100% Norway: Opening speech

Your Excellency
Ladies and Gentlemen

”A country is a set of conditions – social, historic, climatic, economic, legislative, and topographic. It is these conditions that shape architecture”.

This is a quote from the jury who selected projects for an exhibition of Norwegian architecture in Chile earlier this year. I think this is relevant for 100% Norway as well – with its great variety of objects on display. Contemporary design indicates where we come from; our nature, our values and our challenges. Just to give an example: it is no coincidence that as much as one third of the home accessories on display are lamps. In a country with 6-8 dark months per year people are inevitably focused on lighting…

It is good to be back in London to officially open yet another 100% Norway exhibition. The UK is a driving force in modern design and a meeting-place for young talents from around the world. It gives me therefore particular pleasure to present some prime examples of Norwegian design and architecture to this public. I am proud to see the stand grow in size and character year by year.

As patron of the Norwegian Design Council, I am in a fortunate position to be able to follow the designers’ work closely. Many Norwegian designers and manufacturers are increasingly working closer together to form partnerships where ideas and creativity can be materialised. But there is still room for more companies to include design in their strategic thinking and work closer with designers on a regular basis; a teamwork I am confident would benefit both parties.

All of you will be able to see and judge for your self the items on display here in Covent Garden and at Earl’s Court. So rather than highlighting selected objects, I would like to take this opportunity to reflect upon a few resent trends in Norwegian design.

The designer’s arena has been much extended over the last years. There has been a shift from focusing primarily on the aesthetics – to consider humanitarian aspects. A telling example of this shift is the fact that Rofi industries and Kode design won the Award of Honour for Design Excellence 2008 for creating personal protection equipment for mine-clearing. The project was initiated by Design without Borders, on behalf of Norwegian People’s Aid.

Another trend is to take full advantage of old traditions and solid craftmanship as basis for innovation and industrial design. One of the oldest, most traditional Norwegian industries is ship building. I would like to mention an outstanding example from this field. The Ulstein Group has designed a bow which instead of digging down into the waves split them. This makes the ships more energy efficient and more stable. The design has now set a new international standard in ship building.

This last example also includes the over all important aspect that must be integrated in all innovation today: protection of the environment. Design needs to promote conscious living. I’m pleased to know that almost every element of the 100% Norway stand is recyclable or to be reused elsewhere after the exhibition.

I hereby declare the 5th 100% Norway exhibition officially open.

Thank you