So lately I’ve been throwing out most of the old stuff from my previous version of my homepage.  It hadn’t been given alot of TLC over the past 3 years while I’ve been studying. Along with the possibility of just snapping away a picture and upload it to Instagram, this forum has fallen long back on my priority list.

The name Annika Tykesson is still valid for me as myself, but to better demonstrate what I do these days it has become Tyken Design. “Tyken” both refers to my family name and a nickname I got during my long but not so sucessful basketball career… But here in Sweden it also has a different meaning. There is no direct translation  into English of it, but you can say it is a person that is a bit cheeky or teasing. It can be used as a positive and energetic word, but also sometimes depending of situation it can interpret as a negative phrase if someone just takes too much for granted. But for me i like the cheeky nayghty ,part and I think that is why I’ve chosen to change the page, and company name – and all things that comes along in terms of business cards, homepage etc. I would like my designs to be recognized as bold and playful!

The blog was no longer up to date, (or to be honest I hadn’t laid hand on it in 5 years) it has  now been cleared out and will take a new direction. I’ve since long had a interest in environmental issues and feel very concerned about how we consume and the materials we put back into the nature. My thinking is that I’ll look into the aspects of furniture production, material selection and many other things to consider as a designer and consumer. We are all part of our surroundings and are becoming more and more aware. I’d like to make as little impact as possible as a designer, and really would like to have an active approach what my footprint becomes from my products. My aim is that something I design, should last and be kept for long.

Hopefully I can learn alot myself and will share best practice from aware producers and designers, and try to consider different aspects of everything from sourcing materials – to re-use or upcycling.  I have found it hard to find a god site where all aspeccts are collected in a neat way,  from certifications of wood and what to think about as a consumer. Especially hard to get an overview since there is so much happening from new materials,  the thinking around social sustainability, rental furniture for private customers and going back to old methods and DYI. As you can tell the spectra of topics to dig into is broad, so this is just a start.

On top of the design and environmental approach I have my own personal challenge in writing. I’ve always liked languages in school when I was a kid and every now and then I binge read books, and totally enjoying it. But I’ve never really written in a structured and re-curring way and with an agenda. Every once in a while I write and take notes for myself, but this is a first online writing for public eyes. It feels a bit intimidating to write in English, as my mother tounge is in Swedish. But I’ll do my best ignore the little grammar and dictonary devils whispering in my ears to not do it “because it wont be perfect anyways”. I’ll go ahead with this project of mine, to enlighten and delight myself and hopefully a few of you as well.

To give you a glimps of one of the products and designer i really like, check out the armchair Hanna below that has been designed by Emma Olbers. She has a very aware thinking around her products in relation to environmental impact, and the selection of materials to use.

Feel free to comment o to come up with suggestions about topics to dig into, or tips about great environmental friendly design or just anything that pops into your mind.

Up and onwards into the world of great design and material nerdery! (is that even a word!)

/Cheers Annika