So, I went back to Copenhagen last week. This time representing Nässjö Träcentrum in the project Creative Communities. The project is about developing the design related businesses and educations on east Iceland. Very exiting! I met a group of five very nice women from Iceland who are involved in and managing the project, and our excellent hosts for the week Axel Andreas Beck and Peter Koppel from Vaeksthus Copenhagen.

The program was really interesting with a lot of learning and time to share experiences. We made field trips to, among other, Seidenfaden Design, CPH Design, Danish Crafts, Danish Design Centre and Designers Zoo. Also we got educated in  board work, mentorship and the business development tool Vaeksthjulet. As we had all these scandinavian/nordic friends gathered,  I invited Steinar from Danish Designers to help me inform about the Scandinavian Design Alliance that are in the pipeline.

The weather was icy cold but Copenhagen is still a very beautiful and interesting city, filled with top edge scandinavian design. Thank you all involved, for some very inspiring days. Specially to you, Peter and Axel, for putting together the program and taking care of us!

Troels tells us the recipe for building a successful design company as Seidenfaden. It is a very impressing journey they have done.

Lars Thøgersen shows the design thinking of CPH Design and their work, much from the aviation industry for Scandinavian Airlines.

From the Crafts Collection at Danish Crafts

Visit to Danish Design Center

Karsten Lauritsen tells us more about Designers Zoo

Some good examples of danish crafts and design from among others Anne Black and Ditte Fischer

Happy Icelanders in a cold but beautiful Copenhagen

One of the coolest stairs I have ever seen at HAY Copenhagen…

It is a lot of things going on right now. Last week I was in Denmark representing The Swedish Association of  Designers. I met my Scandinavian design colleagues from Danish Designers, NID and Grafill. We are working on SDA together – the Scandinavian Design Alliance, it will be a great cooperation between our organizations. I find it very motivating to work with this stuff…

From left Jørgen Holo – NID, Rachel Troye – Grafill, Charlie Norrman – Svenska Tecknare, Daniel Byström – Sveriges designer, Søren Yran – NID, Steinar Mowatt Valade-Amland and Karen Blincoe – Danish Designers.

Next week I am heading back to Copenhagen to meet a group from Iceland. This time for the school where I work – Nässjö Träcentrum. The school is engaged in a project aiming to develop the design- and wood related education on Iceland. I find it a perfect opportunity to spread the word about SDA and get new contacts.

And at last – som inspiring pics from Stockholm Furniture Fair Feb 8-12 and from Denmark.

See ya… D

Nice lamps…

Sara Larsson – A2 Design

Bolon

Marit Stigsdotter – Belysningsbolaget/bsweden

Francisco Gomez Paz & Paolo Rizzatto give us ”Hope”, Illums Bolighus

Strøget

I just had two very inspiring and informative days. Yesterday we got a visit at Nässjö Träcentrum, the school where I teach, from Materialbiblioteket (The Library of materials in English). Björn Florman showed us exciting new materials and talked about the future trends. He had brought samples of plastics, fibres, fabrics, composites or various metals, and my students had the chance to be inspired and come up with creative thoughts and ideas for new applications. If you are in Stockholm, a visit to Materialbiblioteket is to recommend, situated in the same building as Konstfack at Telefonplan.

And today, I participated on Regiondagarna 2011 – a conference focusing on regional questions and development of the trade and industry. First I heard Karin Voltaire, representing Svenska Turistföreningen – the Swedish Association for Tourism. She presented the new Strategies for developing the Swedish Tourism Industry. I have heard and read a lot of it before, but I got more information and understanding now. Also there was a very good  speech from Cecilia Hermansson, senior economist at Swedbank. Sweden has managed to come out strong from the financial crisis and we are a role model for other countries. Regiondagarna was held in my own hometown Västervik at the beautiful environment at Gränsö Slott.

It has become a tradition. Every year at this point people from Swedish furniture industry meet up in the heart of Småland, in Lammhult for the annual Möbelriksdag – the Furniture Parliament. This year about 300 participants did show up deep into the dark Småland forest in the big entrance hall of Lammhults/Abstracta on January 4th, well done! Möbelrikstagen is arranged by Möbelriket – the Kingdom of Furniture – a trading region and a network of design and furniture companies from Småland. Möbelriket working together to highlight the unique design and furniture history from the region. To name just a few examples: Lammhults, Abstracta, Norrgavel, Bruno Mathsson, Källemo and Ikea.

Möbelriksdagen is a kick-start. Kind of a team building event and gathering of our strengths together to meet the new year. A lot of interesting subjects, as design export, destination building and good examples in how to build long term sustainable companies and products. The program was tight! About 60 speakers entered the stage. Among those Jens Spendrup representing Företagarna, Stefan Nilsson from Trendgruppen, Patric Åström – Stockholmsmässan, Lars Bülow – Materia, Johan Lindau – Blå Station, Tomas Carlzon – MD Ikea.

