MEDIA & INTERACTION DESIGN
with Nicole Ruggiero
Guided by New-York based 3D arist Nicole Ruggiero, the first year students brought their most impactful digital memories to life. Using Cinema4D, ZBrush, and Substance Painter, they crafted animations exploring how technology has shaped our experiences through nostalgic tributes.
MEDIA & INTERACTION DESIGN
by Thomas Gaudin, Olivia Capol, Livia Schmid, Emilie Maier
This project revolves around a fully functional data visualization experience and graphical interface, designed and programmed by second-year Bachelor students in Media & Interaction Design as part of a course taught by Gaël Hugo. This exercise begins with the following reflection: "Fun" datasets concern topics that are of personal interest, and can be used to answer unexpected questions and explore relationships that aren’t immediately intuitive. Perhaps you start with a question or hypothesis, and then find a dataset to prove (or disprove) your theory. Or, you might even generate your own dataset using web scraping techniques or an open API. In fact, creating your own dataset enables you to collect, label, and prepare a clean dataset. - Kindra Cooper
PRODUCT DESIGN
with Thélonious Goupil
During this one-week workshop led by Thélonious Goupil, edits were made to a ‘drop false ceiling’ in Bar Gala Lausanne. By hacking the system, playing with existing elements such as lighting or ventilators, the outdate ceiling was given new life without the need for full renovation.
INDUSTRIAL DESIGN
with Stephane Halmai-Voisard
For this project, the students had to design a seat, or rather requalify and rehabilitate a chair or armchair using existing models such as the monobloc, aluminium bistro chair, or deck chair, as the base structure. Employing Kvadrat upholstery textiles, the designs had to be reversible, meaning it should not alter the existing structure. While the original function of the chair could be maintained or altered, the proposals aimed to improved the comfort and aesthetic character of the seats.
with Calypso Mahieu Laurent Soldini, Sophie Wietlisbach
The project aims to shed light on the career of Richard Authier (Lausanne, 1925–2018), who was an industrial designer at Hermes Paillard International in Yverdon-les-Bains and a pioneer of industrial design in French-speaking Switzerland.
PHOTOGRAPHY
with RVB Books/Matthieu Charon & Rémi Faucheux
Using pre-produced images, the students created one or more book models. How do you transform a series of photographs into a book? The Photographic Editions course introduces students to the selection of images, their order, format, graphics, ink, paper and binding. It addresses the specificities of the book as a medium and as a market.
PHOTOGRAPHY
with Thomas Mailaender
In the spring of 2024, Thomas Mailaender and the students of the ECAL Bachelor in Photography entered the ruins of the club with the intention of making it resonate once again. Between archaeology, documentary research, and imaginative speculations, the group of adventurers crafted a surprising exhibition path blending mold and glitter, ashes and glamour. For one night, the Corso was filled with explosive sounds and images in a fiery tribute to the nights of Renens.
PHOTOGRAPHY
with Natacha Lesueur
Last minute risk As the students enter their final year of training at the ECAL, and their interests and methods take shape, it's time to take advantage of this last project to question our own rules, achievements and influences, not to be satisfied with them, and to take risks.
PHOTOGRAPHY
with Maxime Guyon
"Extraordinary Daily Commodities": Everyday Objects What if the objects around us were not mere tools, but autonomous entities with their own essence? Inspired by Graham Harman's Object-Oriented Ontology (OOO), this semester invited students to explore objects from a fresh perspective. Freed from the shadow of our consciousness, they take a place equal to that of humans, animals, and plants. Guided by Maxime Guyon, second-year photography students were encouraged to rediscover what "banal" truly means and dive into a reflection on the place and sensitivity of objects in the contemporary world.
PHOTOGRAPHY
with Philippe Jarrigeon, Philippe Jarrigeon
This year, a unique workshop invited students to explore the relationship between an object and its image. By delving into the material properties, history, symbolism, and multiple representations of an iconic object, they sought to understand the aura that defines it. The subject of this first edition? The blue jean. From a simple utilitarian garment to a global symbol of style, the blue jean transcends generations and cultures. Throughout the semester, students were tasked with creating a photographic project or video that both questions and celebrates this emblematic object.
