Hands, symbol of humanity and visual motif of the new SHS brochure

Did you know that EPFL offers its students a program of roughly 150 courses dedicated to the humanities and social sciences? All EPFL students, from Bachelor's to Master's level, take one of these courses each semester throughout their studies.

Be it in a course on sustainability attended by nearly 2,000 first-year students or in other smaller classes such as design and argumentation workshops, or on the philosophy of physics or political science, students from all sections of the School have the opportunity meet and study together. These courses help these students discover the diversity of their skills and interests in human issues – health, ecology, education, communication, ethics, and art – which they will encounter in their future careers.

The visuals of the new brochure highlighting this program were created as part of the SHS “Graphic Design” course led by Denis Rouèche, who also teaches at ECAL. The students in the course were asked to work in groups to propose five images representing the School and the human aspects of the SHS Program. Four projects were produced, and one was ultimately selected by a jury of teachers and graphic designers for the brochure.

Three paths, one creative drive

Despite their diverse backgrounds, all three members of the winning team were brought together by their desire to express themselves visually. “All three of us chose this course for its artistic and creative aspects,” explains Claire Hennel, who is currently pursuing a master's degree in architecture after completing a bachelor's degree at EPFL. Madeleine Hueber, who is a first-year master's student in Data Science after attending an engineering school in France, shares this attraction. As for Mélinda Pereira, who is also pursuing a master's degree in architecture at EPFL after completing a bachelor's degree at HEIA in Fribourg, she sees graphic design as a bridge between technical skills and visual sensitivity.

“It was the first time we had worked on a graphic design project, or in fact on any project,” says Mélinda. The first experience went so well that they decided to continue the adventure with a second project the following semester.

Throughout the semester, the creative process was marked by strong team dynamics. “We really appreciated being able to explore several avenues and discover different techniques,” Claire says. “Everyone contributed their ideas and experiments, and we compared our approaches. It really enriched our work.” Weekly discussions with the teachers were also invaluable: “They guided us each week without ever imposing their views, which allowed us real artistic freedom," adds Madeleine.

We wanted to understand what the humanities and social sciences represented at EPFL and why they are relevant. What emerged from our research was above all the human aspect and teamwork.

A powerful symbol: hands

Hands, a metaphor for collaboration and exchange, as well as a for gesture and thought, became the common thread running through their project. One image in particular—included in their final portfolio—inspired them from the outset. It served as a guiding principle, influencing the aesthetics, composition, and message of their work.

An opening to other worlds

sciences. Before this graphic design course, Claire took the course “Science, Reason, and Faith,” Mélinda became interested in social psychology and musicology, while Madeleine, who is starting at EPFL, is just beginning this exploration.

“It's a very good program that allows you to meet students from other departments, develop new skills, and discover new horizons,” says Claire.

This course and the associated design competition have left a lasting mark. “It was a great opportunity for us to be able to participate in this competition through the SHS program. Throughout the semester, we really enjoyed developing the brochure and had the chance to see it come to fruition,” concludes Madeleine.