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Meet HDK-Valand on Stockholm Furniture Fair

Welcome to visit our two booths at Stockholm Furniture Fair 7-11 February! On this page you will find information about the booths exhibits' themes and presentations by our participating students.

Booth/Exhibition stand: HDK-Valand, Campus Gothenburg


ThemeOnt om skog  
A thematic exhibition from the design programs of HDK-Valand´s in Gothenburg. 
The lungs of mother earth, intricate networks of ancient beings, home to millions of complex eco systems and a source of renewable material - A constant factor in human history and resourcefulness. 
Many believe forests to be part of the solution to the ongoing climate crisis. But what is the best way to treat our forests? Should we let them grow and work at their own pace or should we harvest them and make use of them as a resource? Perhaps something in between? 
In this exhibition, design students from HDK-Valand, campus Gothenburg, are approaching these questions from their own perspectives. Our design programs are founded on artistic grounds, which often leads to exploratory and multi-disciplinary design methods that result in both tangible objects and open questions.

Participating from Gothenburg

Elenor Månsson (Text)
Ola Lindgren, Teresa Jaksetic, Stina Andersson (Design)

Along with a spatial design, the essay Moder Berg invites you to find your own temple, where the physical visualization assists the story with sensations from the narrator's own sanctuary.

A story about a body memory of a place. Streams that connect across time and space. A temple. Through text, image, material and spatial design, you are invited to investigate your own temple. The place that welcomes you with open arms; which allows you to get ready at your own pace.

Kontakt
Instagram: @elenor_mansson, @stinaia_design, @untitled_corridor, @o_to_the_la

Filippa Revelius
Title: 6%


In Sweden, less than 6% of the productive woodland has a formal protection. (Naturskyddsföreningen, 2022). The chair ’6%’ is created from reused building blocks of spruce from local sources - as a symbol of the formally protected forests in Sweden. By taking care of local and existing materials, our forests can continue to grow.

Contact
Email: filippa.revelius@gmail.com 
Instagram: ravioli_design

Joséphine Perini Stefansson
Title: Give Back 

There is a housing shortage for insects that live in old hollow trees. Coarse hollow trees are red-listed and make up a habitat for about 200 red-listed species. In Sweden, oak is the most important tree because oak can reach the highest age and form the most hollow trees. It takes up to 150–200 years before some insects move into a hollow tree. To increase the insects' chance of survival, new homes are made artificially, so-called mulchboxes. The kit is made as a conversation piece where activity and making leads to conversations about sustainability and the human environmental footprint. Through the mulch box, the project has tried to create a story about housing shortages and biodiversity to increase the interest in taking care of nature instead of destroying it.

Fabian Myhrman, Filip Malke, Carl Marcus Sjöberg och Ante Wiklund (Studio 44)
Title: M44


M44 communicates the relationship between humanity and nature. Its camouflage-like expression contains shapes reminiscent of various kinds of furniture at different angles as well as a design that confuses the perception of its function and form. M44's orange colour is perceived as bright and garish by humans, but as dull and grey-brown by animals such as deer and dogs. The absorbing darkness plays a trick on the viewer’s perception of depth. The angular forms contradict typical associations with forest and organic aesthetics. All these elements visualise the differences in how humans perceive colours and shapes compared to animals.

Dina Möller and Rebecca Hedrén
Title: INVASIV

INVASIV is a project in which we explore the properties of the unwanted plant and reshape the parts that, after drying, can no longer harm our nature. The stem of the Japanese knotweed is like bamboo of tubular shape and divided with nodes, we have only utilized stem parts without the nodes because dried stem parts no longer have the ability to sprout shoots. We have designed a plywood sheet material, which we used to design a lampshade. Can we use parts of Japanese knotweed and get something useful out of it while tackling the problem in a controlled way? Can we, through our project, start talking about how we can act and deal with the consequences of human influence that will continually have an impact on the Earth's biodiversity?

Contact
Instagram: redig.material

Anton Thorstensson
Title: Massiv


When I first heard that the forest was gonna be the theme of the exhibition, I wanted to find a unique way to work with the raw materials that the forest has to offer, but in a way that differs from what one might expect. During my research, I looked at statistics and data about what our forests are actually used for, and it was in great contrast to what I thought about Swedish forestry. It turned out that 60% of our roundwood consumption is used for packaging material, such as cardboard and containers. As a designer, I have tried to understand the material through various material tests. I have worked with the material in different ways and examined methods that feel exciting and innovative. The chair that I present here is the latest result of my exploratory work. By altering and challenging the intended format of the material, I have found an interesting materiality and worked in a more intuitive, sculptural maner.

Contact
Mail: thorstenssonato@gmail.com

Josha Veldheer
Title: A story of wood - In Göteborg

‘A story of wood’ researches how to create physically and aesthetically durable designs. What is our relationship with wooden furniture and wood as a material? Through a sample and story exhibition display that reconnects to the origin of wood species and the core properties of wood, ‘A story of wood’ tries to find answers to questions like these. It follows the line of the object, from human manipulated objects back to the forest and its trees, inviting people to strengthen their connection with this material that once was a living organism.