PHOTOGRAPHY
with Tamara Janes
The students task is to create their own story, storyline, narrative or sequences based on the existing given images. Using their personal interests, imagination and ideas they link the images together. They can continue the plot of the images, do in-depth research, write fictional stories or tell stories based on personal experiences. The students had the freedom to photograph, generate or film.
PHOTOGRAPHY
with Lorenzo Vitturi
The aim of this workshop is to engage students in a multidisciplinary process that combines photography with sculpture and scenography. To emphasize the importance of the creative process, students are encouraged to use primarily collected and recycled materials, which will need to be transformed and integrated into their visual narrative. The work presented at the end of the workshop will reflect this approach, combining visual results with sculptures and ephemeral installations.
PRODUCT DESIGN
with Reed Kram
No Signal! Is the the outcome of an exploratory one-week workshop completed for, and now exhibited in, the Mudac’s exhibition ‘We Will Survive’, which delves into the world of ‘Preppers.’ Guided by designer Reed Kram, students from the MA Product Design program, worked in pairs to create solutions for a hypothetical scenario in which phones no longer work, the internet is down, and grid electricity is unavailable. Faced with this breakdown of modern infrastructure, their mission was to reimagine how we might fulfill one of humanity's most essential needs—communication.
PHOTOGRAPHY
with Florence Tétier, Nicolas Coulomb
SPORT - CORPS : Jeux Olympiques et Paralympiques The project is based on the theme of the body, with a view to staging physical effort. The recent context of the Olympic and Paralympic Games logically frames the choice of sport as an aesthetic means of highlighting different forms of bodily expression. The choice of discipline could be classic, out-of-games or even imaginary. The students worked around a certain vision of physical effort, movement, constraint, a form of discipline, or even joy.
PHOTOGRAPHY
with Olivia Schenker
Hot N Cold By making a very short film, students learn fundamental notions in the narrative, visual and conceptual development of video production. The project provides essential technical skills in shooting, lighting, camera movement, sound recording, editing and post-production.
PHOTOGRAPHY
with Laurence Bonvin
Liquid Times Produce a project using photography and video on the theme of fluidity, liquid form and water.
PHOTOGRAPHY
with Natacha Lesueur
Documentary, the power of make-believe. Based on projects developed around a common theme, the students develop a personal, in-depth project around the theme of pretense. They build a project that plays with the limits of veracity in photography, using it as an artifice of deception.
PHOTOGRAPHY
with Charlotte Krieger
The aim of this course is to introduce students to the creation and management of a complex photographic project involving sets, characters and lighting. The theme is free.
PHOTOGRAPHY
with Anoush Abrar
Beauty shot The week-long Medium format digital workshop is both an introduction to shooting equipment and dedicated software. Students worked in groups to produce portrait images.
PHOTOGRAPHY
with Calypso Mahieu
Waliking in Renens A collaborative project in which students were asked to choose a local shop in Renens and to create a documentary project combining images of still life, architecture and portraits.
FILM STUDIES
by Loris Ciaburri, Jonathan Daza Ospina, Loïs de Goumoëns, Sara Dutch, Fei Fan, Pablo Guscetti, Anna Joos, Saleh Kashefi, Theofanis Papadopoulos, Valentina Parati, Antoine Scalese
Students in the Master Film Studies ECAL/HEAD produced documentary vignettes for the Paléo Festival, which were shown for the first time at Visions du Réel in April 2024.
FILM STUDIES
with Kaltrina Krasniqi
Each year, students of the Master's program undertake a "Great Trip" to discover the territory of a filmmaker. In 2022, they went to Kosovo with the director and screenwriter Kaltrina Krasniqi.
FILM STUDIES
with Alejo Moguillansky
A 1 week filmmaking workshop led by the Argentinian director, screenwriter and producer Alejo Moguillansky with the students of the Master in Film - major direction.
