Paul Patterson’s 2025 GOH Journey

At HBG Design, we believe that creativity thrives on new perspectives. That’s why our GOH Travel Scholarship exists: to give our designers the opportunity to explore the world, discover new ideas, and bring those lessons back to enrich our work and our clients’ experiences.

This year, we’re proud to feature the 2025 GOH Travel Winner, Paul Patterson, who serves as a graphic designer in HBG’s marketing department. Paul’s journey through Iceland and Norway became a study in contrasts—light and dark, ancient and modern, fire and ice. His presentation video captures the wonder, inspiration, and design insights he gained along the way.

“Travel far and wide and you shall possess the secrets of man.” – Old Norse Proverb

Why Iceland and Norway?

For Paul, the landscapes of Iceland and Norway held a lifelong fascination. Iceland, the “land of fire and ice,” first captured his imagination as a child when he and his sister created a play-dough map of its volcanoes for a school project. Norway’s inspiration built slowly—through Viking sagas, Norse mythology, art history, and the striking beauty of fjords.

Both countries embody what inspires Paul most:

  • Dramatic natural beauty
  • Deep cultural and historical roots
  • Unique art and architecture
  • Communities shaped by their environment

By visiting Iceland in winter and Norway in summer, Paul set out to explore extremes—darkness and endless light, remoteness and urban vibrancy, ancient traditions and modern design.

Observing Through the Lens of Design

As both a graphic designer and storyteller, Paul approached the trip with a keen eye for comparison and visual narrative. He describes design as “the balancing of likenesses and differences,” and travel, in many ways, mirrors this principle.

  • Light and Dark: In Iceland, he witnessed how people embraced long, dim winters with resilience. In Norway, he saw cities come alive under endless daylight, where nature dictated the rhythm of life.
  • Cities and Culture: Reykjavík felt intimate and proud, steeped in mythology and national identity. Oslo, more international and layered with European influence, blended classical and contemporary.
  • Rural Spirit: Across both landscapes, he found rugged individualism—people living close to nature, working with what the land allowed, and creating beauty out of function.
  • Nature’s Impact: Iceland’s otherworldly volcanic terrain and Norway’s fairy-tale fjords revealed the power of place to shape art, architecture, and human life.

Lessons Learned

Paul’s reflections reveal how deeply travel can inform design thinking and creative work:

  • Planning is Designing: Just like in design projects, his trips required research, strategy, and flexibility.
  • Collaboration Matters: Advice from friends, coworkers, and locals enriched his experience, reminding him that combined perspectives lead to better outcomes.
  • Design From What’s Around You: Iceland, in particular, showed him how nature, history, and mythology seamlessly influence design—a principle he sees echoed in HBG’s work with tribal clients.
  • Purpose is Key: From the National Gallery in Norway to rural architecture, he observed how meaning and function strengthen design’s impact over time.
  • Multi-Use Design Inspires: The Oslo Opera House wasn’t just a performance venue—it was also an art space, a public plaza, and a viewpoint. This flexibility sparked ideas for creating designs that move fluidly across platforms and purposes.
  • Marketing Lessons: Iceland’s ability to highlight and promote its best features—from landscapes to woolcraft—offered insights into storytelling and branding—something Paul sees as central to his role on HBG’s marketing team.

The Takeaway

Paul’s GOH Travel experience affirms what we believe at HBG: that the best design comes from observing, listening, and learning. Just as Iceland and Norway reflect their environments, our work is enriched when we draw inspiration from culture, history, and place.

“If you know the way broadly, you will see it in all things.” – Miyamoto Musashi

🎥 Watch Paul’s full presentation video here: