Oslo Aula
Internship
Project information
5 months
Internship
Focus on work experience, entrepreneurship, and small-scale as well as local production.
Intent Going into my internship I was eager to explore how it is to run a business, and what it takes to develop a product from an idea to a finished commercial product. From my bachelor’s degree as well as my part-time job at Norway Designs, I had experience with making and valuing products, but I was curious to see behind the scenes and to learn what to take into consideration, and what to prioritize.
Process My assignments as an intern varied from working hands-on with producing products and packaging to joining in the process of sketching, brainstorming, and developing new products. I was also participating in sending online orders, their interior projects, photographing finished projects, co-creating content for social media as well as preparing for an exhibition. I got to use my qualities, like research in the development of new products, production methods, and material knowledge. I was challenged with developing my skills in CAD and contacting manufacturers during my internship.
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Aula’s bestselling product Filipine fresh from the CNC, and ready for some rounds with sanding.
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After sanding Filipine would get coats of either natural or colored Osmo oil.
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Production of a shipment of FIliipine to a dealership.
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With every tray follows a card with information. Through insights I had prior, Aula started producing these more locally and cheaper.
Picture: Oslo Aula
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Producing packaging for online sales.
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Creating a storage of packaging boxes for online sales.
Picture: Oslo Aula
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Two finished Laude, another product from Aula in layered and molded plywood.
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Aula also does interior projects, here we were installing drawers and fronts in a kitchen in a garden room in a residential building in Oslo.
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Out in the field photographing a finished interior project.
Afterthought The internship at Oslo Aula gave me lots of useful insights I will be bringing with me as a designer. I found it sad to experience firsthand how expensive it is to produce in Norway, and how this affects the final product or in some cases, makes it impossible to produce locally. It was interesting to observe a small business dealing with client contact, whether it was a distributor or a producer. I learned a lot about pricing and valuing your own work although it is sometimes hard to put a price on. I realized that my education and my part-time job at Norway Designs had given me a unique perspective on process efficiency, and how this affects your products’ profit.
There is a huge amount of hard work behind running a business, and I saw how difficult it was to separate everyday life and work when the business was run by only two people. I found it admirable, the devotion that is needed to be your own boss. Aula was a great place to intern, and I was treated like an equal third party that could contribute with suggestions and my knowledge. They created and nourished a great atmosphere and I really appreciated how easy it was to work in that environment.