PRODUCT DESIGN
with Camille Blin
On the occasion of Paris Design Week 2024, DECATHLON is partnering with ECAL's Product Design Master's programme to unveil "Sortir du Cadre", an installation showcasing two prototypes of electric-assisted trekking bikes based on research into eco-design. Through this collaboration, DECATHLON engages the younger generation of designers around eco-design themes. These concept bikes, envisioned by students from Product Design Master’s programme, express a vision of the future in which sustainable development and the pleasure of outdoor activities go hand in hand.
PHOTOGRAPHY
with Orsola Valenti
Hors-champ “Showing by hiding, revealing by stealing": for a political practice of the audiovisual image. The main aim of the course is to raise awareness of the political dimension of the audiovisual gesture and give students the tools to distinguish the cinematographic image from the media image. Whereas the latter - flattened, emptied and therefore interchangeable - overwhelms its receptor, rendering it powerless, the cinematographic image liberates emotion and critical reflection. In this way, it goes beyond the supposedly faithful representation of reality.
MEDIA & INTERACTION DESIGN
by Gary Sandoz
By delegating our life experiences to digital media processed by algorithms, memory is no longer solely human. Reminix explores the emotional dimension and the future of our fragmented memories through a device that scans and analyzes photographic slides, acting as an ephemeral backup of a past life in the absence of the author's testimony. In a spatial contemplation, the image materialized and rendered in 3D, accompanied by generative narration, reconstitutes an alternative past with each activation. This interactive experience reactivates the memory and creates a bridge between the user and the narrative potential of the image, while questioning the fragility, preservation, trust, and generation of our memories by machines.
MEDIA & INTERACTION DESIGN
by Théo Déchanez
Vulcan is an immersive journey to the heart of telluric powers. It is a tribute to volcanologists and volcanoes, exploring themes such as human smallness and the fascination of the immensity of natural forces. Divided into two parts, the narrative opposes the vision of a volcanologist getting as close as possible to a crater, to that of the god of fire, forges and volcanoes, the eponym of the experience. Vulcan is inspired by the work of Haroun Tazieff and the couple Katia and Maurice Krafft, and is an extension of a reflection begun during my thesis on the reconstruction of myths using digital tools.
MEDIA & INTERACTION DESIGN
by Julie Turin
Assembly line work and online orders have become the norm, even in craftsmanship. The Star's Bags app is a seamstress's response to this trend, offering an immersive shopping experience to highlight manual labor before the customer receives their bag. "The Tree Bag" is the first collection from this app, which can expand into other themes. Through this experience, the customer participates in every step of the bag's creation over several days: gathering materials, placing patterns, cutting, sewing, pinning, addressing, and shipping. By following this process, the customer appreciates the effort involved and retains a special memory of their purchase, enhancing the value of the product received.
MEDIA & INTERACTION DESIGN
by Emma Grosu
Video games allow players to escape into narrative worlds where they hold ‘all the power.’ In ESC, the game's character seeks to escape his own reality. This reversal examines the notions of freedom and constraint in video games, ironically highlighting the limits of our existence. What would happen if a character became aware of their situation, realizing that they are not in control of their movements but are, instead, imprisoned by them? ESC allowed me to explore concepts of immersion such as breaking the fourth wall and mise en abyme. Inspired by works like ‘The Truman Show’ and ‘Sword Art Online,’ I illustrated how the perception of freedom can be an illusion, both in video games and in the physical world.
MEDIA & INTERACTION DESIGN
by Viktor Gagné
The weight of materials produced by humans is now believed to exceed that of all terrestrial biomass. How will these artifacts integrate into the rest of the environment in a million years? Serialized Saplings is an interactive installation that speculates on a potential form of vegetation to come, heavily altered by the excesses of human production, here crystallized through the symbol of the electrical outlet. By manipulating the connections of several power strips, the participant is invited to program the "genetic code" of hybrid plant species that do not yet exist and whose appearance resembles our industrial standards. This generated vegetation is then classified in the form of a digital herbarium that can be consulted and studied.
