3 Days of Design Copenhagen 2026 offered a dense mix of exhibitions, historic tours and spontaneous encounters that highlighted how design’s vitality is felt in different contexts.
Historic legacies on display
Fritz Hansen opened the week with a press tour that traced the work of Arne Jacobsen and Poul Kjærholm across the city. The tour began at the SAS Royal Hotel, where Jacobsen’s 1960 suite remains untouched, and continued to the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, where the CEO’s private office showcased a well‑worn PK collection of leather and steel pieces. The contrast between museum‑preserved rooms and lived‑in spaces set the tone for the week’s recurring theme: how objects shift from static display to lived experience.
At the Kjærholm Residence, visitors entered a home still inhabited by the designer’s son, Thomas, and his mother‑architect, Hanne. The furniture, designed by Poul Kjærholm, sat beside rustic walls, creating a “precision inside simplicity” that felt less like a curated exhibit and more like a lived‑in archive. The experience illustrated why the same object can feel alive in one setting and merely preserved in another.
Sound, light and communal spaces
Fritz Hansen’s Sound Club activation answered that question by weaving furniture, lighting and music into a single environment. Designed by A Part of Sum and built by Snedkergaarden Sixten, the central yellow kiosk hosted daily DJ sets, inviting guests to lounge on classic PK pieces while listening to an exclusive record titled “Presence.” The installation also featured a limited‑edition Kaiser Idell lamp and a matching Technics turntable, both slated for release later in the year.
Related: Surry Hills terrace of friendship, colour, Japanese restraint
Els Van Hoorebeeck, the brand’s Creative Director, explained that “sound plays a direct role in how we experience space,” a principle embodied through three interconnected zones: an outdoor courtyard with a DJ booth, a café lounge with vinyl players, and a podcast studio surrounded by vintage PK furniture. The event’s low‑key vibe—more about slowing down than broadcasting—allowed participants to feel the energy of the space rather than merely observe it.
Unexpected moments and personal reflections
Beyond the official programme, a series of spontaneous encounters highlighted the event’s less‑curated energy. Designer Tommy Jiang carried his prototype chair through Copenhagen’s streets, engaging passersby with a simple invitation: “Need a chair? Wanna try it?” He logged dozens of conversations and meaningful exchanges, showing a growing trend among emerging creators to test ideas directly with people rather than relying on formal exhibitions.
Australian hardware brand Bankston teamed with Substack founder David Michon for a playful installation that featured mirrors bearing cheeky messages like “Pull me closer.” The co‑CEO repeatedly ran to a nearby shop for more drinks, spilling them onto the street and prompting laughter among the crowd. The scene, though unpolished, radiated an authentic energy that many attendees found more memorable than meticulously staged showcases.
Immersive installations that engage the senses
File Under Pop’s Confluentia Colorum transformed the Marble Church (Marmorkirken) into a multisensory environment. Hand‑painted textiles in a spectrum of colours draped the pews, while custom scents and a soundscape filled the nave. Curator Josephine Yaa Akuamoa described the project as an “ancient language” of colour that is felt before it is understood. One visitor left the space in tears, a reaction that highlighted the power of immersive design to bypass intellectual analysis.
Related: Corridor Is the Star of Atelierzero’s Milan Renovation
Other notable exhibitions included Royal Copenhagen’s revival of the 1976 Triton dinnerware collection, originally designed by goldsmith Arje Griegst, and the Project Materia showcase, where nine international artists created sculptural objects from a single circular composite called Matek—made from upcycled coffee shells, sawdust and recycled plastic.
Design’s “life energy” in practice
Throughout the week, a recurring motif emerged: the intangible “life energy” that cannot be manufactured through branding or hype alone. Whether it was the quiet dignity of a preserved PK chair in a private office, the spontaneous dialogue sparked by a street‑carried prototype, or the collective buzz of a DJ‑driven lounge, each experience demonstrated that genuine engagement often stems from unplanned moments.
The party featured DJ performances by Dario Reicherl (as his alter ego Namansi), Seoul‑based Oviduct, and Parisian Louise Chen, blending music and design in a way that felt less like a showcase and more like a shared celebration.
Looking beyond the visual
Design professionals at the event were reminded that beauty, while essential, serves merely as a baseline. The true challenge lies in delivering experiences that extend beyond visual appeal.
Related: Valencia workspace gets Tokyo inspired makeover
One designer asked what sits above beauty and answered that the capacity of a work to generate authentic, unforced energy that resonates with people in varied settings is the key.
In a city where architecture and history already set a high standard, Copenhagen’s 3 Days of Design encouraged attendees to look sideways for moments of genuine connection.
From the quiet contemplation inside the Marble Church to the lively dance floor of the Sound Club, the week illustrated that design’s most compelling qualities often emerge when expectations are set aside and the space is allowed to breathe.
Leave a Reply