DOCUMENT A Scandinavian Design

Council Manifesto on Nature,

Ecology, and Human Needs
for the Future

The following manifesto grew out of a conference entitled

"Scandinavian Design 1990 - Towards2000,"which was held in
Malmo,Sweden,June8-10, 1990.The conference,whosetopicwas
design and ecology, featured a number of speakersincluding
Victor Papanekfrom the United Statesand Ezio Manzinifrom
Italy.The manifestowas unanimouslyacceptedby the conference
participantsandwas endorsedby ICSID(International Councilof
Societiesof IndustrialDesign) and ICOGRADA (International
Councilof GraphicDesignAssociations).It is presentedherewith
a numberof stylisticrevisionssuggestedby ICOGRADA.
VictorMargolin,for the EditorialBoard

The naturalconditions of the five Scandinaviancountrieshave

influencedthe ways andformsof lives of theirpeople.The harsh
andcold climatehasforcedus to acceptthe practiceof
* An awarenessof nature
* A humanawarenessof neighboursand otherpeoplewe
live with
* An economicalway of life?
Therefore,andbecauseof the visionwe havefor the world,we
recognisethatauthenticScandinavian designdoes havea message
for the futureof mankind.
1. We haveto re-establishthe basicvaluesof life in an ethically
soundway.
2. We haveto designnow the frameworkfor new ways of life,
which areecologicallyandeconomicallysound.
3. We haveto ensurethereis continualreappraisal of educational
programmesnot only for school children but throughout the
whole of adultlife.
4. The design disciplines must forcefully articulate, make
visible and emphasisethe design messagein order to influence
both publicandprivatedecision-making.
5. We have to establish positive cooperation between
designers, industry and users of all categories to ensure the

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preservationof the richnessand varietyof our planet and safer
andfullerlivingfor everyone.

Jens Bernsen,Danish Design Center;Ulla Tarras-Wahlberg

Boe, Federationof Norwegian Design; TapioPerianen,Finnish
Societyof Craftsand Design;StefanSnaebjornsson,
FormIsland;
and LennartLindkvist,SwedishSocietyof Craftsand Design.

Design Issues: Vol. VIII, Number 1 Fall 1991 79