Hrafnkell was invited in 2018 by the Reykjavík School of Visual Arts to lead an external collaboration within the two-year programme in textiles. The aim of the project was to bring the students close to a real manufacturing process with both its limitations and possibilities. Limitless creativity meets manufacturing limitations.

Hrafnkell teamed up with his long-time colleague Guðfinna Mjöll Magnúsdóttir for the instruction, the wool knitwear developer VARMA for the manufacturing and finally the design store EPAL for the market targeting.

The results and prototypes were revealed at the DesignMarch design festival in Reykjavik in 2018.

The emphasis of this two-year programme is placed on the student becoming familiar with both old and new principal methods and techniques of working with textiles. A strong emphasis is placed on conceptual work in relation to all of the students’ practical work and the theoretical aspects of the programme are aimed at deepening students’ professional knowledge, broadening their horizons and their ability to contextualise their work in relation to society and culture and to encourage further research and experimentation.

The one week workshop was held by Hrafnkell at the Kassel Art Academy in 2015. The students were to transform existing objects and its functionality into a new one through a simple intervention preferably including a hand-crafted process. The new item could f.ex. be made out of an archetypical reclaimed - outdated or outmoded - object in whole or parts.

A project with 24 students of Industrial Design in their 4th semester at the KADK in Copenhagen. Five groups worked on various transit spaces taking in account trends and mega-trends.

The students were to visualise an overall spatial design by implementing their drawing skills in Rhinoceros - sharing with and learning from their fellow students. Physical models were allowed for exemplary distinguishing details - if relevant.

We defined transit space as follows:

- as an exchange or transfer hub from one place to another

- as an urban space, marked by rapid change, fluctuation, uncertainty and insecurity

- a space where flexibility and mobility are key qualities

- a space where living, working and resting are increasingly correlated and intersecting

External partners: Volvo, Kastrup Airport and Airbnb

In 2013 Hrafnkell led another compact project workshop at the University of Lichtenstein.

The object of the project was the infamous M43 field cap. The original design of this cap, steeped as it is in a somewhat controversial history, features a great deal of previously unrealised potential. The students were assigned with creating a casual, contemporary interpretation and transformation of this headgear item while avoiding the grandiosity of a day at the Royal Ascot. 

The workshop was sponsored by R&M Wegener in Hessen, Germany. 

In the beginning of 2013 Hrafnkell initiated a second project at the The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts - The School of Design together with his colleagues at the Super Form Lab department. This time the collaborator was the german porcelain pioneer Rosenthal GmbH, a groundbreaking innovator within the design industry from the mid 20th century.

The future of „STUDIO-LINE“, theme: „contradictions“

How will the „Studio Line“ brand be defined in the future? In which context does the brand stand within the overall image of Rosenthal today? We are to look into the past and into the history of the company and examine the motivations / ideas behind the foundation.

1. The design studio as a “the creative nucleus” was built in 1958.

2. The first Rosenthal Studio House was opened in 1960 in Nürnberg, Bavaria.

3. The Rosenthal Studio Line was introduced to the public in 1961.

All 3 events have one thing in common - the claim (quote Philip Rosenthal on the Hannover Fair in 1961):

„Rosenthal Studio Line wants to be a ‚publisher of great things”, no matter which artistic direction it comes from, as long as it is skillfully made, emerges from our time and suits both the function and the material.“

Creating “originals of our times”. How is it to be continued?

„The functionality is not defined purely from classical and functional considerations, but rather as a synthesis between functionality and aesthetics.“

( The Rosenthal Story- „The Rosenthal Studio Line“, page 84).

These basic considerations / statements are still highly relevant and served as the foundation for the project. What has changed? What is the influence of the socio-political transformation of the global market.

Rosenthal, from the today’s perspective: There is no classical separation, as in the 60s, 70s ... to 2010 (Classic Rosenthal - Rosenthal studio-line) in the collection. Rosenthal today is everything from „Maria“ to „Landscape“ and „Papyrus“.

