Wood Oriented Furniture Design

The Wood Oriented Furniture Design programme is designed for you, who want to work with furniture design using an exploratory and conceptual approach to materials, innovation and sustainable development in both small and large contexts.The program offers the opportunity to explore wood as a material and its part and interaction with furniture, space and our senses. The concepts of material, body and space are central in the education.In the unique academic environment in Dals Långed, 170 kilometers north of Gothenburg, you work both at the drawing board and by the workbench. The focus is on solving artistic and material related problems with respect to the surrounding world and human needs. You will have access to local timber that is dried in the department’s kiln. You also have full access to workshops and other materials. The workshop is well equipped and houses all of the machinery necessary for contemporary furniture production. As a student, you also have access to a laser engraving machine as well as a five-axis CNC machine.About the programmeDuring the three-year program, you develop a personal approach to furniture design through project-based courses. Basic knowledge about materials, techniques and design methodology lay the foundation for developing an autonomous working method and critical approach towards furniture design.Field trips and visits to trade fairs, companies in the industry and to design studios take place continually during the education. Workshops, guest teachers and thematic projects offer additional inspiration and deeper perspectives.Courses in visualization, communication, theory and history are offered together with students on the other programmes at HDK Steneby.The programme is part of the international environment at HDK Steneby. The language of instruction is English. The first year lays the foundation and focuses largely on expanding knowledge in technology, materials and design processes. The year includes exercises that increase knowledge about sketching, crafts and production. You also get training in the process of product development – from sketching and scale models using mock-ups and CAD to the finished prototype on a high technical level.The second year emphasizes an awareness of the relationship between the designer and the surrounding world. We work with historical, contemporary and future contexts in thematic design projects. You take part of on-going discussions within the arts, crafts and design scenes, and are trained in developing products or furniture for special contexts and companies.During the third year, you have the opportunity to join an exchange program with other academies through our international network. An internship provides the potential for making contacts with manufacturers and design studios. The spring term ends with an in-depth thesis project where you carry out an exploratory design work in furniture design with a specialization in Wood.