Scan Magazine | Issue 47 | december 2012

DECEMBER 2012 ISSUE 47 PROMOTING BRAND SCANDINAVIA

THE HIVES – IN A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN 100% NORWAY ENJOY A WINTER BREAK IN COPENHAGEN BUSINESS DESTINATION SCANDINAVIA

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Scan Magazine | Contents

Contents COVER FEATURE 8

The Hives The Swedish rock phenomenon hailing from Fagersta known as The Hives prefer to be referred to as ‘the best rock band in the world’. After years of silence, they are finally back with a much-anticipated new album. Another continuous multi-year tour, having commenced this summer, brings the group to the UK this month.

8 38

of beyond-the-tourist-guide itinerary suggestions for where to go, stay and eat.

26

100% Norway When British think tank Legatum Institute published their yearly inquiry into global wealth and wellbeing in October, the Nordic countries came out on top. And at the very top of the 2012 Legatum Prosperity Index you will find Norway. The index tells a story of a society that succeeds in combining high productivity and efficiency with a good work-life balance.

DESIGN FEATURE 14

FOOD FEATURES

Neeta Inari Duddjon Sophisticated, sleek and unmistakably Nordic in style, Neeta Inari Duddjon celebrates and combines the wild, raw power of the nature of Sápmi, its rich heritage and modern cutting-edge design. Each of Neeta Inari Jääskö’s beautiful designs tells a unique and engaging tale.

72

73

Scandinavian Christmas Scandinavian Christmas wouldn’t be the same without glögg, pepparkakor, herring and Christmas ham. If you are spending Christmas in the UK this year, no need to despair as there are plenty of places where eager Scandies, or lovers of Scandinavian food, can stock up on the essential ingredients – or even sit down and enjoy a full Christmas meal.

SPECIAL THEMES 15

MASH Christmas has come early for steak and wine lovers in London, especially if you happen to be Danish or have a thing for their cuisine. The renowned Danish steak restaurant chain MASH has finally come to town.

Winter break in Copenhagen Christmas decorations, the sweet smell of roasted almonds and a thousand things to do, see and buy; Copenhagen is the perfect place to be when winter comes around. Scan Magazine has gathered a selection

REGULARS & COLUMNS 12

We Love This | 13 Fashion Diary | 64 Hotels of the Month | 68 Attractions of the Month

71

Humour | 74 Restaurants of the Month | 116 Scan News | 117 Music & Culture | 118 Culture Calendar

Scan Business

THEMES 84

FEATURES 79

Linköping University One of the early British pioneers of using biosensors to treat people suffering from diabetes has moved to Sweden to continue his dream of commercialising academic research to benefit society. Here, we meet Professor Anthony Turner, who now heads Linköping University’s Biosensors and Bioelectronics Centre.

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66 76

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Saguru Saguru is a company that develops apps with function, style and quality at heart. These sleek and cost-efficient apps are then employed to help companies improve their customer relations and services.

Business Destination Finland In Europe, the optimists have had difficulty making their voices heard over those of the pessimists during the past year. It has admittedly been a tough time for everyone, but Finland continues to take a constructive approach to meeting Europe’s challenges.

Danske Bank From 15 November 2012, all of Danske Bank Group’s banking operations will be known by the Danske Bank brand name. Among those to change its trading name was the UK bank formerly known as Northern Bank. Ian Stockdale, Head of Personal Banking for Dankse Bank, London, talks about Danske Bank’s “new standards” and what the London office can offer the Nordic community in the UK.

Swedish Trade Sweden’s vision is to be a world-leading country in research and innovation, an attractive place in which to invest and conduct business. Trade, combined with a business environment that facilitates innovation and investments is vital for society.

107 Danish Trade Danish companies are well known around the world as being at the cutting edge of environmental processes and products. But requirements and expectations are constantly increasing.

REGULARS & COLUMNS 78

Business Columns & News Key note, columns and news stories on Scandinavian businesses and business events.

113 Scandinavian Business Calendar Highlights of Scandinavian business events.

114 Conference of the Month The best conference venues of the month.

Issue 47 | December 2012 | 3

Scan Magazine | Editor’s Note

Dear Reader, It might be slightly early to start preparing oneself for the holiday hullabaloo that will take place throughout December, but it is a bit of a Scandinavian tradition to start as early as possible. So let’s go ahead and light those Advent candles, start baking gingerbread men and houses (or just eat the dough) and warm up the mulled wine.

Ignore the overly peppy Christmas tunes at shopping centres, and instead create your own cosy Christmas atmosphere.

Scandinavia is undoubtedly one of the best places to spend Christmas, whether up north in Lapland visiting Santa Claus or in a Nordic town or city decking itself for Christmas from head to toe. We certainly don’t do Christmas half-heartedly, with glögg running through our veins. However, even if you don’t make it to Scandinavia for Christmas this year, there’s still time to book a winter break to the region, seeing as Scandinavians also know how to make the best out of cold weather. Check out our wintery Copenhagen theme for some tips on what Denmark’s capital has to offer this season.

council for sustainable business development, the companies that are presented are a great indicator of what is going on in Scandinavia when it comes to innovation, knowhow, craftsmanship and future business trends.

