Aesthetics, sustainability, and online design visibility – ways to the new Nordic design?

The recent expert workshop in Nordic Design Impact raised a number central questions regarding the characteristics of new Nordic design. It also pinpointed the relevance of aesthetics, sustainability, and online design visibility as paths to be pursued in order to identify new Nordic design.

The purpose of the Copenhagen workshop was to initiate the dialogue with the Nordic educational institutions, organisations and other design institutions in order to anchor the project’s experience and guidelines for development. Besides, the workshop gave NDI the possibility of learning from the experts regarding the three NDI focus areas: aesthetics, sustainability, and online design visibility. Consequently, the outcome of NDI can be further developed for usage in the institutions of knowledge and design in addition to its core relevance for design businesses.

The experts agreed on the importance of the three areas in the further development and international marketing of design and on focusing on key areas. Often when debating, developing and marketing design, the wide scope is preserved. At the expense of a more focused approach communicating a clearer understanding of design and design services in the markets, the traditional questions of what is design? and what can design do? - are often repeated.

Considering the characteristics of Nordic design, the experts agreed regarding its DNA. However, when it came to the marketing of Nordic design, a discrepancy appeared from the DNA to the diverse marketing possibilities. The discussion revealed the need for further work in this area to be done in order to find a strong and authentic platform. Finally, the debate inspired the title of the NDI January conference in Copenhagen: Aesthetics, sustainability and online design visibility – ways to the new Nordic design? 

Dorrit Bøilerehauge, project lead, Nordic Design Impact