COPENHAGEN SHOWHOW exhibition texts
FRITZ HAEG If you feel that we’ve paved paradise and put up a parking lot, this may be for you. Edible Estates describes how we can ‘eat our cities’ by transforming featureless lawns into productive oases. Not only sprouting the seeds of biodiversity, a garden in front of every house can transform a community by encouraging exchange and neighbourly responsibility.
BOMBARDIER One of the oldest forms of mass transportation, trains are such a good idea that they’re making a return journey into our lives. And, as Bombardier shows, they’re coming back in the right way: quieter, sleeker, smarter and more energy efficient. The train is a solution from the past that is proving a great idea for the future.
BIOMEGA For pure ‘head turning’ appeal, the bike has long been overtaken by the car as the must have vehicle. But with the introduction of Biomega, the race is on. Designed with style and performance in mind, the Biomega range of bicycles are not only turning heads but overturning perceptions. Biomega proves that, for 21st century urban transportation, two wheels can keep pace with four.
3XN From being something that you designed with, materials have become something that you actively design. 3XN put a little knowhow into Showhow by presenting one of their many experiments in new materials - a new organic compound that combines cork, hay, corn and soya beans. It’s just one of many recipes for a sustainable future that are coming our way.
IDEA OF A TREE How would it be to manufacture within natural cycles rather than outside of them? ‘The idea of a tree’ provides an answer. Powered by the sun, the intensity of the sunshine determines the size and appearance of the finished object. Each item is unique, just like the products of nature. Combining mechanical and natural processes in this way is the freshest of 21st century design thinking, and plants a seed that may make us rethink mass production forever.
ILLUMINATI II It’s cool to wear your principles on your skin but maybe not on your sleeve. Made from certified organic fair-trade cotton, Illuminati II fabrics are used by leading fashion brands around the world, including the company’s own Noir and Bllack Noir labels. This is sustainable fashion that aims to seduce your aesthetic sense as much as your conscience, demonstrating that doing good and looking good too is a match made in couture heaven.
SORT OF COAL If we looking for sustainable answers, it’s not always necessary to look ahead and devise new materials and processes. This project from Sort of Coal updates a traditional Japanese technique. Taking wood from trees that continue to grow after the wood is harvested to produce this special ‘white charcoal’, creates a renewable resource and captures and stores carbon. With great presentation and a sustainable business model, Sort of Coal is the sort of company that we’ll be seeing more of in the future.
NIKE Taking a sustainable approach to performance footwear, Nike ingeniously designed a new basketball shoe made from manufacturing waste. The Nike Trash Talk is not only environmentally friendly, it also meets the stringent on-court performance requirements. The result of Nike’s ‘considered’ ethos that challenges designers to use innovation to help reduce overall environmental impact, Trash Talk is a slam dunk of a good idea.
FREITAG Made from recycled materials old truck tarpaulin, a car seat belt and a bicycle inner tube Freitag is a success story that’s much greater than the sum of its parts. Established with the simple desire for the perfect messenger bag, the company has grown into a hip global business that shows the potential of meeting needs sustainably.
I DO 30 Even a small change, if enough people do it, can make a big difference. That’s the idea behind the I DO 30 campaign, which recommends that people to do their wash at 30 degrees. Turning down the dial a notch or two will help keep your conscience whiter than white.
HARRY VRS LARRY Unless you’re familiar with the Copenhagen bike paths, you might not know the feeling of being stuck behind a wide cargo bike, unable to pass. This concept from Harry vrs Larry, just might take the opposition out of the cycle rush hour. But, with a sleek design and a name like the BULLET, perhaps you won’t be needing to overtake after all.
VELORBIS Does the thought of being a spandex-covered cyclist put a stop to your two-wheel dreams? High-tech racing or mountain bikes not for you? Well you don’t have to put the breaks on style just because you choose the bike. Take a look at these lightweight models from VELORBIS which, with a hip retro feel, are just of the moment.