SCANDINAVIAN BY DESIGN 2016
Perhaps more so than in any other region, the practice of design in Scandinavia is deeply embedded in the cultural identity of the place. Innovative design in Scandinavia is a highly valued part of daily life, persisting ingeniously in the most commonplace of conditions. Design is apparent in every facet of their culture—from print media to city planning. Our current digital era has propelled Scandinavian art and design into a complex stream of global images—yet it remains a model to emulate. Scandinavian design culture and practice is dedicated to design that can improve the quality of life both locally and globally and is based on the participatory (collaborative) design model. The participatory design model that asks that designers, architects, scientists, businesses, government and social institutions, collaborate and co-design with local and global communities to solve human need design problems. DESIGN IN A GLOBAL WORKPLACE
SCANDINAVIAN BY DESIGN 2016 Faculty Michelle Bauer Carpenter & Travis Vermilye Students Karlee Boschetto, Alexandra Christensen,John Courtney, Paulina Faith Emmons, Robert Fikes IV, Julie Delilah Goodman, Zachary Hueser, William Johnston, Kathryn Kimball, Max LaRue, Amy J Markowski, Nico van Poollen, Paige Reidarson, Ethan Stewart, Amber Weber, Keylana Wheeler, Lisa Winkler & Anna Zhylava We are grateful to all of the artists, designers, galleries, museums and firms in Denmark & Sweden that welcomed us. Thank you for opening your doors and our minds, sharing your expertise, professionalism and your passion for design. Danish Instutute for Study Abroad INDEX: Design to Improve Life, Kigge Hvid, Danish Architecture Centre, Guided bike tour DIS Danish Design Lecture, Courtney D. Coyne Jensen Krukow, Sille Krukow and Sterling Walston Gehl Architects, Jeff Risom, Partner and Head of Gehl Institute, MSC Museum of National History Frederiksborg Castle, Hillerød The Blue Planet Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Humlebæk, Denmark Tisvilde, Denmark - The North Sea RoboCat Bike Tour with Michela and Hilde CIID - Copenhagen Institute of Interaction Design IO Interactive Carlsberg Brewery NY Carlsberg Glyptotek YOKE, Lars Jessen, Interaction Designer Danish Design Museum ustwo, TSine Gunilla Videbæk, Designer Massive The Royal Danish Playhouse Amager Strand Playtype | E Type Khora Kronborg Slot, Helsingør Martime Museum Gilleleje, Denmark- The North Sea Make, Morton Brudholm, Strategic director, Partner & Kristoffer Gudbrand, Creative director, Partner Urgent Agency - Christian Pagh Viking Museum, Roskilde, Denmark Cathedral of St. Luke, or Roskilde Cathedral Thank You, Örn Ólason and Anders Frandsen, Co-founders Feed Me Mother
NYHAVN hygge
da n CPH HYGGE: A DANISH RITUAL OF ENJOYING LIFE’S SIMPLE PLEASURES KARLEE BOSCHETTO When searching Denmark, Copenhagen Harbor is the most popular photographed area in the city, due to it being a high profile location for tourism. The canal of Nyhavn is brought to life by the constant movement of people through the café’s, shops, and King’s New Square. The area is filled with fresh air, the sound of water from the canal washing up against the walls from the boat tours departing, and people seated down at each café, soaking in the sun, enjoying their Carlsberg. Walking along the cobblestone path, each café’s tables had their own flower arrangements and unique signs at each storefront. Danish culture was easy to fall in love with. As I walked down any street, there was cobblestone and flora of some sort. There were open windows and bike riders. There was the scent of fresh bread from a nearby bakery mixing in the air with that of the ocean.
Everything about Nyhavn resembled Danish culture leading its remarkable imagery to be perfect for me to represent as a Sense of Place. I collected postcards where I could along my journey through Denmark. They were not mailed, just kept, like keychain souvenirs, in-between pages of my journal with the intention to use them in a project. When introduced to the word “hygge,” I wanted to find somewhere that fully encompassed the meaning of the word for me. I rarely took out my camera to capture images for I wanted to remember each place by pure memory and one image on a piece of thick 4 by 6 inch paper. Each postcard is a piece of my journey. My Sense of Place is pieces of my memory morphed into my favorite place, representing the scope of my journey fused into in one place where I was continuously reminded of life’s simple pleasures.
