Gagarín took part in an open lecture event hosted by the Iceland Design and Architecture Centre last week, focusing on the current state and future of design and architecture.
The first lecture of the new year turned the spotlight on creative force and ideation, exploring how challenges are addressed through strong ideas and how creative thinking is used to explain, draw attention, disrupt, and even provoke. The event examined ideas as they appear in communication and the mediation of information, serving as an ode to creativity at the start of the new year.
Photos: Víðir Björnsson.
Four experts in the field delivered short, sharp presentations, followed by a lively discussion:
– Arnar Halldórsson, Creative Director (CD) and co-owner of the creative agency Brandenburg
– Eðvarð Atli Birgisson, Graphic Designer (AD), Kolibri
– Kristín Eva Ólafsdóttir, Designer and CEO, Gagarín
– Rán Flygenring, Designer, illustrator, and author
The discussion was moderated by Bergur Finnbogason, Creative Director (CD) at CCP, and the event was hosted by Halla Helgadóttir, Managing Director of the Iceland Design and Architecture Centre.
Kristín reflected on Gagarín’s work on the Nordic Pavilion at the World Expo in Osaka, developed in close collaboration with Kvorning and Rintala Eggertsson Architects. Designing for a temporary exhibition visited by more than 26 million people required clarity, simplicity, and strong ideas that could be understood instantly. With five Nordic countries as the client, the project focused on trust, cooperation, and shared values rather than individual national statements.
For Gagarín, the project became a valuable learning experience, working at a different scale, in close partnership with highly experienced collaborators, who together shaped a calm, cohesive visitor experience within an otherwise intense exhibition environment.
The Let’s Talk About Design and Architecture lecture series, organised by the Iceland Design and Architecture Centre, takes place monthly and continues to be a valuable forum for dialogue across disciplines.