Earlier this year, the Institute of Industrial design celebrated their 25th anniversary. The Institute was originally a part of the National Academy of Craft and Art Industry (Now Oslo National Academy of the Arts), before being transferred to The Oslo School of Architecture in 1996. In 2005 the school changed its name to The Oslo School of Architecture and Design to better reflect the various disciplines.
Head of the institute, Jonathan Romm, thinks the foundation of today’s change of title was laid at that time, but that the decision now has been made after a thorough evaluation. – It is challenging to change something that has a 25 year foundation. Still, we think the time has come to acknowledge and embrace the changes that in fact has been taking place over the last 6-8 years
(Head of institute of Design, Jonathan Romm)
- The change of title can be seen as a natural step given the academic development that has taken place at the institute in the latter years. In addition to industrial design, the scope of the IDE educational and research activities has broadened significantly. Subject areas like digital interface design, service design and rich social media stretch beyond the limits of industrial design. Also, the significant body of research projects and PhD studies at IDE is related to the field of Interaction design.
He is not afraid that the new title will be to general, on the contrary, he claims: - The very term "design" and its meaning is constantly changing. Traditionally, the term “design” has been linked to the shaping of things; both the process of shaping and the result, the visual shape. Today, “design” is linked to a whole scope of new fields, such as ecology, systems, communication, strategies, services and interaction. Designers are in other words involved in several new processes and developments.
Romm emphasizes that the field of industrial design still is a sentral part of the institute's identity and activities. - This institute offered the first professional education within this field. Industrial design is thus the very foundation the institute is built on.
The name change will be implemented in the organization in the time to come, and there will be held an orientation meeting about the change on Thursday August 27th. The acronym for the institute, IDE, will not change.