“I had a dream last night…” sang John B. Sebastian at the 1969 Woodstock Festival.
The 1960s were a decade of political and cultural upheaval. Protest movements, new ways of living, and artistic revolutions shaped an entire generation and continue to influence us today. Woodstock symbolized a break with convention and the beginning of a new era of community, creativity, and freedom. Likewise, the Whole Earth Catalog became a symbol of change in design—a manifesto for new ideas, self-determination, and sustainable thinking.
Today, we live in that once-dreamed-of future. But how much of its spirit remains? While awareness of diversity and equality grows, our global world is still driven by commerce, crisis, and conflict.
Drawing on these historical shifts, the students explore how the 1960s continue to shape our thinking, society, and visual culture. Their projects focus on the transformation of design itself—from intuitive expression to systemic, rule-based processes, in which grids become creative methods for discovery—supported by a laboratory course.