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Your Global Design Partner.
With offices in both Asia and Europe our dedicated team of creatives provide design support throughout the entire design and development process.
Photo: PAKT bag, 2018
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Focus on Sustainability.
From the very start of our journey, we've been firm believers that sustainability is the only way forward.
Photo: North Entrance, Shenzhen Furniture Fair, 2017
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Your Global Design Partner.
With offices in both Asia and Europe our dedicated team of creatives provide design support throughout the entire design and development process.
Photo: Architectural Line Aquarium, 2016
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From Research to Reality.
We use creative tools and design thinking to push the development forward and to visualize complex and abstract future applications.
Photo: Stockholm City Design Fiction, 2016
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The Future is Human.
Smart products, smart applications and smart cities are nothing without the people. Keep the human perspective in order to create a sustainable future.
Photo: Soma Carpet, 2014
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Your Global Design Partner.
With offices in both Asia and Europe our dedicated team of creatives provide design support throughout the entire design and development process.
Photo: Sparro Bag, 2014
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Focus on Sustainability.
From the very start of our journey, we've been firm believers that sustainability is the only way forward.
Photo: Honed Collaboration, 2011
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The Future is Human.
Smart products, smart applications and smart cities are nothing without the people. Keep the human perspective in order to create a sustainable future.
Photo: Doro Phone, 2015

We Believe the Future is Human.

Boris is a product, research and identity design consultancy founded in 2009 by industrial designers Katarina Ivarsson & Anna Karlsson. Boris Design Studio has offices in Hong Kong and Stockholm.

At Boris we believe innovation is born out of curiosity and we are firm believers that a sustainable approach is the only way forward.

We share these values with our broad spectrum of clients including multinational companies and organisations such as IKEA, SAAB, Doro, INSEAD, Kerry Logistics, Stockholm Royal Institute of Technology and Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

By adding Research Design to our scope we have tapped in to a wealth of knowledge and a large network of research institutions and affiliated industry leading companies. There we provide creative processes and design services in a variety of future tech projects within Health and Wellness, Internet of Things, Smart Home and Smart Cities. 

Our expertise spans from ideation, product design and hands on production implementation to unique workshop methods and innovation strategies – we bring research into reality.  

Awards
2019     A Design Award, Packaging Design Category
2018     A&D Trophy Awards, Best of Category Office Product
2018     Best Office Product, Best of Category
2015     DfA Design for Asia Award
2015     iF Product Award
2014     SwedCham Annual Business Award
2013     Perspective Award 40 under 40 in the field of Product Design
2013     Hong Kong Lighting Award
2013     iF Product Award
2010     iF Communication Award

Achievements
2019     Stockholm Furniture Fair
2018     BODW City Programe
2018     Fria byggarakademin, Keynote speaker
2018    The non-intrusive future of Technology
2018     Stockholm Furniture Fair
2017     Lund University School of Design – Commencement Speaker
2017     SIFE, Shenzhen International Furniture Fair – Keynote speaker on Urbanisation
2017     SIFE Shenzhen International Furniture Fair – Entrance Exhibition
2017     Stockholm Furniture Fair
2016     Creative Swedes pop-up during BODW
2016     17th Hong Kong Forum – Panelist
2016     Symposium for IoT and Smart Home Appliances – Keynote Speaker
2016     HKTDC – Keynote Speaker New Delhi
2016     Stockholm Furniture Fair
2015     Creative Swedes pop-up during BODW
2015     HKTDC Keynote Speaker Stockholm
2015     Salone Del Mobile
2014     Swedcham Annual Business Award
2013     HKTDC – Keynote Speaker Green Trends
2013     Friends of Mobilelife
2012     DIP, Design Incubation Program – Graduates
2012     Pecha Kucha Hong Kong
2012     ​Salone Del Satellite

Boris Expertise.

DESIGN RESEARCH

Partnering with research institutes and industry leaders, we use design thinking to push development forward and to visualise complex and abstract future applications, always with people in focus. We have developed our own workshop methods and practices to create clear and communicative development processes that present real, tangible results for all stakeholders.

One method we use to make future scenarios tangible through speculative design is design fiction. One example of that is a fictive IKEA catalogue that visualises products and business models that could lay in the near future for the company. Another is when we together with renowned research institute Mobile Life and multi-national networking and telecom giant Ericsson headed the project to visualise a possible near future as part of the strategy for Stockholm City to become the smartest city in the world. Creating a relatable future vision can be a very valuable tool for creating internal debate, sparking new innovation or simply communicating intent for any organisation, commercial or governmental.

