Student Event at Construction City
On Thursday, September 10, Designers’ Saturday invited students of design, architecture and interior architecture to an evening event at Construction City in Ulven. The event was organised in collaboration with OBOS, LINK Arkitektur, Metropolis Interiørarkitektur & Design, IARK, Holmris B8, Flokk and Vitra, who shared insights from their different roles in the project and engaged with the students through presentations, discussions and a guided tour.
Through presentations and a guided tour, the students gained insight into how ideas and concepts are developed, and how decisions around architecture, design, materials and reuse are made in a real-life project. A particular focus was placed on how existing materials and furniture can be given new life: steel, timber and leftover scaffolding materials have been repurposed in new solutions and built-in elements. OBOS presented the background to the project, while LINK Arkitektur gave insight into the architect’s role throughout the process.
The story of the project was also told through the interiors, presented by the interiorarchitects from IARK and Metropolis. For the students, the five restaurants provided a concrete example of how design can be used to communicate a story.
«Storytelling has played an important role in the design of the restaurants. We have drawn inspiration from different phases of the construction project, using names, colours, materials and elements from the building site to tell the story of Construction City. As you move between the restaurants, you can almost follow the story as it unfolds.»Charlotte Hagemoen, Interior Architect at Metropolis Interiørarkitektur & Design
Holmris B8 showed how they transform used furniture into new products, while Flokk and Vitra shared how they work to source and make used furniture available on a larger scale.
After the professional programme, the evening continued with a guided tour, pizza, mingling and a design quiz.
Exclusive prizes
The design quiz tested the students’ knowledge of design history, design icons and renowned designers, with a close competition for the prizes from Flokk and Vitra. First place went to Michael Strøm Karlson and Jonah Duderstädt from OsloMet, who shared the victory and won a HÅG Capisco chair from Flokk. Jonah, an exchange student from Germany, will keep the chair until he returns home for Christmas, when it will pass on to Michael. Second place went to Synne Enger Junker, also from OsloMet, who won a Panton Chair from Vitra.
A meeting place for students and the industry
One of Designers’ Saturday’s key objectives is to create meeting places across the entire industry, and the student evening at Construction City is one example of this work.
«We want to give students the opportunity to get close to the industry and the people they may work with in the future. By meeting industry professionals, hearing about real-life projects and seeing how different disciplines collaborate, they can also open doors to future collaborations and job opportunities.»Heidi Lie, CEO Designers' Saturday
The event brought together students from Kristiania University College, OsloMet, Oslo School of Architecture and Oslo National Academy of the Arts.
The next event is Designers’ Saturday’s 40th anniversary celebration at Trekanten in Oslo on 15 October, where the entire industry is welcome.
