Bielke&Yang on eight years of creating the identity for Norwegian Presence at Milan Design Week

With a track record to be proud of, Oslo-based studio Bielke&Yang have been designing the Norwegian exhibition’s identity at Milan’s Salone del Mobile event, every year, for eight years. Taking place during Milan’s Design Week, ‘Norwegian Presence’ showcases the very best of Norwegian design and manufacturing, with exciting emerging and established designers on the roster each year. We caught up with Partner & Designer Evan McGuinness about the team’s journey working on the exhibition’s identity, from the very beginning up until 2022. He recalls the challenges, timelines and typefaces that have formed their experience of working on the annual project. PT: When you get the brief each year, what is your first action? EM: When we get the brief can vary, which is tricky! Usually, after the Exhibition Director has settled on a theme for the year and the exhibitors have been chosen we have a clearer idea of the focus for that particular year, so we can start working on a concept.