National School of Glass
Encyclopedia
The National School of Glass in Orrefors (Swedish: Riksglasskolan) is an educational center focused on glass arts, design
and entrepreneurship
in the field of glass
. It is located next to the world renowned Orrefors
Glassworks in the village with the same name, at the center of what is known as the Kingdom of Crystal
in Småland
in Southern Sweden
.
While primarily focused on Swedish and Nordic
students, the school also welcomes international students to its programs.
Around 1960 Orrefors glassworks started a formalized glass education. The glass-related, practical parts were taught in the factory by special personnel while the theoretical subjects were taught one day a week at Nybro Vocational school.
In 1969, the municipality of Nybro
took over all responsibility for the school of glass. Until 1979, the school of glass was housed in the buildings of the Orrefors glassworks. In the fall of 1979, the municipality of Nybro inaugurated the new architect-designed premises of the National School of Glass near the Orrefors Glassworks. The Student's Home is a former glass workers' house near the school, offering living in a genuine glass craft environment.
Design
Design as a noun informally refers to a plan or convention for the construction of an object or a system while “to design” refers to making this plan...
and entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurship is the act of being an entrepreneur, which can be defined as "one who undertakes innovations, finance and business acumen in an effort to transform innovations into economic goods". This may result in new organizations or may be part of revitalizing mature organizations in response...
in the field of glass
Glass
Glass is an amorphous solid material. Glasses are typically brittle and optically transparent.The most familiar type of glass, used for centuries in windows and drinking vessels, is soda-lime glass, composed of about 75% silica plus Na2O, CaO, and several minor additives...
. It is located next to the world renowned Orrefors
Orrefors
Orrefors is a locality situated in Nybro Municipality, Kalmar County, Sweden with 696 inhabitants in 2005. The internationally acclaimed Orrefors glassworks are situated here....
Glassworks in the village with the same name, at the center of what is known as the Kingdom of Crystal
Kingdom of Crystal
The Kingdom of Crystal is a geographical area today containing a total of 15 glassworks in the municipalities of Emmaboda, Nybro, Uppvidinge and Lessebo in southern Sweden. Their history can be traced back to the 18th century at least...
in Småland
Småland
' is a historical province in southern Sweden.Småland borders Blekinge, Scania or Skåne, Halland, Västergötland, Östergötland and the island Öland in the Baltic Sea. The name Småland literally means Small Lands. . The latinized form Smolandia has been used in other languages...
in Southern Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
.
While primarily focused on Swedish and Nordic
Nordic countries
The Nordic countries make up a region in Northern Europe and the North Atlantic which consists of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden and their associated territories, the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Åland...
students, the school also welcomes international students to its programs.
History
For more than a century, glass has been produced in the Kingdom of Crystal. Up until the 1950's, the budding glass workers were trained by the masters in the midst of regular production. They were allowed to practise, fail and practise again, finally to succeed.Around 1960 Orrefors glassworks started a formalized glass education. The glass-related, practical parts were taught in the factory by special personnel while the theoretical subjects were taught one day a week at Nybro Vocational school.
In 1969, the municipality of Nybro
Nybro
Nybro is a city and the seat of Nybro Municipality, Kalmar County, Sweden with 12,598 inhabitants in 2005.-Overview:The name Nybro literally means New Bridge. It was founded as a market town in the 19th century, but rapidly transformed into an industrial town. In 1865 the town became a municipality...
took over all responsibility for the school of glass. Until 1979, the school of glass was housed in the buildings of the Orrefors glassworks. In the fall of 1979, the municipality of Nybro inaugurated the new architect-designed premises of the National School of Glass near the Orrefors Glassworks. The Student's Home is a former glass workers' house near the school, offering living in a genuine glass craft environment.