Copenhagen in 72 Hours: What 3 Days of Design Taught Me About Beauty, Function, and Feeling
Charis' Personal Edit of Thoughtful, Playful, and Poetic Design at 3daysofdesign
3daysofdesign was founded by Signe Byrdal Terenziani, whose vision has not only shaped a platform where design is observed but also deeply felt. What started in 2013 as a small event organized by 4 Danish brands - Kvadrat, Anger & Co, Montana and Erik Jørgensen, in an old warehouse. Today, more than 400 brands, designers and studios come together into venues across 8 districts in the city, and it was reported that about 45,000 visitors were in attendance last year.
This year’s theme, KEEP IT REAL, honours the individual expression and experiences echoing our deep desire for a world that’s more caring, inclusive and conscious. The KEEP IT REAL theme is a call to action to be true to your vision.
This year’s program included talks, design runs, drinks, and hands-on workshops hosted by brands like Paper Collective, GUBI, FORMAKIVET, Cachè x New Mags, and MIKKEL NIELSEN. There was also a session called AI & I Symposium that shed more light on how AI is transforming creativity in Design, Art and Architecture, across six thought-provoking sessions. The sessions covered the link between AI and bridging the gap, breaking boundaries, ethical imagination and many more aspects. Invited speakers included Liz Pomeroy, Lauren Beukes, and Veronica D’Souza, among others.
In collaboration with Design Matters, the AI & I Symposium was created to be a knowledgeable community of creative and curious minds who shared the same passion for sustainability, art, digital design, technology and society. The symposium was created by They Bannerman with the purpose of examining the intersection between human creativity and AI, questioning how AI is influencing artistic industries around the globe.
Here are 10 moments where design wasn’t just seen, but felt.
Hem - Design Can Look and Feel Like Fun
Palma Pouf, a collaboration between Ghanaian designer, Kusheda Mensah, and Hem, introduces graphic and carefree upholstered seats that bring visual interest and facilitate interaction wherever the use case.
The Palma Pouf can be used as a focal point or to playfully juxtapose shape and texture with a single pouf. The Palma Pouf also comes in several configurations, the likes of Pouf small, Pouf medium and Pouf large and several textile finishes including Ochre, Sawdust, Steelcut, Elmosoft leather, Cognac leather and a number of exciting finishes.
Almost Done - Waste is Just Material Waiting for Meaning
For 3daysofdesign, Almost Done exhibited with a guiding word - TOUCH, where their showcased collection can work together. Rather than clashing, Almost Done highlighted each material’s strength through careful and thoughtful design.
Majority of Almost Done (product) series are made out of recycled materials - honeycomb cardboard, used bottles, countertop cardboard and HDPE plastic and their products are configurable or can easily be dismantled into flat, compact forms and easily assembled without the use of specific tools.
DesignByThem - Design Travels, But Identity Comes With It
DesignByThem, by Sarah Gibson & Nicholas Karlovasitis, is run by designers who are dedicated to creating and producing unique pieces/products for design enthusiasts and professionals.
For 3daysofdesign, the guiding word was EXPANSE, which showcased forms, design languages, and materiality. Several independent Australian designers showcased new and core works, and Galleri Susanne Ottesen also dedicated an art curation to the event. Studios that presented included Studio Truly Truly by Kate & Joel Booy and Rhys Cooper.
22 System - Serious Design Can Still Be Fun
Who says outlets can’t be fun? Bocci, in collaboration with India Mahdavi, presented 22 Systems, which takes a minimalist (colourful) approach to electrical outlets, eliminating traditional cover plates with a smiley look. It’s a playful reminder that design can both be useful and cheeky. Adding India’s pop of yellow, which suddenly makes the function become a conversation starter, not just a necessity.
Four AM Product Design - Design Can Be Joyfully Engaging
Four AM’s pieces reminded me that (good) design doesn’t have to be still, passive or serious. When furniture or products invite you to move, touch or even build, it creates a connection - not just with the object but also with the people around it in that moment. It’s also a reminder that interaction makes design memorable.
Dk3 - Design Is A Conversation Across Generations
dk3’s exhibition showcased that design classics do not lose relevance, but rather evolve. For 3daysofdesign, dk3 relaunched some Danish classic fifties lounge chairs, alongside the world-renowned Poul Cadovius shelving classics Royal System, System Ultra and System Cado, alongside new table designs developed in cooperation with acclaimed Danish designers.
Marset - Light Is More Than Illumination, It’s Emotion
Marset reminded me that lighting isn’t just practical, it’s emotional. It’s that element that makes a space feel alive, calm or soft. Marset’s lights feel like company.
Patch Design - Mending Is Its Own Aesthetic
Patch Design reminded me that sustainability doesn’t have to look futuristic. When waste, traditions and memory are woven with intention, every object becomes a quiet act of healing.
Atlast èditions - Tradition Is Not Stuck In Time, It Can Be Reimagined
Atlast èditions’ collaboration with Usukiyaki artisans reminded me that heritage doesn’t have to stay in a museum or sacred spot. It can be remade for today - deeply human, refined and quiet.
BREAD and BUTTER - Completeness Doesn’t Always Come From One Thing
The BREAD and BUTTER exhibition reminded me that some of the best products/designs are not meant to exist by themselves. They’re made in relation to another object, person/purpose. The exhibition explored the perfect pair and used everyday dining objects to tell the story.
12 designers from the Netherlands, Denmark and Korea presented objects that completed, contrasted or complemented each other.
Some items, designs, and projects are made to work as a single system, while others highlight each other’s differences or fill each other’s gaps.
72 hours went by like a well-styled blur. But the feeling lingers — of tactility, of intention, of softness meeting structure. I’ll be unpacking more observations from the fair in the coming days, but for now, these favourites are my start.
If you’ve got a favourite from this year’s 3daysofdesign, send it my way. Or better still, tell me what object(s) recently made you feel something.
an excellent round up! @thedesignrelease @leibal check this one out