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Three Designers at DesignMarch

DesignMarch 2016 in now in full motion. We talked with three designers and looked at what they have in store for us this year. We spoke with Bryja Þóra Guðnadóttir about her project Predictable Civil disobedience, Axel Hallkell Jóhannesson exhibition designer at Eldheimar, and Guðmund Úlfarsson typeface designer at Or Type.

Predictable Civil disobedience

Brynja Þóra Guðnadóttir was recently nominated for the Icelandic Innovation Award for her indoor garden for herbs based on water gel processed from brown algae.

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Brynja Þóra. Photo by Ragna Margrét

“The project started with my MA studies in design at the Iceland Academy of the Arts. I wanted to make growing herbs at home easier for people. I wanted to use locally based materials, and  decided to go with water gel to be able to maintain the oxygen in the water.

þariikrukkuprent

Indoor garden based on water gel processed from brown algae

That way, you would only need powder (with all the nutrients that a plant needs) in a bag, seeds and add water. It really could not be easier. The roots grow fast and are visible in the gel, which is interesting for children to watch. I am currently focusing on finding out what kind of light suits best. This project is a work in progress.

The show can be found at Læknaminjasafnið Seltjarnarnesi. The grand opening is on Wednesday 9th of Mars and starts at 17:00 p.m.

Eldheimar – A volcano museum of remembrance in Vestmannaeyjar

Exhibition designer Hallkell Jóhannesson is one of the recipients of the Icelandic Design Award 2015. He worked on Eldheimar volcano exhibition in the Westman island.

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Axel Hallkell exhibition designer of Eldheimar. Photo by Ragna Margrét

“The volcanic eruption in the Westman Islands was well documented. As I was studying the subject, I quickly realized that I had the most dramatic photos in the Icelandic history at hand. I wanted to capture the visual experience without the need to stop and linger for a long time to read extensive texts.

We decided to take our visitors on a linear travel through time, use the photos and the excavated ruins as focal points of the exhibition. Edda Andrésdóttir co-wrote the script and read the audio guide to the museum. We used the newest technology available, with an app and sensors all over the museum. You don’t need to push buttons as the app detects your location in the building and you get all the correct information on your own speed.

Mynd: Gagarín

Elheimar. Photo by Gagarín

We also wanted interactive stations, as this museum is about an experience.  The brilliant team Gagarín worked with us on that. The building is drawen by architect Margrét Kristín Gunnarsdóttir, while the surroundings are by landscape architect Kristín Lilja Ólafsdóttir.

Or Type

Graphic designer Guðmundur Úlfarsson forms the type foundry Or Type together with Mads Freund Brunse.

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Guðmundur Úlfasson at OrType. Photo by Axel Sigruðarson

“We at Or Type will introduce a new font at Mengi. We will also put up “Or Type Reading Room” in which our visitors can relax and look through various books and magazines that have used fonts from Or Type.

The new font is called L15. It is an update of a previously published font called L10. There will also be a TV installation by Atli Bollason, as well as a collaboration between Or Type and Sebastian Jansson, who runs his own design studio in Finland.

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Image by OrType

We will also present hats and a font we made in collaboration with 66° North just around the corner at Skólavörðurstígur 12. The font has been simmering for a long time and is finally coming to life now.

If you want to know more about this years program for DesignMarch you can download a pdf-version here.

or visit www.designmarch.is

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