Dezeen Magazine

Watch the first part of DesignTalks 2023 focusing on resilient design and sustainability

Dezeen teamed up with DesignMarch to livestream a day of talks focused on the importance of design in addressing global challenges. You can watch the first part of the conference here.

DesignTalks was a programme of live talks that took place at the Henning Larsen Architects-designed Harpa Concert Hall and Conference Centre in Reykjavik, Iceland. The talks were moderated by Dezeen's editor Tom Ravenscroft.

The conference was split into four themed sessions, which were live-streamed on Dezeen in two parts. You can watch the first part above. The second part, focussing on design's response to social challenges and the future of the industry, was streamed later in the day - you can watch it at this link.

DesignTalks 2023 is taking place at the Harpa Concert Hall and Conference Centre in Reykjavik, Iceland. Photo by Aldís Pálsdóttir

The first session explored the resilience of creativity, focusing on how designers have been able to work during extreme global challenges, as well as on how design can be used to create courage and hope.

The panel featured partner and global design director of design company IDEO Michael Hendrix, media artist Refik Anadol, architect and director Liam Young, and co-founder and artistic director of Ukrainian advertising agency Banda Pavel Vrzheshch.

The second session followed the previous panel by asking how designers can work to create more sustainable and innovative ways of working.

The panel featured CEO of climate solution company Transition Labs Kjartan Örn Ólafsson, designer and founder of material brand Vitrolabs Ingvar Helgason, CEO and owner of clothing brand 66°North Bjarney Harðardóttir, and designer, artist and researcher Thomas Pausz.

You can find out more about the full lineup of talks here.

DesignMarch took place from 3-7 May 2023 in Reykjavík, Iceland. See Dezeen Events Guide for an up-to-date list of architecture and design events taking place around the world.

Partnership content

This article was written as part of a partnership with DesignMarch. Find out more about our partnership content here.