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.

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.

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Past Event

Information Session: Welcome to ID—Meet Our Community

August 21, 2025
12:00-1:00pm CST
Online Event
Thursday, August 21, Noon CT

Join us for a special webinar designed to introduce prospective students to the vibrant, student-centered community at ID. During this session, you’ll learn about our dynamic programs, supportive learning environment, and the unique opportunities that make ID a standout experience. We will even have some Faculty and Staff present you can meet. Whether you’re exploring your options or ready to take the next step, this is a great chance to connect, ask questions, and see what life at ID is all about.

Who Should Attend:
Prospective or Interested Graduate Students

Register