Play The System
Play The System – Parametric Approaches in Graphic Design
In graphic design, the focus is rarely on the spontaneous stroke of genius—it’s rather about a process-oriented approach to design. Digital tools, algorithms, and systems increasingly shape not only the final outcome but also the process itself. As a result, the role of the designer is changing: instead of crafting every detail, they increasingly design the framework in which design emerges.
Over more than twenty years of teaching, Heike Grebin has developed an approach centered on this shift. Its main appeal lies in developing dynamic systems that both guide and inspire the design process. Design is generated by a set of specifications whose effects can be explored, varied, and used creatively—this is parametric design.
Play the System demonstrates, through selected examples from design history and academic teaching, how even minimal changes to individual parameters such as size, color, spacing, or movement—driven by input values, chance, or external influences—lead to different outcomes and open up space for variation, experimentation, and surprise.
Conversations with designers, programmers, and researchers such as Luna Maurer, Anja Groten, Frieder Nake, and Tom Bieling address key questions: How do systems foster—or limit—creativity? How do tools influence aesthetic decisions? And how can design respond to the structures of society itself?
Play the System is a reader, an introduction, and a richly illustrated archive—all in one. Bringing together theory, education, and practice, it makes system-based and parametric design accessible to readers beyond the design discipline.
Slanted Publishers is a globally recognized and acclaimed design, publishing, and media house with expertise in diverse fields. Founded in 2014 by Lars Harmsen and Julia Kahl, their commitment to excellence is evident in their exceptional publications, including books, magazines, and catalogs of various scales.
Collaborating closely with authors, artists, and editorial teams, they value the integral relationship between form and content. With their profound understanding of typography, layout, typesetting, and visual language, Slanted Publishers creates distinct visual identities for each medium, resulting in captivating design and compelling content.
Published twice a year, the acclaimed print magazine Slanted is dedicated to exploring a special topic, resulting in a publication of exceptional quality and longevity. It serves as a definitive resource for uncovering international developments in design and culture, reflecting the expertise and vision of Slanted Publishers.
Since 2004, Slanted’s influential blog and social media channels have been prominent platforms, providing daily news, updates, and showcasing inspiring portfolios from the global design scene. Over the years, more than +230 video interviews with designers and entrepreneurs have been made, forming an archive that bears witness to our time. With nearly 1 million monthly contacts, the online channels of Slanted Publishers reach the creative audience worldwide.
As a publishing house, Slanted Publishers delves into a wide array of subjects within their publications, spanning typography, photography, graphic design, and visual culture. Their perspective on design transcends mere aesthetics, embracing storytelling, idea expression, and boundary-pushing creativity. With a keen eye for contemporary design and culture, Slanted Publishers curates an exceptional collection of publications. These remarkable publications reach readers all across the world thanks to their ever-growing distribution network. They can also be found in the Slanted Shop, along with extraordinary products by emerging design talents and established producers from around the globe.
Language: English
Number of pages: 320
Dimensions: 16.4x24cm
Release: 02/2026
ISBN: 978-3-948440-97-8
Orders ship within 1–2 business days.
Greece via ACS: Attica 1–2 days, mainland Greece 1–3 days, islands and remote areas up to 5 days.
International via UPS: EU 2–7 days with UPS Standard; other destinations 1–5 days with UPS Express Saver.
Shipping is calculated at checkout. Free standard shipping applies over €80 in Greece and over €150 in the EU. Non-EU import duties and taxes are payable by the recipient.
Free store pickup is ready within 1–2 business days. Please wait for your confirmation email before collection.