZHdK operates at the intersection of digital fabrication, ecological material practice and applied technology. It is closely linked to teaching on the master's programme. Our work is grounded in hands-on prototyping through the ID Lab and Design & Technology collaborations.
Our methodology pivots on three questions: Why? Challenging assumptions before committing to a direction. What if? Testing ideas and concepts through creative exploration. How? Building proof-of-concept prototypes and evaluating their impact with real people in real contexts. Outcomes range from early-stage future scenarios to functional prototypes and public exhibitions. Recent work includes Versive, a prototype of a personalised wheelchair seat produced through single-line 3D printing, and Solar Fuels, an exhibition presented with EPFL at mudac as part of the Solar Biennale 2025.
We regularly collaborate with start-ups, industry partners and scientific institutions to deliver real-world impact. Our research has received funding from Innosuisse, SNF, the Gebert-Rüf Foundation and the Wyss Foundation, among others.
For inquiries about research, please contact Lukas Franciszkiewicz, Head of MA Industrial Design.
For collaboration requests, please fill out this form.
