Contact
menu
Contact
menu
Caption: “In Denmark, we tend to replace our kitchen every ten years, which is actually quite insane. VOLA is one of the only products from the kitchen that many people would likely take with them into the next one. I find that inspiring,” states Majken Kalhave.
By Louise Witt
"You live life the way it’s meant to be lived!”
Phrases such as this have been heard many times by Director Majken Kalhave during her five years as head of the public-private organization Creative Denmark, which promotes Denmark’s creative industries to international audiences. It happens when she and her team welcome foreign delegations who have come to experience Danish design and architecture.
According to Majken Kalhave, these remarks pinpoint what Danish design and architecture companies have to offer internationally: well-thought-out solutions with people at the center.
"Across all delegations, something that they’re quite impressed by is how holistic our solutions are. It's a word that’s used often, but it's the best word," states Majken Kalhave.
Visitors are excited to be introduced to projects such as Israels Plads and Nordhavn in Copenhagen, or the housing experiment "Living Places Copenhagen".
They find it inspiring how Israels Plads, which previously housed parking spaces, has today become a lively, playful urban space. This has been made possible because cars are now parked underground, and a new fountain has been integrated to collect rainwater and act as climate protection against flooding (COBE architects).
In Nordhavn, the guests are impressed by how the former industrial area has now been transformed into a varied, sustainable district based on the principle that all necessities are within a five minutes' reach – whether on foot, by bike, or by metro (COBE architects, SLETH, Polyform, Vilhelm Lauritzen Architects, and STED By & Landskab).
They also notice how the prototype housing project for the future ‘Living Spaces Copenhagen’ manages to have an annual CO2 footprint that is just one-third of the permitted maximum CO2 footprint under Danish law. This is while also being light and airy, having a very good indoor climate, and matching the market price (VELUX and EFFEKT).
“There is a great interest in experiencing the human-centered approach: how we come up with solutions that drive a green transition and at the same time have a holistic approach, working to enhance people’s quality of life. Solutions can be functional and simplify life, while also being attractive, inviting and emotionally engaging. It is a combination we see high interest in. The opposite would be a design that is highly sustainable, but impractical and unattractive,” says Majken Kalhave.
Furthermore, international guests notice details that were not part of the visit, such as the Danish cycle paths that are separated from the road by a curb. Additionally, they notice garbage cans along the cycle paths in Copenhagen that are tilted, so it is easy for cyclists on the move to throw away, for example, an apple core or a juice box.
“There is so much that we as Danes take for granted, for example, the curb on the cycle path that protects us from cars. Visitors are impressed by the well-thought-out solutions and the interdisciplinary approach that lies behind them. We are often asked if the different professional fields can really collaborate well across disciplines," says the director of Creative Denmark.
If Majken Kalhave herself were to briefly describe what characterizes Danish design and architecture today in an international perspective, it would be sustainable, long-lasting solutions that are simple in an elegant, contemporary way, as well as a core focus on people, and a strong tradition of craftsmanship.
“We are often more expensive than others, but fundamentally Danish design is not more expensive: you just put down a really big deposit because the design lasts for generations,” says the Creative Denmark director.
“VOLA is a particularly good example of this. VOLA has a product that is well thought out and elegant. It has worked for decades without changing the design. They have improved and added tiny things. It is craftsmanship that has a quality that allows it to be used again and again – and it is design for disassembly, so it can be taken apart and components can be reused,” she states.
"Our thorough innovation and production processes are a quality that gives products and solutions higher value and a longer lifespan. But we can be challenged by the fact that our processes are slow. We are so thorough and skilled and inclusive in our design processes that we sometimes risk being overtaken internally by others who are running along with AI and coming out faster," says Majken Kalhave.