We frequently support researchers in research projects in both Europe and Asia. In Sweden we collaborate with Rise, Swedens biggest cluster of researchers in the field of data and technology, and the Royal University of Technology, Department of interaction design, in Stockholm, to conceptualise ideas and build prototypes to test with users.

Together with researchers and research institutes, we explore how digitalisation, IoT and AI can shape the world we live in. The projects cover topics such as creating devices for bodily awareness and wellness, wordless communication through mobile devices, personal safety through IoT and visualising advanced communication models. Our focus is always the user and how to cater to real needs. The future is human.

stockholm-design-fiction
Stockholm City Design Fiction
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Stockholm City Design Fiction
designing-for-wellbeing
Mobile Life Designing for wellbeing
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IKEA Design Fiction
ikea-design-fiction
IKEA Design Fiction

IDENTITY & DIGITAL DESIGN 

A brand is more than a logo. Our team can add value from the earliest stages of formulating the soul of a new brand to managing corporate visual identities. We present tailored designs and strategies by seeing the bigger picture but we also love digging into the details!

We take on digital applications such as websites, apps and corporate presentations, as well as printed materials. Consistency and dynamics between different media and platforms has become crucial and we can create and visualise the right content to convey the story online, offline and in print. We leverage our expertise in User Experience Design by working seamlessly with developers to achieve the best possible brand experience.

A great example is our long-term collaboration with logistics company Kerry Logistics. Our work with them sees consistent output over a variety of projects and media such as corporate brochures, annual reports and sales presentations.

Another example where user centred design meets branding is our collaboration with underwear manufacturing giant Hop Lun. We supported them in creating an icon-based signage system to create consistency in the communication throughout their facilities in China, Bangladesh and Indonesia. We also create designs for events and exhibitions such as the North Entrance “Scandinavian Design Village”, concept we did for the Shenzhen International Furniture Exhibition in 2017.

Our multicultural team has a global mindset with an urge to understand what drives us and where.

Uniross-website
Uniross website
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Hop Lun factory iconography
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Rahmqvist Happylicious branding & packaging
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Kerry Logistics Annual report
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Läraktiv branding and website

Meet Boris.

We employ a resourceful team of creatives with roots in Sweden, Poland, Italy, Hong Kong, China and Australia. We speak nine different languages. At least. Together we share years and years of experience from the design field in a wide variety of disciplines.

Katarina Ivarsson

Founder & CEO

Anna Karlsson

Founder & Design Director STHLM

Anders P Hellberg

Design Director HK

Marco D'Adamo

Senior Industrial Designer

Vicky Lo

Senior Graphic Designer

Jaan Orvet

UX Specialist Advisor

Sofie Aschan Eriksson

Industrial Designer

Are you a Boris?

Cindy Kan

Production Specialist Advisor

Boris Projects.

Smart products, smart applications and smart cities are nothing without the people. That is why we are strong believers in the need to keep the human perspective in order to create a sustainable future. Smart is Sustainable. Smart is about creating a world that we want and can continue living in.

  • All
  • Design Research
  • Identity & Digital Design
  • Product & Packaging Design

DORO SECURE 580

Experience tailored to the user

IKEA DESIGN FICTION

When all furnitures are smart!

BORIS COLLECTION 2019

Collection that meets modern needs

ARCHITECTURAL LINE

Push the limits of physics

SIFE 2017

Scandinavian design village

PAKT ONE

Sometimes less is more

SWEDEN AS AN IOT NATION

Building Folkhemmet with IoT

SOMA CARPET

Towards bodily awareness!

ROSARY LAMP

Sustainability meets flexibility

GREENTECH FURNITURE

The Bloombox planter

AUTOMAT PACKAGING

Fashion tech toolkit

HOP LUN SIGNAGE

Inclusive communication

SPARRO CARRYALLS BAG

Versatile bag for gym dwellers

HIPSTER SHADE

Foldable construction from scraps

GRANDMA SHADE

We love our grandmas...do you? ;[)

Boris Ongoing.

Have a look at what we are up to by following us on Instagram!

 

Manyone is extending the family and you can now fi…
One more place to visit! Come see us at our new Ma…
Lunar New Year is one of our favourite festivals!…
After tapping on screens and controlling smart spe…
12 years ago today we founded Boris Design Studio,…
This holiday, let’s keep a safe distance, so that…
Every year since we started our studio we have bro…
Happy Deepavali to our friends and families in Sin…

Contact.

Come say hi if you happen to be in Stockholm or Hong Kong!
Check our Instagram to see more of what we are up to at the moment.

Contact.

Come say hi if you happen to be in Stockholm or Hong Kong!

