Product Design

The subjects of product designers are always changing, according to challenges in society at each time. Product designers are constantly developing new ways to inform and educate, to inspire reflection and tackle problems, bringing beauty to the environment and work towards a better society. Local circumstances are studied in a global context and design is used for making positive changes.
 
In this programme, students are introduced to a variety of tools that serve to craft and communicate ideas in creative ways. Furthermore, students are trained to develop design projects in collaboration with organisations, companies and institutions in society, such as Matís (Food and Biotechnology Research and Development), Skógrækt Reykjavíkur (Forestry) and Litla-Hraun (Prison Facility).
 
Among the projects, undertaken by students of the programme in recent years are food-design, material research, local production projects and speculative design.
 
The programme offers an open study-environment and each student the freedom to approach projects based on personal interests and strenghts. There is considerable emphasis on the communication of projects, photography, videography and writing and all graduating students build their own website, where their projects are clearly communicated.

 

 

 

 

 

Programme: Product Design
Academic degree: BA
ECTS: 180 ECTS
Study length: 3 years
 

Programme Director

When you look at an object, what do you think? It’s ugly. It’s beautiful. I would like to have it in my house, or I could have done it better. The simple action of looking at an object has an effect on us. It makes us think, and this thinking is not neutral.
 
The field of product design is reaching a tipping point. Products are not only useful or beautiful, they are not passive, they are active characters in our world story. They have power to change our landscapes making us carve mountains for rare-earth minerals; to change our daily lives creating jobs, even villages around production; most of all they have the power to change how we think, how many steps did you walk today? And how do you feel about that?
 
In the BA product design, we invite students to reflect and analyze our current modes of production and consumption of things, from their own perspective. We teach students the foundations of making, the language and basic tools of the design profession. We train students in systematic thinking, looking at the object and its connection to the world. At the end of the program, students are able to propose meaningful alternative designs that have the power to improve our human and more-than-human societies according to the constant change of thoughts, values and beliefs.
 
- Elín Margot Ármansdóttir Programme Director