Scandinavian Modern Classics at Denmark’s 3 Days of Design
Midcentury modern-style furniture and lighting, and circular design, were featured at the 2022 festival
Catherine Hug
July 1, 2022
Inspiring ideas in lifestyle, lighting, furniture and interior design took over the streets of Copenhagen, Denmark, for the 3 Days of Design festival. That this year due to the pandemic the annual design event took place from June 15 to 17 and not in September as usual in no way dampened interest in the event. Quite the opposite: In the radiant sunshine, showrooms, galleries, museums and even embassies drew crowds of design enthusiasts. More than 200 brands and organizations showcased design classics, current trends and visions of the future to make the world a tiny bit better.
The tagline Remember to Play was the result of a collaboration with Luca Nichetto, who contributed the artwork for this year’s festival. “In the midst of pandemic and war, we find it necessary to also remember the positive vibes and to be creative, to play, even if there are so many challenges that make us doubt if it is the right time. It is essential to be creative, especially in these times,” says Signe Byrdal Terenziani, founder and managing director of 3 Days of Design in an interview with Stylepark.
Where is Danish design headed? Houzz was on the scene to find out.
Learn about Houzz Pro all-in-one business software
Where is Danish design headed? Houzz was on the scene to find out.
Learn about Houzz Pro all-in-one business software
1. Good Design Is Timeless
Tradition and classic designs, particularly from the 1950s, were everywhere at this event. Manufacturer Fritz Hansen, for example, which is celebrating 150 years since its founding, presented its classics and two re-editions in its exhibition pavilion in the Design Museum’s gorgeous garden.
The anniversary collection of the PK0 A chair and PK60 coffee table by Poul Kjærholm, pictured, are part of Fritz Hansen’s anniversary collection. The sculptural PK0 A is a trailblazing part of modern design history, while the previously unreleased PK60 was inspired by modern art and combines quality craftsmanship and innovative techniques.
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Tradition and classic designs, particularly from the 1950s, were everywhere at this event. Manufacturer Fritz Hansen, for example, which is celebrating 150 years since its founding, presented its classics and two re-editions in its exhibition pavilion in the Design Museum’s gorgeous garden.
The anniversary collection of the PK0 A chair and PK60 coffee table by Poul Kjærholm, pictured, are part of Fritz Hansen’s anniversary collection. The sculptural PK0 A is a trailblazing part of modern design history, while the previously unreleased PK60 was inspired by modern art and combines quality craftsmanship and innovative techniques.
15 Design Trends Spotted at the Spring 2022 High Point Market
Foyer series, Carl Hansen & Søn
Vega chair, Carl Hansen & Søn
The same goes for the two revamped pieces Carl Hansen & Søn exhibited in its centrally located flagship store: The airy and stackable Vega chair (VLA 26) and the sculptural Foyer series are both by Vilhelm Lauritzen. They were originally custom designs for two iconic Copenhagen buildings, the Folkets Hus — now the Vega entertainment venue — and the Radiohuset, the former headquarters of the Danish national broadcaster DR.
Carl Hansen & Søn collaborated with Vilhelm Lauritzen Architects to revive these pieces. “Vilhelm Lauritzen’s architecture and design are part of the Danish cultural heritage and perception of functionalism,” says Knud Erik Hansen, CEO of Carl Hansen & Son in a statement. “We at Carl Hansen & Søn have an extensive portfolio of Danish masterpieces from the 20th century, which Vilhelm Lauritzen, with their uncompromising emphasis on aesthetics and craftsmanship, fit into perfectly.”
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The same goes for the two revamped pieces Carl Hansen & Søn exhibited in its centrally located flagship store: The airy and stackable Vega chair (VLA 26) and the sculptural Foyer series are both by Vilhelm Lauritzen. They were originally custom designs for two iconic Copenhagen buildings, the Folkets Hus — now the Vega entertainment venue — and the Radiohuset, the former headquarters of the Danish national broadcaster DR.
Carl Hansen & Søn collaborated with Vilhelm Lauritzen Architects to revive these pieces. “Vilhelm Lauritzen’s architecture and design are part of the Danish cultural heritage and perception of functionalism,” says Knud Erik Hansen, CEO of Carl Hansen & Son in a statement. “We at Carl Hansen & Søn have an extensive portfolio of Danish masterpieces from the 20th century, which Vilhelm Lauritzen, with their uncompromising emphasis on aesthetics and craftsmanship, fit into perfectly.”
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Another revisited classic comes from Norwegian manufacturer Fora Forms. With delicate legs and a seat out of curved wood, the City chair, pictured, by Øivind Iversen, is another 1950s design. The chair has long been a design classic in Norway.
