Design foundations are communicated to the students as a “topography” of the design media and design phenomena. Or– one could also say as a testing arrangement for the experiment in design. Basic Design education by Marion Digel involves the experience with fundamental phenomena and knowledge of terminologies and media on which students can base their independent creative design activity and understanding. It associates the relations and dependencies of these factors with each other and in relation to design quality. According to the Folkwang philosophy, Marion Digel encourages experimental and perception based design and offers various perspectives to the design process. Classical and standardized rules and principles are discussed critically with students as an instrument to measure and broaden their own design thinking and acting.

Studio courses in Basic Design involve aspects of the design process, such as creative methodologies and the use of semantics and metaphors. The enhancement of structural knowledge and the acquaintance with colour-and surface design are integrated in the studio projects. Students learn to set parameters for the practical and theoretical process of dealing with a certain problem in order to develop their individual design language.