Asserting that design sexualizes, design colonizes and design manipulates, Berlin-based architect, curator and professor of design theory Friedrich von Borries (born 1974) casts a new perspective on Cola advertisements, Sony Walkmans and the Le Corbusier chaise longue. Using the example of state receptions, electoral procedures and medal presentations, von Borries poses the question of whether political proceedings and forms of representation should be redesigned.
A concluding glossary lists terms such as responsibility, self-realization, products and market to suggest the areas designers and architects must act in today if they wish to design with political responsibility. Von Borries is the author of several articles and books on design, architecture and culture. He was the curator for the German contribution to the 2008 Venice Architectural Biennale.