MEDIA & INTERACTION DESIGN
by Charlotte Pralong
Have you ever wanted to be part of the show at the concert you are attending? This is where the Take Part project comes in, an interactive scenography for a song specially composed by my musical duo with my sister. The phone, often seen as a disturbing intermediary between artists and the audience, is here used as a tool for connection that strengthens bonds and amplifies collective energy. Indeed, each spectator participates in the projection behind the musicians using their phone. The audience follows a character with a naïve style, animated in 2D, who travels through various worlds to recharge before finally sharing this energy, symbolizing the sharing and multiplication of collective joy.
MEDIA & INTERACTION DESIGN
by Odran Jobin
What Lies Behind is an immersive virtual reality experience dealing with the disproportionate scales that separate us from the immense and the minuscule. This project is based around a philosophical and personal thought; it is difficult, as human beings, to define ourselves when faced with the idea that the immense and the minuscule come together in complexities and scales that escape our perception. This experiment takes us on a journey through these scales. The aim is not to explain, but to marvel at the beauty of the inexplicable. Seated on a bench, we are led through various scenes, each gradually altering our perception of space.
MEDIA & INTERACTION DESIGN
by Isaïa Delaplace
Azimut is a puzzle game set in a 3D natural environment. The aim is to solve a series of riddles linked to the position of the sun in the sky. Inspired by the theme of Jun'ichiro Tanizaki's book “In Praise of Shadows”, controlling the sun becomes the central element of the gameplay. This action allows players to simply interact with the light that illuminates the Earth, solving puzzles and progressing through the experience. Through this series of increasingly complex puzzles, we can observe and feel the beauty of light and shadow in an increasingly vivid and rich environment.
MEDIA & INTERACTION DESIGN
by Alexandre Gambarini
Whether it's the legend of Joan of Arc, William Tell, Che Guevara or other emblematic figures, our societies and our daily lives are partly punctuated by these tales. Echoes from the Tales is an interactive sequence that traces the life of Vasil Levski, a Bulgarian icon. By listening to his story, punctuated by strong symbolism, the sequence enables us to grasp how these stories can shape individual and collective identity. The aim of this interactive sequence is to analyze how a story can be assimilated and transformed by the individual imagination and then passed on, as well as understanding how age-old narratives such as Vasil Levski's can be hijacked by modern storytelling.
TYPE DESIGN
by Antoine Pasi
The Quasi family started with the idea of “Mécalde”, a french typographic term employed by Maximilien Vox to describe José Mendoza y Almeida’s way of mixing Mechanistic and Garalde genres. Like a soft sculpture molded by hand, Quasi offers a contemporary dive into an empiric and hybrid process by joining traces from the craft and the industrial, gathering fragments from different periods. The brush, the chisel and the broad nib pen are joining on a rigid and boxy construction, without rejecting the digital tool. Quasi embraces the beauty of imperfections and finds its interest in inconsistent and grotesque details, mediating antagonistic ideas. Like a Janus-faced performer, Quasi is confident yet clumsy – rough yet elegant, inhabiting polarizing personalities within a character set.
TYPE DESIGN
by Hólmfríður Benediktsdóttir
What is the difference between a curl, a swirl and a whirl? What about a whirl and a whorl? What about a swash, a flourish, a spiral, a twist and a twirl? Using the curl as an experiment in expression and disobedience in text, KRULLA.SANS is a sans serif typeface that comes in three weights with corresponding curls. Inspired by the original drawing of Antique No. 8 by Miller and Richard, KRULLA is an endeless exploration of contemporary curls taken to a curly extreme. With its condensed proportions and unexpected curves throughout the styles, KRULLA evolves from a Bold Confused and arrives at a disobedient Crazy Light that reimagines the relationship between curve, curl, spiral, twist and a twirl. Can a curly letter be repurposed and shown as a tool to signify resistance and disobedience?
