AVS. Arkitektúr verktækni skipulag - 01.06.2005, Page 37

Ihe Icelandic Design
Forum has begun
Hrafnkell Blrglsson.
Guöbjörg Gissurardóttir, Managing Director
I would like to congratulate lcelandic
desígners on the first step towards
the long-desired Design Centre. The
lcelandic Design Forum, a three-year
experimental project, receives sup-
port from The lcelandic Ministry for
Industry and Trade, The Federation
of lcelandic Industries, The lcelandic
Export Council, The Institute of
Industrial Technology, The City of
Reykjavík and Form lceland.
The eight-person board con-
sists of Matthias Páll Imsland of
The Ministry for Industry and Trade
(chairman), Davíð Lúðvíksson
of The Federation of lcelandic
Industries, Vilhjálmur J. Árnason
of The lcelandic Export council,
Berglind Fiallgrímsdóttir of Impra, and
Flrafnkell Birgisson, Páll Hjaltason
and Ásrún Kristjánsdóttir on behalf
of Form ísland. The City of Reykjavík
has yet to appoint a member.
I was hired by the board as
Managing Director of the Design
Forum and started work in early May.
A lot of preparatory work had already
been done by a number of people.
Policy formulation was already well
underway when I started and the
first weeks have largely concerned
finishing and creating Design Forum
projects. There are already many
projects at hand but the goals of
the Design Forum i.e. to create a
professional and active forum that
presents, encourages and supports
lcelandic designers and their work
environment both in lceland and
abroad should be borne in mind
when assigning priority. In addition to
securing funding, our current prior-
ity is to establish a comprehensive
electronic database that designers
can use to find information about
grants, advice, producers, services,
materials, web pages, and books.
The Internet will be an invaluable
resource for anyone interested in
lcelandic design and desígners.
Establishing this network is a priority,
and although it will not be finished
until the end of the year, it can be
accessed at: www.icelanddesign.is.
Design Days is another project at
hand, and we would like to empha-
sise that thís will be an interesting
venue for as many designers and
producers as possible, as well as of
interest to the public. Design Days
ís set to run from 14th to 23rd of
October. In fact, the date is the only
thing that has been decided but I
foresee exhibitions, competitions,
prizes, lectures, studio work, and
much more. I base my optimistic
view that Design Days will be both
interesting and rewarding on the fact
that this is Scandinavian Design Year.
Our Scandinavian neighbours
have put design at the forefront
for the rest of the year and intend
to keep it that way. Sadly, how-
ever, Design Year largely passed us
lcelanders by, as there has been no
forum for this project. I, on behalf of
the Design Forum will address this
issue and make the responsibility
and need for financial support known
to the authorities in order to enable
us to make the remainder of the
Design Year a useful and memorable
experience. I see no reason for the
lcelandic authorities not to support
this project.
There are many other tasks and
exciting projects ahead that I have
not mentíoned here, but for those
who want to learn more about the
Design Forum I have an office at
Impra, Centre for New Creation,
in Keldnaholt. I can be reached by
telephone: 570-7266 or through the
e-mail, honnun@iti.is. The Design
Forum is here to aid all lcelandic
designers, architects, goldsmiths,
graphic designers, industrial design-
ers, dress designers, ceramic artists,
etc. Don’t hesitate to get in touch
and discover what the Design Forum
can do for you. ■