Pekka Piippo spoke at the Fantasy Design in Community press conference on the 3rd of June at Happi Youth Activity Centre in Helsinki:

My name is Pekka Piippo and I'm the creative director of the Hahmo design agency (http://hahmo.fi/). My professional background is in graphic design. I will speak of design work, influencing through design and of children as professionals of user experience.

Kati Hienonen's new book Suomalaisen designin uudet mieletilat (The New States of Mind of Finnish Design) observes how post-war Finland needed heroes. An exciting story had to be created between designers and the products designed by them. Names such as Wirkkala, Franck and Tapiovaara were needed to bolster self-esteem and to generate new images of Finland.

The term "greenwashing" is familiar to many people. It refers to the desire to generate environmentally friendly images despite the possible lack of environmental friendliness.

Could we also speak of "designwashing"? Asking a star designer to create a cult object that will put a company on its feet. The persona of the designer is sought as a promotional factor that will lead to columns of newsprint in its wake.

I would regard the new type of designer as someone like a work supervisor, giving to the team his or her ability to simplify and set out things, the experience of designing the client's image and experience of service.

The close interaction of designer and client is important. Designers do not express themselves but instead the client's activities, values and objectives. The entity that is formed in this way will respect the starting points and it will be genuine. A team of diversity will also be able to take into account the diversity of people.

The new way of working is a challenge, for example for journalists promoting designer names. How to write about new things created jointly or communally by a skilled group?

I think these things will provide very interesting stories. We should remember that the Savonlinna Festival creates opera productions communally.

I regard Fantasy Design as promoting this new way of working. Its purpose is not to foster a new generation of designers. Developing design literacy is a sufficient goal.
Design can influence society. A good designer understands the chain of production. A good designer will not generate new needs or unnecessary objects. Old ones can be improved almost endlessly.

It is easy for consumers to adopt sustainable development if they can make an easy and economical choice between two products serving the same purpose. When choosing a product of sustainable development, the consumer has resumed the role of a citizen making a difference.

A good designer lobbies for a better world. In many situations, a group of children could be professional critics of design and user experiences. Outspoken and quick to find even surprising uses and functions.

I am waiting with interest to see the kind of design produced by Fantasy Design. I hope it will be much more than objects alone.