History of the Faculty

The Faculty of Design was founded in 1972. It is the successor to the Aachen School of Drawing and Arts and Crafts, which was founded in 1904.

• 1904: Foundation of the Aachen School of Drawing and Arts and Crafts.
• 1908: Opening of the school building at Südstraße 40.
• 1914: Establishment of the printing workshops.
• 1922: The special field of work of the School of Arts and Crafts: "Technical and tasteful training of craftsmen, graphic artists and interior designers."
• 1930: Establishment of the wood workshop.
• 1934: Teaching ceases on 1 April 1934,
• 1948: Resumption of teaching as a master school with 153 students.
• 1951: Recognised as a public technical school with the following Sections: Painting department, interior design, graphics department, tailoring department, locksmith department.
• 1957: Recognised as a higher technical college by the Minister of Culture.
• 1971: Foundation of the FH Aachen and the Design faculties with 277 students and 21 lecturers.
• 1974: Discontinuation of the fields of study Industrial Design and Fashion Design.
• 1979: Planning contract for the remodelling of the FH building at Boxgraben 100. 445 students at this time.
• 1986: The first digital media find their way into the work of the faculties.
• 1988: Degree is awarded for the move to the Boxgraben building.
• 1993: Establishment of the field of study Media Design.
• 1996: The new "Interior Design" field of study in Product Design admits its first students.
• 2004: The faculties celebrates its 100th anniversary.
• 2006: In the 2006/07 winter semester, students can register for the "Visual Communication" and "Product Design" degree programmes for the last time.
• 2007: The two Bachelor's degree programmes "Communication Design" and "Product Design" begin in the 2007/08 winter semester.
• 2010: In October, it is possible to switch to the eight-semester degree programmes "Product Design with practical semester" and "Communication Design with practical semester" for the first time.
• 2011: Establishment of the three-semester Master's degree programme "Communication Design and Product Design" (name changed to Design M.A. 2023).

The Faculty of Design has been housed entirely in the building at Boxgraben 100 since 1988. The location comprises the main building with the fronts facing Boxgraben and Hubertusplatz as well as the workshops in the inner courtyard.

The building was completed in 1891 according to plans by Aachen architect Georg Frentzen, together with Edmund Thyssen, and initially housed the Prussian Higher Technical College for the Textile Industry. In 1907, the building was extended to include the structure facing Hubertusplatz. After being almost completely destroyed in the Second World War, the entire complex was rebuilt and restored. Nowadays, the building is a listed building.