Text: Jens Persson, November 2019
On the eve of the anticipated anniversary Umeå city welcomed
alumni, arriving from across the nation and the world, with a dense
fog and a persistent drizzle. The bleak limbo of late November,
lost somewhere between autumn and winter, doesn't offer up
immediate associations to festivities and celebrations. That didn't
stop alumni, students and staff from creating a truly memorable
30th birthday party for the school.
Thomas Olofsson, head of department, kicked off proceedings with
an unexpected analogy, comparing UID to Hogwarts, the fairy tale
school of witchcraft and Harry Potter's alma mater. The parallel
was not so much aimed at quidditch and sorcery, but rather directed
at the shared magical abilities possessed by students from both
schools.
The audience of around 250 people that had gathered in the
Project Studio was then treated to a trip down memory lane, via the
screening of the film "UID - 30 Years in 30 Minutes". The montage
of grainy videos and photos depicting fresh-faced students,
memorable projects and momentous occasions was soundtracked with
musical hits from the past three decades, including songs from Boyz
II Men, Ace of Base and 50 Cent.
A deluxe version of 'Wozzop Live' followed as programme
directors took the stage to give updates from their respective
programmes, detailing the exciting projects that are occupying the
minds of students at this very moment. Here, visiting alumni got a
first sneak peek into what kind of challenges and perspectives the
school's students are currently working with.
'Studio Tours' connecting alumni and students
The next programme point allowed for a deep dive into the
ongoing projects at UID. The 'Studio Tours' gave alumni an
opportunity to walk around the programme studios and talk to
students individually about their work. Before soon, the school
premises were busy with lively discussions and impromptu student
presentations.
"It really feels like coming back home! And it's interesting to
see what students are doing at the moment. As an alumna, I'm quite
interested in what the school is up to, and I'm also thinking about
how I can contribute. From what I can see today, the student
projects seem really relevant to the industry. Actually, walking
around it feels like a you're in a design studio, rather than
looking at school projects", says Akansha Aggarwal, who graduated
from the MFA Programme in Interaction Design just last year.
Talking sustainability
Next, the critical issue of sustainability in design was on the
menu. First off, representatives from the UID Climate Action Group,
a student enterprise, spoke about their activities to promote green
thinking at UID. Initiatives include the Golden Seed Award, a
climate march to the main campus and creating awareness among staff
and students.
A handful of notable alumni were then invited onto the stage to
give a glimpse into their work with sustainability in their
respective industries. Mall Alpere (Swedbank), Stina Engström
(H&M), Oskar Ponnert (IKEA), Tom Woods (Opel) and Ann Granberg
(ÅF) all gave fascinating accounts of the challenges a designer of
today might encounter in the workplace in relation to
sustainability issues. The segment ended with students in the
audience asking the panel questions on subjects ranging from
recyclability, to user-centred design, to systemic obstacles.
A 'Creative Challenge' towards the future
The final part of the program saw the Project Studio turned into
a chaotic hive of creativity. Divided into 18 groups, the 'Creative
Challenge' tasked alumni, students and staff with charting a path
in design towards the year 2039.
"We asked people in the room to imagine that it is 2039 and that
they were talking to their loved ones. We wanted them to imagine
what they were proud of and how design got us to that place. The
next step was to share their imagined walk with the group and
together decide on one idea and turn that into a tangible future
scenario, also thinking about how UID can support that vision
through education and research", said Brendon Clark, Associate
Professor in Design Anthropology and Director of PhD studies.
