A history of critical design in four episodes: the Italian radical design of the late 1970s; the Dutch conceptual design of the 1990s; the English critical design of the 2000s, and the contemporary scene (with contributions by Bless, Didier Faustino, Alessandro Mendini, Gianni Pettena…).

By introducing the main design theories of the twentieth century, Claudia Mareis outlines approaches and models that postulate an expanded notion of design, in connection with the human and technical sciences, as well as with the challenges of a changing society.

Critical re-edition in French of an absolutely precursory and fundamental work for the inclusion of social and environmental issues in the design process: the manifesto of a radical reconfiguration of the field of design, of its forms but above all of its mission.