9 Norwegian Designers + 9 American Brands = 2021 Norway x New York

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Way back in 2015, what feels like decades ago, Sight Unseen made their way to Oslo to explore Norway’s talented design scene. The trip lead to the first of three Norway x New York projects in 2016, where they paired Norwegian studios and American studios together. With the help of funding from the Norwegian Consulate General, they were then invited to experience designing and fabricating their own home furnishings together.

In 2020, Sight Unseen reaccessed the overall approach to Norway x New York after learning that Norwegian designers were looking to create beneficial relationships with manufacturers. For their 2020 Offsite show, delayed ultimately by fate, they introduced nine designers to a U.S. design brand that best aligned with their style and aesthetic. The two then worked closely together for a year to develop a product that would ultimately be sold in the brand’s catalogue. The finished products were finally able to be unveiled this month at Matter’s New York showroom in a colorful space created by Office of Tangible Space and Thirdkind Studio.

From lamps to furniture, the results were well worth the wait. Pieces created for Norway x New York include lamps by Vilde Hagelund for West Elm, Bjørn van den Berg for Matter Made and Runa Klock for Souda. Tables by Jenkins&Uhnger for Dims, Kaja Dahl for Areaware and Stine Aas for Tortuga; a bench by Jonas Stokke for Bestcase. Room dividers by Vera & Kyte for Designtex and a carpet by Pettersen & Hein for Edward Fields are the final pieces shown. All of the objects will be going into production soon, with the exception of the carpet which is one-of-a-kind. Eventually you’ll be able to purchase them for yourself – we’d call that a success!