(SMS) Studio Michael Schmitz
Heimat SW is a design project and publication exploring the concept of Heimat, regional identity, and community in Southwestern Germany. Through workshops, editorial contributions, and visual narratives, the project reflects on how belonging and cultural identity are shaped and communicated. It connects personal perspectives with social discourse, making Heimat a subject of dialogue rather than a fixed definition.
Client: self-initiated
The concept of Heimat is highly charged in Germany—linked with cultural identity, migration, and political debates. The challenge was to approach the topic critically, avoiding simplification or nationalist connotations, while still creating a space for reflection on regional culture and everyday belonging.
Engaging local communities and students in workshops to gather diverse perspectives on Heimat.
Designing and producing a publication that documents and contextualizes contributions, blending research and design practice.
Using typography, photography, and layout as tools to reflect the diversity of voices and the complexity of the theme.
Heimat SW fostered a critical dialogue on identity and belonging in a regional context. The project connected participants, readers, and institutions, and served as a starting point for broader debates on culture and politics in design education. It demonstrated how communication design can act as a mediator for sensitive and contested social issues.
Related projects:
The Americans I Met (2023)
Photobook documenting diverse voices across the U.S. → See project
Nächstes Jahr in... (2022)
Exhibition and book on Jewish history told through comics. → See project
The Backnumber (2015)
Editorial design exploring memory, identity, and cultural knowledge. → See project