Kolding School of Design

Kolding School of Design
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The world needs change—more sustainability, stronger communities, and a better life for all. That’s why design isn’t just about creating something new; it’s also about improving what already is there, making it more beautiful, functional, playful, and appealing. It’s about listening to people’s needs and involving them in creating future solutions. At Kolding School of Design, creative people from all over the world come together to do just that—through craftsmanship, artistic expression, and research. The teaching is based on practical experience, the latest knowledge, and close collaboration with the outside world.

This exhibition brings together a new generation of designers working across education, research, and collaboration. In a world shaped by overproduction and climate change, they shift from more to meaningful—focusing on lasting value over surface. Grounded in real needs, materials, and questions, their projects show how design can contribute to society and industry—offering thoughtful responses rather than fixed answers. Moving between solutions and open explorations, they are shaped by curiosity, care, and responsibility. Look closer. Ask questions. Be present. This is where change begins.

Related Exhibitions
Founded in Hong Kong in 2019, CHICHOIMAO is a woodworking studio co–founded by one human and two cats. Its name, 自在貓,Cantonese for a “cat at ease,” reflects a philosophy of in the moment. Although the Year of Singularity nears, the studio still believes human touch and emotional memories still count, preserved through analogue creations rather than digital ones. Every work is handcrafted with joinery techniques to honour minimalist forms and the tactile warmth of timber. These pieces bring harmony to modern homes, helping people slow down and find beauty in the lasting, soulful moments of the everyday.
CHICHOIMAO
January 11, 2026
Accessories
New Light Pottery is a lighting manufacturer based in the ancient former Japanese capital of Nara. Founded in 2015 by designers Hiroyuki Nagatomi and Chizu Nara, the company creates understated designs that highlight the textures and natural beauty of brass, glass, ceramic and traditional Japanese washi paper. Each lamp is handcrafted in Japan by skilled artisans. Supporting Japanese craftsmanship and the artisans who keep these traditions alive has been central to New Light Pottery’s mission from the very beginning. Keeping production in Japan also allows for minor adjustments, special orders and unique finishes.
New Light Pottery
December 17, 2024
Lighting
Part of 2025
Part of 2026
Helle Mardahl Studio operates at the intersection of art and functionality to create a dreamy universe of richly coloured glass designs of eccentric deviance. A graduate of London’s Central Saint Martins, Helle Mardahl is an artist and designer whose work is marked by a sense of lavishness and extravagance combined with a sense of flamboyance. As a designer, Helle Mardahl is concerned with the beauty of contrasts. Her richly coloured glass designs are alive and natural, fragile yet robust, simple yet ornate.
Helle Mardahl Studio
January 27, 2022
Accessories
Lighting
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Part of 2023
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Finarte is Finland's leading design house for rugs and soft accessories, creating award–winning interior items for joyful living. Founded in 1985 and now in the second generation, Finarte is a forerunner in sustainability, championing the use of recycled textiles and natural materials since its inception four decades ago. Inspired by Finnish weaving traditions, especially the räsymatto (rag rug), Finarte collaborates with Finnish designers and Indian artisans to reinterpret traditional craftsmanship, redefining Nordic design as they blend heritage with avant–garde aesthetics. During 3daysofdesign, Finarte can be found at two locations: PLAYROOM in District Kultur, and the Scandinavian Design Embassy in District Frederiksstaden.
Finarte
March 12, 2025
Rug & Floor
Part of 2025
Part of 2026
Other Exhibitions
Vandra Rugs crafts handmade rugs that blend contemporary design with exceptional craftsmanship. Made from high-quality natural materials like cotton, wool felt, wool yarn, and linen, each piece offers durability and a rich tactile experience. As a luxury lifestyle brand, Vandra Rugs produces made-to-order, handwoven rugs and tapestries with careful attention to quality and artistry. Founded 2007, the Ukrainian atelier unites skilled local artisans with Swedish design expertise, creating collections with cultural depth, technical precision, and Scandinavian sensibility. Vandra Rugs offers bespoke and collection pieces for residential, hospitality, and office interiors, with projects including Swedish Embassies and the Swedish National Board.
Vandra Rugs
February 12, 2024
Material Matters is a platform dedicated to exploring the role of material intelligence in architecture and design. With more than 150 podcasts published and four acclaimed editions of its annual fair staged in London, the brand made its international debut in Copenhagen in 2025 as part of 3daysofdesign. The debut fair exceeded expectations and confirmed the appetite for a deeper, more material–led conversation during Copenhagen's design festival. Building on this success, Material Matters returns to 3daysofdesign, reflecting design and architecture's fascination with what materials can do—and what they should no longer be asked to do.
Material Matters
November 4, 2024
Form Portfolios champions the legacies of designers through partnerships with brands, cultural institutions, and galleries. From historic icons to emerging contemporaries, Form uncovers and curates unique portfolios. Based in Providence, Rhode Island, with a creative studio in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Form Portfolios
February 1, 2024
An installation by Imogen Kwok featuring KØGE, and MARLOT BAUS hosted by Noura Residency. Craftsmanship, design, and cuisine are brought together not as separate disciplines, but as a singular living exhibition. In this collaboration, the boundaries between the permanent and the ephemeral are blurred. Here, the table sits in that suspended pause after making and before eating. It is a scene of organic materials that have been handled, and are waiting to be undone: Fat, powder, fruit, sugar. Cone, oval, sphere, leaf. This installation investigates the exact point at which they give meaning to objects and the materials that make them.
FAT POWDER FRUIT SUGAR
May 15, 2025
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