A—Z Counter Session #6
Play the System with Heike Grebin and Guests
The A–Z Gallery in Berlin invites visitors to a special edition of its Counter Sessions: Play the System. The evening is dedicated to parametric design and explores how rules, systems, and variation shape creative processes in graphic design.
The starting point for the event is the book Play the System. Parametric Approaches in Graphic Design by Heike Grebin, published by Slanted Publishers. In her talk, Grebin reflects on design as a rule-based yet open process—an approach that creates space for variation, experimentation, and unexpected outcomes. As digital tools and algorithmic methods increasingly influence creative practice, the role of designers is shifting: from designing individual artifacts to developing systems within which design can emerge.
Drawing on more than twenty years of teaching and research, Grebin brings a broad perspective to the discussion. Originally trained as an architect, she found her way into graphic design through unconventional paths and later became a professor of communication design at HAW Hamburg. Her work focuses particularly on typographic information systems in the context of social, political, and technological processes.
During the event, several contributors to the project will also share their perspectives. Designers Paulina Mohr and Jens Schnitzler will present their own projects, demonstrating how the interplay of structure and variation has shaped design for centuries—from medieval scriptoria to today’s dynamic systems.
Andreas Trogisch will provide insights into the technical background of the project and explain the automated layout process that connects the web-to-print platform play the system.xyz with the publication. The evening will be moderated by Katharina Wanke, who has accompanied the project editorially.
Play the System connects theory, teaching, and practice, offering an engaging look into the inspiring world of parametric design.
A—Z Counter Session #6—Play the System with Heike Grebin and Guests
When?
Thursday, March 26, 2026
7:00 pm
Where?
A–Z Gallery Berlin
Torstraße 93
10119 Berlin
The language of the talk will be German.
More information about the talk can be found here.
