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What is is that makes Scandinavian design so successful and appeal to such a big audience?

Spending half a year living and studying in Norway inspired me to indulge in this essay question. Through this life experience my design assumed a big Scandinavian influence. More and more I see its principles being implemented across design worldwide. This essay intends to explore why the minimalist approach of Scandinavian design captivates so many people globally. It will examine how Scandinavian culture and the way of living is reflected in the style of design. I will do this by breaking down and looking at the components as to how and what makes it so successful – focusing on the use of craftsmanship, functionality, shape, form, minimalism and colour. A range of sources and designers’ opinions will support these points. Through analysing existing works, I hope to gain a better understanding of how principles of Scandinavian design are implemented, and how this impacts the graphic design scene. I will be using this knowledge to help aid a project inspired by Scandinavian design.

Norway, Denmark, Finland, Iceland and Sweden are the Nordic countries which make up Scandinavia. Hygge is a word that derives from Denmark. It is the concept of feeling cosy and creating warmth inside an environment, typically your home. This embedded within creating Scandinavian design. This idea plays a big role in everyday life for Scandinavians as half the year is spent mainly inside, away from the dark winter. In the mid 1950s, a show called ‘Design in Scandinavia’ showed across America and Canada. This was the start and the first widespread use of the phrase ‘Scandinavian design’. At this time it was specifically product and industrial design that the Scandinavian countries were known for. The beautiful yet functional pieces they created sat and gave any room a modern twist. The design both influenced and was influenced by other art movements such as Minimalism, Modernism and Functionalism. Over the past 60 years, Scandinavian design has dabbled in all walks of design. From Marimekko’s bold fashion prints in the 1960s to Daniel Brokstad’s modern approach to graphic design.

It could be argued that Scandinavian design has been moulded from Nordic craftsmanship dating back hundreds of years. The Vikings were originally from Norway and they were notorious for their amazing building of hand crafted boats that allowed them to sail huge distances. Although this was something that didn’t seem possible at the time. The Vikings’ success has been attributed to their isolation from much of the world. This view is supported by Patrick Sundqvist, author of 55 Degrees North: Contemporary Scandinavian Graphic Design. Sundqvist also runs graphic design studio, CareOf and writes (2002, pg.9) ‘the isolation in Scandinavia has traditionally given rise to a practical do-it-yourself attitude’.

Scandinavians have a very unique relationship with the great outdoors and nature. They are faced with long dark winters and harsh weather conditions, and seem to have adapted to their environment by forging a strong bond with nature and materials. Maria Jose, a professional designer who also writes articles about graphic design, suggests (2016), ‘Much of Scandinavian design banks on the availability of natural resources and an individual’s ability to create stunning pieces from them’. It is very common for families to go and camp out in the forest over a weekend, and take long hikes through the wild terrain. This builds a respectful relationship between people and the natural world, something many of us don’t have access to. Perhaps this is why Scandinavian design appeals to such a big market; many of us may feel naturally drawn to nature without realising it and design can go some way to appreciating and reflecting this.

Scandinavia is most renowned for its industrial and product design – and specifically its furniture design, which led the way for other forms of design to follow. A strong example of this is Hans Wegner’s Wishbone chair, made in Denmark in 1950 (Source 1). Wegner himself said (2012) ‘A chair is to have no backside. It should be beautiful from all sides and angles.’ This iconic chair, like many others, has managed to stay modern and sleek for over 60 years. The craftsmanship of being able to create something so functional whilst aesthetically pleasing, is core to the Scandinavian design ethos. The use of clean cut lines and forms makes the piece look contemporary, whilst the ergonomics of the chair also provide a comfortable experience for the user. This is nicely married with the natural materials used in its making. This is why Scandinavian design at its core is so successful: good quality materials that are respected and valued, being matched with precise and well thought-out design.

Source 1: Wishbone chair cop%20images/Hans-Wegner-Replica-Wishbone-Replica-Chair-SwivelUK.com-339.jpg

This leads into my next point: the functionality of Scandinavian design. The Scandinavians adopt a straightforward approach to designing things. They aim for something that works well and with ease. Functional design should communicate the concept quickly and simply –the consumer shouldn’t have to work hard to understand it. It should be made to look straightforward and easy, but thought and consideration have been put in to ensure there are no flaws. Soren Peterson, author of ‘Profit from Design’, writes for Huffpost (2012):

Whether holding a Scandinavian product in one’s hand or experiencing a private or public space, we found the participating designers perceived the quality and caring for ergonomics, functionality.

This core principle of functionality is clear to see in product designers’ work. This is due to the hand held aspect. However, this same principle is used in Scandinavian graphic design as well. Strong use of shape and line to communicate ideas is one way of doing this. Graphic designers, such as Tom Emil Olsen, appreciate this: ‘Scandiavian graphic design style still has a clean simple expression’ (2017).

A good example of this is 7 Eleven’s recent identity change in Norway, created by DVB (Source 2). As Maria Jose notes (2016), ‘straightforward lines and forms result in design pieces that feel contemporary.’ DVB have used simple strong lines and a good flow of structure to communicate the logo well. Its functionality is shown through instant recognition of the brand, creating the 7 with a simple and effective repeated pattern approach.

