Oslo Design Fair, January and September 2016

Norway’s gift- and interior fair (now Oslo Design Fair) is Norway’s oldest and biggest home furnishing trade show, the biannual fair gathers over 800 exhibitors and 20,000 visitors. Over the years the fair had become associated with dated content — something the new directors wanted to change. A restructuring process began to contemporise the concept giving it a sharper profile, creating an event with a distinctive position both in Scandinavia and abroad. The new name and visual identity will be a part of making Oslo Design Fair the most important meeting place for Norwegian interior- and design —as well as a consistent identity system that can built upon with different elements each season (similar form, but different content).

We chose to design a typeface that will be a main stay of the identity for years to come, acting as a foundation to build upon each season not matter how the identity elements change. The typeface is based on a traditional grotesque with subtle yet recognisable contemporary touches that balance the tone of the identity between the past and present. The typeface also has useful glyphs and symbols such as arrows and icons that can be used with future identities.

We chose to work with MVM for the first exhibition, Return of Cosy, where he played with the idea of extracting abstract patterns, colours, shapes and forms from the diverse range of products, materials and textiles featured at the fair.

This autumns theme, Togetherness, speaks of closeness and warmth – but what does the word really mean? The theme is interpreted and showcased at the fair in a variety of ways; from social urban spaces, architecture and collaborations, to colour theory and knitting.

The design for Togetherness is based on the dynamic identity we developed for Oslo Design Fair, and the illustration is a result of our collaboration with illustrator Sandra Blikås, and her interpretation of the word Togetherness.