Kuno Prey

Kuno Prey serves as Professor of Product Design at the Faculty of Design and Arts, Free University of Bozen/Bolzano (unibz), where he founded the faculty in 2002 after returning to his native South Tyrol. Prior to this position, he taught as a professor of product design at the Bauhaus University in Weimar from 1993 to 2002.

Prey completed his studies at the Domus Academy in Milan, after which his career developed through extensive collaboration with industry on innovative materials and new technologies. These industry partnerships resulted in numerous internationally recognized products that informed his academic approach.

Professor Prey's research centers on the critical intersection of design and (art)craft, with particular focus on how traditional craftsmanship can be integrated with contemporary design practices and innovative materials. His work examines the relationship between materiality and form, the evolution of design education methodologies, and the role of designers in mediating between technological possibilities and cultural contexts. Through his publications and teaching, Prey emphasizes the importance of understanding both technical and cultural dimensions in product design.

His scholarly output reveals a consistent trajectory from practical product development to design pedagogy, with publications addressing design education frameworks, material innovation, and the preservation of craftsmanship traditions within modern design practice. This evolution reflects his career-long commitment to bridging academic theory with industrial application.

As an educator, Prey teaches core product design courses (97166A and 97164A) in the Bachelor in Design and Arts program, where he implements his philosophy that design education must integrate theoretical knowledge with practical skills development. His teaching approach emphasizes the designer's role in connecting technological innovation with human needs and cultural contexts.