Swedish Wood builds international bridges in wood design

Annamaria Lambri and Chadi el Tabbah from AUD at Carl Malmsten Furniture Studies.

The other school was Umeå Institute of Design at Umeå University.

“I am convinced that this is the beginning of a very important international collaboration”, says Annamaria Lambri, Associate Professor of Architecture and Interior Design, who was also on the trip as one the American University of Dubai’s (AUD) representatives.

Ms Lambri represented AUD together with Chadi El Tabbah, Assistant Professor of Architecture and Interior Design. Both said that they would be taking valuable experienxe home with them.

“We are very impressed by the Swedish facilities and teaching methods and also by the fantastic premises on the Institute of Design campus”, Ms Lambri tells us.

Mr El Tabbah says that the Industrial Design programme in Umeå might be suitable for both technical and cultural exchanges.

“The programme’s methodology has similarities with courses in Dubai. We look forward to more visits in both directions since we have already invited representatives from Umeå to visit us”, he says.

Catharina Henje, who teaches at Umeå Institute of Design, received the foreign visitors:

“Both we and AUD work with international groups of teachers and students. The start-up that Swedish Wood has contributed to has laid the foundation for interesting exchanges with great potential”.

Annamaria Lambri also sees a great development potential in exchanges with Carl Malmsten Furniture Studies, which is part of Linköping University.

“The meetings we have had with faculty representatives have laid a foundation for mutual exchange programmes and joint workshops. As a first step, we would be very happy to be Carl Malmsten Furniture Studies’ faculty representative in Dubai”, she says.

Jan Söderlind, International Director at Swedish Wood, says that there is great value in contributing to bringing programmes in wood design from different parts of the world closer together.

“We want to do what we can to take advantage of the creativity of designers both in Sweden and abroad; it strengthens the attraction value of Swedish wood still further”, he says.

Facts about Swedish exports to the Middle East and North Africa
Approximately 20% of the sawn timber products made in Sweden are exported to the Middle East and North Africa, equivalent to 3 million cubic metres of sawn timber products annually. The region has been the fastest growing export region for Swedish wood for several years and is today the second largest export region after Europe. It is mostly pine that is exported from Sweden to the Middle East and North Africa . Almost half the pine produced in Sweden is exported there, making the Middle East and North Africa the single largest and most important export region for Swedish pine.

For further information:

Jan Söderlind, International Director

+46 (0)70-211 04 22

jan.soderlind@svenskttra.se

Press contact:
Charlotte Apelgren, Director Interior and Design

+46 (0)70-661 7881
charlotte.apelgren@svenskttra.se