History

HISTORY

2001: In process

FutureDesignDays 2001 started out as an experiment. Would it really be possible to gather designers and architects from all over the world to debate and talk about design? Would there be an audience, and would it understand how important it was to listen, learn and discuss design in a progressive way? And could it be done in a medium-sized Swedish town like Borås under the leaden mid-November skies? It could!

2002: Design without boundaries

FutureDesignDays 2002 concentrated on highlighting the people with the courage to cross all boundaries in their work. The people whose work advanced the boundaries of what can be achieved and what design can signify. And they were all there. The stage was invaded by boundary-crossing people like Fernando and Humberto Campana, Karim Rashid, Tom Dixon and John Pawson. The event was opened by Leif Pagrotsky, Swedish Minister for Industry and Trade. The audience of business people, designers, architects and students also included a member of the Swedish Royal Family, HRH Princess Madeleine.

2003: They said it couldn't be done

Exhibitions, parties, mingling, a very extensive speaker list and more than 1,000 visitors. The theme of FutureDesignDays 2003 was “They said it couldn’t be done”. But everyone who attended saw that it could be done.

New ties were formed between visitors and speakers. Business cards were exchanged with a whispered “Perhaps we could work together” or “Let’s talk next week”. At the end of FutureDesignDays 2003 moderator Kristofer Lundström and expert commentator Simonetta Carbonaro summarised the festival with words like “variety” and “diversity”. In short, all shades of opinion on design matters were welcomed on stage.

2004: FEAR

FutureDesignDays 2004 left its hometown Borås for the swedish capital Stockholm. The event grew big at the Stockholm International Fairs with a huge EXPO, compared to what was exposed at Åhaga in Borås. The conference developed further and Breakout Sessions were added. The theme of the year was FEAR, but something told us that we had nothing to fear about moving to the capital of Scandinavian design. And the speakers didn’t act like they were scared.

2005: SHIFT

The festival of 2005 took on a different shape. It became more like four festivals in one – a conference with four blocks, each providing in-depth information and inspiration in the fields of industrial design, architecture, new media and fashion. The Breakout Sessions, the EXPO and the parties all grew bigger and better. And not surprisingly the theme of FutureDesignDays 2005 was SHIFT.
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2006: share – the power of collaboration

Since FutureDesignDays is an ongoing process, never completed or ready to settle down, this years festival just like all the other festivals took on a different shape. The intimicy was in focus. The goal was to create a tight and intensive meeting place with design as the center of attention. All in the name of the theme – SHARE. The EXPO took a year off and was replaced by the much appreciated Lounge. The Conference, Breakout Sessions and Lounge all took place in and around the Victoria Hall in Stockholm International Fairs. The aim of getting 500 delegates to the festival was beaten by far and well over 1,000 unique visitors made entrance at FutureDesignDays 2006.