Violetta Dyka is the project leader of 'Design for Dignity' and studied at the HKB with a Master in Design (specialization in Entrepreneurship). Before the outbreak of the war, she developed design concepts for apartments and cafes in Ukraine, considering design primarily as an aesthetic craft. Her perspective changed fundamentally through her own experiences as a refugee: she wanted to do something for people on the run, who are suddenly forced to live in places where their right to individuality is largely taken away.
In numerous interviews, Violetta Dyka identified the needs of people with refugee experience. 'My idea is based on facts and experiences,' says the interior architect. As part of her master's thesis, she developed the 'Design for Dignity' project and was awarded the Newcomer Prize by the Berner Design Stiftung for it in 2025. Since July 2025, the project has been supported by the Gebert Rüf Stiftung, which promotes innovations for the benefit of the Swiss economy and society, making science effective. The project is located at the Institute for Design Research of the HKB, a department of the Berner Fachhochschule; the practical partner is the SCDH.
The aim of 'Design for Dignity' is to improve both the privacy and well-being of refugees and the working conditions of the staff in collective accommodation. Inspired by how refugees use textiles to create makeshift partitions, extensive design and material studies were conducted in close collaboration with the SCDH workshops and material collection. Five prototypes emerged from these, differing in materiality and functionality but all offering both visual and acoustic protection. In a co-design workshop with representatives from migration, integration, and service design sectors, the prototypes were tested and evaluated on a 1:1 scale. Assessment criteria included sustainable and local production, functionality and modularity, safety, production costs, and feasibility in shared accommodations.
The prototype preferred by test persons, made of PET felt panels with Velcro fasteners, was then further developed, produced as a pilot series, and tested by residents of an asylum center from March to April 2026. Feedback during and just after the installation was consistently positive: the protection, modularity, and the ability to open individual elements were particularly appreciated. It became immediately apparent that privacy was significantly improved and the rooms appeared brighter and more structured. A systematic evaluation of the feedback is planned for the summer of 2026, following the completion of the two-month test phase. In parallel, a scalable business model and production strategy were developed.
Beyond the humanitarian context, the system offers potential for further applications, such as in shared spaces like healthcare institutions or youth hostels. For further evaluation, iterative development of prototypes, roll-out, market entry, and scaling, the Gebert Rüf Stiftung approved additional funding in April 2026.
The project will be presented by Violetta Dyka at the 'Researching at Art Colleges' event on 15 June at Kornhausforum Bern.
Project 'Design for Dignity' Development and implementation of a modular privacy and sound protection system for group accommodations.
Project Leadership Berner Fachhochschule, Hochschule der Künste, Institute for Design Research Catalina Jossen Cardozo, Violetta Dyka, Andrii Taran, Tamara Tremonte www.hkb-idr.ch Project page: https://www.hkb.bfh.ch/en/research/research-projects/2025-901-025-389/
Material and Design Research, Prototype Development and Pilot Production Swiss Center for Design and Health Minou Afzali, Manuel Balzarek, Rahel Inauen, Jérôme Rütsche www.scdh.ch
Funding Berner Design Stiftung www.bernerdesignstiftung.ch Gebert Rüf Stiftung, Funding Phases PROOF, VALIDATE, and EXECUTE of the First Ventures program www.grstiftung.ch
Real Test Environment in Asylum Center Canton of Bern
PET Felt Material
Impact Acoustic
www.impactacoustic.com
Berner Fachhochschule
Hochschule der Künste Bern HKB
Christian Pauli, Head of Communication
Fellerstrasse 11, 3027 Bern
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