All posts filed under: Interview

Guðmundur Úlfarsson at Or Type
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A rising star in the world of typefaces

Published by Arnar Ingi

While most people think of typeface design as seriously nerdy, it is impossible to ignore the fact that fonts play a role in most aspects of daily life. Author: Arnar Fells / Photograper Axel Sigurðsson The graphic designer Guðmundur Úlfarsson is one of the two owners of Or Type, the only specialist typeface design studio (or type foundry) in Iceland. Guðmundur recently gained attention after both the New York Times Magazine and the Sundance Film Festival bought typefaces designed by him. So who is this young type designer and what inspires his work? To find out, HA visited Guðmundur’s office in the old gas station by Hlemmur… …“Or Type receives a lot of enquiries, despite the fact that our target market is small. In fact, we have too many typefaces underway. The only thing holding us back is time, because it takes so long to complete one typeface, and I’m not even talking now about creating different variations of it,” says Guðmundur, who, today, is working on five different typefaces. He brings out a photocopy …

The visions of Gagarín
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Experience and scenic design taken far and wide

Published by HA magazine

In the past few years, the company known as Gagarín has been making a name for itself in the field of scenic experience, with its client base consisting mostly of corporations and institutions intent on crafting a media message and creating an interesting experience for their customers. Author: María Kristín Jónsdóttir / Photographs: Gagarín Examples of this include the Canadian Museum for Human Rights and the Eldheimar volcano museum in the Westman Islands – two projects that, while very different from one another, both employ interactive multimedia to encourage active participation from guests and deepen their understanding. We were curious about Gagarín’s visions, and paid them a visit, posing a few questions for their project manager, Ásta Olga Magnúsdóttir. HA: You often employ unorthodox methods to encourage audience participation, in effect making the spectator part of the show. What’s the key to good scenic design, and how do you make use of your specialized knowledge to achieve the desired user experience? A good storyline is essential to a good exhibit experience, and our special ability …

Not your granny’s knits
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MAGNEA

Published by Arnar Ingi

Icelandic wool + rubber. An odd couple, yes, but this kind of pairing has garnered fashion and textile designer Magnea Einarsdóttir attention for her meticulously made yet wearable knits. Author : Ásta Andrésdóttir / Photographer Aldís Pálsdóttir “Knits are so diverse, everything from superfine leggings to big, handmade cable-knit sweaters. The possibilities are endless; my goal has been to do something fresh and get people thinking about knits in a new way.” In 2012 she graduated from the prestigious Central Saint Martins campus in London. Magnea’s fashion studies actually began at the Parsons campus in Paris after finishing her preliminary work at the Reykjavík School of Visual Arts. “The plan was to move mid-program to Parsons in New York to get to know two of the world’s largest fashion hubs,” she explains. “Then I found out I could take a semester at CSM as an exchange student and fell in love not only with the department structure within the fashion studies department — you can specialize in womenswear, knitwear, etc. — but also with the …

Artistic sound solutions
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Wall mounted bubbles by Bryndís Bolladóttir

Published by Arnar Ingi

Bryndís Bolladóttir’s wall mounted bubbles from the productline KULA, have caused a stir across the board. The bubbles shift between a variety of functions depending on which materials she uses to construct them. Her KULA product line includes items such as hooks, pot stands, toys, sound absorbers, and sound diffusers. The basic form, however, is always a half or whole sphere with the top layer made from felted wool. Written by Sigríður Maack / Photos Ernir Eyjólfsson & A2F Arcitechts  Bryndís is educated as an artist and a textile designer. She has been working on her products since 2009 when she designed bowls and placemats created from crochet heat-pressed into plastic. The products were manufactured by Örvi, a work training center for people with disabilities. She is among those who have landed a contract at Design Match, a kind of  “speeddating” event aimed at connecting designers and manufacturers at DesignMarch each year. The Danish design wear manufacturer, Normann Copenhagen, launched the production of hooks and pot stands from the KULA product line that had been developed in cooperation with Örvi. …