The present monograph is intended to provide a comprehensive and accessible introduction to the optimization of elliptic systems. This area of mathematical research, which has many important applications in science and technology. has experienced an impressive development during the past two decades. There are already many good textbooks dealing with various aspects of optimal design problems. In this regard, we refer to the works of Pironneau [1984], Haslinger and Neittaanmaki [1988], [1996], ...