Spring marks the season of renewal—and, in the design world, the arrival of fresh voices. This year, Stockholm’s Konstfack is first out of the gate, presenting the work of 200 graduating students. Here’s my take on the exhibition.
Konstfack describes this year’s graduation exams as one that creates “spaces for gathering, dreaming, and grieving.” Much of the work circles around memory and embodied experience—especially pain. It’s a language of healing and transformation. “And yet, in these uncertain times, they offer belonging, resistance, and radical hope,” the school writes.
Wandering through the exhibition, I’m struck—as always—by the breadth of ideas and the quality of execution. Some projects resonate deeply, others less so. That’s the nature of a collective show. But taken together, they hint at a quiet urgency, a desire for a shift. A different world.
If there’s a thread running through it all, it’s this: the next wave of creativity is beginning to form—not at the center, but at the edges. Off-center. The periphery is becoming the new cultural engine.
It’s a sentiment I hear echoed by thinkers in the U.S. who are pushing back against the idea that innovation is born only in major cities. What if the next design revolution doesn’t come from a networked urban hub, but from a backyard in a small town—where kids build skateboard ramps not for show, but out of necessity?
In big cities, success often depends on who you know. Outside them, it’s about what you can do with what you’ve got. That shift—from connectivity to self-sufficiency—is fertile ground for a new kind of design thinking.
And maybe, just maybe, that’s where we’ll find the most radical hope of all.
I keep thinking this is the year of “Bara, bada bastu”. Yes, also English speaking readers should be aware of the Swedish song for Eurovision. But these guys (KAJ) are not even from Sweden. They are from the minority group of Swedish speaking Finns in Finland. And if they can represent Sweden, so can interesting design.
My favourite exam project will be this. It kind of connects all my thinking for where we are going. It is rural, not city oriented. It is designed of necessity because you are bored. And it has a sustainable angle. This is kind of a beanbag. Make it. Put it on the rooftop of a house. Put it in your car. Play games. Sleep. Make love. It’s made of these plastic wrapping materials you have for hay stacks.
It’s a whole new thinking. And I love it. Made by bachelor student Tilde Stenson.
Also off-center. So many public buildings are filled with these chequered ceilings. Now with light installations.I actually passed it first and on my second round at the exhibition I saw this.
By master student Oda Homlong Klaren.
Perhaps this could be included in the same thinking. Instead of designing a fancy new park bench. Make a seat that you can attach to any tree. Again, a thing built for solution rather than being “nice looking”. Doesn’t it have a bit of “bara bada bastu”-attitude??
By master student Raphael Morsi
Maybe the same kind of energy. Not sure. But here the student is asking for a new patron saint.
By master student Sissela Nordling Blanco.
Sustainability is of course on the agenda for students graduating. It is still a lot of focus on the actual material rather than new thinking. My favourite is the bottom one with the sofa. This is a clear winner in general. I can totally see this being part of joint exhibitions as with Ung Svensk Form. Today the industry talk a lot about upholstery and specifically the foam. Here the student have a whole sofa set made by circular materials. So when you are done you can put this in an industrial compost and after three months it will become nutrious soil again. The foam is made of mycelium
So – sofa made by master student Johanna Gilan.
Cabinet in bluegreen made of hay and woodwaste from Anne Julia Ländle
And two pictures from bark composites from master student Olle Sahlqvist
Speaking of woods. I would say that the whole crafts department impressed. A lot. My expectations differ from when I look at “design”. A design student should be good at solving and adressing things. And craft students should be good at techniques.
Above a textile forest for weeping. Isn’t this lovely??? I love this.
Master student Jenny Hillevi Larsson
The colours from my camera doesn’t justify the work. You can get at better glimpse here. The student is already established in the craft’s world. Here she is showing off here art history skills. This is amazing.
By master student Tillie Burden
And this I already see all over social media. A faucet that is also a mouth – and actually works as a faucet.
By master student Meabh Breathnach.
And these textile sculptures.
By bachelor student Hanna Åström.
Glazing and shapes and fun.
By bachelor student Ludvig Hyrefelt.
Some snippets from the arty side of Konstfack. Again, the focus here is on skills.
First picture with inspiration from Palestinian jewellry and amulets by master student Jessica Azizeh. Art arch by bachelor Vera Ljunggren. Lovely collection in textile by bachelor Amanda Borges Högström. And cute dogs on textile by bachelor Charlie Ljunggren.
I did find these textile pieces interesting as well. They are supposed to be snapshots from a memory. Just images of a city. You can feel like you belong or are alienated. The below picture myst be from the city library in Stockholm. But why on the side?? Who knows…
By master student Seoyoung Shin.
Ok. So rounding off. The following three pictures are more design-design oriented.
A small wood kiosk for public space by bachelor Magda Seger.
A classic “kitchen sofa” by bachelor Theodor Nilsson.
Wood work by bachelor Adam Fredrik Olsson.
Summary. Did I like it or not? I did. I am happy to see a new shift. Look at what happens outside of the cities. Look at the periphery. Maybe the next design star is like Eurovision sensation KAJ? The craft students were amazing. And I simply thing that we just need to go out and do more stuff. Build a tree hut or skateboard thing.