TYPE DESIGN
by Gabriela Jaime
Fabrikaat is a sans-serif typeface that breaks from the traditional Swiss neo-grotesk genre. Its curves, translated from steel to vector, vary in width from Condensed [0] to Regular [4] to Wide [8]. A monospace cut, incorporating features from its proportional siblings, serves as a text style for small sizes. Fabrikaat is inspired by manipulating rigid materials and analyzing the resulting curves, focusing on deformation and tension. Like the exploration of shaping stiff materials, Fabrikaat’s curves have a mechanical feel. Smooth transitions between flat and curved forms are achieved through a stylistic set designed to facilitate movement along the design space. This adds character and rhythm to a sturdy, mechanical typeface, allowing versatile application across media and font sizes.
TYPE DESIGN
by Maximilian Inzinger
Embajador is an all-purpose serif font family designed for extended reading. Referencing historical Spanish influences that show an unfamiliar dynamic in their strokes, Embajador strives to harmonize contemporary type setting while maintaining the essence of the Spanish spirit and charm. Available from Light to Black with corresponding italics, Embajador’s weights are drawn as optical sizes. Whereas the Light is monolinear with wider proportions, the Black features more condensed, high-contrasted letterforms. These variations in weight are intended to guide users in choosing the appropriate style for their specific application and size. With the addition of optical spacing, however, all styles can also be used effectively at any size.
TYPE DESIGN
by Thorgeir Kristinn Blöndal
Flaneri is a cursive script-like typeface that invites references born after industrialization to find its place. Torn between the human stroke and its translation into the machine, it steps into a world where authenticity is becoming harder to detect, and a longing for “human made” becomes greater. While wandering around many places, Flaneri finds inspiration in everything from Jan van de Velde’s art of writing to my grandmother’s and my own handwriting, the digital translation carries questions on what is to be left out, polished or even highlighted. Resulting in a cursive font with a physical texture and broken connections, leaving the observer with a feeling of what has been or what is to come.
TYPE DESIGN
by Nell May
Night Editor is a text font family designed for the dark screen writing environment: a focused space for creation and thinking. Night Editor features a calm low contrast calligraphic skeleton. Large counters, open apertures and generous spacing all aid legibility and counter the impact of light halation. Styles are limited to necessary tools: Regular, Bold, Italics (plus accompanying light mode grades). Night Editor Mono is the text production workhorse with oversized punctuation. It is designed for a slower, more physical access to a text in progress and is also available in Round with softened terminals that embrace the bloom of light. Night Editor Sans is the proportional counterpart, suitable for both writing and reading texts in the tranquil darkness.
PRODUCT DESIGN
by Yichen Wu
Haitang Stool is the result of a culture-based form study, a blend of tradition and democratic ubiquity. The popularity of the New Chinese Style demonstrates a growing recognition of traditional culture in the Chinese market. Building on extensive research into Ming-style furniture, this project aims to extract and bring its beauty to everyday objects, challenging the common perception that it only serves a select few. By redesigning the iconic red plastic stool, the local Monobloc alternative, Haitang Stool explores the communicative power of cultural forms while keeping its low cost and universal functionality.
TYPE DESIGN
by Eran Ben Barak
Olivia is a font family supporting both Latin and Hebrew scripts. It explores the shapes and conventions of these scripts without blending or “Latinizing” Hebrew. The project rethinks Latin type design norms, leveraging my background and education. As a Hebrew type designer, I advocate for mutual learning between scripts. This typeface serves as a bridge, demonstrating how Hebrew and Latin can coexist and enrich each other.
PRODUCT DESIGN
by Jiahao Huang
Polyurethane foam has been taken granted as the go-to material in creating comfort and softness for upholstery and caused immense pressure to environment. This motivates me to use spacer fabric, which features a sandwich structure with 3 layers, knitted altogether one time by 3d knitting machine, as the alternative to PU foam. I developed a sofa with this particular material in the core. It is cushioned, padded and covered all by spacer fabric. Without glue nor staples, all components are designed to be easily assembled and separated. The concept spins around the inherent tension and flexiblity of the material that enables it to naturally form voluminous yet smooth shapes. The idea is to build the cushioning core and contacting layer in one piece of fabric wilhout stiching and triming.