Find out how the Houzz Pro 3D Floor Planner and Mood Boards can help you share your designs with clients
Find out how the Houzz Pro 3D Floor Planner and Mood Boards can help you share your designs with clients
2. Circular Design and Sustainability
The second trend we observed was circular design, a term which is often heard these days and seems to dovetail with the term “sustainability.”
Fritz Hansen highlighted this trend powerfully in the structure of its pavilion, which they built in collaboration with renowned architecture bureau Henning Larsen. It was built with a view to circularity, and is designed to be taken apart completely so that all the materials can be reused elsewhere.
“Celebrating the 150 years anniversary of Fritz Hansen, we wanted to create a spatial experience that makes a sustainable home for the furniture it exhibits. A facilitator for the design of Fritz Hansen. Built in solid wood, the pavilion is [inspired] by the garden it is situated in, creating a hybrid space with fluid transitions between inside and out,” says Eva Ravnborg, market director for Denmark und Partner at Henning Larsen.
7 Ways to Make Your Projects More Sustainable
The second trend we observed was circular design, a term which is often heard these days and seems to dovetail with the term “sustainability.”
Fritz Hansen highlighted this trend powerfully in the structure of its pavilion, which they built in collaboration with renowned architecture bureau Henning Larsen. It was built with a view to circularity, and is designed to be taken apart completely so that all the materials can be reused elsewhere.
“Celebrating the 150 years anniversary of Fritz Hansen, we wanted to create a spatial experience that makes a sustainable home for the furniture it exhibits. A facilitator for the design of Fritz Hansen. Built in solid wood, the pavilion is [inspired] by the garden it is situated in, creating a hybrid space with fluid transitions between inside and out,” says Eva Ravnborg, market director for Denmark und Partner at Henning Larsen.
7 Ways to Make Your Projects More Sustainable
In fact, circular design was perhaps the theme of 3 Days of Design this year. There is clear interest in the afterlife of objects. What happens to a chair once it has served out its useful life? What new things can be made from it? How effective is the company’s recycling and waste management? Almost every manufacturer had answers to these questions ready — or even placed them at the center of their communications. This edition showed how new ideas can fill beloved design with new meaning.
This was also clear at the Circular Furniture Days, one of the platforms for new sustainable design, which ran concurrently with the festival. Here not only technical capabilities were discussed, but also products made out of remnants by both younger designers and long-established manufacturers.
Manufacturer Mater Design showcased a particularly innovative waste management program in its pop-up store. A mix of upcycled fibers from waste like coffee beans and plastic remnants from industry serves as the raw material for sustainable-material versions of Børge Mogensen’s Conscious Chair — first designed in 1958 — and other classic pieces.
Reworked in this way were old fishing nets pulled out of the oceans, but also plastic waste, like that from the production of toilet flushing mechanisms, or the plastic casks that Danish brewer Carlsberg uses to deliver to restaurants. This efficient upcycling of industrial waste simultaneously reduces the CO2 emissions of the companies producing the waste to begin with.
Reworked in this way were old fishing nets pulled out of the oceans, but also plastic waste, like that from the production of toilet flushing mechanisms, or the plastic casks that Danish brewer Carlsberg uses to deliver to restaurants. This efficient upcycling of industrial waste simultaneously reduces the CO2 emissions of the companies producing the waste to begin with.
Muuto Linear Steel furniture, Framed mirrors and Kink vases at 3 Days of Design
3. Feeling the Connection to Nature
Many manufacturers underscored their connection to nature with beautiful bouquets in meticulously decorated showrooms, or inviting courtyards or rooftop terraces.
What makes a room feel just right? Muuto asked this question during the fair, seeking to explore the deeper meaning and possibilities of design.
3. Feeling the Connection to Nature
Many manufacturers underscored their connection to nature with beautiful bouquets in meticulously decorated showrooms, or inviting courtyards or rooftop terraces.
What makes a room feel just right? Muuto asked this question during the fair, seeking to explore the deeper meaning and possibilities of design.
Manufacturer Verpan also explored self-examination and the connection to nature. Inspired by Nature invited you to relax on a playful sofa surrounded by an impressive array of blooms and in the historic surroundings of the Lindencrone Mansion in central Copenhagen. In this way, Verpan makes the original world of Verner Panton, which celebrates life and color, come alive.
The exhibition’s palette was based on Panton’s 1997 book Notes on Color. It took visitors through the colors of the day, starting with the warm yellows and oranges of sunrise and morning, through to the Panton’s Cloverleaf sofa in daytime green, then on to the 123 system in rose and burgundy tones before finishing at dusk in various shades of blue, pictured.
