Of all the design fairs in the world, very few spark a vivid impression of energy, creativity, and diversity quite like Copenhagen’s 3daysofdesign. Much of this stems from the city’s picturesque architecture, which includes walkable streets, striking waterfront, and colorful townhouses, all serving as the festival’s yearly backdrop.
In a fair often dominated by high-concept displays, a rather quaint exhibition has found breeding ground in Gammel Strand 48, a public square famous for its narrow street with tight lanes. If you monitor the street’s architecture closely, you would realise that the buildings here stand so close together that you could stretch a banner between their windows. This is precisely what the curators of ‘10 Days of Summer’ did.
Curated by the Finnish Cultural Institute in Denmark in collaboration with a cadre of Finland-based designers, the ’10 Days of Summer’ exhibition puts Finnish designers in the spotlight for three days and nights, whose work will reflect the fleeting, unpredictable essence of Finland’s summer months. Exhibition curator Anne Blond states, “The exhibition offers a refreshing counterpoint to the event’s frenetic pace and distinguishes itself through its thoughtful simplicity and deep connection to place.”
The curator also articulates the exhibition’s philosophy: “The Finnish summer is fleeting and unpredictable. Yet when it comes, it sings to all our senses: sun-warmed pine, sweet wild berries, the sizzling warmth of the sauna heat, waterside views, and endless light. Even 10 days can feel like eternity.”
This emotion underpins a collection of furniture and functional objects that are currently on display at Copenhagen’s 3daysofdesign. “The collection is designed to enhance outdoor living, a seasonal imperative in the Nordics where balconies, terraces, gardens, and archipelagos become extensions of the home,” exhibition architect Pinja Koskelin suggests.
Homecrux reached out to these designers who represent the breadth of Finnish design today, with their creations addressing the region’s capricious weather. Among the highlights is Antrei Hartikainen’s Variant collection, featuring side tables and planters that evolve with the seasons. “As weather conditions change radically, there is a need for furniture that can adapt to different uses. The shapes, materials, and uses of the Variant collection blend into the changing environment as the harshness of spring changes to the colorful splendor of summer and finally to the raw beauty of autumn before winter arrives,” Hartikainen informs.
Another designer, Tatu Laakso’s meanwhile, draws inspiration from the softened edges of snow-covered landscapes and the melting ice of spring. “I’m exhibiting kuutti solid wood outdoor chairs whose structure and generous dimensions are designed to withstand harsh weather conditions and heavy outdoor use,” Tatu tells us.
“Constructed from solid wood, with one version treated using traditional tarring and charring methods, these chairs evoke the rugged charm of Finnish Lapland while nodding to the endangered Saimaa ringed seal, known by the name kuutti in Finnish, through their friendly, rounded silhouettes,” he elaborates.
Elsewhere, Elisa Defossez Kikuchi’s Yhdessa reimagines textiles as modular objects. “This linen fabric, sliced into adaptable pieces with a button system, shifts from sauna towel to picnic blanket, celebrating the Finnish summer’s communal spirit,” she states. Another notable element at the fair is Jonas Lutz’s ‘A Summer Sanctuary’, a greenhouse-inspired table design that seeks to prolong summer’s fleeting joy, while Salla Luhtasela’s Maisa barbecue grill, made from Finnish red clay, is reminiscent of familial fireside gatherings.
Helsinki-based designer Ville Auvinen brings the FOLD terrace table and Amber lamp to the exhibition. Elucidating his idea about the creation, Ville notes, “The Fold terrace table is a clever solution for maximizing space in small terrace areas. Designed with versatility in mind, the table seamlessly transforms from a dining table to a low coffee table, offering two functions in one compact design. Constructed from lightweight, heat-treated pine, the table’s base provides durability, while the thin aluminum top maintains a lightness and covers the structure, providing resistance to outdoor elements throughout all four seasons.”
“Crafted from surplus materials salvaged from Lunawood’s heat-treated wood production process, AMBER lamps transform an ordinary panel material into a beautiful and functional outdoor feature,” the designer tells Homecrux while reflecting his thoughts on the lamp design.
The exhibition is also graced by the Pomelo Chair designed by Aino Michelsen. Made from durable, low-maintenance materials and stackable for easy storage, Pomelo brings a sense of summer wherever it goes. “The chair is inspired by the places we dream of during the long, cold winter months. The furniture piece draws inspiration from colourful beach seating and the charm of Finnish summer cottages, where furniture and objects from different eras layer over time and slowly become part of the space, reflecting all the different generations that have spent their summers there,” she states.
Other designers exhibiting at the event include Mika & Julie Tolvanen, who are presenting the Grate table collection alongside a triangular ceramic birdhouse called Koti. Aleksi Peltonen is showcasing OT01, a sculptural, minimalist series of outdoor furniture, while Samuli Helavuo have the VANAMO bench system placed alongside a watering can. Not to mention, Henry Judin, who is presenting Pivot, a modular outdoor lounge chair, all drawing inspiration from Finnish seasons.
The exhibition, running as part of 3daysofdesign 2025, captures the duality of Nordic summers, carefree yet tinged with melancholy, and offers a solace from the relentless pace of modern life. As the works of these Finnish designers appear, fade, and reappear in the interplay of summer and winter, they affirm design’s power to distil the ephemeral into the eternal, if only for 10 days and 3 nights.
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