New Nordic design and public transport

In the Nordic countries the interest in design for public transportation has increased rapidly. The Swedish government has decided that travelling with public transportation should be doubled by 2020.

Design is one tool of many to achieve this goal. Transform, a conference held in Stockholm in November 2016, focused on design for public transportation. Twelve speakers from the Nordic Countries presented different cases and plans for how design can attract passengers to travel together.

A report, in Swedish, from the conference can be found below: http://fudinfo.trafikverket.se/fudinfoexternwebb/pages/PublikationVisa.aspx?PublikationId=3230

There are a lot of ongoing projects in the Nordic Countries that invest in new and extended rail traffic such as new trams, new trains, and refurbishment of existing fleets. Bergen in Norway is one example. They have invested significantly in a tramway, which has increased the number of passengers and changed travellers’ behaviour from using cars to using public transportation.

The Swedish design agency Idesign specializes in transportation design in the Scandinavian countries, and is known for the design of Arlanda Express, the train shuttle in between Stockholm and Arlanda Airport. The aim was to design a worthy atmosphere that would work as a seamless transition from the city to the airport.

In the recent C30 project Idesign supported Bombardier with the design for the new Metro trains in Stockholm, to be launched in 2018. The Design Guidelines were very well-defined by the operator and were evaluated through a complex ranking system. Their goal was to have a “Scandinavian Design with a Twist”. The project shows how design is becoming even more important for future public transportation. The travels must be more convenient, comfortable and better looking to attract more passengers; this therefore incorporates both industrial- and service design.

Idesign is presently working with the refurbishment of the high speed train X2000, and recently with the design for new trams in the city of Lund - which is really expanding with the new ESS area (European Spallation Source). This is planned to be functional in 2019.

There is also a new vision from the government - the operators and suppliers of public transportation must use design to attract passengers. Scandinavian design is still a very strong player in this field.

For further information please contact Johan Larsvall, CEO, Idesign Partners: http://www.idesign.se/