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

On friday 4 of June we organized a design meeting in Jönköping. The day was arranged by myself and my friend Dag Holmgren, with support from Swedish Association for Designers, SVID – Swedish Industrial Design Foundation and Svensk Form - Swedish Society of Crafts and Design.

It was a really nice day, filled with interesting speakers and opportunities to network and meet new friends. Almost 80 participants, mostly designers but also producers and representatives from swedish design organizations.

Among the speakers we heard Peter Horbury – Vice President of Design at Volvo Cars, Lars Johansson – founder of Profilgruppen AB, Carina Mollsö – Designer at Scandinavian Eyewear, Lotta Ahlvar - Swedish Association for Designers / The Swedish Fashion Council, Gisela Mattisson and Christer Ericson – SVID, Britt-Marie Börjesgård – Svensk Form, Anders Wisth – Designregion Småland / Möbelriket.

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

Made a trip to Denmark last monday for a meeting with the nordic design organizations. The sun was shining, the birds were singing and all the danes were drinking beer in the open-air restaurants. We had our lunch, or  as you say it in danish - ”frokost”, at a place named Kanalen. Good food and nice interior; noticed the classic Y-chair designed by Hans Wegner. Copenhagen is a great city and a perfect spot to get a glimpse of the early summer. I took a few photos with my lousy mobile camera, poor quality I know, but good enough for the blog. Cheers!

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.

Together with Svid, Almi and the business network Design Sydost I gave a lecture about creating value with design last week. The target group was sme companies in the region wondering what design can do for them, and also how and where to get in touch with design.

The meeting was held in Vimmerby (the home town of famous author Astrid Lindgren!). Except of me representing my own company; Design Nation and Swedish Designers, the speakers was Martina Lago from Almi and Johan Malmquist from Addi.

After the presentations we did a study visit to the successful light company Zobra where the manager Michael Engstrand showed us the plant and the products.

I should never have said it, the spring is approaching. Just because of that there has been a snow chaos in Sweden. Trains suspended, roads closed and flights delayed. I mean, I like the winter but come on. I heard there is some kind of record in our area, it has been almost 60 days in a row with minus degrees!

Last week I was in Oslo, had a meeting with the scandinavian design organizations, Swedish Association of Designers, Danish Designers, Grafill – the Norwegian Organisation for Visual Communication and NID - the association for professional industrial designers in Norway. The reason we met was to discuss the opportunities for closer cooperation between the organizations. The meeting was successful and a good step ahead in the progress.

When I had the opportunity I also visited this school that a friend of mine started six years ago; Designinstituttet. The students gets the opportunities to explore their skills within different disciplines in an open creative atmosphere and together with the very best of teachers. The results from the school is really impressive.

Anyhow we stayed over the weekend spending some time with some old friends living in Oslo. We had a very nice time, good food, cinema and ”fika”. Because of the snow, the cold weather and the transport issues the travel back home got a bit delayed. But finally we got home, safe and happy.

It has been a while since my last input, I know. The reason is that I have been busy, not a minute to spare for the blog… bad excuse… but I will improve, I promise! There are so many things going on right now. Besides the destination design project in Dalarna, Sweden, I am working on lots of new projects, and more are coming up. Product design & graphic design, design management, lecturing…  more reasons to really write about it!

Still winter, but the spring is in the air, good feelings. Sun is warming and days are getting longer. Also time for fairs. Right now the annual Stockholm Design week and the furniture fair. Here are some pics from a couple of the exhibitions I did attend to.

Karin Wellin

Asshoff&Brogård

Kredema

Johan Lindstén

Alexander Lervik at Nordic Light hotel