Dezeen Magazine

3 Days of Design Live

Day one from 3 Days of Design in Copenhagen

The Dezeen team are reporting live from the 11th edition of 3 Days of Design in Copenhagen. Read on for all the coverage from the first day – 12 June.


 

5:30pm – "ghosts of design weeks past"

At Kvadrat's exhibition, tote bags hanging from the ceiling were described by Dezeen editor-at-large Amy Frearson as "ghosts of design weeks past".

Kvadrat's exhibition
An installation at Kvadrat featured tote bags. Photo courtesy of Kvadrat

The Danish textile brand invited 12 designers to create an installation telling a story about sustainability. British designer Maxwell Ashford chose the tote bag "because it's the object of the design fair".

Ashford created tote bags from 10 different fabrics, each with a label that reveals the environmental impact of that textile.

Maxwell Ashford tote bag installation
The installation was designed by Maxwell Ashford. Photo courtesy of Kvadrat

"This information should become a standardised requirement," he told Frearson.

"It helps avoid greenwashing; you get a clear sense that one is maybe better than the other. Then, if you really love one that has a greater environmental impact, you know you have to make it last a long time."


 

4:30pm – hello Kuma

While on her boat tour, design editor Jennifer Hahn spotted the Waterfront Culture Center designed by Kengo Kuma taking shape within Copenhagen harbour.

Waterfront Culture Center by Kengo Kuma
Kengo Kuma's Waterfront Culture Center is taking shape in Copenhagen harbour. Photo by Jennifer Hahn

Revealed on Dezeen in 2018, the aquatics centre will contain indoor pools with an outdoor pool located alongside the harbour.

The building is part of the wider development of Paper Island masterplanned by Danish studio COBE and takes its form from the housing alongside it.

When complete the building will look dramatically different as it will have brick cladding.

Paper Island housing by COBE
The cultural centre forms part of the Paper Island masterplan by COBE. Photo by Jennifer Hahn

 

4:00pm – on a boat!

Design editor Jennifer Hahn is exploring 3 Days of Design in style with a boat tour.

"I now insist on being ferried around on a boat at every design event," said Hahn.

Boat tour of Copenhagen
The Dezeen team is exploring 3 Days of Design by boat. Photo by Jennifer Hahn

Flying proudly from the back of the boat is the 3 Days of Design flag, which features branding designed by Danish architecture studio BIG.

The event's visual identity features bulbous cloud formations in the shape of furniture along with the words Dare to Dream on a sunset-hued gradient background.

"Ask a designer, architect or interior designer, and they'll tell you that they design more than products, buildings and interiors," the 3 Days of Design organisers explained when the visual identity was launched. "They design dreams."

3 Days of Design branding
The visual identity was designed by BIG. Photo by Jennifer Hahn

 

3:30pm – "liquid perfumes solidified into a tabletop"

This year's 3 Days of Design isn't just showcasing furniture, but also scents, reports deputy editor Cajsa Carlson.

Design duo All Matters Studio teamed up with Rotterdam-based Forever Studio to create the En Doft Perfumery on Bredgade, showcasing perfumes by All Matters Studios and furniture co-designed by the two studios.

The two studios co-designed a table. Photo by Cajsa Carlson

A central table combined a wooden base designed by All Matters with a swirling resin tabletop by Forever Studio that resembles marble and was inspired by its surroundings.

"For the perfumery, we took the inspiration from the liquids – it's a bit as if the liquids perfumes solidified into a tabletop," Forever Studio co-founder Bienke Domenie told Dezeen.

Forever Studio's wavy metal sculptures
Metal sculptures decorated the space. Photo by Cajsa Carlson

The space also featured Forever Studio's wavy metal sculptures, which were used as display cases, and wooden chairs by All Matters Studio.

All Matters Studio designed it to prelaunch its fifth scent, Insula Mane, which was created with French perfume designer Emmanuel Martini for its perfume brand En Doft and made for a very nice-smelling stop among the furniture showrooms.


 

2:30pm – mobile saunas and waste pulp chairs

Fresh out of their graduation robes, masters students from the Royal Danish Academy's institute of architecture and design are exhibiting their final projects in a warehouse on achingly-hip Refshaleøen Island.

Mobile sauna
A mobile sauna was part of the Royal Danish Academy's graduate show. Photo by Jennifer Hahn

Highlights include a mobile sauna tent by Sophie Marsfeldt Bergqvist and several innovative seating designs.

Firstly, there is a stackable chair made from flax and bio-plastic that weight only 2.5 kilograms, courtesy of Jon Hinrik Höskuldsson and Kristine Nørgaard Sejersen.

Spriha Chokhani stool
Spriha Chokhani designed a stool with a paper seat. Photo by Jennifer Hahn

And then there is a stool by Spriha Chokhani with a seat made using waste pulp from the paper industry and a fossil-free starch glue.

In the future, the aim is to also integrate local plant seeds into the mix so that flowers can bloom from the remains of the biodegradable material.

The show included a lightweight chair made from flax and bio-plastic. Photo by Jennifer Hahn

 

1:00pm – space age installation

Dezeen's editor-at-large Amy Frearson paid a lunchtime visit to Hay House. The Danish homeware brand is previewing its new collection, which launches later this summer, in a space-age loft installation.

Hay collection at 3 Days of Design
Hay displayed its latest collection, including Colour Rack from Muller Van Severen, in a space-age loft installation. Photo by Amy Frearson

Highlights include the playfully detailed Taburete 8 stool from Marc Morro, the curvy Colour Rack from Muller Van Severen, and lighting designs from John Tree, Rui Pereira and Ryosuke Fukusada.

