3 DAYS OF DESIGN
Copenhagen’s 3DaysOfDesign is now in its 10th year, but we only stumbled across it a few weeks ago – and it just so happened that we were going to be in the city to catch some of this year’s festivities.
If, like us, this is all news to you, then allow us to introduce 3DaysOfDesign: a festival of all things, you guessed it, design. Where showrooms, shops and studios all over the city open their doors and where people wander to become immersed in the joys of Danish design.
There is a huge amount to see (290 venues to be precise – if you’ve got the stamina), but the standouts for us were the places that celebrated their materials, craftsmanship and heritage, often in equal measure, yet never felt traditional or stuffy. There is a wonderful reverence for good design there: it seems to seep into Danish culture in such a way that even the most high-end brands feel democratic and not only accessible but actively welcoming. This is good design for everyone.
And the desire for good design stretches through to the deep appreciation and quality of materials and craftsmanship. Dinesen, for example, has created a showroom that is a sanctuary and celebration of beautiful wood, right in the middle of Copenhagen, and their exhibition The Weight of Wood was a wonderfully interactive and tactile encapsulation of this. Odes to craft included: sculpture making from off-cuts at Carl Hansen & Sons; and tools being showcased as much as the stunning chairs being made at BRDR Krüger.
There was a lot of newer talent on show too, yet even here there always seems to be a strong link to the past – although it never feels like Danish design brands get stuck in that past. Take Fritz Hansen, which exhibited its mid-century design classics in an incredibly contemporary way against the backdrop of the classical Charlottenborg Palace, built in 1677. Or Royal Copenhagen which, having had its showroom in the same building since 1911, has curated an experience that manages to balance elegance with boldness and restraint with surprise. It's a beautiful juxtaposition.
Of course, Denmark is famed for its furniture and lighting design, but what also stood out was the sheer quality of design across the board; the branding, exhibition graphics, brochures and even ephemeral leaflets were all beautifully designed with a deft touch and a real eye for detail.
So, if you need any form of creative recharging or are just in the market for some beautiful design, we can fully recommend visiting.
The Weight of Wood—an exhibition by Christian Hammer Juhl and Jade Chan of Christian+Jade—at Dinesen
Yoonede exhibition of contemporary designers in an old Copenhagen townhouse. Textile by Bettina Nelson
Left: Wonders of Wood at Carl Hansen / Right: Woodworking tools at BRDR Krüger
Beautiful wooden flooring at Dinesen and Charlottenborg Palace
Fritz Hansen at the Baroque Charlottenborg Palace in Expressions of Character
Normann Copenhagen opened Hotel Normann to showcase their products in different rooms
Il Mercato at the Frama concept store with produce beautifully displayed in an old apothecary
The plates at Royal Copenhagen take original designs and play with them in a variety of ways to keep things feeling modern
The balance of old and new at Royal Copenhagen’s flagship store is a feast for the eyes
We ended up filling our bags with beautiful printed pieces from various brands, including this brochure from Royal Copenhagen
Little sketches printed on tracing paper are a nice touch in the Menu brochure
The showroom at House of Finn Juhl was lined with drawings and plans of the furniture
There were lots of unusual formats, including this from Yoonede
Folded news-sheets from Carl Hansen and Frama
An ode to wood at Carl Hansen