Design students invite you to a conversation of great substance

The five participating students will display their work from the Design Practice, Ethics, and Sustainability course, a second-year course in the BFA programme in design. This is the first time HDK-Valand is represented at the Nordic & Baltic Design Summit, although SVID - the organization behind the conference, has been invited as a guest lecturer in this course for several years. The collaboration led SVID to invite the design unit to join the Design Summit, which this year was conveniently hosted next door at the Röhsska Museum.
– SVID's perspective on sustainability and the role of design in societal development aligns well with HDK-Valand. The conference is an important opportunity for us to showcase our view of design and the designer’s role, as well as to engage with people outside academia, says Eva-Johanna Isestig, University Lecturer at HDK-Valand and responsible for the course Design Practice, Ethics, and Sustainability.

Eva-Johanna observes a shift among politicians, public servants, and the public, who are increasingly aware of what design can contribute. She believes that sustainability issues have gained a more central and natural role within design in recent years.
– I feel there’s a greater respect and willingness to go deeper, beyond just choosing eco-friendly materials, though of course, there’s still a long way to go! I also see that our students today have more foundational knowledge from primary and secondary school about sustainability, ecology, social issues, and climate threats. It’s exciting to see this change, as it allows us to delve even deeper in our curriculum, knowing students already have a solid understanding. At the same time, it raises the bar for us as educators to stay updated and teach what’s relevant for the future.

Anna Velander Gisslén, sustainability strategist at SVID and organizer behind the Nordic & Baltic Design Summit, considers HDK-Valand a natural partner for the organization and a valuable addition to the conference.
– We are in a situation where the new must become the norm, and the linear mindset where new design trends lead to increased consumption must be replaced by knowledge about the circular. The design students at HDK-Valand represent a new generation of future designers, and I’m impressed by their innovative ideas in this exhibition. I look forward to continued collaboration between SVID and HDK-Valand.

Eva-Johanna Isestig’s hope yhat the students' participation will lead to meaningful encounters and stimulating conversations during these days and that they will build on their networks. She also views the conference as an opportunity to raise awareness of HDK-Valand’s design programmes, helping others understand design’s potential for social and sustainable development.
– The core of our education is to prepare future designers with the skills to create, explore methods for critical thinking, and tools to shift perspectives while creating meaning and beauty, building confidence to act in a world that, in many ways, is broken.

According to Eva-Johanna, the student group has approached the exhibition with a mix of excitement and trepidation. For Felicia Blad, one of the participating students, this is the first time she is exhibiting outside of school.
– I’ve never been involved in such a professional setting before, so this feels like an incredible experience. It’s sure to be a great learning opportunity but also a bit intimidating to step out of the safe walls of school.

Student Elsa Alfredson agrees that sustainability is woven into the bachelor’s program in design, especially starting from the second year.
– This was an important factor for me in choosing this program, and I appreciated that the sustainability perspective was clear when I was researching the education, Elsa says.

The students agree that it’s essential to be represented in these professional settings and that the conference provides a chance to reach a broader audience than those who usually visit the school’s exhibitions.

Another student, Andrea Radovic Spasic, has created a piece that serves as a diary to and from Säveån, a waterway she grew up near, which has had a significant impact on her life. In her work, nature is given a voice, with the river becoming a subject that has a story to tell.
– We bring an artistic perspective to the conference. I think it’s common at these types of meetings and conferences that like-minded people dominate the conversation. We can show what’s happening outside those boundaries and contribute a different voice, Andrea explains.

participating students
Elsa Alfredsson (project: Carl Gustav)
Andrea Radovic Spasic (project: In dialogue with water)
Love Bengtsson  (project: Technorganism)
Felicia Blad  (Projekt: Reconstructing our self-image )
Ingrid Öberg (projekt: Slow down faster)

Read more about the students' work on the SVID website