For our cover this month, we’ve interviewed the frontman of Swedish rock phenomenon The Hives; Howlin' Pelle Almqvist tells us about their new album and their UK tour this month.

Scan Magazine will be back after the holidays, so look out for our January issue. From everyone at Scan Magazine: Have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Nia Kajastie Editor

In this issue, we also feature some remarkable products, brands and services hailing from Norway, Finland, Denmark and Sweden. With our themes introduced by minsters of trade and a

Scan Magazine

Copy-editor

Maria Smedstad

Issue 47 | December 2012

Mark Rogers

Kjersti Westeng

Published 03.12.2012

Contributors

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Published by Scan Magazine Limited

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DID YOU KNOW YOU CAN HAVE THE SAME BANK IN THE UK AS IN SCANDINAVIA?

Danske Bank can service your banking needs in both the UK and Scandinavia. For more information visit www.danskebank.com/london, email us at scmlon@uk.danskebank.com or phone us at +44 (0) 20 7410 8098

Scan Magazine | Contributors

Regular Contributors Nia Kajastie (Editor) was born and raised in Helsinki, Finland, and moved to London in 2005 to study writing.

With a BA in Journalism & Creative Writing, she now describes herself as a fulltime writer and grammar stickler.

Mette Lisby is Denmark’s leading female comedian.

She invites you to laugh along with her monthly humour columns. Since her stand-up debut in 1992, Mette has hosted the Danish versions of “Have I Got News For You” and “Room 101”.

Julie Guldbrandsen is Scan Magazine’s fashion and design expert; she has worked in the fashion industry for more than 10 years, and advised various Scandinavian design and fashion companies. Besides, Julie has a BA in business and philosophy and has lived in Copenhagen, Singapore and Beijing before settling down in London.

Swedish Sara Schedin is a freelance writer with a degree in journalism from City University London. She moved here in 2006 and is currently covering Scandinavian culture in the UK. Anette Berve is a Norwegian freelance journalist based in London. She has previously worked in Buenos Aires for a cultural newspaper and is currently finishing her degree in journalism and Spanish.

Norwegian Didrik Ottesen is back living in London after a carefree time travelling around the world. He is currently doing his MA Journalism degree while also working as a freelance journalist and trying to play as much football as possible.

6 | Issue 47 | December 2012

Maria Smedstad moved to the UK from Sweden in 1994.

She received a degree in Illustration in 2001, before settling in the capital as a freelance cartoonist, creating the autobiographical cartoon Em. She writes a column on the trials and tribulations of life as a Swede in the UK. Karl Batterbee is devoted to Scandinavian music and knows exactly what is coming up in the UK. Apart from writing a monthly music update for Scan Magazine Karl has also started the Scandipop Club Night and its corresponding website: www.scandipop.co.uk.

Inna Allen is a freelance writer, translator and photographer whose passions lie in all things art and design. She moved to the UK from her native Finland in 2001 and has since developed a chronic yearning for sauna.

Having travelled much of the world, Signe Hansen, MA graduate in Journalism and previous editor at Scan Magazine, is now back freelancing in London, where she writes on everything Scandinavian and her main passions: culture, travel and health.

Hannah Gillow Kloster is a Norwegian freelance writer who came to London to study English literature on its home turf. With a BA from Royal Holloway under her belt, she is currently pursuing an MA in Digital Humanities in Chicago, combining her two favourite things: literature and the internet.

Magnus Nygren Syversen is a Norwegian freelance journalist and feature writer, who graduated from Middlesex University with a BA in Journalism & Communication in 2010. Having left London and relocated to the other side of the world, he is currently doing his MA at Deakin University in Melbourne, Australia.

Emelie Krugly Hill has worked on a number of Swedish newspapers. After travelling extensively, she has been based in London since 2006. Her particular interests are news and current affairs within Sweden and the export of Scandinavian culture to the UK. Ulrika Osterlund spent most of her life in London, but recently returned to Stockholm, where she is working as a journalist. She studied international business in Paris and journalism in London.

She is also a budding novelist.

Rikke Oberlin Flarup is a Danish freelance writer and publisher with a passion for thick novels and DIY zines.

Still a newcomer to London, she spends her free time exploring the city's hidden gems.

Your Shortcut to Scandinavia Bergen

NORWAY

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Scan Magazine | Cover Feature | The Hives

8 | Issue 47 | December 2012

Scan Magazine | Cover Feature | The Hives

The Hives – In a league of their own The Swedish rock phenomenon hailing from Fagersta known as The Hives prefer to be referred to as ‘the best rock band in the world’. After years of silence, they are finally back with a much-anticipated new album. Another continuous multi-year tour, having commenced this summer, brings the group to the UK this month. Scan Magazine caught a few moments with their frontman Howlin’ Pelle Almqvist.

