Background
- An Interdisciplinary Future
Born in the hearts and minds of a handful of innovative and passionate Aalto professors and researchers, the Design Factory is the organic result of an earlier project named Future Lab of Product Design (FLPD). This initial project, kicked off in 2007, aimed at creating the most ideal working space and environment for product developers and researchers alike. Simply put, ‘a facility driven by passion, coaching and inspiration of the mind’.
The space was meant to enable and encourage interaction between students, researchers and professionals, and to accommodate a variety of different product development phases. The aim was to develop innovative state-of-the-art physical facilities, tools and practices for interdisciplinary co-operation, and to create a platform for educating the world’s best product designers.
- From Ideas to Solutions
The idea of Design Factory was invented in a workshop in June 2007, where a number of people from Aalto partners were introducing their dreams and developing their vision for the emerging innovation university. The Ministry of Education directed some complementary financing for preparation of the Aalto University, and Design Factory was chosen for one of the spearhead projects to be developed with that money. The vision was actualized in early autumn 2008, and the most of the Future Lab ideas were transferred to the new Design Factory during summe
r and fall 2008.
Design Factory officially opened its doors to the eagerly awaiting students, staff and industry partners on 3rd October, 2008. Since FLDP, the idea has grown from a 300 m2 test lab concept to a more than 3000 m2 world class educational facility.
