For children of the 1990s who loved technology, there’s now an easy way to revisit the past. The Nokia Design Archive, curated by Finland’s Aalto University, contains tens of thousands of entries and 959 GB of digital files. This archive does more than just remind us of the first portable phones.
According to lead researcher Prof. Anna Valtonen, the archive allows people to understand the evolution of technology. She notes that in Nokia’s early years, there was a genuine desire to understand how people lived and what motivated them.
Looking into the past opens up perspectives for the future. In today’s world, where AI plays an increasingly significant role, we find ourselves at a similar point of societal transformation. People need to consider what this might mean for the future.
The archive demonstrates how designers materialized their visions, enabling thorough exploration long before realization. It reminds us that we have the ability to shape our world by revealing the work of many who did just that.
The archive is set to grow further. On the free platform, users can explore four themes: Products, Aesthetics, Design Strategy, and Design Process. For instance, users can view entire presentations of their favorite products, which include concept designs and moodboards.
Another topic that might interest many is gaming and mobile games like the popular Snake, along with its detailed history. The team hopes to expand the archive even more in the future.
It’s no coincidence that Aalto University, located in Espoo, Finland’s second-largest city where Nokia’s headquarters are, took on this comprehensive topic.