How should we define the Rosenthal Studio Line today and tomorrow? What kind of products, product groups and collections can we picture in the future and communicate under the RSL brand?

In January 2011 Hrafnkell led one of the workshops during the compact project week held annually as a special productive event at the University of Lichtenstein. 

2011’s theme was called “Design of elemental things + instruments for everyday life” - in service of the HPZ Workshops in Schaan.

The Compact Projects...

> were led by external experts
> were accompanied by a mentor from the university
> focused on learning by doing and social engagement
> involved working together with local cooperation partners
> were assigned with inventing a product or service for the specific cooperation partner
> encompassed nominating up to three proposals for a competition
> saw the best result chosen by an independent jury
> award ceremony was a public event concluding the competition
> required that the proposals could be implemented 
> branded the products with the label "unikafl" 

Hrafnkell assigned his students to prototype ideas for bird and bat houses with a local reference - connecting with the area in one way or another.

In 2012 Hrafnkell was invited by the Helsinki design studio Diagonal to work as a mentor with junior designer Fernanda Torre in the celebrated “Beam me up, Scotty!” closed design competition.

Three teams, each consisting of two designers, a mentor and a junior participated in the project described as "a groundbreaking and innovative, international design competition, process and exhibition that transcends time, place and space". 

The concept focused on the year 2030, with the designers utilizing their talent and vision to create a fresh perspective. 

Each team was assigned to choose two mega-trends and frame a future scenario which the participants were to design. Once the designers had created and described that specific future moment, they were to use a future object needed or desired to solve or improve that imaginary situation.

Fernanda and Hrafnkell’s idea aims to create a source of identity within a community which simultaneously promotes inter-generational dialogue and a more meaningful aging experience. 

Life Bits is a customizable modular system comprised of several elements that can be used in a public library. These elements represent several data mediums (objects, sound, video, images, smell) together with physical items that will facilitate the sharing of life experiences and knowledge within a community.

Junior: Fernanda Torre 

graphic, experience design 

Born in Portugal, Fernanda studied at the Fine Arts School of Porto University, where she graduated in Communication Design. She also has a MFA degree in Experience Design from Konstfack, Stockholm and is currently CEO of herself - Fernanda Torre Design. 

www.fernandatorre.com 

Mentor: Hrafnkell Birgisson 

product design 

The proposal - Life Bits - won the competition and was presented at Habitare Design Fair in Helsinki in September 2012.

"Life Bits is a highly inspirational concept to promote storytelling and serendipity. Out of the three contestants Life Bits is as a whole the most solid answer to the original design brief where a future megatrend is to be turned into a compelling and meaningful solution that helps everyday life in year 2030. It is innovative, forward-looking and plausible. 

Also, the dynamics, collaboration and inspiration of the design team - Fernanda and Hrafnkell - was clealry visible during the prototype preparation. They were driven. An example for future junior-mentor relationships to come. 

 Life Bits can be seen as an important vehicle to promote intergenerational dialogue. It is a modern era storytelling platform which encourages even total strangers to share, start conversations and to pass on tacit information, knowledge and cultural heritage. When implemented for example in a public park, the impact to communal social capital and cohesion could be substantial." 

The Jury: Petteri Kolinen (Martela), Marc Skvorc (Klaus K Hotel), Ville Tikka (Wevolve), Sami Oinonen (+Studio)

www.diagonal.fi 

Early 2008 we invited 8 international designers and 8 local businesses located in the town of Hafnarfjördur with the objective of developing new products and establishing a new identity for their production. The designers were all to work on the basis of the company’s existing production potential. The intention was to stimulate an innovative approach to use of equipment and materials, and to utility, with the objective of designing a unique product, which would be suitable for production. Each collaborative team was given five months to develop a concept and put it in a form to be exhibited.

