Part One of 3daysofdesign Copenhagen 12-14 June 2024
3 Days of Design 2024
We have just returned from our visit to Denmark's annual furniture design festival in Copenhagen on 12-14 June 2024.
A celebration of creativity and innovation in furniture, lighting and accessories.
Back in 2013, it began as a small design event held in an old warehouse in Nordhavn (a harbour area overlooking Copenhagen’s waterfront) featuring just 4 Danish brands: Montana, Erik Jørgensen, Anker & Co, and Kvadrat. Today, the 3daysofdesign festival extends to the entire city of Copenhagen and is considered the most significant annual design festival in Scandinavia. Each year 3daysofdesign has grown in popularity and over 250 brands exhibited at the festival last year.
We love coming to the fair as we can look forward to seeing cutting-edge concepts from new and established names in lifestyle, design, furniture and interior design. Get a preview of new product launches and discover up coming trends on the horizon. We can catch up with like-minded people with a passion for design.
It's so easy to get around in Copenhagen. We go Scandi and opt for bikes, but the Metro is very easy to navigate too.
At the same time, we can enjoy the architecture, cafes, shops and chat to the exceedingly friendly Danes. This time the weather was not as kind to us as the last few years, but it was still a great show. Below are a few of our highlights.
HAY
As usual HAY had a whole raft of new launches across their Furniture, Lighting and Accessories ranges. Some were range extensions, but many were brand new pieces. There are too many to list them all (HAY had to use 4 floors of their HAY house )and so we will just mention the key ranges for us. More details on the new pieces will follow in due course.
Lighting had some lovely new additions, the BRIM PENDANT by Rui Pereira & Ryosuke Fukusada was gorgeous with its pressed glass shade.
The ONO FLUSH MOUNT wall lamp by Aspekt Office was inspired by old army lanterns and gives a warm welcoming light in a modern way.
COMMON CORD SET is great addition to the HAY lighting range and can be used with many of HAY's shades as well as on its own with say a nice Tala feature light bulb such as the Porcelain 11.
Accessories had numerous additions too. The TAPE COAT RACK by Big-Game is a simple and minimalistic way to hang clothing and accessories in both domestic and commercial spaces.
Muller Van Severen have worked with HAY on numerous projects and their COLOUR HANGER features their characteristic use of colour and combines with their lovely new COLOUR RACK, which we have featured below.
Moving onto Furniture, Jonas Trampedach has developed the SHIM COFFEE TABLE. A lovely 3 legged metal table in steel in several colours.
Marc Morro has designed the TABURETE 8 BAR STOOL. A very solid, yet very well priced counter & bar stool.
Other new releases are shown below with more details to follow soon.
Quilton Lift
Doshi Levien has given their popular Quilton sofa a new extension by introducing new versions that sit on solid wooden plinths to give it an even more sophisticated look. The legs / plinths elegantly lift the sofa.
QUILTON LIFT is available as a 2 & 3 seater sofa, daybed and ottoman and is ideal for both use both in the home and in commercial spaces.
Colour Rack & Hanger
A sculptural alternative to a wardrobe that can also be used as a room divider. Lots of lovely colours, as expected from Muller Van Severen, and 2 different shapes to choose from in order to make creative shapes. It comes unassembled and so will be easy to transport and position in bedrooms where the Loop wardrobe struggled to get in. We loved these pieces and cannot wait to get them in stock. Very cleverly designed to use less space to store more clothing.
Facet Cabinet
Stefan Scholten has designed a great product for HAY. His FACET CABINET is a versatile, multifuntional storage solution. Made from post consumer recycled ABS, it has an integrated revolving door and comes in 2 sizes. The larger one has an additonal storage section with removable lid. These will be ideal in a whole range of applications ranging from bedside tables, to in bathrooms, to playrooms, to living rooms and offices. The faceted design is lovely.
