“The Nordics” launch Design Competition with attention to Sustainable Chairs

The Nordic Council of Ministers has launched a unique Design Competition. The purpose is to identify and award the best examples of great well-designed and sustainable chairs from the Nordic region, and to stimulate a much need discussion about sustainability and SDG’s in the Nordic design industry.

Both winners and finalists will be part of the exhibition at the Nordic Pavilion at the UN Climate Summit (COP24) in Katowice, Poland in December. As Nordic designers and manufacturers integrate elements of sustainability into the development of everyday objects they gradually lead the way for others. That is why, in this coming competition, the Nordic Council of Ministers would like to address the challenge of sustainability by taking a look at new solutions such as fresh designs or even prototypes as well as designs, that are already on the market.

Tobias Grut, Brand Manager for The Nordics, Nordic Council of Ministers: “In a true democratic way, we are reaching out to all Nordic designers, not only the established companies and producers but also the creative underground. We want to showcase Nordic design to the leaders of the world and thereby emphasise the important role design and design thinking can play in terms of reaching the UN Sustainable Development Goals.”

The global awareness on sustainability is rapidly affecting customer demands. In the future we will need less consumption, less manufacture, less stuff – more circular thinking, more holistic production and more considerate action. Truly sustainable production is a highly complex endeavour. Regardless, designers in the Nordic countries are devoted to a long tradition of social engagement and seem to constantly move the borders of what is to be considered sustainable design.

The Nordics, an international branding project initiated by the Council of Ministers has teamed up with design institutions in the Nordic region; DOGA in Norway, Danish Design Centre, Iceland Design Centre, Ornamo in Finland and Svensk Form in Sweden to manage the competition; including promotion, activating designers, students, and manufactures, and facilitating jury processes. Well-designed and sustainable chairs can be submitted from Sep 3rd until Oct 3rd. The competition calls out for already existing chairs, manufactured or prototypes.

Christina Melander, Programme Director, Danish Design Centre: “We want to identify and promote all the great designs that already exist in the Nordic countries to show the richness of sustainable chairs and to take the discussion on sustainability in the furniture industry to the next level. We hope to spark a thorough discussion on the concept of sustainability in the production of chairs, and to introduce a dialogue on how to practically address the many challenges related to this.”

For enquires, contact: Christina Melander, cme@ddc.dk +45 29462922

For information about The Nordics: Tobias Grut tobgru@norden.org +45 21717137 www.thenordics.com

More information: https://danskdesigncenter.dk/da/call-designs-nordic-design-competition-sustainable-chairs