A timely collection that shows how design can animate public space and catalyze democratic processes through vital discussion and public engagement.

“Design thinking” emphasizes the production of solutions after a period of research. By contrast, interrogative design focuses on activating the public sphere and enriching public discourse through the production of questions. A notable contribution to the fields of critical design and media art, interrogative design traces its development to Krzysztof Wodiczko and his 1990s public art projects, documented in Critical Vehicles. In Interrogative Design, Ian Wojtowicz showcases this lineage with new writing from Wodiczko and a host of diverse and influential practitioners, including Rosalyn Deutsche and Dread Scott. This book highlights the dynamism of interrogative design as it is practiced today.

Never has the need for work that interrupts and provokes thoughtful discourse been more necessary, and this volume catalogs both the need and potential viable techniques. A consolidated collection on the legacy and the vital currency of interrogative design, this volume will delight practitioners with new material and serve students as a practical handbook.

Ian Wojtowicz's profile page

Ian Wojtowicz has exhibited internationally and has spoken at The New School, California College of the Arts, Carnegie Mellon University, Polin Museum of the History of Polish Jews, and the US Holocaust Memorial Museum. His projects have been featured in Wired Magazine, PBS, the Discovery Channel, and Atlantic Monthly.