Can we design our relationship with nature? Design that promotes nature conservation and nature experience

Iceland Design and Architecture, in collaboration with Nordic colleagues, has published a compilation of cases and review articles that reflect design methods and solutions that promote nature experiences and nature conservation on the website NatNorth.is.

Nature is a major attraction in the Nordic countries. At the same time, nature is increasingly being intruded upon and put under pressure due to growth  in tourism in the Nordic region. The aim of the Design in Nature project is to increase knowledge, enhance quality, and demonstrate, with examples, how design and architecture are applicable tools in the context of nature-related challenges that the Nordic countries face from the perspective of tourism and sustainability.

The project, carried out by designers and experts from Denmark, Finland, Greenland, Iceland and Norway, examines heritage, contemporary design projects and possible future solutions. The results of the project are highlighted through sixty design projects from the Nordic countries, all of which are accessible to the public and promote access for all or ease access to sites  that were previously inaccessible. Some of the projects aim to guide visitors safely through natural areas, others are flexible structures that can be removed without a trace, or are examples of thoughtful use of materials that reflect respect for the environment. Some of the projects are multi-functional and  meet different needs while others promote recovery and restoration of cultural landscapes, structures and nature on small and large scales.

In addition to the design cases, the results are published in overview articles by experts from the participating countries that provide insight into site-specific and local conditions in each country; from climate and landscape characteristics to legislation , and public policies , seeking to identify  the potential of  innovation and Nordic co-operation in the context of design in nature. The website also includes the podcast  series Dialogue on Design in Nature, which delves into specific aspects of the subject via conversations between designers and architects in the Nordic countries, discussing, amongst other, nature as the client, and ways  to design collaboration between a plethora of stakeholders when it comes to design in Nature.

Design in Nature is one of three projects on NatNorth.is that are carried out under the auspices of Sustainable Tourism in the North, one of Iceland's chairmanship projects in the Nordic Council of Ministers 2019-2021. The other two projects are Clean Energy, led by the National Energy Authority, and Nature Conservation, led by the Environment Agency. The projects aim to increase knowledge, enhance quality and give an overview of the challenges and opportunities of the Nordic countries in the context of sustainable tourism in the north.