Montana
We always look forward to see what Montana is up to. This year there was a big focus on a collaboration with fashion brand Mads Norgaard. All the staff were wearing the signature striped T shirts and we saw many chairs in the iconic fabric. We are just awaiting news on whether it meets British fire standards. You can see it on the Kevi chair below and if you look very carefully in the background you will see Joakim Lassen sporting a bespoke Mads Norgaard striped suit. Last year he wore a different suit each day to match their 3 new colour launches & this year it was Mads Norgaard stripes - we cannot wait to see what it will be next year!
We were also honoured to meet and chat with the very charming Jorgen Rasmussen, the designer of the Kevi chair & also the double castor that is used on almost very office chair and commercial aeroplane.
Ruby, David & George with the legendary Jorgen Rasmussen. Chatting with him was a real highlight of our trip.
New Seat Cushions
Montana has launched some seat cushions for their shelving system to make it even more useful. The fabric used is Reflect by Patricia Urquiola for Kvadrat and uses 100% post-consumer recycled polyester.
The seat cushion is available in 3 widths and several colour options.
New Leg Colours
Montana has extended the available finishes of their height adustable legs to now be available in all 41 colours. This is a great range extension and really adds to the look available when creating a piece of their furniture. The system is so flexible and it is amazing that each handle or shelf can be created in a different colour, all at no extra cost to change the colours.
Free Shelving Refresh
Jakob Wagner's FREE SHELVING range has been given a refresh with new colours, including the option of chrome tubing, new fabric panel options and new configurations. We love the system as it is free standing and very elegant and is also great as a room divider.
String
We knew, as it was String's 75th Anniversary this year, that they would have a good presence at the fair and they had a great selection of old and new pieces on display.
We saw the STRING SYSTEM, their recently launched RELIEF collection by TAF Studio, PIRA 2 and a stunning brand new collection called CENTER CENTER. This is designed for Office use, but certain elements could certainly be used in other applications, especially the smallest module on wheels. We feel it will be great as room dividers that give storage and will really appeal to Architects due to its modular, Lego style build system.
Pira 2
Re-launched a couple of years ago, Pira 2 is a great high end storage system that particularly excels as a room divider.
Originally designed in 1954 by Olle Pira, it has a distinctly modern and modular design; elegant and strong at the same time, with a visual language that impacts the spatial perception of a room.
Relief
Relief is a modular system designed by award-winning TAF Studio. The system consists of dressers and hook strips, both in three different sizes and five colors that can be connected and mixed according to need and space. Thanks to the fact that all parts of the bureau modules – even the back – have been designed with the same meticulous care, Relief works just as well as a stand-alone piece of furniture as in large interconnected groups or as elegant room dividers.
Center Center
A multifunctional and highly flexible metal modular storage system. Available in 5 colours and several sizes we know this is going to be a very successful range. Not only has it been designed for internal storage but you can also add storage and other accessories to the outside of it too. Very clever, very flexible and very clean and simple lines. Shown here with the STRING WORKS sit-stand height adjustable desk in new Cobalt Blue leg finish.
Fritz Hansen & Skagerak
Fritz Hansen always put on a stunning presence at the fair and this year was no exception with 3 spaces being transformed to display their new and existing Fritz Hansen ranges, as well as pieces of their outdoor collection under the Skagerak brand.
ISLANDS OF WELLBEING was an exploration of extraordinary design in visionary architecture. Three new harbourside destinations by Cobe Architects were the stunning backdrop for the displays. The philanthropist Maersk shipping family donated these stunning spaces to the people of Copenhagen in the same way as they funded the Operahouse. What an incredible, visionary and generous gesture to create such beautiful spaces for all to enjoy.
The Operaparken and Vaeksthuset were the main areas, with the Papiroen being used to show how workplaces of the future can work in THE INVITING WORKPLACE. Ambience enhancing meeting, lounge and hybrid settings that bring real value to the modern office, even in large stark industrial spaces.
