3 Days of Design: Highlights from Copenhagen

When the 3 Days of Design take place in Copenhagen, the city is transformed into a festival for all the senses, while also offering a glimpse into the future of design.

Between red and white flags fluttering in the early summer breeze and buttery kanelsnurrer in the windows of chic bakeries, there is something in the air: a hint of cinnamon, cardamom – and the faint inkling that something big is happening here. For three days, design takes over the city – and those who know what to look for will discover it everywhere: on banners on building facades, in open showrooms, in leafy courtyards with a cup of coffee in hand while engaging in design discussions among peers.

Keep it real – stay honest and curious

‘Keep it real’ was this year’s motto – a call for authenticity, sensuality, and substance at a time when so much appears filtered, smoothed over, and artificial. Rather than digital illusions, the festival focused on authenticity: honest materials, tangible processes, personal encounters. Design should not only look good, it should feel good as well – emotionally, functionally, and ecologically. The 3 Days of Design 2025 have once again shown how design can take responsibility without losing its magic. Every square metre demonstrated that design is also fun: from the open courtyard with Champagne reception to spontaneous talks in the showroom – authenticity in its purest form. The visual identity of the festival – illustrated by Swedish graphic designer Andreas Samuelsson – set a quiet tone for key events: with clear lines, abstract everyday objects, and playful symbolism. A graphic invitation to take a look – and take a deep breath.

Light-flooded – Pas Normal x VELUX

To kick things off, I felt drawn to Pas Normal Studios – two former brick warehouses that now serve as headquarters, a concept store, and a café for one of Scandinavia’s coolest bicycle brands. Under the title ​‘Daylight Design and its Impact on Humans and Spaces’, neuroscientist Selma Tir, designer Thomas Lykke, and sustainability expert Lone Feifer discussed how natural light can change spaces (and people). And it was almost too good to remain merely theoretical: while the speakers talked about circadian rhythms, healthy indoor air, and new window systems, soft daylight accompanied by a gentle breeze streamed through the generously proportioned roof glazing – proof of what design can achieve when science, architecture, and everyday life come together.

Scandinavian midsummer

As a visitor from more southern climes, I was surprised at how light it remains in the north in the middle of the year – well into the evening. No wonder light plays a different role here: it is not just directed or dimmed, but celebrated. At VELUX, it became clear that windows are more than just structural necessities; they are emotional interfaces between the interior and the exterior. Daylight influences our mood, our performance, and our health. As Thomas Lykke from OEO Studio said: ​‘Light and shadow are like flavour – without contrast, everything seems bland.’

Sustainability without pathos – BIG x Domus x Nerosicilia

Another theme that was subtle yet present was sustainability. No green posters, no preachy slogans – just real projects that open up new perspectives on materials, recycling, and responsibility. Particularly impressive was the collection of lava stone tables designed by BIG – Bjarke Ingels Group for Nerosicilia. The tables are made from recycled volcanic rock from Mount Etna – a by-product of industrial processing that is refined using a patented process involving fire, water, and oxidation. Archaic, almost magmatic in appearance, the pieces tell of the raw power of nature – tamed, shaped, and transformed by precise design. Instead of greenwashing, this is a serious statement in favour of circular construction, radical material honesty, and precision craftsmanship. In cooperation with DOMUS, there was also a discussion about how we can make not only buildings but entire urban systems more resilient, adaptable, and poetic – with the courage to reduce and the desire to transform.

Handcraftsmanship & attitude – Tameko and Massimo

Those in search of authenticity found it at Tameko and Massimo, among others – two labels that not only manufacture products but also weave attitudes. Tameko, a young Danish studio strongly inspired by Japanese design philosophy, is all about carpets that radiate tranquillity, celebrate reduction, and touch the onlooker with their material honesty. Hand-woven from natural fibres such as jute, hemp, and wool, the carpets are created in close collaboration with artisans in India and are more than just textile objects – they are textile manifestos promoting mindfulness, time, and value. ​‘We believe in the simple, the sensual, the timeless,’ says the Tameko Journal – and that’s exactly what you feel.

It’s similar at Massimo: for over two decades, carpets have been carefully handcrafted here, combining tactile depth with graphic clarity. Natural materials, fair production conditions, and a quiet, Scandinavian-inspired elegance characterise the collections – no loud statements, just a quiet presence.

The loom in the Bolia showroom, at which an Indian craftsman was showcasing his craft, served as an almost meditative counterpoint to the overheated digital world. No gimmick, but rather an honest testimony: this is not simulation, but weaving. A reminder that good design often begins with touch – with material, with history, with the people behind it.

My highlights: Brokis, Karimoku, Audo & New Works

• Brokis impressed at Framing in the Odd Fellow Palace with poetic lighting design objects such as COMET, inspired by the tail of a comet, and UNDER PRESSURE, a luminous study of the interplay of cracks in glass.
• Karimoku Case, the Japanese furniture brand, presented its ​‘Echoes of Texture’ exhibition, together with Linie Design in a setting curated by Norm Architects – wood, textiles, light, and tranquillity in perfect harmony.
• Audo Copenhagen and New Works shone with intuitive, sculptural interiors that are both tactile and visually appealing – furniture like hugs, lights like luminous poetry.

And what remains?

Over these three days, Copenhagen has shown that design can be more than just object culture. It is attitude, process, and social practice. It can be seen in the details as well as in the big picture – between bicycle saddles and New Nordic cuisine, between old apartments and glass facades, between light and shadow. And as the scent of cinnamon and cardamom slowly wafts through the alleys, a positive feeling remains: design is not something abstract. It is everywhere. If you only look closely.

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