Meet Design for People alumnus Bjørn Hagensen
Where do you work at the moment? What is your role and what are your tasks?
I have two jobs. I work at a manor house owned by a foundation in Esbjerg named Endrupholmfonden. The manor house is being transformed into a culture house where there will be concerts, art exhibitions and festivals. My role is to help the foundation realize their plans of creating a culture house. The tasks vary a lot, from preparing events and making sure we have everything we need, to sitting at my desk developing ideas or doing graphic design. My second job is at Tønder Kulturskole, which is a culture school mainly for children and young adults. Tønder Kulturskole is a creative school where you can practice many different subjects like ballet, various music instruments and art. I’m a design teacher there, developing fun design workshops, drawing and art classes.
What has been the role of the Design for People Master’s programme in getting you where you are today?
The Design for People programme has taught me how to express myself and to reach out and interact with other people. This is especially important when making events, workshops or preparing a new class.
What is your favourite memory from Design School Kolding?
I have many favourite memories from Design School Kolding and it’s surprisingly difficult to choose between them. I spent a lot of good years at Design School Kolding, completing my bachelor’s, master’s and even working as a design assistant. During my time there, I met many different people, but I think it’s probably the little things that have turned into my best memories, like bonding over an interesting project or sharing stories over dinner with your peers.
Do you have any advice to give to someone undertaking this educational path?
My personal opinion is not to get too caught up in post-its and over-researching on your laptop. Go to the workshop, make a physical mock-up/conversation piece, and meet the people that you’re designing for. Showing and telling is much more captivating than a slideshow. Show people that you’re not only a great researcher but a great craftsman as well.