The day was both inspiring and informational and I met a lot of new and old friends and had a good time all in all!

Thank you Möbelriket – Johan Sjöberg and Anders Wisth!

About 300 participants was attending Möbelriksdagen 2011

My pal Stefan Nilsson – Trendgruppen on stage – speeding up the audience…

The trends forecasted by Stefan:
Made Here – Now (made unique right now)
Made Here – Location (made unique geographically)
Made Here – Time-concious (made with time perspective)
Made Here – By me (made with personal signer)

Johan Lindau – Blå Station, together with Lars Bülow – Materia and the young designer Fredrik Färg

Representing The Swedish Association of Designers, I was participating at The Design and Learning Conference 2010 i Brussels recently. The objective of the conference was to explore in depth the multiple relationships between design and learning from a policy making point of view.

The first part of the conference presented the potential of design from different views by keynote speakers within the area. Then the conference  focused on three major areas, learning design; design and education and design and culture corresponding broadly with the European Commission ongoing work on design; on education; and on the cultural and creative industries.

From the conclusions it was emphasized that design is an important sector and has an vital role within the creative economy, and that there will be a board within the Innovation Union for working out design policies for the future invests in innovation and creativity.

After the conference I also got a glimpse of our beautiful European capital, and experienced a fantastic Christmas spirit at the square Grand Place and bought some Belgian chocolate… yummy!

Swedish Industrial Design Foundation, SVID, arranged a day about Smart Textiles in Borås. I participated representing the Swedish Association for Designers. We visited the School of Textiles and the company FOV Fabrics, where we were demonstrated in the upcoming new materials, science and developing within Smart Textiles. It really is an exciting area filled with opportunities and creative solutions growing from a interesting environment of cross boarder competencies. Borås School of Textiles and the Swedish Textile Industries are very skilled and far ahead in many ways in taking the lead into the future. Overall I had a very nice day – I learned a lot and got the opportunity to meet new and old friends. Thank you SVID!

For the third time I am commissioned to be a coach in the Design Open.

SVID Design Open is a Swedish design competition for students at high school and university level. Future designers and business developers from all around the country meet to develop services and products that inspire the industry to think new.

During SVID Design Open new business ideas are born and developed to eventually be launched in the market. The goal is to contribute to a sustainable development of society and to strengthen the role of design as a competitive tool.

This year’s competition task will focus on ”Energy in everyday life” How can we influence people’s behavior? How can we become aware of our energy consumption, can it be fun to be energy efficient, what are tomorrow’s smart products, services and concepts?

The competition runs throughout the fall semester with prize ceremony in the spring.

Coaches gathered at the start of Design Open in Gothenburg, 24 September 2010.

Hello again! Had a nice summer? Me too! I have been relaxing together with family and friends, and after the holidays I feel pepped and inspired getting back to business. I got some very interesting projects in the pipeline and I am really looking forward to deal with them. Also, back home it is a big difference than before. We had our first child in april. It is a very special feeling to see the happiness in my son’s eyes when I come home after work.

Here are some new pics from the last design events and exhibitions I visited. Design S is from june and Formex from last weekend. Also a couple of nice pics from the hotel Nordic Light where we stayed during Formex. Since Snoopy celebratin 60 years they had this Joe Cool exhibition.

Design S exhibition and award ceremony

Formex

Beautiful lamps by young swedish designer Johan Lindstén

The Joe Cool suite at Nordic Light

Diplomerade Teknikmäklare (DTM) is a network of 84 Technology Brokers in Sweden. The project is supported by VINNOVA - The Swedish Governmental Agency for Innovation Systems. The wide range of knowledge and connections is an unique resource free for use. DTM mediates leading competence within not only technology, but also business development, financing, market. The members of DTM is top skilled professionals from industrial research institutes, business development partners, ALMI, IUC, universities and a number of consultants.

As a member of DTM I can offer answers on almost any kind of questions. This is a service that make the difference in the product development, and another reason why you should contact me in your project.

The pic is from 25-26 of May when I, together with 19 experts from different areas, got our diplomas proving we hereby are Certified Technology Brokers – Diplomerade Teknikmäklare – DTM

A brand new fashion store opened in Västervik – Avenue 68! First of its kind, with a very exciting and different design approach; at least for being in Västervik. The interior is tasteful and elegant, with smart and creative display solutions. Visitors are given this feelings of traveling far away when entering and arrive to a very contrastful place filled with carefully selected fashion from all over the world. So next time in Västervik don’t miss it – ”Avenue 68 – your fashion destination”. Definitely worth a visit!

Design Nation was engaged for building the brand and developing the design concept. We are very glad to be a part of this and looking forward for a long-term cooperation.