Biking into town each morning, I would pass the Søerne, what our group called “the four lakes.” These lakes served as a landmark that I was out of Nørrebro and entering København. However, I always slowed my pace as I rode by in order to admire the beauty of the water and appreciate the grandeur of this historic capital. This area possessed an unparalleled combination of peacefulness from the lakes, spotted with elegant swans, while being surrounded by a bustling city. It was truly a place to take a moment of reflection and soak up the warmth of the nearly everpresent daylight, and colorful city. Continually, I felt drawn to this beautiful area. At the end of a long day, I would always find myself at these lakes to watercolor under a sprawling tree or watch the locals. After 9pm, lights would start flickering from within the surrounding buildings, despite the prolonged sunlight not fully dissipating. The locals would begin to disappear into their homes, the city noise would fade, and my place would be at the lakes. ALEXANDRA CHRISTENSEN
JOHN COURTNEY Copenhagen is an incredibly well put together city. The people, the streets, the buildings, the smørrebrød. The city projects a playful feeling. The bicycle is the main means of transportation in Copenhagen. My experiences were connected by bicycle and the bike is an adventure in and of itself. My art piece ‘Memory Lane’ is heavily conceptual. On these adventures the bicycle is the mechanism and your body the fuel, this remains true with Memory Lanel. The wheel is meant to be manually spun and stopped and spun backwards as the viewer interacts and explores the memories (photos) of my time abroad in Copenhagen. The user should use a light source, when in a dark area, to project the photos on a wall. The photos I choose were curated to show parts of the city I deeply connected with and to show the people I experienced them with. I hope the relationships I gained on the trip can shine threw in these photos.
There was one particular space in Denmark that will stay with me forever. It was the Kusama Installation at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art. In the beginning you stand in quite a long line, in a plain white hallway, wondering if whatever the room holds is really worth the wait. After stepping inside you feel like you’ve just walked through the wardrobe to Narnia. You’re immediately transported to somewhere truly magical and forget the outside world for a moment. I stood on a small 4x4 platform surrounded by water, in awe. Each wall is covered with a large mirror and you’re surrounded by beautiful ping-pong ball sized lights that pulse and glow different colors. Because of the mirrored walls it looks like the space is infinite. I never realized the full extent of opportunities you have when creating installations like this; the ability to create places for people that can shift their realities even for a minute. The way it felt to stand in the center of this room is an experience that I will never forget. - PAULINA FAITH
RUNDETÅRN The Rundetårn (or Round Tower in English), is a 17th-century tower located in central Copenhagen, Denmark. This is my sense of place because from there I can see everything in the city. I enjoy being up in high places and watching the view in silence. The tower itself it quite unique for instead of taking stairs, ladders, or even an elevator you go up a large spiral ramp to reach the top of the building. The journey up the ramp very interesting because it takes longer to climb up than your’d expect and you have very limited vision when trying to see what’s above and below. But the view at the top is the best part because you are free to wander around, relax, and experience the life of Copenhagen all around you. ROBERT FIKES IV
I have found myself to be amazed by Danish culture. Everything from the honest ways of life, to the unforgettably strong sense of individualism has brought me joy and opened my eyes. Denmark is an unusual little country, yet they set the standard for modern and efficient living. I experienced something more than a foreign culture. The ways I felt in Denmark sent shivers down my spine. My confidence blossomed, and my personal independence grew tenfold. I wasn’t just traveling alone, but I was traveling through a city that appreciated the individual. Many wonderful things were experienced and felt, yet many lessons were learned as well. The greatest lesson I learned was to always love and accept yourself, no matter the cost. Instead of feeling ashamed to be in my own body, I was liberated, my independent soul was powerful. I was finally free, and freedom was the most beautiful feeling I’ve ever felt. I’ve never seen you smile like that. JULIE GOODMAN
ZACH HUESER
WILL JOHNSTON A sense of place is defined as a combination of characteristics that make a place special. With that being said, what about the time in transit getting you to these places of importance? Ever since I lived in Brooklyn I found comfort and solace commuting to and from places on the train. This isn’t to say that these times I spent were comfortable and relaxing, but more in a sense of a place you can go and let your brain wander. If you want to read, write, listen to music, or zone out, this time on the tracks is yours to choose. Over the three week period we spent in Denmark we got to see a lot of special places and share once in a life time experiences, however, the most comforting place I found was sitting on the train watching the country side fly by.