By Emelie Krugly Hill | Photos: Travis Schneider

No band in Sweden is quite like The Hives; they have always been in a league of their own. Forget about the characteristic Swedish humbleness; these guys are cocky and maintain a confident attitude. As a contrast to the stereotypical rock attire of tatty jeans and T-shirts, the Hives distinguish themselves by dressing uniformly, not only on stage but also at press conferences, where they appear in suits of varying black and white designs. This ritual of being suited up has made them known as the “black-and-white orchestra”.

Once upon a time in Fagersta Their story begins almost twenty years ago in a basement in the small and sleepy Swedish industrial town of Fagersta, where, according to the band, “you end up either playing hockey or starting a punk band”. Pelle and his band mates once saw both Shelter and Green Day perform at a local festival, which they describe as a big awakening. Other bands that have inspired the quintet are New Bomb Turks, the Misfits and the Ramones.

It did not take long to convince the world that the Hives had come to stay. They received their breakthrough in the US and

the UK with the album Veni Vidi Vicious (2000), which includes the hit singles Hate to Say I Told You So and Main Offender. By 2003, the Hives had become one of the most recognized Swedish bands abroad.

Since then they have shared the stage with the Rolling Stones, the Foo Fighters and the Queens of the Stone Age and have collaborated with Cyndi Lauper, among others.

A three-year-long tour They released their fourth album in October 2007, but despite the band's popularity, they have not released any music since, until now. This summer they finally released their new album Lex Hives and embarked on a long tour. With golden reviews, this Swedish five-man band, comprising Howlin' Pelle Almqvist (vocals), Nicholaus Arson (guitar), Vigilante Carlstroem (guitar), Dr Matt Destruction (bass) and Chris Dangerous (drums), has proved that they can still rock hard, and it is still the same hard garage rock that completely knocks you over with catchy riffs.

“It doesn't really feel like a long time, but it has been. It takes us a long time to tour

after every record; in fact, we toured for almost three years last time. We can't really write while we're travelling. We have to get back to make a new record. We started pretty much straight away after we were done with our last shows. It just takes a long time if you want something to be really good,” says Pelle Almqvist, who reckons he would be a pretty good prime minister or psychologist if he wasn’t a rock star already.

“This is probably the best album that we've made; all of us were so excited about it. It's a record where we did most of the work ourselves. We produced and played everything.”

With the UK tour just ahead of them, Pelle Almqvist reflects on his relationship with the Brits. “I remember touring around the UK in the early days and how we were not even offered a cup of tea backstage, and the audience would throw verbal insults at us; the Brits are quite good at that, but that’s kind of fun,” Pelle laughs.

“You know when you’ve made it in the UK, because then all of a sudden you receive the royal treatment. England was one of

Issue 47 | December 2012 | 9

Scan Magazine | Cover Feature | The Hives

the places where we broke through on a broad front, so it’s naturally a country that has meant a lot to us. It will be good to go back; a lot of great bands were born and bred there, such as the Sex Pistols and the Rolling Stones.”

Deeply rooted in Sweden The remaining days of the year will see the Hives light up the autumn and winter darkness. Their imminent future is all about touring. “We’re looking forward to touring again; we love performing live.”

is why Sweden needs them. So does Pelle miss Sweden when he has been away for a long time? “It is always good to land on home soil; we are deeply rooted over there, and if we miss the Swedish summer period, we’re always a bit sad. I know it sounds like a cliché, but it’s the most magical time of the year. Oh and then I miss crisp bread and filmjölk (sour milk), of course!”

The Hives UK tour begins at O2 Academy Bristol on 10 December and runs until 15 December when the band will headline at Manchester Academy.

For more information, please visit: www.thehivesbroadcastingservice.com

So what can one expect from a Hives gig?

They are without doubt high-energy performers, both memorable and entertaining. “With the kind of music we play, it has to be a little hectic, a little crazy, I think,” says Pelle Almqvist.

A fan once described the Hives as the best ambassadors a country could have, which

10 | Issue 47 | December 2012

Photo: Annika Berglund

INDIA : ART NOW

18. AUGUST 13. JANUARY

INDIA : FASHION NOW

Scan Magazine | Design | We Love This

We love this...

“Chestnuts roasting on an open fire...” - as Christmas approaches, now is the time to embrace all things red, carol-y and bauble-y.

By Julie Guldbrandsen | Email: julie@scanmagazine.co.uk

A sweet little wooden ornament for the tree or window. 15cm, £6.50. www.skandihome.com

Light up the fireplace with these super-long matches that come in lovely Christmassy tubes. £4.50. www.scandiliving.com

A green heart wreath on the front door is a sure way to give a warm welcome to guests. 18cm, £9.50. www.skandihome.com

Cosy up in front of the fire or spoil a loved one with this luxurious throw by Aiayu. £275.

Call +44 (0) 203 651 1371 for stockists.

Simple but oh-so-pretty cones in gauze with a charming homemade finish to them. £5.00. www.tinekhome.com

12 | Issue 47 | December 2012

Two soap bars in a quaint box saying ‘Merry Christmas’.

The scent of mandarin, cinnamon, almond, vanilla, orange and cloves epitomizes a Scandinavian Christmas. £10.95. www.husandhem.co.uk

Scan Magazine | Design | Fashion Diary

Fashion Diary...

