3daysofdesign, renowned for its annual festival celebrating design, innovation and creativity, is proud to feature District Refshaleøen, demonstrating its commitment to the pivotal role design plays in shaping a more sustainable world.

Introduced last year, District Refshaleøen has been transformed from its past as an industrial zone into a vibrant urban hub in the harbour of Copenhagen, home to entrepreneurs, artisans, cultural venues, modern recreational facilities and more. During 3daysofdesign, the district will host a vast array of symposiums, workshops, exhibits and events revolving around sustainability and materiality. The aim is to encourage the exchange of ideas, innovative concepts and meaningful conversation, as the impetus for a united effort towards sustainable practices, mindful materials and conscious consumption.

“District Refshaleøen is a testament to our unwavering commitment to advancing sustainability in the design industry and beyond, by providing a platform for creativity and collaboration, dialogue and discoveries, we hope to inspire a collective consciousness about the ability of design to help us re-imagine a more sustainable future, along with our own ability to inspire actionable change. It all starts with a dream.”
_{Signe Byrdal Terenziani, Co-Founder & Managing Director of 3daysofdesign.}

In keeping with this year’s theme, DARE TO DREAM, 3daysofdesign has orchestrated spaces all across District Refshaleøen to serve as dreamscapes, facilitating the opportunity for reflection and contemplation.

“Dreams are the gateway to our innermost thoughts and a springboard for the imagination,” notes Terenziani.” We’ve designed spaces across the district so visitors can pause, process what they’ve experienced at the festival - and dream.”

What to discover at District Refshaleøen  

COMMON GROUND Symposium – This year, 3daysofdesign collaborates with IKEA to create a space for dreaming bold dreams for our future – with the symposium “COMMON GROUND Symposium”. It is an exchange of perspectives serving as a platform during the festival where experts, innovators, and designers meet to explore the intersection of sustainability, materials, and circular design principles. Come and engage in thoughtful dialogue, share insights and strategies aimed at fostering a future where we no longer discuss sustainability as an option, because it is woven into the very fabric of our industry. Attendees are invited into a dreamy playground designed by IKEA at The Forest in Food Studio, where slowness and time for reflection is a priority - and we dare you to dream. Look out for the full programme.

Food Studio, known for creating exceptional gastronomic experiences, will create the setting for the 3daysofdesign HUB at Refshaleøen, where you can also see the installation by Bonnie Hvillum from Natural Material Studio. Investigating how the design process can evolve, while challenging a conventional belief in capitalist systems, the sensorial and hyper-materialistic installation aims to blur the boundaries between art and design, fact and fiction, inside and outside, human and material. It all takes place in The Club House at Food Studio.  

TRANSCENDENCE - A new exhibition concept curated by Frederikke Aagaard from Together Architecture delves into the diverse realm of materials and their endless possibilities. TRANSCENDENCE seeks to challenge our pre-conceived notions of materials, while immersed in a tactile experience of alluring textures, natural fibres and sleek composite surfaces. Each display invites introspection and an appreciation of the role materials play in shaping our surroundings, how we relate to objects and each other. Read more about TRANSCENDENCE here.

Community Engagement – In a move to promote collaborative projects aimed at empowering local communities to adopt sustainable practices, 3daysofdesign is also the backdrop for a series of hands-on workshops from industry experts, inviting visitors to explore innovative materials and new design practices. The workshops take place at various exhibitions throughout District Refshaleøen. Experience the making of traditionally eelgrass thatched roofs at Søuld, have a go at glassblowing at Blæs, or join Omar City at the 3daysofdesign hub weaving chairs. Download our 3daysofdesign app and create your own bespoke calendar of events to visit.

Thought-Provoking Experiences – These are just some of the immersive, thought-provoking experiences slated for our festival this summer, encouraging visitors to re-think their relationship with our planet, and take action to protect it. Inspired by an array of both new and known names working with sustainable designs, unconventional materials, and innovative technologies. Exhibitors showcasing at District Refshaleøen include Noma Projects, Aalto University, The Material Way, Royal Danish Academy, Made by Choice, NEUSCHNEE, ID Collective, Barlby Carlsson, Light Cognitive, Space of Mind, Johanna Gullichsen among others. See the full list of District Refshaleøen Exhibitors.

Across District Refshaleøen’s raw landscape you will find GRID System modules to help direct you from one exhibit to the next. In this collaboration, 3daysofdesign has worked with GRID System to re-purpose their re-cycled modular cube system, which will be returned and re-used for future events after the festival.  

To get the full experience of 3daysofdesign sign up for our Design Walks to visit selected Exhibitions in various festival districts, and gain insights into Copenhagen’s rich cultural heritage and award-winning architecture.