Lighting for Hay at 3 Days of Design
The collection also included lighting by Rui Pereira and Ryosuke Fukusada. Photo by Amy Frearson

The brand has also teamed up local restaurant Locale 21 to transform the top floor of its Copenhagen showroom and headquarters into a pop-up eatery.

Locale 21
Locale 21 created a pop-up restaurant at Hay House. Photo by Amy Frearson

Sadly, a tight schedule meant there was only time for a few forkfuls of risotto before Frearson was rushed out the door.


 

12:45pm – "Bar Basso vibes"

The Dezeen team attended a launch event for Sketches of Seating, a new book featuring drawings by designers including Philippe Malouin, Jasper Morrison and Industrial Facility, which is authored by Daniel Schofield and Rhys Kearns.

Hosted at wine bar Andra, and spilling out into the street, the event had "strong Bar Basso vibes despite the chilly temperatures", according to Dezeen's editor-at-large Amy Frearson.

Bar Baso vibes
Bar Basso vibes. Photo by Taran Wilkhu

 

12:30pm – the most Danish lunch award goes to...

It's lunchtime in Copenhagen and in the running for most Danish lunch – an egg-topped herring sandwich.

"Tastes like the sea, looks like the sun," is the review from Dezeen's deputy editor Cajsa Carlson.

herring sandwich
Red Herring is on the menu at Designmuseum Denmark. Photo by Cajsa Carlson

The dish called Red Herring, which may be a joke? came from the Designmuseum Denmark's cafe.

The cafe was recently overhauled by Copenhagen-based OEO Studio, which used stone, steel and wood to honour architect Kaare Klint's original design.


 

12:00pm – Hay wear

Talking of Hay, the Danish design brand has teamed up with Japanese sportswear brand ASICS to launch a collection of suede-and-leather trainers at this year's 3 Days of Design.

Hay trainers in pale pink
Hay and ASICS have collaborated on a collection of trainers. Photo courtesy of Hay

Read Cajsa Carlson's full write up of the collaboration on Dezeen here.


 

11:00am – MoMA tea pots

New York's Museum of Modern Art now makes kettles and tea pots as part of a colourful co-branded kitchenware collection with Danish manufacturer Bodum, reports design editor Jennifer Hahn.

Bodum has collaborated with MoMA on a kitchenware collection
Bodum has collaborated with MoMA on a kitchenware collection. Photo by Jennifer Hahn

Unveiled exclusively at 3 Days of Design, the contrasting colourways look straight out of the Hay catalogue.

"Hopefully the products will actually work... unlike Hay's Sowden toaster, which broke on me after two uses," said Hahn.

MoMA kitchenware collection
The collection has hints of Hay. Photo by Jennifer Hahn

 

10:30am – selfie zone and squishy mattress

The Danish Architecture Centre has returned to 3 Days of Design with a duo of exhibitions. The first explores how building impact the emotions of their occupants through a series of immersive installations by architecture studio 3XN.

Danish Architecture Centre
3XN created installations at the Danish Architecture Centre

But the highlight is Teenage Dream, for which three young Danish design studios have imagined what teenage bedrooms will look like in the future.

There is a selfie zone by Krøyer-Sætter-Lassen, a recharging station for the soul and for the phone by Our Shift – made from discarded festival tents – and a bedroom made entirely from biomaterials by Natural Materials studio (complete with a giant squishy mattress, kindly demonstrated by Poor Collective's Shawn Adams).

Poor Collective's Shawn Adams
Shawn Adams tests the squishy mattress. Photo by Jennifer Hahn

The aim is to explore how young people's progressive values and ways of living will seep into our homes.

"When we dream, we can reject all conventions and traditions, and we can feel free and be more open minded," said curator Pernille Stockmarr.

"And who can do that better than teenagers?"


 

9:30am – colourful chairs and cinnamon buns

This morning, Dezeen deputy editor Cajsa Carlson enjoyed cinnamon buns and colourful modular chairs at the Savo Studies in Seating exhibition.

Form Us With Love seating
Cajsa Carlson enjoyed colourful modular chairs and breakfast. Photo by Cajsa Carlson

Showing as part of the Framing exhibition in the beautiful Odd Fellow Palace, the chairs were designed by Stockholm studio Form Us With Love for the Swedish furniture manufacturer.

The idea behind the chair? To design "Lego for the office", Savo commercial officer Craig Howarth told Dezeen.

The modular chairs, which can be adapted in different ways to fit different office set-ups, were first unveiled last year.

Form Us With Love seating
The chairs were designed by Form Us With Love. Photo by Cajsa Carlson

 

9:00amand we're off!

Dezeen's editorial director Max Fraser, editor-at-large Amy Frearson, deputy editor Cajsa Carlson, design editor Jennifer Hahn and social editor Clara Finnigan are on the ground in Copenhagen reporting from the 11th edition of 3 Days of Design.

Dezeen Events Guide has created a 3 Days of Design guide, highlighting the key events at the festival this year.

Illustration of people on bikes in Copenhagen for 3 Days of Design
Illustration by Justyna Green

As the 2024 event gets under way, look back at of some of our coverage from last year – including Helle Mardahl's apartment filled with candy-coloured glass and Anna Maria Øfstedal Eng's aluminium table for Ferm Living.

The Sensory Society by Helle Mardahl
Helle Mardahl's exhibition last year, titled The Sensory Society, included a grand dressing table filled with glass objects

To stay up to date, follow Dezeen live: 3 Days of Design in Copenhagen, taking place from 7 to 9 June 2023. Dezeen Events Guide has created a 3 Days of Design guide, highlighting the key events at the festival. See Dezeen Events Guide for all the latest information you need to know to attend the event, as well as a list of other architecture and design events taking place around the world.

All times are Copenhagen time.

The lead image is by Clara Finnigan.