The party season is upon us, making everything that glitters and shines super covetable. Rock the festive events in these dazzling Scandinavian party pieces.

By Julie Guldbrandsen | Email: julie@scanmagazine.co.uk

You can never go wrong with a beautiful black silk shirt. This one

by Stine Goya is adorned with gold dots and makes the perfect party choice. £150. themoonandthemars.co.uk

Become the centre of the party’s attention in this short tunic dress in a stunning sangria colour by Won Hundred. £90. www.wonhundred.com

Elegant cropped trousers in a metallic lace fabric by Malene Birger. £225. shop.bymalenebirger.com

A flattering jacket is a must for the winter party season. This unconstructed wrap jacket

by Acne is a very desirable date companion. £550. shop.acnestudios.com

Bring some sparkle to your goingout ensemble with this cute glitter clutch. £7.99. H&M.

Issue 47 | December 2012 | 13

Scan Magazine | Design | Neeta Inari Duddjon

Photo: Tarmo Lehtosalo

Neeta Inari Duddjon: Where heritage meets the modern Sophisticated, sleek and unmistakably Nordic in style, Neeta Inari Duddjon celebrates and combines the wild, raw power of the nature of Sápmi, its rich heritage and modern cutting-edge design. Each of Neeta Inari Jääskö’s beautiful designs tells a unique and engaging tale.

By Ceri Norman | Photos: © Neeta Jääskö

The Arctic spring is encapsulated in silver in the Jieŋat Vulget range, in which concave silver drops, like melting ice capturing the sparkling sun, appear to flow from silver circles. Drops and accents may be of silver, as with traditional Saami jewellery, or of gold and copper, giving a sense of warmth and individuality.

Neeta’s artistic vision to renew and complement Saami jewellery traditions is a powerful one. “Saami culture, languages and traditions are very much alive and will thrive if we only let them and appreciate them, and above all develop them,” Neeta explains. She is looking to challenge and breathe new life into Saami culture, while still honouring those artists, mentors and teachers who came before her.

Crafted by hand on the shores of Lake Inari beneath the northern lights or the near-constant light of the Arctic summer, Neeta’s designs utilise the different qualities and colours of precious metals. Silver’s near white sheen makes

14 | Issue 47 | December 2012

it the perfect metal for almost any outfit or occasion, and silver has a special place in Saami traditions - it is thought to have special powers of protection against evil. Jewellery also served a practical purpose as Neeta. Photo: Sami Laiti it was an easy way to carry around a person’s wealth. While practicality and functionality are high on many people’s lists when it comes to purchasing jewellery, wearing Neeta’s jewellery is fun too; her Árbi (meaning heritage) range features gold, copper or silver rings and accessories that move and jingle with the body.

The Anár Chic (Inari Chic) range is very much a reinvention of traditional Saami ideas and per-

sonifies our modern idea of the cool North.

There is both a lightness and darkness to the pieces, thanks to the way the concave silver and sparkling sapphires play with the light. There is also a depth of meaning to this range, as Neeta explains, “My work with jewellery and other objects is also my attempt at reconciliation with my family history. Through jewellery, I am able to speak out even though our native languages were lost in my family. In recent years, efforts have been made to revitalize the languages and for now they have been successful.”

Neeta Inari Jääskö’s story is set to continue as she crafts original modern and traditional designs and studies her family’s Inari Saami language. Her story is one that we can engage with, “After all, objects, design and craft form a universal language; not only a visual one but also a physical, tangible one that is based on the intimate relationship between maker, material, product and recipient. When all the elements are properly balanced in a piece, you don't have to be Saami or have grown up in the north to be able to translate that language into your own experience. That is how I share the stories that cannot be expressed through words or images alone.”

For more information and to purchase Neeta’s work visit: neetainari.com or find Neeta on Facebook: www.facebook.com/neetainari

Photo: Ty Stange

Photo: Morten Jerichau

WI NT SP ER EC BR IAL EA K I THE N C ME OP : EN HA GE N

Explore Copenhagen’s hidden gems Scan Magazine has gathered a selection of beyond-the-tourist-guide itinerary suggestions for where to go, stay and eat.

By Signe Hansen | Photos: copenhagenmediacenter.com

Christmas decorations, the sweet smell of roasted almonds and a thousand things to do, see and buy; Copenhagen is the perfect place to be when winter comes around. Buzzing with the energy of the festive season and tempting with an array of world-famous restaurants, shopping streets and museums, the city overwhelms with impressions and attractions.

But where to start?

For those who have visited Denmark’s winning capital before or just want to get a bit away from the buzz of the tourist guide tipoffs, Scan Magazine presents a selection of some of the city’s lesserknown but definitely not less interesting attractions, hotels and eateries.

World-class attractions First of all, why not make the stay itself an experience? Opened just six months ago,

Andersen Boutique Hotel has already become the third highest rated hotel on TripAdvisor. With edgy colours and design matching its bohemian Vesterbro location, it is perfect for travellers looking for more than bland white hotel rooms.

