Hannah Makki wins an award for communication design at aed neuland 2025 with "THE LINDEMANN FILES - Lindemann Love Letters":

How to deal with art when the person behind it is irritating? Hannah Makki, a student at the Pforzheim School of Design, spent her semester working intensively on the controversial figure of Till Lindemann - between fan love, moral discomfort and social responsibility.

Her project combines three levels: a collection of 1,000 real fan comments ("Lindemann Love Letters"), a critically researched documentary in the style of a police file ("The Lindemann Files") and an analog animated video that makes personal and collective conflict visible.

The jury particularly emphasized the complexity and courage with which the work deals with the tension between artistic impact and ethical stance. A challenging work in terms of both design and content that has a lasting effect - and is thought-provoking.

'PFIN - A signage system for Pforzheim' by Ahmet Mehadzic, a graduate of the Visual Communication course at Pforzheim University, was awarded two prizes: the aed neuland Young Talent Award and the Junior Corporate Design Award 2025.

PFIN is an innovative, barrier-free guidance system that offers more than just orientation. It sees itself as an integral part of the city of Pforzheim - well thought-out in terms of design, inclusive and identity-creating. The system combines visual, tactile and digital elements and thus responds to the diversity of human perception. Orientation is understood here as something that functions individually - through maps, symbols, tactile structures or digital interfaces. PFIN integrates all these approaches into a system that is both strong in design and functional, helping people to find their way in urban spaces - without excluding anyone.

The project is based on an intensive analysis of the urban space and discussions with users. This resulted in a system that not only facilitates orientation, but also creates awareness for barrier-free urban design. PFIN is accompanied by eye-catching, humorous campaigns that raise awareness for more inclusion in everyday life in a charming way.

The expert juries praised the depth of content, creative clarity and social relevance of the final project. The aed neuland Award citation states: "PFIN demonstrates how a guidance system can grow beyond mere signposting: it becomes an integral part of the urban fabric and makes Pforzheim an intuitive and inclusive experience." The project also won the Junior Corporate Design Award as a successful example of human-centered, forward-looking design.

The work not only received an award, but has also already had an impact beyond the university: A collaboration with the city of Pforzheim is being planned - with the first steps towards integrating PFIN into digital information steles and a possible implementation in the Wildpark.

In addition to PFIN, Ahmet Mehadzic was also nominated for another project at the Junior Corporate Design Award 2025: the rebranding of the traditional brewery Ketterer. Under the title "Ketterer - Since 1888", the corporate design develops an independent visual language that balances a sense of local roots with urban freshness. Clear typography, modern colors and a modular design system ensure that the brand reaches both regular customers and new target groups - loud, self-confident, but always authentic.