Hlynur V. Atlason

Founder, ATLASON Since 2004, Icelandic-born, New York City-based designer Hlynur V. Atlason has designed furniture, products and packaging that live at the nexus of design and sustainability. In the early 2000s, design was focused on churning out inexpensive products, regardless of the environmental and social costs. This was at odds with Atlason’s design philosophy: to make products and goods that are both beautiful and hold up under scrutiny. Inspired by William McDonaugh’s book Cradle to Cradle, which confronted the hidden costs of cheap design, Atlason began addressing these problems in his practice. He quickly discovered that good design and sustainability were actually two sides of the same coin. To make an impact, sustainability needed to be fully integrated into the design process. Over the last 16 years, Atlason has used this approach to deliver innovative solutions for companies across the globe. From integrating post-consumer polymer into packaging for Timex to using natural fibers and extracting the most use out of packaging materials for Xbox, Atlason has placed renewing materials and minimizing environmental impact at the core of his work. Today, Atlason is continuing to create exceptional products that restore balance to both the design world and the planet, with ‘cradle to cradle’ solutions, closed manufacturing loops and added value to products and the supply chain.

Founder, ATLASON

Since 2004, Icelandic-born, New York City-based designer Hlynur V. Atlason has designed furniture, products and packaging that live at the nexus of design and sustainability. In the early 2000s, design was focused on churning out inexpensive products, regardless of the environmental and social costs. This was at odds with Atlason’s design philosophy: to make products and goods that are both beautiful and hold up under scrutiny.

Inspired by William McDonaugh’s book Cradle to Cradle, which confronted the hidden costs of cheap design, Atlason began addressing these problems in his practice. He quickly discovered that good design and sustainability were actually two sides of the same coin. To make an impact, sustainability needed to be fully integrated into the design process.

Over the last 16 years, Atlason has used this approach to deliver innovative solutions for companies across the globe. From integrating post-consumer polymer into packaging for Timex to using natural fibers and extracting the most use out of packaging materials for Xbox, Atlason has placed renewing materials and minimizing environmental impact at the core of his work.

Today, Atlason is continuing to create exceptional products that restore balance to both the design world and the planet, with ‘cradle to cradle’ solutions, closed manufacturing loops and added value to products and the supply chain.

Activities for Hlynur

Speaker | Sustainability Deep Dive | 2020

The Enlightened Industrial Designer

Traditionally, the industrial designer is tasked with helping industry create more value. The design briefs often narrow scope to only allow working within preestablished parameters, such as manufacturing, materials and business models. This usually leads to predictable outcomes, often with negative consequences for the environment.

This talk covers the evolving role of the industrial designer when we put sustainability at the center of the design brief. It will also show how working towards a circular economy requires us to rethink our design process. Our mission is to create a more beautiful and livable planet, one product at a time.