Within the still ongoing material study, various techniques are linked to different wood species, to shed light on which combinations create lasting designs. ‘A story of wood’ continues to answer questions such as which technique and wood species work best together, what makes us want to keep our wooden furniture for a long-term and what aspects should we keep in mind when creating durable wooden furniture?

Contact
Mail: jcveldheer@gmail.com 
Instagram: @designbyjosha
Website: www.joshaveldheer.com

Ylva Wedberg
Titel: Lindestolen

The project is aiming at promoting Swedish indigenous tree species and craft traditions. Linden trees are common in the southern and central parts of Sweden and have given their name to the small village I grew up in, Linderöd, located on the Linderödsåsen in Skåne. The Linden tree is very beautiful and has been used for thousands of years for its soft and pliable qualities. Working with locally grown species may promote a more diversified habitat and preserve our immaterial cultural craft heritage and promote local and sustainable furniture production.

Kontakt
Mail: ylva.wedberg@gmail.com
Instagram: @ylva.wedberg

Fanny Apel, Isabell Tresse, Ina Lidman och Emil Eriksson
Title: RESOURCE


The starting point in the design has been an investigation into the different ways in which the forest is used as a resource. By turning the narrative around the forest as an inexhaustible supply of material, the forest's sensuous properties have instead acted as inspiration in the exhibition, inviting you as a visitor to a forest walk through a new landscape with different perspectives.

Contact
Instagram: @studiowrapped

Contact person press, Göteborg
Mattias Rask, 070 076 90 49
mattias.rask@hdk.gu.se

Exhibition stand: HDK Valand Campus Steneby


Theme/content: Under the Surface

The understanding of the underlying process of our every day products is becoming crucial for the value chain of furniture production. The demand on social, economic and ecologic awareness pushes the need for an improved design process.

Students have explored this through the theme past, present, future and this is their take on it.

The exhibition shows the result and an explanation of the process behind the furnitures and different possible approaches to furniture design; what’s under the surface.

Wood Oriented Furniture Design is a bachelor program based on a material focused and craft driven design process.

Participating from HDK Valand, Campus Steneby

Måns Abrahamsson
Title: N Boda 1

The idea behind this piece of furniture was to work with symmetry and use several equal construction parts. Starting with a rectangle and adding more similar ones in different formations, eventually resulting in this lounge chair. The construction is in Swedish pine and the upholstery is patched up with sheepskin waste material.

Contact
Email: abrahamssonmans@gmail.com
Instagram: @mans.abrahamsson

Emelie Sjöberg
Title: Hemligheter

What makes us keep an item for a long time? I believe in creating an emotional attachment to our objects - if we cherish our furniture, we will keep them for longer, which will be the most sustainable in the long run.

The table is where we gather to socialize and form bonds. For this project I wanted to create a piece of furniture that represents the good times with family and friends. The purpose is to gather around it for games, food or socializing. So, get together, play some games or discover each other's secrets.

Contact
Email: emelievsjoberg@gmail.com
Instagram: @sjobergdesign

Måns Hallberg
Title: mash

mash is a modular, interactive shelving system. The user could adapt the shelves after needs and prerequisite. With inspiration from intarsia from a traditional desk I hope to highlight a more rational and human side of large scale 3D printing. The shelves are made from 100% biodegradable material. Sawdust, starch and cellulose based glue. The material could be recycled up to 6 times.
” exploring the human, adaptive and interactive aspects of bio-based 3D printing”

Contact
Email: manshallberg99@gmail.com
Instagram: @mansslojd

Tomas Björk
Title: Network

I asked my children what’s most important in the hallway, their answer was “speed”. This is an attempt to facilitate both speed and tidiness. I have tried to create a piece of furniture with the ability to store and see items, regardless of age. Material: Oak/Ash.

Contact
Email: tomas.bjork@colorido.se
Instagram: @colorido_se

Karl Ekdahl
Title: Curb (A material exploration of wood and textile)


My work explores the relationship between wood and textile in the field of furniture design. I find that there is a clear hierarchy between the two materials in which the textile traditionally follows the structure of the wood. My intention was to question this hierarchy and instead see what happens when the design is based on the characteristics of the fabric. The result of this exploration was a bench where one piece of fabric provides the seating and storage function.

Contact
Email: karlekdahl@icloud.com
Instagram: @karlekdahl

Felix Olofsson
Title: Sambo Table / Sambo Bord


The Sambo Table came from the idea of a piece of storage furniture that’s meant to be used by the whole family. The surface of the table can be folded in and out in order to make room around or on the table itself. You may be asking yourself where the storage part of the table is hidden. The answer is right in front of you: the surface of the table is its own storage. And what better way of storing your belongings than on a surface? Of course, all belongings have to be relocated at some point. But as long as they’re on that surface, they’re being stored. Right?

Contact
Email: felixjolofsson@gmail.com
Instagram: @designdagis

Joakim Rydholm Axelsson
Title: A kind and soft rectangle


A kind and soft rectangle.
A chest.
A bench.
An attempt to promote the use of spruce in new ways. An attempt to promote actual usage of furniture.

Contact
Email: joakim.r.axelsson@gmail.com

Contact person press, Campus Steneby: 
Sara Szyber, 070-788 65 78
Email: sara.szyber@gu.se