ICELANDIC DESIGN/ /HÖNNUN

Since the 19th century, Iceland has been a nation dedicated to linguistic purism. The Árni Magnússon Institute for Icelandic Studies regularly suggests new (archaic) words to substitute loanwords from other languages. The Icelandic term for design ("hönnun") was formed in the 1950s which already indicates that the local design scene is rather young. In 1998, the Museum of Design and Applied Art started and three years later The Icelandic Academy of the Arts opened.

Looking at Icelandic design, one can see that most people get educated abroad but never lose touch with their native landscapes and materials. I recommend the websites of the Design Museum and the Icelandic Design Center to get a first overview. This June, the latter also launched "HA", a magazine about Icelandic design and architecture.