Then there are, of course, the attractions, though it is plainly impossible to suggest that Copenhagen’s many world-famous sights are not worth a visit, looking beyond them will bring its own, sometimes surprising, rewards. Whether your heart lies in design, police history, Islamic art, astronomy, Jewish culture or even Chinese palaces, you can follow it in Copenhagen.

A string of world-class attractions invites you to explore the rarer sides of the culture, art and history that Denmark has to offer, and some, such as Scandinavia’s largest Islamic art collection at the David Collection, are even for free.

Culinary gems Full of outstanding restaurants famous for their Nordic cuisine, Copenhagen has become a Mecca for foodies. But you do not need to follow the Michelin stars to find a special treat. Out of your immediate sight, local favourites such as Maven (inside the Nikolaj Church) and Perch’s Tea Room (on the second floor of an old town house) offer experiences full of ambiance, warmth and good food traditions from Denmark and abroad.

Copenhagen is full of known and lesserknown treasures; it is time to go explore.

Issue 47 | December 2012 | 15

Islamic collection is, today, the largest collection of Islamic art in Scandinavia.

Covering all aspects of Islamic art from the 8th to the 19th century, it highlights unique characteristics such as calligraphy, textiles and miniature paintings. “In a way, the Islamic exhibition opens a door to an unknown, unfamiliar and exotic world to many people because we are not confronted with the Islamic art very often,” says Høgedal. “This exhibition is very comprehensive regarding periods and materials. Another thing that visitors will notice is that the house itself is remarkably beautiful; the interiors and architecture are really impressive.”

While the Islamic collection has grown considerably since the founder’s death in 1960, the collection of Danish modern art contains only its original pieces, including works from 1880-1950 by famous Danish artists such as Vilhelm Hammershøi and J. F. Willumsen.

The David Collection arranges guided tours, lectures, children’s activities and much more in Danish. Audio guides and touch screens are in English. Guided tours in English can be arranged.

European 18th-century art, Boucher Room and Golden Age Room

Explore a thousand years of Islamic art in a Copenhagen town house Nestled in the heart of Copenhagen, the David Collection grants art lovers free access to an unusual and unmatched art exhibition. The museum exhibits Scandinavia’s most extensive collection of Islamic art, one of the ten largest such collections in the Western world, as well as two interesting collections of European 18th-century art and Danish early modern art.

By Signe Hansen | Photos: Pernille Klemp

Founded in 1945 by the lawyer C. L. David, the David Collection is not just an ordinary art museum. Still located in its founder’s old town house in Kronprinsessegade, it allows visitors a glimpse into the successful lawyer’s love of art. “You could say that Mr. David had three facets: he was a very accomplished lawyer, a skilful businessman, and an eager art lover,” explains head of communication Anne Høgedal. “To recreate

16 | Issue 47 | December 2012

the atmosphere of that time, when this was the house of a private collector who lived among, and immersed himself in, his works of art, the European collection on the first two floors is displayed in period interiors in the original rooms from the 19th century.”

Islamic art from all corners of the world Displaying pieces from all corners of the Muslim world except Southeast Asia, the

Islamic collection, Muslim Spain and North Africa For more information, please visit: www.davidmus.dk

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Winter break in Copenhagen

Owner Stine Hincheldey Alwén serving tea.

Take time for tea and yourself Scandinavia is known to many as the home of ardent coffee drinkers, but a quick cup of espresso is not for everyone. Today, looking for an antidote to the hectic pace of everyday life, people are seeking peaceful havens for relaxation and contemplation.

One such place is A.C. Perch’s Tea Room, an oasis in the midst of one of Copenhagen’s popular shopping streets.

By Nia Kajastie | Photos: A.C. Perch’s Tea Shop & Room

A.C. Perch’s Tea Shop, one of the oldest tea shops in Denmark and Europe, has been serving the finest teas from its serene second floor salon for the last six years. Blending British and Asian influences and offering courteous and knowledgeable service, the tea room has been a big hit with both young and old. So much so that they have now opened two extra rooms in the salon, which both offer cosy and atmospheric settings for a relaxing tea break. With more than 150 different types of tea, as well as cakes, scones, finger sandwiches and even sparkling wine – but definitely no coffee – on offer, the salon is the perfect place for a catch-up with friends or family, or just a bit of selfreflection.

Copenhagen, Japan and beyond The family-run tea shop has a long history, spanning over 175 years, and even the Danish royal family are among its loyal

with most restaurants, you have to book a table with us, especially during this time of the year. We will, however, have some extra space with our new rooms,” adds Alwén. A.C. Perch’s Tea Shop is of course also the perfect place to pick up some Christmas gifts for family and friends.

customers, with its warrant “By Appointment to the Royal Danish Court”. This is something also the Japanese have taken notice of, and today A.C. Perch’s Tea Shop’s tea is available in 160 different shops in Japan.