Jaime Hayon displayed his new sculptural PLENUM SEATING alongside his new FRI SOFA. New Kasper Salto PLURALIS WORK TABLES were shown alongside a new square version of his LITTLE FRIEND SIDE TABLE. A new longer version of the CUTTER BENCH and the GRAND PRIX CHAIRS in green Pure leather & walnut shell were new special editions.
Operaparken was a stunning location to show the Skagerak outdoor pieces, including the beautiful new TRADITION OUTDOOR SOFA and there were also workshops on teak maintenance.
Finally, the Vaeksthuset with its stunning organically shaped glass structure was the perfect backdrop to launch a new Cecilie Manz dining chair called MONOLIT. There was a homage to Poul Kjaerholm's lounge chairs with a sneak preview as well. The new UTZON STOOL, CHOICE SWAN CHAIR and CLAM LIGHTS were also on display.
Vaeksthuset
The stunning building that also houses a car park for the Operahouse was simply breathtaking in its design and detail.
Papiroen
Cobe Architect's transformation of this old paper factory was the perfect backdrop to Fritz Hansen's THE INVITING WORKSPACE.
Operaparken
A series of gardens inspired by different countries in homage to the harbour's original roots as a busy port importing goods from all around the world. It has been created as a series of stunning gardens that all flow and blend into each other. It was the perfect setting for evening drinks and watching the sun set over Copenhagen.
The newly updated TRADITION OUTDOOR SOFA in FSC teak by Povl B. Eskildsen is as comfortable as it is beautiful. Many of the other Skagerak pieces were also on display and we were fortunate to be given a private tour of the gardens by a couple of Skagerak's management team who also gave us a great insight into the Skagerak brand and how they develop products to compliment their existing ranges and fulfil to modern living requirements.
Monolit
Cecilie Manz's new dining chairs
PK23
A concept chair for 2025
Access to the car park!
Pelagus
Extendable outdoor table & chairs
Teak Care workshops
The Inviting Workspace
Series 7 sculpture
Informal meeting areas
Favn sofa
& Analogue coffee tables
Grand Prix
Special edition green Pure leather
Louis Poulsen
Louis Poulsen had a special party organised to be held around a specially designed art installation of a de-constructed Artichoke light. Unfortunately the rain put a stop to an outdoor event and so we gathered inside their stunning showroom in Christianshavn.
In addition to seeing the stunning new 150th anniversary collection pieces, including the new special edition Snowball, we saw some new colours for the PH 5 and PH 5 Mini.
We were also treated to a viewing of 4 exceedingly special historic pendants by Poul Henningsen. The PH Originals from Louis Poulsen included the Pariserlampen, which was the first ever lamp made by Poul Henningsen for Louis Poulsen back in 1925. At the time Louis Poulsen was a wine importer, before moving into creating and selling contemporary lighting. The other lights included a 1933 Bombardementskrone; a 1958 PH 5 prototype; a 1930 Harlekin 4/4. This was a special treat to experience 4 very rare and special lamps so close up.
The PH Special Edition lamp for 2024 - PH 2/1 in amber glass and aged brass base was also on display & was gorgeous.
PH 5
New colours
PH 5 Mini
New Colours
PH Harlekin 4/4
Designed in 1930 as a smaller lamp for use in the home. Previous lamps had been more popular in public spaces and commercial offices.
PH5 Protoype
Designed in 1958 to give a pleasant glare free lighting. The red and blue shades reduce the yellow-green light to which the eye is more sensitive.
PH Cascade
A frosted glass chandelier from 1933 was available in 3 to 21 shades and was shown as a 6 shade version. It was available for more than 30 years.
PH Paris Lamp
In German silver this was the fore-runner to the 3 shade PH lamp. Designed for the 1925 Paris World Exhibition to reduce glare and enhance light distribution.
3daysofdesign is an exclusive event that's inclusive of everyone. Where the press, bloggers, buyers, designers, architects and design enthusiasts, as well as the general public, are invited to experience new concepts from a curated selection of brands from Denmark and elsewhere around the world.