DesignMarch, now in its sixth year, is the design event of the year in Iceland, a country gaining increasing attention for design, and I was thrilled to attend. DesignMarch is put on by the fantastic Iceland Design Center, led by Managing Director Halla Helgadóttir. During this inspiring event, I witnessed Reykjavik unfold for unique happenings, fashion shows and local designers putting their best face forward to host the international audience.
DesignMarch included a series of design talks, provided by Katherine Firth, Chief of Design for the London Legacy Development Corporation, Robert Wong, Chief Creative Officer for Google Creative Labs and Calvin Klein.
Aside from taking in the showcased art, fashion, jewelry, interior and industrial designs, I had the privilege of attending an event called “Order to Effect”-a university project for food designers who collaborated with chefs and graphic designers to create a meal in which you ordered food based on its nutritional impact—the effect you wanted it to have on your body. The element of surprise, coupled with the integrated design of the entire experience, not to mention the delicious food, made this an incredibly memorable dining experience.
A select group of guests was invited to the home of Icelandic President Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson at which his address centered on the importance of design to the economy as well as in the daily life of Icelanders.
Of particular interest as well during my visit was the unique Spark Design Space, described as a “platform for excellent design projects with a focus on local initiatives that involve collaboration between designers and other professions.”
-Holly McQuinn, Executive Director of the Alaska Design Forum
