A conversation about design - Dagur B. Eggertsson and Björn Blumenstein

Reykjavík Mayor Dagur B. Eggertsson and product designer Björn Steinar Blumenstein met up to discuss design, city planning, and, of course, DesignMarch. What does the festival mean to them?

Dagur: I associate DesignMarch with the ingenuity and growth that we saw in society after the crash. The banks had fallen, and many believed there was a single solution to all of those problems. DesignMarch, and design itself, was one of the factors that helped people, in their hearts, and through their knowledge and creativity, to find a way out of a difficult situation. And it wasn't just any way – it was one that leads to a better society and a better life.

Björn: It’s often precisely during those turbulent times that design and art blossom. That was the case after the crash. It pushes people to be more creative.

Dagur: Precisely. Many design and planning-related projects emerged at that time, after all the architects were let go. Professionals banded together and launched projects such as Slow Shifting Wind and Betri borgarbragur [A Better City Atmosphere], which are still great resources when it comes to making all kinds of decisions and plans. One can ponder where this resourcefulness comes from, when everyone is working long hours on projects that are due the next day.

Björn: Exactly. If you’re going to be broke and struggling anyway, you might as well chase your passion. For me DesignMarch is an important platform for promoting my work. It’s not like those opportunities grow on trees. Increasingly, I’m also seeing how much the festival shapes some kind of design strategy. At the festival everyone comes together and shares their knowledge, and this leads to more design conversations, between designers and with society.

Dagur: It’s really interesting. Is it maybe the Iceland Airwaves of design? Where the big names perform new material and others find an audience and get their break? When I’m asked what I’m most proud of in the city, music is one of the first things that comes to mind, and I often have to explain to people that the fringe is “mainstream” in Iceland. Is it also like that with design?

Björn: Yes, Björk says things that I think can be applied to design. For example, in the film Rock in Reykjavík, she said that the reason Icelandic music is unique is the fact that you can basically forget about selling a bunch of albums, as we’re only 300,000 people. So, we’re again talking about the idea that it makes sense to just do the things that you’re truly interested in.

Dagur: Exactly!

Björn: I think the Icelandic design scene as a whole is gradually finding its groove and figuring out what graphic design, product design, and all of that means in Iceland. We’re getting there. Shouldn't we just nail it down this year?

Dagur: I’m excited in any case. There has always been an awareness about design in this city and discussions about buildings; the big difference now is that the space between buildings has become an important topic. The design of the public space. We know now, and this is my perspective as a doctor, what effect design, both good and bad, can have on wellbeing and behaviour. You foster life in a city by creating a beautiful, well-designed, and well-defined city layout.