Design Principle Holobiont: a symbiosis of drawing, typography, and graphic design as a large-scale installation.

MICROBIAL FUTURES explores forms of coexistence beyond the human realm. Students in the interdisciplinary Foundations of Design program at the Potsdam University of Applied Sciences are researching microbial symbioses and translating the concept of the holobiont – the organism as a community consisting of a host and billions of microorganisms – into drawings, typography, graphics, and texts. The focus is on fungi, lichens, and algae as often overlooked actors that form soil, ferment, or break down rock. A large-scale installation invites visitors to rethink life as a network of interdependencies, as a space of togetherness.

The project was developed at the Potsdam University of Applied Sciences as part of a course taught by Anna Rosinke (artistic fundamentals), Susanne Stahl (editorial design), and Helga Schmid (design theory and design research). The students’ work will be presented for the first time as part of the VIENNA DESIGN WEEK.