Kodak, Nokia, Tamagotchi, etc. – Many brands that were once influential and successful have now lost their relevance. They failed to keep up with technological or social developments, did not recognize new needs, or simply lost touch with the times. In this course, we take a look at such brands and their products, place them in a new context, and rethink them.
The students independently selected a brand that is no longer relevant or, in their view, offers hidden innovation potential. First, they examined why the brand and its products are no longer relevant today. Then they identified the brand’s core – the actual idea or emotional meaning behind the brand’s origins.
Based on this core, students developed new product ideas that add value in today’s social, technological, and ecological context, solve current problems, and at the same time reinterpret the character of the brand.
Both objects are standing in the Spitalhof and the attached library.
Together, the two interventions connect everyday use with cultural memory,
allowing the courtyard to remain an active and meaningful public space
throughout the year.
Built from heavy steel and concrete elements, combined with domestic dark oak, all materials are intended to age naturally and develop a unique patina over time.
Chanukkia
Inspired by the Star of David and the silversmithing
tradition of Schwäbisch Gmünd, the Chanukkiah
combines contemporary design with local craftsmanship.
It can be illuminated either with LED segments for indoor use or with traditional candles during the ceremony.
Mounted on a movable wooden base, it can be placed in the courtyard for the celebration and safely stored inside the library afterwards.
Bench
The bench is inspired by the design of the original bench and therefore fits seamlessly into the cityscape.
During Chanukkah, one additional segment of the eight lights is light up each day, gradually transforming the bench into an abstract representation of a Chanukkiah.
Beyond the festival, it remains a place for meeting,
resting, and remembering, an everyday object
transformed into a vessel of memory.
