Healing is the Mission
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Karl Stocker explains the Design Clinic

1_Healing is the Mission

The Design Clinic is an institution where professionals study and treat both aesthetic and functional ailments without patients having to stay overnight.

2_All-Round Care

In addition to providing emergency care for acute design failures and accidents involving people from a wide variety of social backgrounds and varying ages, the Design Clinic’s range of tasks includes initial diagnosis, examination, coaching and treatment planning for cases of severe design fatigue that cannot be treated ad hoc.

3_From Diagnosis to Treatment

If a manifest resistance to advice is suspected, a design accident has occurred or the patients are simply unsure whether the symptoms are hiding fundamental problems that are difficult to solve, patients are referred to the emergency room and one of its follow-up departments: the specialist design ward, the further training center or straight into the direct care of a design emergency doctor.

4_In the Midst of Life

The Design Clinic does not have a fixed location. It is mobile and arrives to treat patients with an emergency vehicle ‒ after all, treatment must begin where the condition is most severe. In particularly serious cases, the Design Clinic even offers home visits throughout Styria.

5_First Aid

The Design Clinic has a design rescue service responsible for providing professional first aid in case of an emergency of any kind. A highly qualified team of specialists bring the appropriate rescue equipment for the task, providing quick and apt aid to alleviate suffering by restoring aesthetic and functional standards.

6_The Design Academy

A Design Academy is also planned for the Design Clinic. This branch organizes and conducts advanced training events based on the motto of life-long learning. The Design Academy sees itself as a sustainable investment in preventive care, used to avoid serious future design accidents through adequate coaching and further training.

7_Malpractice Prevention

Successful treatment requires that patients be sufficiently informed about the advantages and risks associated with any recommended therapy method, and that their wishes are considered during treatment planning. This is the only way to prevent malpractice due to, for example, ignoring contraindications or negative interactions.

8_Midwifery and Terminal Care

The Design Clinic can also provide targeted midwife assistance through coaching and support, networking or the expertise provided by specialists in design projects. However, it can also – if all attempts at rescue and revival have failed – support projects in their last days of life through appropriate terminal care.

9_Future Perspectives

The primary strategic goal of the Design Clinic is to pique the interest of those lacking an affinity for design, so they can experience the healing effects of design and the design processes. Furthermore, it also aims to provide further networking opportunities for creatives in order to make design and design professionals more easily accessible.

10_Treatment is Good, Prevention is Better

In a best-case scenario, no therapy or treatment is needed at all. The best way to prevent aesthetic ailments is to involve suitable experts in the design process from the very beginning, giving them the opportunity to communicate with clients on an equal footing. Although this does not completely protect one against failed designs, it can make significant contributions to the success of a project and thus the well-being of all parties involved.