All the different tea types, including the shop’s own ranges of tea, as well as tea sets and different types of gift boxes are also available from their webshop, which can deliver tea beyond the Danish borders. “We can deliver directly to your home or office,” explains Stine Hincheldey Alwén, one of the establishment’s four owners. “We have a lot of customers in Norway and Sweden, but we also get orders from the States.”

But if you are travelling to Copenhagen and want to visit A.C. Perch’s Tea Room to get the first-hand experience, remember to book your table well in advance. “Like

For more information, please visit: www.perchs.dk www.perchstearoom.dk

Issue 47 | December 2012 | 17

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Winter break in Copenhagen

Visit Copenhagen’s stomach in the heart of the city Inside Copenhagen’s beautiful Nikolaj Church, Maven (The Stomach) Restaurant and Wine Bar offers guests a winning combination of history, warmth and good quality bistro cooking. Since opening 18 months ago, Maven has become a favourite among tourists, locals and, having recently earned a recommendation by the prestigious Michelin guide, reviewers alike.

By Signe Hansen | Photos: Maven

The restaurant, which serves a mix of French, Italian and Danish bistro dishes, was founded by restaurateur and actor Thomas Gaarde. Since graduating from the Danish National School of Theatre, Gaarde has split his time between his acting – most recently he took part in the Danish production of Mamma Mia – and his passion for first-rate food and wine. “I had had my eyes on this space for some

18 | Issue 47 | December 2012

years. What is unique here is the charm of dining inside a church with soft lights, plank tables and leaded windows, but, of course, what is on the plate and in the glass is most important: I only want to serve dishes that I would like to eat and drink myself. I serve the food myself and am closely involved in everything, which gives me great pleasure. Good food and wine is something which can really make you happy.”

Maven is not the first culinary venture of Gaarde, who more than ten years ago cofounded the successful Gagge & Gaarde, which was thrice nominated as the best cafe in Copenhagen.

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Winter break in Copenhagen

A recipe for success Maven in Danish means “the stomach” and refers to the restaurant’s location on what used to be Copenhagen’s meat market and known among locals as ‘the stomach of Copenhagen’. Gaarde chose the name because of the informal and straightforward approach to food it implies. But despite the name, there is more to Maven than just good chops. “I continuously go through possible new improvements with our head chef. We experiment with and improve the dishes on the menu, and every sixth week we change the entire menu to adjust it to the local produce available,” explains Gaarde.

Having lived in Italy Gaarde is, however, not just inspired by Denmark’s local produce and kitchen. “I am obviously inspired by both the French and the Italian kitchen, which are fantastic in their own ways, but I think it would be wrong to use only French ingredients when we have so much fantastic produce in Denmark. It just does not make sense to, for instance, transport water in plastic bottles all the way from France when we have excellent water here.”

Many classic French and Italian ingredients are replaced by locally produced equivalents; instead of Parmesan Maven serves Vesterhavsost, a salty cheese produced at the Danish west coast, and traditional risotto rice is replaced by pearl barley. “We are not Noma (Copenhagen’s and the world’s best restaurant known for its strict adherence to Nordic cuisine and produce), but we have become more and more conscious about what ingredients we use,” explains Gaarde.

To complete the experience, guests are presented with a carefully selected menu of wines, which the knowledgeable staff is ready to help match to the different food flavours.

Surrounded by history and charm Originally built in 1200, Nikolaj Church is one of Copenhagen’s oldest churches, but in 1795 a fire destroyed most of the building apart from its bell tower. After its reconstruction in 1912, the church has

served several functions but none ecclesiastical.

With classic furniture “of the kind you could find in your grandmother’s living room”, candlelight and informal table settings, Gaarde has strived to preserve and subtly enhance the unique ambiance of the impressive church hall. This goes for the charming ground floor restaurant and wine bar as well as Maven’s two private function rooms, which are decorated with a collection of historic paintings from the Museum of Copenhagen. With audio visual equipment and, of course, excellent catering, the upstairs space, which seats up to 50 in one room, is also popular for conventions, business meetings and presentations.

For more information, please visit: www.restaurantmaven.dk

Issue 47 | December 2012 | 19

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Winter break in Copenhagen

Explore Copenhagen’s winter sky from the Round Tower Observatory Built by King Christian IV and located in the centre of the city, the Round Tower has been an icon of Copenhagen since 1642. The Tower once soared far above the rest of the rooftops in the capital, making it the perfect place for an observatory.

Gaze at the stars and planets from the Round Tower Observatory. Photo: Omar

By Rikke Oberlin Flarup

For years, university astronomers studied the stars and planets from the Observatory at the top of the Round Tower. The scholars may have forsaken the building a long time ago, but the tower is still the home of Europe’s oldest functioning astronomy observatory now used by amateur astronomers and others wishing to explore the magnificent night sky.

During the winter, visitors are welcome to visit the Observatory and gaze at the cosmos every Tuesday and Wednesday evening from 7pm to 10pm. But don’t despair should you only be able to visit the tower during the daytime. The platform

that runs around the outside of the Observatory offers a great view over the old Latin Quarter. You can spot most of the city’s famous buildings from here - the Town Hall Tower and Church of Our Lady, just to mention a few.

