Jannicke Grung
I have always enjoyed making things and seeing ideas take shape. In our practice, I like working on projects from sketch to finished product, with the aim of creating something people will want to use and take care of.
My interest in design started early. I grew up in a home where architecture, furniture and art were a natural part of everyday life. My father, the architect Geir Grung, let me explore the workshop at his architecture office after school. There, offcuts from models became small pieces of furniture, houses and sculptures. Through my parents’ network of architects, designers and artists, I gained early insight into creative professional circles. At the same time, drawing, building and making gave me a sense of mastery that school did not always provide. My interest in design therefore grew as much through practical work as through the surroundings I grew up in.
I first studied fine art, before going on to study furniture and industrial design in Oslo and Copenhagen. I completed my education with a master’s degree in industrial design from the Oslo School of Architecture and Design (AHO). My background in both art and industrial design shapes the way I work, with aesthetics, production, material knowledge and function as closely connected parts of the process.
For me, the best products emerge when form, construction and materials are developed together. I thrive in long development processes, where ideas are allowed to mature through dialogue with manufacturers, engineers and craftspeople. I look for simple solutions with clear construction, where the qualities of the materials come through and function shapes the expression. In the practice, my role is to drive projects forward and make sure the ideas stay on course throughout the development process.
I believe good design begins with understanding how people live and use their products. My goal is to create things that last in quality, function and expression, and that people want to take care of over time.
Grung Engesvik is a partnership, both professionally and privately. Andreas and I develop projects through ongoing dialogue, where ideas are allowed to grow over time. The small conversations between meetings, on trips and in everyday life are often just as important as the more structured parts of the design process. This is where many ideas get the time to develop and find their final form.
In 2026, Andreas and I decided to continue the company under the name Grung Engesvik. We have worked closely together for many years, and now that collaboration is visible in the name as well. For me it is an exciting step, and I feel it gives a more honest picture of who we are and how we work. I greatly appreciate Andreas’ generosity, and that together we get to build further on what he has created. I am ready to roll up my sleeves. I do like to work, after all!
When I am not in the studio, I enjoy keeping my hands busy. Whether I am setting fishing nets, tending the garden, cooking, knitting or building something, it is about the same joy of making that has followed me since childhood. For me, there is little difference between developing a product and making something by hand. Both begin with curiosity.