Wednesday, June 8. Vestre Cemetery - located in the Kongens Engave district of Copenhagen, it is the largest cemetery in Denmark. We had the dire need to get lost on purpose - whatever reason it may have been. It was late afternoon. The skies were misty grey, with saturated hues of green hugging the landscape. Every sense of outside looked like the way earth does after it rains. Before time could catch itself, we found ourselves lost - here. We were joyful and free, riding through a place on our bikes that felt unearthly. It was lush, still and peaceful - every adjective to describe an area that overwhelms all else with goodness. We laid in the grass, patched with areas of daisies. With each inhale I was more consumed in the moment. Nature sounds and smells greeted my senses, something I had been homesick for while in Copenhagen. For those few minutes, my soul was at rest, allowing myself to tap into my creative mind and reflect on my experiences in Denmark thus far. I was humbled by the raw beauty and serenity in a place created for those who have passed. The pure peace I felt at Vestre Cemetery is abstract and nearly indescribable, symbolizing the background imagery in my piece. This work is a visual representation of the the contrast between nostalgia and new beginnings. The typography reads “ånde”, meaning “breathe” in Danish. When I laid in that grass, breathing, my mind was absent of stress, fear, or worry of new beginnings. My six weeks abroad dive deep into the continuous shaping of my character, and I’m not sure it was until I got home that I was able to reflect upon the places that really moved me, Vestre Cemetery being one of them. “…From the moment you took your first breath in this world and screamed I am here, to the beautiful person you’ve become, you are finding your way from where you began to where you will be.” - lines pulled from a message I received from my Dad while I was in Copenhagen, after he viewed some of my artwork. This piece is dedicated to him, and my time spent in such an unforgettable city. KATHRYN KIMBALL
City parks in Copenhagen are high volume community gathering places. There is no reliance on city-planned events to pull people to these areas. At almost any time of day, there is a healthy number of people coexisting among the grass and enjoying the city spaces. Why is this a luxury that Copenhageners enjoy while Denverites avoid Civic Center Park except for events? Through research and observation, it became clear that it was an issue of sense of safety and lack of motivation to be in this space. Civic Center Park tends to be the surrogate home for many of Denver’s homeless, and is adjacent to many of Denver’s most agitated citizens in front of the city’s capital. Despite being directly between many centers of culture and business, the park is largely devoid of the average citizen. Since we lack the welfare programs that eliminate a large homeless population (as Denmark does), we simultaneously need a way to draw more citizens to the park while creating a place for the homeless to fit into the park’s ecosystem. Copenhagen has a system where recyclable materials can be exchanged for small monetary rewards. This gives the homeless a chance to make some money while simultaneously keeping the city clean and giving them something to do. While Denver lacks such a system, there are workarounds. The busiest times at Civic Center Park are during brief food truck events, where many of the
city’s food trucks convene along the main drag of the park and put up a temporary outdoor event space for eating, promotions, and community gathering. The increase in foot traffic through the park is drastic during these times, so there must be a way to take advantage of that mass of people. Other cities in the U.S. have implemented food carts as a slightly more permanent version of food trucks, offering a cheap yet quality eating experience in a consistent location in the city. So instead of having temporary placements of food trucks, I suggest having some of the popular ones make the transition to food carts and maintain a more permanent position in the park. The carts will then sponsor a small group of homeless who will go around the park while people eat and collect their trash in return for a monetary return from the food cart that sponsors them. This gives everyone at the park a role in an ecosystem, as well as sufficient motivation to maintain the area as it is now a place that everyone holds an interest in. By providing a need that is clearly already present (easy to access food) and a role for the disenfranchised, we could breathe life anew into Civic Center Park. MAX LaRUE
AMY MARKOWSKI Tisvilde Hegn, a kilometre-long stretch of white sandy beach, clean seawater, sand dunes and blooming rose bushes. Here at the north part of the smaller island of Denmark is a place that reminds you of a fairy tale. When you first walk up to the beach you see the spread of rose bushes in bloom and the cool breeze hits your face. The areas near the beach host events and festivals from farmer markets to a fish festival where the locals get together and sell their catches in a pop-up tent and party the night away. When I first walked up I was blown away like the sail boats across the sea. The water was crisp but refreshing, and the reflection from the setting sun became the perfect lighting for every photograph and every place you looked, reminding me of being in a dream. I first started to hang around the rocks on the northern part of the beach then made my way down to the white sand. This is where I took the photograph of my footsteps in the sand, to show how perfect it was. After collecting seashells and trying to run along the beach, it was time to head back. But Tisvilde Hegn will always be on my revisit list.