The exhibition’s palette was based on Panton’s 1997 book Notes on Color. It took visitors through the colors of the day, starting with the warm yellows and oranges of sunrise and morning, through to the Panton’s Cloverleaf sofa in daytime green, then on to the 123 system in rose and burgundy tones before finishing at dusk in various shades of blue, pictured.
4. Color the Exception to the Rule
Verpan wasn’t the only brand that found joy in color, though colorful exhibits were rather the exception at an event dominated by more pared-back, blue-toned palettes.
Montana Furniture’s display was particularly colorful: Taking the motto “Remember to Play” literally, the Danish manufacturer presented its modular and multifunctional furniture system, not only decisively taking joy in color, but also creating a playful nursery atmosphere. Its display, pictured, featured its Mini boxes on wheels to make toys mobile, the Monterey children’s desk in a bold blue and more colorful Minis transformed into a doll’s house. Montana grabbed attention with a wealth of imagination and myriad possibilities for use for the colorfully playful pieces.
Verpan wasn’t the only brand that found joy in color, though colorful exhibits were rather the exception at an event dominated by more pared-back, blue-toned palettes.
Montana Furniture’s display was particularly colorful: Taking the motto “Remember to Play” literally, the Danish manufacturer presented its modular and multifunctional furniture system, not only decisively taking joy in color, but also creating a playful nursery atmosphere. Its display, pictured, featured its Mini boxes on wheels to make toys mobile, the Monterey children’s desk in a bold blue and more colorful Minis transformed into a doll’s house. Montana grabbed attention with a wealth of imagination and myriad possibilities for use for the colorfully playful pieces.
Variety was also the order of the day at &tradition, particularly in regard to the ongoing expansion of the classic Flowerpot lamp collection, pictured. This year, too, there are new variations in the color and size of the beloved lamps, originally designed by Verner Panton.
Frandsen also presented new colors of its Butterfly lamp, pictured.
10 Trends in Contemporary Lighting for 2022
10 Trends in Contemporary Lighting for 2022
Louis Poulsen displayed the Pale Rose series of its classic light collection, PH, designed by Poul Hennigsen. The new additions feature pale-pink shades made of handblown Italian glass and elements in brushed brass.
Nonetheless, these colorful displays were rather the exception at the event. Although some manufacturers, like &tradition and Hay, expanded their already extensive palettes with new colors, otherwise many manufacturers were sparing in their use of color.
Ark Chair by Ferm Living. This chair is also available in a kids’ version.
Instead, the favorite color of 2022 was a radiant cornflower blue, if possible in combination with restrained sand tones and lots of wood, as Ferm Living did in its headquarters office.
Instead, the favorite color of 2022 was a radiant cornflower blue, if possible in combination with restrained sand tones and lots of wood, as Ferm Living did in its headquarters office.
The rocking chair version of the KufenKarl chair
5. Natural Materials
Most of all — wood. No other material could be found so frequently and in such a variety of setups in the festival as wood. Whether in the form of a solid-wood table, veneered sideboard or a new interpretation of the classic KufenKarl school chair — now as a rocking chair, lounge chair or a standard chair after a design from Boris Berlin Design — oak is unbeatable this year.
5. Natural Materials
Most of all — wood. No other material could be found so frequently and in such a variety of setups in the festival as wood. Whether in the form of a solid-wood table, veneered sideboard or a new interpretation of the classic KufenKarl school chair — now as a rocking chair, lounge chair or a standard chair after a design from Boris Berlin Design — oak is unbeatable this year.
Likewise, one of Denmark’s most-sold chairs, the J39 from Fredericia, is primarily oak. In honor of its 75th birthday, the manufacturer has re-released the original version with a hand-woven wicker seat instead of the paper cord that has long been used. It was exhibited at its Copenhagen headquarters alongside many other objects that have long become design classics.
Likewise returning to handwoven (and fast-growing) reed, the Folkestolen, which Børge Mogensen designed in 1947, is now available in a particularly sustainable version.
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Likewise returning to handwoven (and fast-growing) reed, the Folkestolen, which Børge Mogensen designed in 1947, is now available in a particularly sustainable version.
More for Pros on Houzz
Read more stories for pros
Learn about Houzz Pro software
Talk with your peers in pro-to-pro discussions
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The children's room is so colourful, but I'd be scared of heads bumping on those wall hung boxes.
Check out the show "Chez Laurence" on Earthx TV. The host interviews Mater in-depth about their innovative use of waste. It's the future of product design.
I will definitely be looking for eco friendly furniture makers for future purchases. I see way too much old furniture in landfills, and younger people no longer want things like china cabinets or entertainment units.