About me
My name is Alicia Sophie Hardegen. I was born and raised in Heidelberg. The safe world my family provided me with, stimulated me in my strengths and supported me in my weaknesses. Therefore, quite a few of my evenings at a young age were filled with dictation and vocabulary learning, while my parents encouraged me to be socially and creatively engaged.
With this foundation, the desire to discover new things and always grow developed. So, after graduating from high school, I traveled to Scotland for a year abroad and to the Estonian Academy of Arts for a semester abroad as part of my higher studies.
Looking for a study program that would challenge my creative side on the one hand and my logical side on the other, my journey led me to the University of Applied Design in Schwäbisch Gmünd. There, I started studying interaction design in March 2019 and am excited to see where my path in the design world will take me.
What does design mean to me?
For me, design is a chance to take part in shaping the world. Design helps to create the framework of conditions and love of details; to develop a logical system and create new appearances; to truly place the human being in the centre the world and explore variations in order to find the best solutions for interactions – for him / her / them.
Why Alice in Wonderland?
There are three reasons for this. First, for many people, "Alice in Wonderland" is a good bridge to learn my name when they get to know me. Secondly, this work by Lewis Carolls reflects an ensemble of logic and fantasy that I find in my studies, in a somewhat less absurd way. And finally, Alice herself is a figure who approaches worlds and the most diverse beings with optimism, impartiality and curiosity. If there is one thing I wish for in my old age, it is to always remain open and unbiased for new things.
What is special about Alicia Hardegen?
With Alice in Wonderland I share the mixture of logical thinking and creativity. Through my attentive and emphatic powers of observation, I am able to put myself in other people's shoes and shape interactions well. I structure and organize my projects so that my timing is excellent and I still have enough time and energy for inspiration and my own projects, such as acrylic paintings or writing short stories and articles.