Study abroad was one of the most influential parts of my educational career. It will always be something that I look fondly on. With Universities across the United States encouraging tens of thousands of students each year to go to study abroad, these programs are growing in size. At the same time there is a higher risk for students. Students are in a place they are not used to, in a culture they know less about then their own, and have the ability to unknowingly put themselves at risk. Even in small groups it can be easy to get lost and be unable to find the group. The best case scenario is that a student did not wake up that morning and make it to class or is just running late to the meet up point for the day. The worse case scenario is something no parent wants to think about. SAFEStudent is a way to quickly count all members of the trip and find their location. No longer do you have to do the hand count or call out method to locate your whole party. By a simple one-button press a trip leader can locate nearby students quickly, count who are there, who are not there, and locate missing students. Not every student has the fiscal ability to pay for phone or Internet on a study abroad trip and in many cases the class does not provide a phone for the student either. This can make communication to the trip leaders or local authorities extremely difficult. If just the trip leader can have these abilities, Safe Student can work anywhere where gps works.
How does SAFEStudent do this? Simple really, Nanotechnology. Nanotechnology is small technology at atomic or nano scale. Currently being implemented and tested more and more, the next century will have a spike in Nanotechnology use. One of the largest growing areas is food science, being used for making food last longer and study how food grows under different conditions. SAFEStudent uses Nanotechnology to create a beacon grid to triangulate students. Our small nanotechnology is put into gummy bears and has an adjustable life period based on the study abroad trip. Upon consumption of the gummy bears the beacon will be activated and the app group will be created based on localized clusters. Identify and creating blank profiles for each cluster to be updated by the trip leaders. These clusters will be used as beacons and triangulate the location based on other beacons and the emitting gps app. Feedback in the app will alert in red students out side of a set parameter distance, and blue for students with in the area. Knowing of the situation better the trip leaders can create a plan of action. SAFEStudent’s ultimate goal is to keep students safe and help trip leaders quickly count students to help ensure their safety. NICO VAN POOLEN
Although The Kalvebod Wave can be accessed by anyone walking through, the experience of this place is far deeper for me. I grew up in Southern California and spent many childhood memories near the ocean. There are specific beaches that still hold a place in my heart, and when visiting I can recall the experiences I felt as a child. So naturally I came into the space with a subjective heart as I walked around and watched as people jumped in the water or enjoyed the area to lounge and take a break from their day. Whenever I travel out of the country I seek out reminders of my home. It gives me a way to feel rightly placed in a foreign surrounding. The Wave in Copenhagen gave me a break from feeling out of place and brought me back to the sunny days filled with salty skin, the murmur of conversation and excited screams of joy followed by splashes. The structure exemplifies the curvature in the movement of water. It’s vast space encourages people to enjoy connections that would not normally happen on the sidewalk or in a restaurant. Here, there is space for all cultures, to enjoy natures most beautiful asset: the ocean. The Kalvebod Wave is more than coordinates, but a invitation to make the area your own without judgement of outside influences. It is simply a platform of empty space with the willingness to invite whoever comes its way. Surrounded by office buildings, the Wave is a great way to ease the minds of worker bees, and bring out the joy of life’s simplicities. Copenhagen is a place filled with a sense of play and with many areas around the city to enjoy a break from daily life, The Kalvebod Wave is amongst those spaces that fill people with joy. This same feeling arises in me when I walk down the beaches I spent my childhood. I could look around at The Wave and let the familiarity of home fill all of my senses with memories. PAIGE REIDARSON
My time in Europe helped to develop guidance for my career in user experience and research. While conversing with design firm executives throughout the trip, I began to grasp what was required of a professional in the design field. One visit left the greatest impact on how I set my goals as a professional in this field. When we arrived in MalmÜ, I had yet to find a firm that I would have considered leaving the United States for. Massive Studios made me reconsider those feelings. The firms before Massive were impressive in many aspects, however I felt as if the United States could provide similar opportunities. Massive’s environment, culture, and business philosophy drew my attention quickly. Their dedication to quality and teamwork inspired me. They nurtured future employees and their families through relocation packages and employment opportunities. We were lucky enough to tour their user research facilities, meet with staff, and participate in a short Q&A. The Q&A allowed me to see inside the mind of a game user researcher. We discussed day to day operations, future career opportunities, and company culture. The dialogue inspired me to revisit where I want to go with my career, and how I want to get there.