The Round Tower is located in central Copenhagen in the Latin Quarter. Photo: Peter Zeuthen

For music and art lovers, the beautiful Library Hall, located halfway up the tower, serves as a popular gallery and concert venue. It hosts several exhibitions a year and concerts are staged almost every week.

For more information, please visit: www.rundetaarn.dk The view from the Round Tower. Photo: Jesper Vang Hansen

Explore the history of Danish Design Every year, Designmuseum Danmark in Copenhagen welcomes thousands of international visitors interested in Danish design. The museum, which is is Denmark’s largest museum for Danish and international design, is beautifully located in a listed rococo building just minutes from Amalienborg Palace.

Founded all the way back in 1890, Designmuseum Danmark (previously named The Danish Museum of Art & Design) holds an impressive collection of modern Danish design icons. In the exhibition of Danish 20th century applied arts and industrial design, the history of Danish design is seen in the light of the period’s aesthetic discussions and social, technical and economic conditions.

Museum director Anne-Louise Sommer explains: “The museum is truly worth a visit for all people with an interest in Danish design. You can experience the Danish design icons from the 20th century: Arne Jacobsen, Hans J. Wegner, Børge Mogensen, Poul Kjærholm, Verner Panton and many others.”

20 | Issue 47 | December 2012

On top of the design collection, the museum displays several interesting historic collections which disseminate the central lines of development within the history of design, spanning from prehistoric Chi-

By Signe Hansen Photos: Designmuseum Danmark

nese ceramics, applied art from the European Renaissance to faience from the 1700s.

“Our collections also include Danish and international poster art, and until March 2013, we show a special exhibition of album covers (Album Covers – Vinyl Revival). We look forward to welcoming you here," says Anne-Louise Sommer.

For more information, please visit: www.designmuseum.dk

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Winter break in Copenhagen

This autumn and winter, the Princess wing of Frederiksborg Castle, Denmark’s largest Renaissance castle, has been turned into a recreation of Price Gong’s Palace in Beijing.

The impressive recreation of Prince Gong’s Palace includes the prince’s opulent throne.

A Chinese Visit at Frederiksborg This winter you will not have to travel to the other side of the world to get a glimpse of the culture, history and aesthetics of China. With the ambitious special exhibition Prince Gong’s Palace – a Chinese Visit at Frederiksborg, Denmark’s Museum of National History invites visitors inside an impressive reconstruction of Prince Gong’s Palace.

By Signe Hansen | Photos: Denmark’s Museum of National History

The Chinese exhibition is created in cooperation with Prince Gong’s Palace Museum, which is located north-west of the Forbidden City in Beijing and covers 60,000 square metres. The recreation is, of course, of entirely different proportions, but in the majestic settings of Denmark’s largest Renaissance castle, Frederiksborg Castle, it presents a vivid impression of the life and customs in Prince Gong’s Palace around the second half of the 19th century. “First of all this exhibition takes you to China, but it also takes you on a trip back in time to the 19th century and gives you an idea of how people lived and arranged their houses at that time. It is a unique insight into special aspects of Chinese culture and a fascinating way of learning more about it,” explains museum director Mette Skougaard.

Prince Gong, seen here, was the younger brother of Emperor Xianfeng and one of China’s most significant foreign policy statesmen during 1861-1884.

A project of Chinese dimensions Prince Gong was the younger brother of Emperor Xianfeng and one of China’s

most significant foreign policy statesmen during 1861-1884, a time when China’s

relationship with the rest of the world was going through major changes. The numerous original or copied religious and everyday artefacts, colourful clothing and symbolic ornaments arranged in their original settings of his palace allow visitors a sense of the humbling feeling foreigners must have felt when first invited inside his home. “The interesting thing about this exhibition compared to others of its kind is that here you won’t just see a row of delicate porcelain pieces inside an exhibition case, here we show the objects in the settings where they were used in China; everything, the rooms and furniture, has been recreated to illustrate how the palace was used,” stresses Skougaard.

To complement the reconstruction by Prince Gong’s Palace Museum, Denmark’s Museum of National History has created a section about Danish-Chinese relations of the 18th century.

For more information, please visit: www.dnm.dk

Issue 47 | December 2012 | 21

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Winter break in Copenhagen

Designers’ Guild fabrics and international decor make the rooms at Andersen Boutique Hotel stand out.

Get a warm welcome in a cool setting at Copenhagen’s new boutique hotel Located right in the heart of Copenhagen’s edgy Vesterbro neighbourhood, the brand new Andersen Boutique Hotel combines trendy design and location with the warmth and individuality of an old family hotel. The hotel, which has been open for just six months, is already highly popular with discerning travellers and has accordingly become the third highest rated Copenhagen hotel on TripAdvisor.

By Signe Hansen | Photos: Andersen Boutique Hotel

It might not be obvious when you first enter Andersen Boutique Hotel’s stylish reception or brand new rooms, but the hotel has actually been in the hands of the same family for generations. The boutique hotel’s history is, however, still short; it opened just this year, after a complete refurbishment of the family’s previous hotel that had stood here.