HONG KONG

+852 9845 1992

info@borisdesignstudio.com

12/F, 12 Mercer Street,

Sheung Wan, Hong Kong

Map here!

STOCKHOLM

+46 70 544 70 92

info@borisdesignstudio.com

Bondegatan 17,

116 23 Stockholm, Sweden

Map here!

FOLLOW US!

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For inquiries contact us at sales@borisdesignstudio.com
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Katarina Ivarsson
FOUNDER & CEO

Katarina has a Master of Industrial Design from Lund University and a Masters Degree with Distinction in Design of Advanced Practices at Hong Kong PolyU School of Design. Katarina is a member of the Board of Directors of Swedish Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong. Driven by the vision of curiosity and sustainability in both the physical and digital worlds, Katarina has co-authored several books and publications such as Building Folkhemmet with IoT 2015 and Plei-Plei 2012 on how we play and socialize with mobile technology.

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Anna Karlsson
FOUNDER & DESIGN DIRECTOR (STOCKHOLM)

Anna has a Master of Industrial Design from Konstfack University of Arts, Crafts and Design in Stockholm, Sweden. Working with leading research institutes and in-house teams in global companies, she frequently leads innovation workshops and has led several influential projects in the technology and IoT space. Anna is a creative innovator, with a profound interest in physical and digital materials. She combines her extensive research experience with solid, hands-on design skills to deliver high-level conceptual work.

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Anders P Hellberg
DESIGN DIRECTOR (HONG KONG)

Anders holds a Master of Industrial Design from Lund University School of Industrial Design. Anders received several international design awards and brings experience from a wide range of capacities from industrial and graphic design, to production and brand management. Anders is a strategic conceptualist and thinker, combining his skills with passion for people and people’s relation to objects in his daily work with clients, their products and brands.

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Marco D'Adamo
SENIOR INDUSTRIAL DESIGNER

Marco has a Bachelor’s Degree in Product Design from Politecnico di Milano, Italy. His international working experience includes Interior Design projects at Studio Sawada Design in Japan as well as design work at Cima Lighting Industrial Ltd in China before joining Boris Design Studio in 2014. Marco is a native Italian. In addition, he is fluent in English and has a good knowledge of French and basic Swedish. His technical proficiency and design skills include a wide variety of 3D modeling, rendering and design visualization. Marco is an organized team leader with a strong focus on delivering projects on time and to client’s expectations.

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Vicky Lo
SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Vicky graduated from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University in June 2011 with a BA (HONS) in Design (Visual Communication). She worked as Graphic Designer at Co&Co in Hong Kong on Branding, UI and editorial projects before joining Boris Design Studio in 2015. Her previous experience also includes web design, publication design and research. Vicky also has experience from working at Hesign International (Berlin), a Design Agency with offices in Berlin, Germany and Hangzhou in China.
Vicky is a native Hong Konger and speaks English, Cantonese, Mandarin as well as some German. She is a true cross cultural expert and a mediator between Western and Asian design requirements.

Jaan Orvet
UX SPECIALIST ADVISOR

User Experience and Design Strategy expert. A firm believer in the power of collaboration, in bringing audiences and clients together to build better products, services and physical spaces. Co-founder State of Mind at Work. Speaker and guest lecturer at events and institutions including Hong Kong’s Business of Design Week City Programme, KTH Royal Institute of Technology and Berghs School of Communication in Stockholm, Aalto University, XDesign and Cotalk. Formerly based in San Francisco and London with a stint in Washington D.C, Jaan is now living in Stockholm. Regularly in Hong Kong.

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Sofie Aschan Eriksson
INDUSTRIAL DESIGNER
Sofie has a background in industrial design, with a BA from Lund University School of Industrial Design. She is driven by a strong curiosity and willingness to question and understand more about the world. With a keen eye for aesthetics she is exploring designs through hands-on mock ups and creating tools to discuss, evaluate and question form and function. Sofie lives and works in Stockholm, passionately uses design to create simple yet innovative and meaningful tools for all.
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Are you a Boris?

We’re always looking for great talent! If you think you could be part of the Boris Team, drop us a message and let us know!

Cindy Kan
FOUNDER OF HONED LTD & PRODUCTION ADVISOR

A curator, manager, producer, and vendor Honed provides a platform to turn design concepts into a reality. Honed is a preferred partner of Boris Design Studio especially for production and event coordination. Boris Design Studio and Honed have successfully worked on joint projects such as Furniture Collections, Design Events and Interior Design Projects.
Cindy is an Australian national proficient in English, Cantonese and Mandarin. Cindy’s background includes management, entrepreneurship and concept development as well as project and event management.