Oskar is the designer behind the proposal The International Flag of Planet Earth. Besides running IFOPE-O, Oskar works as a Creative Director at Oatly and serves as a member of the board at Beckmans College of Design.
Author: 9ve8c
What if water… exhibition at Barcelona Design Week 2024
During the Barcelona Design Week (16th to 26th October) presented the “What if water…” exhibition on the critical challenge of water management and conservation, created by design students from six design schools from Barcelona: BAU, EINA, Elisava, IED Barcelona, LCI Barcelona, and Escola Llotja (ESDAPC), in one of the BDW Associated Venues: Cosentino City Barcelona. A small version of the exhibition was also produced and shown during the ‘Disseny en Diagonal’ day on October 19th as an urban installation in the Av. Diagonal.
The same installation was presented at Underground BDW, a new collective exhibition in a parking lot, the 24th and 25th October, together with 24 exhibitors and 2 other installations, which attract more than 2.500 visitors. The exhibition was organised by Educació per al Disseny per Viure (EDIVI)
*Visitors to the exhibition: 677
Reef Rocket
ReefCycle has developed biologically-grown cement-like material that mimics the chemical structure of reefs, re-growing vital material in days that take millennia to form in nature. The production process combines plant-based enzymes with crushed waste, like culinary shells and glass, to grow a mineral glue that binds waste material together.
Reef Rocket is a bio-cement structure that mimics the naturally occurring oyster reefs that protect shorelines from flooding, filter seawater and promote biodiversity. Nature has the unique capacity to grow durable material without polluting its surrounding environment. Reefs grow to withstand extreme wave energy and corrosive water for hundreds of years.
Harnessing nature to repurpose discard into durable “cements” locally without burning fossil fuels, this process fosters a bio-circular and localised economy. Reef Rocket by ReefCycle provides a cheaper, cleaner and more durable alternative to industrial cement.
Refugio Bees
Building on Refugio Bees’ work done over the last few years, Apidae proposes a system of objects for raising Meliponini bees. This system consists of breeding boxes, which function as ‘houses’ for the hives, as well as a kit to fabricate potes and piqueras.
Apidae is a project that seeks to improve our relationship with nature, specifically with a group of bees known as Meliponini. This species is known for producing phenomenal honey and being the main pollinators of many native foods in Mexico, as well as being essential for the conservation of the biodiversity of the ecosystems they inhabit.
The potes and piqueras are part of the natural structures that bees build using wax. The potes’ function is to store honey and pollen, while the piqueras help to manage the access that other species have to the hive. The wooden breeding boxes are designed to have a life-cycle of at least twenty years. The potes and piqueras are designed so that the bee-keepers can create potes and piqueras directly from wax produced by mature hives, aiding young hive development.
Cellsense
Cellsense has developed a method to transform algae and cellulose into durable, transparent bio-embellishments with water resistance and appropriate texture. To replace toxic dyes used in traditional embellishments Cellsense has engineered bacteria to produce vivid colours and unique properties like bioluminescence.
Cellsense is a response to the problem of beaded garments: conventional beaded embellishments are produced utilising petroleum plastics and resins, which are then manually assembled into garments. Beaded garments are worn about five times before they end up in landfills—contributing to the microplastic crisis.
Recognising the labour-intensive nature of beadwork, Cellsense has also implemented automation to support ethical labour practices: a bead loom and a robotic syringe can efficiently create large-scale graphic beaded panels in seven minutes, which would otherwise take four hours by hand.
MOWO, move with wood
MOWO, move with wood, uses wood in a completely new way, using it as an elastic, flexible material that allows movement when sitting. All products are made from molded plywood and do not require any metal or plastic – the wooden elements are connected solely by cords, which combine stability and flexibility.
MOWO is an Austrian brand owned by architect and designer Lisa Stolz. All products are manufactured by a Greek family business that has specialized in the production of molded plywood parts since 1991.
MOWO uses the FSC-certified veneers. The certificate that ensures that the wood products come from forests that are managed according to the strict standards of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). These standards ensure that the wood is sourced from forests managed sustainably, respecting ecosystems, biodiversity, workers’ rights, communities, and economic sustainability. Follow MOWO, move with wood!
Edu talks at No. 18 Design for Human Future Conference at Barcelona Design Week 2024
On October 18th, the Barcelona Design Week celebrated the No. 18 Design for Human Future Conference, a key event aimed at exploring how design can play a crucial role in building a more sustainable world.
As part of NEXT GEN DESIGN, during this Conference, were organized two EDU TALKS to inspire and engage the audience, inviting two speakers to this session: Fabio Palma and Oskar Pernefeldt.
- Fabio Palma, Strategic Partnerships Director at the global Plant-for-the-Planet Foundation, has presented his work in ecosystems restoration and the empowerment of young environmental leaders.
- Oskar Pernefeldt, designer of the International Flag of Planet Earth, has shared his insights on how his symbol reflects the shared challenges and possibilities faced by humanity as we navigate global environmental issues.
Clive Russell
Russell was one of the earliest members and collaborators of Extinction Rebellion, a global movement to persuade governments to act on the climate emergency.
Russell is a UK graphic designer who creates groundbreaking identities for cultural movements and causes. He is a co-founder of This Ain’t Rock’n’Roll, a London-based studio whose client list includes the Tate, The National Gallery, Right to Repair etc. His work has won multiple awards (he turned down the nomination for Design of the Year in 2019 for his Extinction Rebellion work) and is in permanent collections at V&A, British Museum, MOMA and the Smithsonian.
He was a central part of the team that created the movement’s distinctive visual identity. The design work was released with a Do-It-Together message inspiring artists, activists and designers to use, interpret and add to the original design. Russell also co-founded the artist collective Ocean Rebellion and helped start the Museum of Care and the David Graeber Institute where he remains a collaborator.
Natsai Audrey Chieza
As a member of WEF’s Global Futures Council on Synthetic Biology, Chieza advocates integrating design, culture and biotechnology in policy development.
Chieza is a UK visionary designer and thought-leader working at the forefront of biophilic design. She is the founder and CEO of Faber Futures and a co-founder of Normal Phenomena of Life (NPOL). Launched in 2018, Faber Futures is a pioneering design agency that melds consumer biotechnology advancements with real-world applications. In 2023, Chieza co-founded NPOL, a consumer brand. NPOL makes tangible how biotechnology can generate new, beautiful materials that support climate goals and the cultivation of resilient value chains for the bioeconomy.
Chieza’s approach involves broad-ranging partnerships across biotech, consumer sectors, and cultural institutions. Notable clients and commissioners include Ginkgo Bioworks, Adidas, World Economic Forum, La Biennale, Design Museum and Cooper Hewitt.