ZeM Monograph 05

The calculus of design is a diagrammatic approach towards the relationship between design and insight. The thesis is that insights are not discovered, gained, explored, revealed, or mined, but are operatively de–signed. The de in design neglects the contingency of the space towards the sign. The – is the drawing of a distinction within the operation. Space collapses through the negativity of the sign; the command draws a distinction that neglects the space for the form’s sake. The operation to de–sign is counterintuitively not the creation of signs, but their removal, the exclusion of possible sign propositions of space. De–sign is thus an act of exclusion; the possibilities of space are crossed into form.

Kim Albrecht conducts research at the intersection of data visualization, technology, and culture. He holds a BA in Graphic Design, an MA in Interface Design, and a Ph.D. in Media Theory. Albrecht’s professional journey includes roles such as researcher at the Center for Complex Network Research with Prof. Laszlo Barabasi, Principal at metaLAB (at) Harvard with Jeffrey Schnapp, Faculty Associate at the Berkman Center for Internet & Society, and Professor at the Film University Babelsberg Konrad Wolf from 2023 to 2024. Since 2025, he has served as Professor of Information Design at the Folkwang University of the Arts in Essen, Germany. Known for his exploration of the aesthetic properties of data, his work spans teaching, research, and application.