Video games have always fascinated and entertained me. I enjoy the artwork, user interaction, and critical thinking that goes into them. Reflecting on why a game does well, or what could be improved, aids the development process. Games user research embodies the analytical thinking and creative problem solving that goes into creating video games. After my trip to Massive, I have a greater understanding of the type of company I would like to work for. Massive incorporates the company culture and integrity I have been searching for in the gaming industry. They also understand the importance of user research and user centered design to inform and validate design decisions. Seeing how user research interacts with the development process at such a large firm shows how important it is to creating a successful product. The tour also gave me a new perspective on how to set my career goals as a user researcher. Will I ever move to MalmĂś to work for Massive? As of now, a decision is yet to be made. I do know this, I now have more confidence in my abilities and a better understanding of where I want my career to go as a user researcher. AMBER WEBER
Sense of Place: Frederiksborg Castle & Garden Hillerød, Denmark I have to say of all the really wonderful places we visited in Denmark, one place that stood out in my mind was the Frederiksborg Castle and its adjoining garden. I greatly appreciated the beauty of the inside of the castle’s cathedral; something about the religious paintings spoke to me as a Christian. Actually, I was amazed by all of the stunning artwork throughout the castle: the paintings, sculptures, and decorative pieces that I felt I could never produce. I found that I unexpectedly spent more time admiring the ceiling than I think I have ever done before. Being in this castle made me realize how often we tend not to take in everything around us, in all directions, not just in front of us. Even more amazing than the inside of the castle was the garden behind it! The Frederiksborg Garden included beautiful lakes and fountains. The trees were pretty to look at, with interesting shapes that I had only seen in movies. The sounds of birds happily chirping and water flowing also enhanced the experience. I found that even the air around the garden smelled pleasant, like fresh flowers and pine trees. The whole atmosphere just felt peaceful and relaxing. I loved it - the sights, the sounds, and the smells of this majestic natural world! KEYLANA WHEELER
I love history, unique architecture, science and education, so when I visited the Round Tower (RundetĂĽrn) in Copenhagen, I felt an instant connection. Built by King Christian IV, the RundetĂĽrn is to this day unique in the European world of architecture with its spiral walkway, which was used for transporting astronomical equipment to the observatory at the top. The tower is one of three components that make up the Trinitatis Complex, which also includes a church and the old university library, today used for gallery exhibits and concerts. Since its completion in 1642, the tower and its components have served many purposes, including being a safe haven for the people of Copenhagen during the British Naval attacks in 1807, drying laundry, storage of tanned hides and dried herbs, and even for theatre set painting.
While the traffic vibrations of the now grown Copenhagen hinder accurate modern astronomical calculations, amateur astronomers still use it regularly. In addition, it is the setting of annual bicycle and unicycle races! If you are lucky, it may be possible to find a few quiet moments inside the tower to sit and reflect on all of the people, animals, carts, cars and cyclists that have ventured up and down these spiraling tiled floors. Kings, tzars and tzarinas, astronomers, authors, students from centuries past, as well as many others have come before; they leave behind their ghostly imprints in the echoes of these white-washed walls. LISA WINKLER
ANNA ZHYLAVA Copenhagen is full of unique and inspiring places, so it was difficult to narrow it down to one place I felt connected to. I ended up choosing Nyhavn, or New Harbour, a touristy waterfront area with colorful buildings dating back to the 17th century. Nyhavn’s atmosphere is both lively and quaint, despite being one of the busiest areas in Copenhagen. Designed using Gehl’s principles of architecture, the space encourages community and togetherness. It’s a perfect place to people watch, meet up with friends, or take a leisurely walk. I illustrated the buildings by the canal using only basic shapes, utilizing the minimalism that is so integral to Danish design, while trying to capture the area’s welcoming atmosphere.