Source 2: 7eleven Rebrand

Patrick Sundqvist also acknowledges this concept of functionality as one of the most important core principles of Scandinavian design. He talks about the influence of art movements, too (2002 p.xx): ‘perhaps the Bauhuas has been particularly influential as its preaching of form follows function’. In the same way maybe, Scandinavian design correlates with Scandinavian culture – both set examples to the rest of the world in what they achieve through an emphasis on function. In Scandinavia, everything runs smoothly and on time, there is a punctual and functional way of living. This makes society calm and in control. The countries are amongst the wealthiest on the planet. This is supported by Jonathan Bray, writing for Passenger Transport (2017):

Scandinavia has some of the richest, most successful societies on Earth, with exceptionally high levels of education, health care, and safety. The world goes to Scandinavia to see what countries that think big on public services, quality of life and equality (along with the high taxes to pay for it) look like.

Minimalism and simplicity is probably what Scandinavian design is most well known for. Its ethos is only using what is necessary and paring back designs to their most minimal form. This produces clean and crisp feeling work that isn’t cluttered. Again, Maria Jose supports this (2016): ‘Scandinavian design is simple. Many of its solutions set out to reduce the initial complexity of a product.’

Negative space in designs is used as an advantage, allowing the key parts to shine and stand out. Pairing this idea of functionality and minimalism across graphic and industrial design has worked extremely well. Katrín Eyporsdóttir, a designer from Iceland writes (2011) ‘the long established principles of Scandinavian design – usability and simplicity’. Daniel Brokstad’s ‘Constructed space’ is a great example of minimalism in graphic design (Source 3). He identifies this as (2016) ‘a series of minimalistic design prints focusing on the contrast of elements’. These designs show how simple use of shape paired with negative space allow the design to stand bold and clear. Designs also tend to show the thought put into the movement of an image and how it sits.

Source 3: Constructed Space

Once again, the Scandinavian culture is reflected through this. Everything is kept very organised and all the unnecessary imagery is taken away. This is much like walking down a street in Norway; the vast majority of citizens respects the environment and nearly all streets are very clean. It is massively frowned upon to drop litter. This principle, that less is more, has worked well and appeals to a huge market. It links back to my previous point about functionality, line and shape. A simple approach to the use of pattern is enough to create an effective outcome. This minimalist approach is so popular because many consumers like something at its simplest form. Perhaps this is due to being constantly inundated with things in our western society. From minimal Ikea furniture to simple packaging design, minimal design impacts environments and creates a relaxed mood.

Finally, colour also plays a massive role in creating the Scandinavian aesthetic. Scandi colours tend to be muted palettes that create a soft, relaxed mood, much like Scandinavian culture, which is also laid back Colour is a key step to creating a calm and cosy piece of Scandinavian design. A lot of the colours used take influence from nature. Maria Jose writes (2016), ‘most Scandinavian colour palettes feature whites, cool greys, lovely sky blues and cream shades. Often these muted combos produce pieces that are understated but elegant.’

A fine example of elegant design that uses a muted palette is an animation series called ‘Places without Purpose’. This was created by Mikko Nuuttila, a Finish designer (Source 4). His use of light blues and pinkie purples sit beautifully against a cream wash background. This colour combination creates a relaxed mood, fitting in with the illustration of the fisherman (sitting in one of the frames). These colours create an aesthetic which make the audience feel at ease, releasing tension. This links back to Hygge, the term used to create a friendly, warm environment.

Source 4: Place without Purpose

This said, Scandinavian design does also have a brighter and bolder bolder side to the its style. Webpals group writes in an article on Scandinavian graphic design (2011):

the gloomy Nordic weather conditions pushed graphic designers to pay a lot of attention to high contrast. When seeing sun outside is less of an option Scandinavian graphic designers start searching for more creative ways to bring colour.

Bold Scandinavia is a design studio that works all over Scandinavia. As its name explains, the company takes a bolder approach to creating Scandinavian design. Its work is a great example of how bright and more impactful colours can still fit convincingly within the Scandinavian aesthetic. Lilla Hjärtat, one of Bold Scandinavia’s packaging and branding projects, shows off this use of colour well. Although the market is children’s pharmaceuticals, the products will be aimed at parents. The design is clear and fresh, spiced up with a vivid use of colour.

In conclusion, Scandinavian design has multiple factors which allow it to succeed so impressively. Its relationship with nature provides a unique outlook and connection with materials and its craftsmanship and hands-on design reflect a high level of talent. The Bauhuas-like approach to creating design is functional at its core. Also notable is the considered way of using shape and form to create a beautiful aesthetic. Integral to this is the minimal and simple principle of peeling back design, leaving only what is necessary. Finally, there is the clever use of colour; this can change, yet manages still to sit comfortably in its context. Simon Worrall writes for National Geographic:

Scandinavian countries are, in fact, some of the richest, most successful societies on Earth, with exceptionally high levels of education, health care, and safety.

The Scandinavian way of living and culture influences all of the above. It intrigues me how a culture can have such a big impact on the way design is approached. Many nations around the world recognise how successfully Scandinavian countries are run. Superior and free education systems, outstanding rehabilitation programmes in prisons, (with lower re-offending rates than the rest of the world), clean streets and positive, caring attitudes towards the environment, the very concept of Hygge, are all enviable aspects of the Scandinavian way of life.

So perhaps, given its influence by the culture, it is no surprise that Scandinavian design has global appeal. Fortunately, it is something that we can all take pleasure from indulging in.