AVS. Arkitektúr verktækni skipulag - 01.09.2003, Síða 46

Þórdís Harðardóttir, Industrial Designer
Skáphanki, vinnuteikning/
Handle, concept drawing.
Introducing
an Industrial
Designer
Sigríður Heimisdóttir is one of the
few industrial designers that has
the opportunity of designing for
one of the most successful prod-
uct design companies in the
world, IKEA. To many designers,
it is the dream position. Sigríður is
currently in lceland introducing
Swedish design at a conference
and exhibition of the same name,
held at the Design Museum in
Gardabæ.
Sigríður studied industrial design
in Milano and ran her design con-
sultancy, „Hugvit og hönnun“ for
6 years before she became a full-
time designer for IKEA in
Sweden. Her works include
seminars at the Academy of Art
and at the Technical University,
as well as designing children’s
furniture for „Barnasmiðjan" and
furniture manufacturer „GKS."
Sigríður has also been very active
in introducing product design to
the lcelandic people through sup-
porting projects run by the gov-
ernment.
The first design project Sigríður
got at IKEA was to design a sleek
and modern shelving system in
metal. As Sigríður was fond of
using aluminum, the opportunity
of mass manufacturing her desire
could come true in the Dirigent
shelving system. After three
years in manufacturing, the sys-
tem has been available in black
shelves and cabinet unit attach-
ments, and is now available in
white. The uniqueness of the
system is its lightness and single-
rail fastening with a couple of
screws to the wall at the top of
the shelving unit.
The constant criteria for designing
at IKEA are the portability and
space-saving in transportation,
use of conical forms and nesting
ability. Transportation is more
expensive than manufacturing.
The latest works of Sigríður
include mirrors, baskets and chil-
dren’s furniture, toys and
draperies. A lot of creative space
is supported at IKEA, says
Sigríður, but her task is also to
connect with the design colleges
and allow students to see their
design concepts becoming real,
selling products. The lcelandic
government should consider
sponsoring designers who are
starting up their creative consul-
tancies during the first years, as
can be found in Sweden.
Finally, Sigríður points out, that
lcelandic abilities are strong
regarding short-run manufactur-
ing and should look at the inter-
national market with such servic-
es. ■
Barborð, vinnuteikning/
Bar on Castors, concept drawing.
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