Concept and curation: Hrafnkell Birgisson & Brynhildur Pálsdóttir

Exhibition design: Theresa Himmer

Illustration and catalogue design: Snæfríð & Hildigunnur

Editorial: Elísabet Ingvarsdóttir

Photography: David Oldfield and Theresa Himmer

Balticlab is an innovation and leadership programme, run in partnership by the Council of the Baltic Sea States and the Swedish Institute. The programme brings entrepreneurs and creatives in the Baltic Sea region together to explore new perspectives and sources of inspiration and to prototype the future. The aim of the programme is to the create a community and network of entrepreneurs and creatives, who know each other, can collaborate and empower each other. As this network flourishes, new opportunities for collaboration open up.

Balticlab is thus a way to provide talented individuals with mentorship and coaching for achieving their ideas and furthering their careers, but also to see a rise in young people’s engagement in matters of importance for the development of the Baltic Sea Region. The Baltic Sea Region has become a hub for entrepreneurship and creativity and we believe this holds the key to increasing the prosperity of the region, creating a common cultural scene and providing innovation and inspiration in the field of education. 

Hrafnkell was mentoring two teams during workshops in Nida 2013 and in Tallin 2014. 

The de-ikea workshop was developed by Hrafnkell in 2004 and first held at the Iceland Academy of the Arts in Reykjavik, followed by workshops at the Bauhaus University in Weimar, Germany and the California College of the Arts in San Francisco (CCA). Finally, Hrafnkell curated a de-ikea intervention in 2008 in Tallinn with selected Estonian designers who transformed products from the local manufacturer Wendre, an Ikea supplier.

www.disainioo.ee/et/arhiiv/deikea.html

The de-ikea project used the ubiquitous Swedish home furnishing retailer as a source for local "design-interventions". Designers and design students at different locations were commissioned with crafting a unique and individual viewpoint or personal interpretation of the local identity by using original IEKA products as a starting point and material source. Existing objects were redesigned and reevaluated, for example with a site-specific manufacturing process or by referring directly to specific needs of the local culture.

The goal of the workshops was to highlight the importance of diversity and local context and to show how a localized approach to design can be achieved even with limited means by intervening with existing artifacts in our environment.

In 2005 Hrafnkell developed the Made in 105 course at the Iceland Academy of the Arts’ department for product design. The course provides students with practical experience and addresses the importance of local engagement and self-initiative as a designer.

The students were assigned with developing innovative but simple products in collaboration with local manufacturing companies located within the postal code area of the Academy.

The course initiated various ongoing collaborations between the designers and the companies involved.

Examples for companies:

Fást ehf

Gull- og silfursmiðjan Erna

Ás vinnustofa

Henson Sports ehf

Múlalundur

Forming is a two-year joint program created by the Reykjavik School of Visual Art and the Reykjavik Technical School for art college students studying clay, ceramics, glass and related materials. Participants can receive a BA Honors degree with European educational institutions. “Forming” is a lab program exploring all the possibilities of the materials with an emphasis on combining new and traditional methods. The objectives are:

1. to improve the student’s knowledge of the prime materials and the medium’s potential and to create possibilities for further studies.

2. to promote the study of ceramics in Iceland and broaden the associated opportunities within art and design programs.

3. to reestablish a traceable connection between creators and their works.

4. to form a relationship between education and commercial manufacturing.

A concept by:

Brynhildur Pálsdóttir, Hrafnkell Birgisson, Ingibjörg Jóhannsdóttir, Ólöf Erla Bjarnadóttir, Sólveig A!alsteinsdóttir

A two week long excursion to Germany is the fulcrum of a whole semester module within the two-year joint program Forming at the Reykjavik School of Visual Art.

During the intensive research trip a variety of educational  institutions, companies, research centers and museums are visited, all related to developments and production using ceramics and porcelain. This experience is deemed essential for the creative work of the students, imparting a concentrated historical overview in the field within a short time and providing a “practical injection” to their professional career.

The excursions established valuable mutual relationships between the school and the hosting partners, bearing fruits with collaborations and realization of ideas.