Peter Opsvik

Designer 

Peter Opsvik (geb. 1939) ist ein norwegischer Industriedesigner, der seine Ausbildung am Bergen College of Applied Art und am Norwegian State College of Applied Arts in Oslo absolvierte. Seit 1970 ist er als freiberuflicher Industriedesigner tätig. Zusammen mit sieben Kollegen erschafft er in seinem Studio in Oslo Produktdesigns, die reale Probleme lösen. Im Laufe der Jahre forderte er immer wieder unsere klassischen Sitzgewohnheiten mit unkonventionellen Sitzlösungen heraus. Mit seinem verspielten, am Menschen orientierten Ansatz bricht er in seinen Arbeiten mit Normen wie „Sitz ordentlich“, oder „Sitz still“.

The balans® concept 

At the very beginning of 1976 Hans Christian Mengshoel (1946) initiated a study that set out to answer how we could sit in more balanced and ergonomic ways. Through observation and research, Mengshoel found that a seat which was tilted slightly forward, encouraged a natural posture which provided greater mobility and relieved unwanted pressure while seated. The idea of shin support was introduced to keep the user from sliding off the seat while simultaneously maintaining an open hip angle. With this, Mengshoel initiated the concept of the kneeling posture in Norway and set the mark for a truly experimental time in Norwegian design history.

Mengshoel invited designers Oddvin Rykken, Peter Opsvik and Svein Gusrud to design products based on the novel balans concept. The collaboration resulted in several experimental designs, where stereotypical views of sitting and seating where abandoned. A collection of balans prototypes were displayed at the 1979 Scandinavian Furniture Fair in Copenhagen, where they received significant attention. In 1984 the three designers and Mengshoel were awarded the Jacob Prize, the highest recognition granted to designers, architects and artists in Norway, for their original contributions.