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Department of Design

Department of Design

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Department of Design

The Department of Design is a diverse community of competent, creative and responsible individuals. In design, we appreciate technical skill, social significance and artistic expression.

We educate front-line design professionals and visionaries for established, changing and emerging fields of design. We renew our expertise through high level research in continuous collaboration with our stakeholders. We strive towards a sustainable and just society and environment.

Studies at Department of Design

You can choose the Bachelor's degree major between Design, Fashion or Aalto Bachelor Prorgamme in Design. Master's studies can be conducted either in Collaborative and Industrial Design; Fashion, Clothing and Textile Design; or Contemporary Design programme. In addition, the Department provides two Aalto-level Master's programmes: International Design Business Management and Creative Sustainability.

A student focuses either in the Master's degree major or the field of the programme, and may take advantage of Aalto University’s wide range of multidisciplinary courses for the minors and freely selectable studies.

Presentation in Hyeres by Antonia Sedakova / photo Pierre-Emmanuel Testard
Presentation in Hyeres by Antonia Sedakova / photo Pierre-Emmanuel Testard

Majors of the Bachelor's Programme in Design

Majors of the Master’s Programme in Design

Prof. Maarit Mäkelä and her work

Research

Our research is at the international forefront in sustainable design, practice-based design research, human-centered design and co-design. Our research environment enables and our culture encourages goal-oriented research, imaginative experiments, critical discussion, and transdisciplinary collaboration.

Go ºÚÁÏÍø Design Research Site

Collaborate with us

We offer our partners the opportunity to collaborate with international level designers and design researchers.

Read more
Design for Government 2018 photo by Heidi Konttinen

Gallery

The gallery of the Department of Design.

Browse the gallery!
Emma Saarnio ja Helmi Liikanen

News

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Appointments Published:

Emrecan Gulay started as a Data Agent at the School of Business

Aalto Open Research Network has a new member, Emrecan Gulay. Their aim is to support data management practices at the School of BIZ.
Three people hold yarn spools in front of large green textile machinery in a factory setting.
Cooperation, Research & Art, University Published:

Design at the start of the supply chain – Aalto University leads a major EU project to transform textile colouration practices

The EU Horizon-funded MELANGE project brings together design, technology and business to rethink colouration practices in the textile industry and accelerate the transition towards circular and sustainable textile systems.
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Appointments, Research & Art Published:

Professor Hironori Yoshida: “Machines should adapt to materials, not the other way aroundâ€

Professor of Formgiving believes the future of design lies in embracing irregularity rather than eliminating it. His research combines design, AI and robotics.
Poster for Aalto ARTS Grad Show 2026, abstract orange circles, dates 3.9–7.10 on warm background
Research & Art Published:

Coming soon: Aalto ARTS Grad Show 2026

We're thrilled to invite you to the Aalto ARTS Grad Show 2026 of the School of Arts, Design and Architecture!

Events

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Networking

Reshaping Spatial Acoustics – Stakeholder reception

RESPA looks into human-technology relations of acoustics in AR environments through cross-disciplinary collaboration. Learn more about the research and collaboration opportunities in this relaxed stakeholder reception.
Doctoral hat floating above a speaker's podium with a microphone.
Public defences

Public defence, Design, MA Annukka Svanda

Inclusion, Agency, and Justice by Design.
Poster for Aalto University talk ‘We Design, But We Are Not Designers’, text over cropped portrait.
Lectures and seminars

We Design, But We Are Not Designers

In this Design Interrupted panel discussion, we delve into the limits of design as seen from outside its professional confines.
Poster for 'Unfolding Design Culture' symposium with speaker portraits and event details in Helsinki.
Lectures and seminars

Unfolding Design Culture: practical investigations explores possibilities for a new praxis of design and enquiry.

Symposium on post-solutionist design culture: how Design Culture Studies scholars practice creatively, engage publics, and generate insights beyond project conventions.

Department management

 Mikko Jalas

Mikko Jalas

Head of Department, Associate Professor

Heidi Paavilainen

Head of Education, Senior University Lecturer
 Andrea Botero Cabrera

Andrea Botero Cabrera

Head of Doctoral Education, Associate Professor
Department of Design - Personnel

Visit the School of Arts, Design and Architecture

Information for guests

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Visit the School of Arts, Design and Architecture

Information for visitors and guests

Aalto ARTS Handbook

Where to find us

School of Arts, Design and Architecture by Sari Dhima

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Otaniementie 14
School of Arts, Design and Architecture

Locations

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