The 7^th Alvar Aalto Design Seminar takes place next weekend, 24–25 August, in Jyväskylä. The Seminar is attracting hundreds of people interested in design. Apart from Finnish and international lecturers, also participating are design professionals, students and enthusiasts from around the world. This year’s theme ‘New Wave’ challenges speakers to consider whether signs of change similar to those in the ‘new waves’ in film and music can now be seen in design.

The experimental French New Wave film of the 1950s and 60s, with its demolition of definitive boundaries and obliviousness to style, and the rise of Punk music in the 1970s have inspired the choice of theme made by the chair of the Design Seminar Harri Koskisen. This new-wave perspective has given rise to topics for discussion such as the significance of authorship and the design process.

“New technologies are commonplace, technology is developing at a faster pace than ever, and methods used in design are changing. At the Design Seminar we will be looking for answers to the question of whether this has brought new understanding and new expertise into design, and whether changes in ways and means of doing things are now in sight,” Koskinen says.

The band of international speakers includes Dutch designer Ineke Hans, renowned Muji designer Sam Hecht, the CEO of Established & Sons Maurizio Mussati and American designer Stephen Burks. Alongside the designers, bringing her own viewpoint on the theme is International Herald Tribune design critic Alice Rawsthorn. Representing top Finnish design at the seminar are Artek Design Director Ville Kokkonen and Executive Vice President of Design at Nokia Marko Ahtisaari.

The international Design Seminar, held every three years, was set up as a discussion forum to keep alive the spirit of the functional and ecological design principle represented by Alvar Aalto. The first seminar, Design for Architecture, was held in 1995. The event is arranged by the Alvar Aalto Museum and Academy.

Online registration ends today, Thursday, 22 August. After that it is still possible to register on the spot on Saturday, 24 August at 18:00–19:00 at Jyväskylä City Theatre, and on Sunday, 25 August starting at 9:00 in the foyer of the University of Jyväskylä’s main building.

Further details:

Accreditation of journalists and requests for interviews:
Alvar Aalto Design Seminar Communications Annukka Pakarinen, annukka.pakarinen(a)alvaraalto.fi,
tel. +358 50 3810143

Producer of the Alvar Aalto Design Seminar Riikka Fagerholm, riikka(a)pinkeminence.fi,
tel. +358 41 466 4114

Director of the Alvar Aalto Academy Esa Laaksonen, esa.laaksonen(a)alvaraalto.fi
tel. +358 50 555 7330

Press images
http://aaltopress.wordpress.com/2013/08/09/press-images-new-wave-7th-alvar-aalto-design-seminar/

Images are password protected. If you don’t have a password, please request one from annukka.pakarinen@alvaraalto.fi

Speakers’ profiles:
www.alvaraaltodesignseminar.fi/lecturers

Design Seminar website:
www.alvaraaltodesignseminar.fi

Design Seminar on Facebook:
www.facebook.com/AlvarAaltoDesignSeminar