Iceland review - 2015, Qupperneq 21

ICELAND REVIEW 19
The Icelandic design world was
out in full force on November
20 for the first annual Icelandic
Design award at the National Theater in
Reykjavík. Delighted by the new initiative,
Sara Jónsdóttir of the Icelandic Design
Center described the new award as “a
long-called-for project.” Sara hopes that it
will “cast a spotlight on quality design and
architecture in Iceland, as well as raise the
overall ambition within the field and serve
as an important international platform for
Icelandic designers and architects.”
presented by the minister of industry,
the aim of the Icelandic Design award is to
celebrate new work produced by a designer
or design team, an architect or studio and
to recognize achievement and excellence.
a five-member jury from the Icelandic
design world decides the winning entry
who consequently receives the prize of ISk
1 million (uSD 8,000).
tHe catalySt
Beating 100 entries and three shortlist-
ed nominees, the winner, Designs from
Nowhere, was created and led by film-
maker karna Sigurðardóttir and design
curator pete Collard. The winning entry
is a collective work by designers Max
lamb, Þórunn Árnadóttir, Julia lohmann
and Gero Grundmann. Created in col-
laboration with local companies in a col-
lection of towns in East Iceland, the project
uses something Iceland has in abundance:
nature.
according to the jury, the winning team’s
creations showed a “connection of people,
places and material sources” that resulted in
“a dynamic dialogue from which new mate-
rial outcomes derived.”
The inception of Designs from Nowhere
started in September 2012 at the confer-
ence ‘MakE it Happen’ in East Iceland, an
event bringing together creative thinkers,
designers and cultural leaders to explore
the development of future projects in the
region. This proved to be the catalyst for
the four winning designers who went on
to develop a series of workshops in 2013,
culminating in Designs from Nowhere.
using a range of materials, the winning
pieces capture the essence of Iceland, hav-
ing one foot in its rich heritage, celebrating
its natural resources, and one foot in the
By Mica allan. PHoToS By SebaStian Ziegler.
From
Nowhere
to
everywhere
The new annual Icelandic Design Award is
providing the design world with fresh enthusiasm
and energy, putting Icelandic design on the map.
Iceland Review wanted to find out more
about the award and its first winner,
Designs from Nowhere.