Furor over Phoenix Design? Our design at the center of a city council debate
An icon for Offenburg – what is the value of design?
Text: Florian Czak
Co-Author: Franziska Warnke
An icon for Offenburg – what is the value of design? Phoenix Design was commissioned by the city of Offenburg to design a drinking water stele that has now become a polarizing topic of discussion. It's not even about the geometric and striking aesthetic appearance, or the focus on inclusion and ergonomics - but of course: about money. Is it really necessary to hire a renowned design studio for a project of this kind?
Criticism has been leveled at high expenditures for a "designer project." The questions about the value of design and the definition of a "design object" are almost pressing. How much is an inclusive, functional and aesthetic solution worth? And what monetary and user difference arises from a supposedly "non-design" approach? We are curious about the result of the "Offenburg icon" - well, what can we say - we know our way around icons.