PRODUCT DESIGN
by Meri Hozumi
Meno Mosso transforms consumers into creators through the traditional technique of «papier-mâché» – akin to “hariko» used for Japanese toys. In contrast to mass production and fast consumption through online shopping, crafting a Meno Mosso product is a meticulous and intimate process of layering and drying paper repeatedly. Formed with sustainable materials – scrap paper and starch glue – Meno Mosso’s slow crafting also fosters deep connections between creators and their products. Experiences are shared alongside loved ones and each Meno Mosso product bears your signature: symbolising the personal connection embedded in the unique piece made from your choice of used paper. Who would discard such products, nurtured with care, time and memories?
PRODUCT DESIGN
by Antonio Severi
VAC focuses on assembling objects without conventional fasteners, using vacuum as a binder. This technique, known as «jamming,» originates from soft robotics but also occurs when vacuum-sealing goods like coffee. It increases friction between parts like glue but allows the process to be reversible. Various bags were filled with different materials, creating unique seating options that address technical challenges and explore material combinations. The project produced five chair prototypes using different methods, showcasing binding techniques that allow for easy separation and recycling, highlighting a commitment to sustainability and innovation.
PRODUCT DESIGN
by Lilian Onstenk
Many discarded jackets have malfunctioning zippers. Before repurposing, textiles and hardware need to be separated within the recycling facilities—a labor-intensive procedure. The uien collection proposes a system in which the fabric and the zipper are easily exchangeable and separable. The cotton inner lining is connected to the water-resistant cotton outer fabric. Similar to a pillowcase, the felted wool insulation is encapsulated between the cotton layers without using additional fastening systems. The slightly modified zipper ties into the fabric and can easily be removed and replaced. uien aims for easier recycling but above all encourages consumers to replace broken items without special equipment or prior knowledge.
PRODUCT DESIGN
by Loïs Weber
A report from the Swiss Office for the Environmental forecasts annual summer heatwaves, increasing the number of «tropical» days (>30°C) throughout the year. In response to this phenomenon, some Swiss cities are seeking solutions to combat these urban heat islands. The Ilo project proposes a solution to address heatwaves in Lausanne. In collaboration with a local brick manufacturer, the cooling potential of bricks, which absorb and slowly evaporate water, has been harnessed in a modular seating installation, providing shade and refreshment. Adaptable to various locations, this installation can be deployed during the four months of summer heatwaves, thus improving urban comfort and fostering social interactions.
PRODUCT DESIGN
by Fanny Marrot
Encore Bon is a system designed to change the way we think about food waste by reusing existing unsold but consumable resources produced by supermarkets. These spoiled, less attractive products are often neglected, even though they have tasty and nutritious qualities. The Encore Bon system communicates and educates people about food waste whilst creating new products. Raw ingredients are collected and then combined according to their aromatic match using a dedicated application, creating new and unusual flavours. They are then dried to extend their shelf life. The result is attractive, tasty dry products that encourage consumers to take a different look at unsold food.
PRODUCT DESIGN
by Aurelia Pleyer
The way we work is changing. Today, we no longer stay at a fixed desk in a single place but need flexibility and movement. As we perform a variety of tasks during the day, we wish for an equally diverse range of spaces to create, concentrate, communicate, and think within. With Kind Regards proposes an open way of working on two surfaces. Sitting or standing, the furniture explores different possibilities of work situations. The simple and direct, yet versatile structure uses wood to create a warm, welcoming surrounding. Encouraging to work in new ways, With kind regards is a flexible place for both short and longer E-Mails.
PRODUCT DESIGN
by Justus Hilfenhaus
ECAL x ECAL is a collaboration between myself and the institution. This project showcases a collection of objects designed and crafted at ECAL to address small yet significant problems I encountered during my time here. Each object, from classroom essentials to communal space enhancements, is created for optimal usability. With a galvanized steel finish, these items ensure durability and recognition, reflecting our contemporary architectural aesthetic. Crafted by ECAL artisans and myself, they represent our dedication to design, enhancing everyday life as they seamlessly integrate into our school environment.