Design Diary Entry - Week Two

We have been deep in research and brainstorming for one of the more conceptual projects; generating poetry and images around one of Sweden’s most popular chefs’ persona in an attempt to set a mood and direction for the project. Although it has been a bit of a challenge developing poetry between English and Swedish, Christian’s English is adept enough for us to brainstorm effectively. The problem is that the feeling and representation of a word is the most important element of word generation. You must live a language in order for it’s words to possess power; there must be memories and imagery associated to the vocabulary. This is where graphic story telling has already become an effective tool through my mood and image boards. Luckily, most Swedes speak moderate to excellent English and design communication has allowed me complete an idea where words fall short.

My ambition is to design for a new way of life for all people, but to respect and preserve culture. To design on a whole new level, on the level of the human hive mind. Every object we live with is a derivative of solutions to problems; they were created as a response to a way of life. Once, we dictated those tools, created them and tailored them to the way we lived. But now, objects, ideals and methods have become cemented and these objects have begun to rule us (look around you, how many people are on a smart device?) And this is how I want to improve life for the human race, to change the tool is to change the behavior. The trick is knowing how to change them. And this is what I am searching for on my knowledge quest around the world.

After another week of observing Nordic design and architecture, I have begun to ponder the evolution of Scandinavian style. What elements of old Stockholm, Copenhagen, Helsinki, Oslo, carried through to the design of Wegners’ chairs or the products found in NK? Walking to work one morning I began to realize the texture of the older buildings. The hand plastered and painted exteriors, along with the earth tones, gave the buildings a human element; you can see the work people put into surfacing the building. And its just that, the organic, handcrafted characteristic that helps define Scandinavian design. There is an organic impurity to the black and white contrast, a waviness to the lines of graphic elements, a feeling that whoever made this object put love and effort into creating it. Not only that, but thought as well, someone cared about the way this object is going to be used, function and impact your life. A cleverness that doesn’t shout, but rather hints and indicates through organic form of the intended use. And all this evidence creates a value higher than the object and it’s matter could ever retain on it’s own. A connection between creator and consumer.

Thanks for checking back for week two. I’ll be making blog posts with updates and thoughts about my time with Runius Design weekly, check back for more information on my progress, design and philosophy in Scandinavia next week!

Codee Adams
Industrial Designer