In 2026, after nearly 90 years, the Institute of Design came under new management. This website is an archive of the impactful and inspirational work produced by the ID community before that transition.

Show this notice

László Moholy-Nagy opened the New Bauhaus in Chicago in 1937, treating design as a discipline that was teachable, testable, and consequential. Nine decades on, its scope had widened from the things people use to the systems they depend on: hospitals, government agencies, classrooms, supply chains, digital platforms. Along the way, ID community members developed the published research, methods, and frameworks that designers rely on every day.

Chief among them is human-centered design: close attention to how people actually live, and advocacy for what that research reveals. It shaped designers who are comfortable with complexity and ambiguity: curious, rigorous, inclusive, and stubbornly optimistic about design's ability to change the systems that shape our lives.

To every one of them, who taught, studied, built, critiqued, and stayed late in the studio: thank you, and keep designing.

Archive notice

We use technologies, such as cookies, to customize content and advertising, to provide social media features, and to analyze traffic to the site. By using or registering on any portion of this site, you agree to our privacy and cookie statement.

Privacy Statement

institute
of desiGn

Past Event

2015 Summer Design Camp Session 2

July 20-24, 2015

IIT Institute of Design
350 N LaSalle St
Chicago, IL 60654

Design Camp is a five-day immersive experience into the design process that draws professionals from corporations and not-for-profit institutions from around the world. Participants’ common interest is in learning how to incorporate design methods into how they build new business offerings and enhance existing brands.

Over the course of the week participants are introduced to problem framing, user research, analysis, concept generation, prototyping, and design communication, by faculty from the Institute of Design, all in the context of addressing real-world challenges facing Chicago area not-for-profit institutions. A sample of past challenges include designing the user experience for a park district sailing program for the disabled, conceiving the use of public space in the central library, and creating opportunities for deeper engagement for a senior citizen center.

Register