Aesthetics of responsibility – this laconic aphorism encompasses an architecture of thinking which is founded in the zero hour of Germany’s recent history. At this point arose the idea of political, social und cultural responsibility of the individual in general and of the designer in particular, an idea which emerged in the intellectually and culturally well-versed group gravitating around Inge Scholl, Otl Aicher, and Max Bill. The idea resulted from the lesson drawn from the crimes of Nationalsocialism and from the democratic responsibility of “Never Again” - of preventing a recurrence.
The efforts of the triumvirat Scholl-Aicher-Bill soon led to the formation of the Brother-and-Sister-Scholl-Foundation. Its purpose was to establish and run a private school of higher learning, a plan that was realized between 1953 and 1968 and ultimately became the legendary designer ‘forge’ “hfg ulm” on the so called Kuhberg. In 1986, the foundation was renamed and since then is known as the Private School of Design HfG Ulm and follows the intellectual tradition of its predecessor. “Our global community is very fragile; therefore the demand of the HfG founding generation around Inge Scholl, Otl Aicher and Max Bill has become more of a burning issue than ever before,” declared Dr. Dieter Bosch, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the HfG Ulm Foundation and manager/managing director of the IFG Ulm GmbH (private limited liability company.
In contrast to the Scholl-Foundation, the HfG Foundation is not running a university, but in agreement with its statutes its aim is to promote science, research and development of design (architecture, urban planning, design, art) as well as the preservation of historic buildings and monuments. The Foundation’s headquarters is in Ulm.
It supports design projects which analyse and visualise cultural changes. These are projects which describe processes in the making which brek off from the purely material design and transcend into the realm of ideas – ideas which have a lasting impact on our social and physical environment.
In addition, it ist he task of the Foundation to secure the historical development of the HfG and the IFG Ulm as a place for basic research as well as to subsidize and preserve as a cultural monument of the State of Baden-Württemberg those buildings of the former Private School of Design founded by Max Bill at the upper Kuhberg that are now poperty of the Foundation.
Proceeds from the Foundation’s Assets as well as donations and endowments serve to realize the original aim of the Foundation. This is primarilly done by granting financial means to the subsidiary the International Form of Design Ulm GmbH (IFG), which on behalf of the HfG Ulm endeavors to presentin a new form the guiding idea of social responsibility of the designer.
The Board of Management consists of three people, who take care of the daily business routine, and the Foundation Board represent tthe two organs of the Foundation. The Statutes of the Foundation may be ammended by a decision of the Foundation Board. Nevertheless, such a change requires a three quarter majority and must be approved of by the supervisory board, namely the governmental office of the administrative district of Tübingen. The same procedure applies to an annulment of the Foundation.
