Copenhagen Brief

Welcome to The Sociable Kitchen, a podcast by Kvik. I'm Julie Broberg. This episode is a little bit different. Every year in June, Copenhagen becomes the center of the design world during 3daysofdesign, a week where designers, architects, brands, and creative thinkers from around the world gather to explore not only what we're creating, but why design matters in our lives.

This year's festival was built around a simple invitation: Make this moment matter. In that spirit, Kvik invited four respected European voices to take part in the Copenhagen Brief, a conversation designed to step outside the Danish design bubble and see ourselves through fresh eyes. Instead of asking Danes to define Danish design, we asked international designers, researchers, and journalists a different set of questions.

What still makes Danish design distinctive?

How is it perceived beyond Denmark's borders?

And what role should design play in shaping the homes and the lives of tomorrow?

We called it the Copenhagen Brief because it isn't intended to be the final word on Danish design. It's a snapshot, a moment in time that captures how some of Europe's most thoughtful design voices see Denmark today.

The conversation was moderated by Majken Kalhave, one of Denmark's leading design strategists and executive director at Creative Denmark. Joining her were four remarkable women, each bringing a different perspective.

From the Netherlands, Renske Schreimer is a design journalist, tastemaker, and founder of DegijsBrech. Sorry about my pronunciation, I just don't do Dutch. She's a recipient of the Creative Heroes Award, and she has spent decades exploring the relationship between design, communities, and culture.

From Sweden, Sarah Garanty is an interior designer and colour expert who collaborates with leading Scandinavian brands, including Rockfon, StoLab, and Flügger. She lectures internationally on colour psychology for designers and architects, and teaches her own online courses dedicated to the science and emotional impact of colour.

From Spain, Marisa Santamaria is one of Europe's foremost trend researchers and design journalists. She is brand ambassador for Maisons & Objets and Paris Design Week, a professor of polidesign at Politecnico di Milano and IE University, and works across France, Italy, and Spain exploring the future of design and innovation.

And from Germany, but now based in Aarhus, Saskia Heubner is an interdisciplinary designer working across interiors, products, and communication. Her work explores the relationship between design, art, and human behavior, with a strong focus on creating purposeful design that contributes positively to contemporary society. Danish listeners might remember her from Denmark's Next Design Classic on DR.

Throughout the conversation, you'll hear very different perspectives. Some agree, some challenge one another, but they paint a fascinating picture of how Danish design is perceived today and where it might be heading. I should note that the conversation took place outdoors in a lovely Copenhagen courtyard garden, so you will hear birds chirping and some street sounds.

We did our best with the sound, but we hope you forgive us for a bit of real world noise. Let's join Majken as she asks Renske to give us a snapshot of her view on what's distinctly Danish about Danish design.