Make this moment mater | 3 Days of Design

From June 10–12, Copenhagen once again became the international stage for design, creativity, and innovation. The theme, “Make This Moment Matter,” was less a promise for the future and more a reflection of the present. Rather than focusing on the design icons of yesterday or the visions of tomorrow, the festival placed the significance of the present moment at its center: What can design achieve today?

While many seek answers in the past or look toward the future, the festival presented a clear perspective: the most important time is now. Design reveals its impact in this very moment — where people live, work, connect with one another, and create memories.

Back to stories

With the exhibition Tempus, De La Espada celebrated the beauty of the present moment and the enduring value of true craftsmanship.

This mindset was reflected in numerous exhibitions and installations. Rather than focusing solely on product presentations, the emphasis was placed on sensory experiences, honest materials, and meaningful encounters. Craftsmanship met innovation, while tradition engaged with new perspectives. Many brands demonstrated how design can create spaces that foster community, evoke emotion, and enrich everyday life.

In keeping with the festival’s theme, Vipp and the Spanish architecture studio Mesura created a butter-yellow pool installation that placed connection, lightness, and shared experiences at its center. The matching Swivel Chair, released as a special edition, became the embodiment of the installation itself: colorful, inviting, and inherently social.

Design is increasingly being understood as an experience

Light, materiality, acoustics, and tactility are consciously employed to create atmosphere and bring people together. The focus is shifting away from the spectacular standalone object and toward a more fundamental question: how can design make our everyday lives more meaningful

In a staging inspired by Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey, Flos presented its new Nocturne lighting system, which builds upon Noctambule. Here, light became more than illumination – it emerged as the defining element of the entire spatial experience.

Dusty Deco transformed a showroom in Christianshavn into an inspiring experiential universe. Art, materials, and deliberately orchestrated contrasts created spaces that went far beyond a traditional product presentation. Among sculptural furniture, artistic details, and intriguing material combinations, an installation unfolded that vividly expressed the creative identity of the Swedish brand. A captivating blend of elegance and effortless nonchalance.

Lighting is allowed to entertain, too

...and color is allowed to make us happy

Bold hues, unexpected combinations, and daring presentations demonstrated just how strongly color influences our perception. From Montana to Verner Panton, color became an experience in itself—sensory, emotional, and full of energy.

Quality surpasses novelty – craftsmanship becomes luxury

It is no longer the newest product that commands attention, but the best one. Many brands focused on telling the stories behind their products, revealing how much knowledge, time, and craftsmanship are invested in every detail. From the handwoven rugs of Jan Kath and the timeless furniture of Carl Hansen & Søn to the meticulously crafted objects of De La Espada, the atmospherically curated furniture, accessories, and fragrances of Frama, and the sculptural lighting of A-N-D, a common thread ran through many presentations: true quality emerges where material expertise, thoughtful design, and skilled craftsmanship come together.

The 3 Days of Design 2026 once again demonstrated why Scandinavian design remains so relevant and continues to hold its place on the international design stage: it combines aesthetics with purpose, innovation with humanity, and functionality with emotion.

Make This Moment Matter – an invitation not only to admire great design, but to experience its value in the here and now.

Feeling deeply inspired, we are already looking forward to the projects ahead.

ZURÜCK ZU STORIES