22 | Issue 47 | December 2012

Andersen Boutique Hotel as well as the Absalon City Hotel across the street are today run by Karen Nedergaard, who, after having studied hotel management and worked in Switzerland, returned to Denmark ten years ago to take over Absalon Hotel from her father and uncle. Two years ago, the old Hotel Selandia, previously run by her uncle, was handed over to her as well, and the hotel director decided to use

all her knowledge and international experience to turn the hotel into one of Copenhagen’s first boutique hotels. “Andersen Boutique hotel is a very international hotel.

It does not use the minimalistic Scandinavian design that you usually see in many Copenhagen hotels; we have used a lot of colour and plush fabrics from Designers’ Guild,” says Nedergaard. “The transformation was inspired by my many travels and years spent abroad and, of course, by the wishes and comments from guests – many years of research went into it!”

One of the noticeable results of the thorough research into the services hotel guests find valuable is the hotel’s CONCEPT24 service philosophy. Nedergaard

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Winter break in Copenhagen

explains: “With CONCEPT24 the room is yours for 24 hours no matter what time you check in - it is a late departure at no additional cost!”

Cultural and gastronomic experiences Located just off Copenhagen’s colourful Istedgade, a few minutes from the Central Station, Andersen Boutique Hotel has quickly become popular with discerning travellers looking to explore the many cultural attractions in and outside Copenhagen, as well as its famous cuisine. “We are a popular choice among gourmet travellers wanting to dine at places like Noma (Denmark’s and the world’s best restaurant). A lot of people who are into gastronomy and Nordic food also like to stay in a comfortable, modern and stylish hotel; if you like to eat well you also like to live well,” Nedergaard points out.

Just as a visit to Copenhagen’s culinary strongholds is common among guests, so are visits to cultural attractions, with most guests paying a visit to the iconic Louisiana art museum north of Copenhagen. But there are also some guests who come just for the special hotel experience, explains Nedergaard. “When we opened, a lot of boutique hotel fanatics took the car up from, for example, Hamburg just to try out the new boutique hotel in Copenhagen!”

The hotel’s location in Copenhagen’s new bohemian neighbourhood also means that guests have easy access to a myriad of trendy bars, cafes and restaurants.

Attention to detail Although trendy and sleek in appearance, there is nothing cool or aloof about the friendliness and helpfulness with which guests are always met. Often standing in the reception herself, Nedergaard sees it as her personal duty to fulfil the needs of her guests as well as her staff. “I am very hands on and really enjoy meeting my employees at eye level; I think it is a lot of fun and it is the best way to discover what guests really think about your product.

Besides, I think that when you are part of a family-owned hotel, it is important that people can meet the director.”

This means that guests are always met with an individualised approach with attention to detail; guests in town for shopping are sure to be tipped off about the new shop around the corner, just as foodies will get all the help they need with restaurant recommendations and bookings.

Attention to detail is also the recurrent theme in the decoration of the hotel’s 73 double rooms, six of which are junior suites with room for an extra bed. All rooms are decorated with Designers’ Guild fabrics, bathrooms are accessorised with Molton Brown products, and free wireless Internet access is available all over the hotel. “The rooms are decorated in different colour schemes, but we have still kept a classic comfortable setup; it is after all a hotel. We just like to give our guests a special design experience as well, and that’s also why all the women at our hotel wear dresses designed by the Icelandic Vesterbro designer Birna and all the men wear David Andersen,” says Nedergaard.

Colours and attention to detail make a stay at Andersen Boutique Hotel into an exciting experience.

So, if you are looking for more than just a place to stay, for a place which, with that extra attention to detail, makes the stay itself an extra experience, Andersen Boutique Hotel might be just for you.

For more information, please visit: www.andersen-hotel.dk

Issue 47 | December 2012 | 23

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Winter break in Copenhagen

Coming face-to-face with the dark side of society In the hit TV series The Killing, we follow emotionally disconnected inspector Sarah Lund as she works hard to solve brutal and horrid murder cases. But what kind of cases do the real Sarah Lunds of Denmark deal with in their jobs?

By Rikke Oberlin Flarup | Photos: Politimuseet

On the morning of May 22, 2008, the exboyfriend of 17-year-old Monika Sabine Skærbæk Olsen forced his way into her flat and murdered her in blind fury. The reason: he was jealous that Monika had left him for a new man.

In 2010, artist Birgitte Skallgård was gripped by the story of Monika and the senseless way she lost her life. One of the things that struck Birgitte was the lack of images of Monika. It was as if the large focus on the investigation had caused everyone to forget her. Birgitte therefore decided to paint a portrait of Monika - and then followed the portraits of 11 other women killed in Denmark.

From 11 January 2013, Birgitte’s 12 portraits and the heart-breaking stories that go with them can be found at the

Danish Police Museum in the special exhibit Murdered Women - Painted by Birgitte Skallgård.

Located on Nørrebro in an old police station from 1884, the Danish Police Mu-

seum used to house criminals, unmarried policemen and a station manager.

Now the beautiful building contains a large selection of murder weapons, police motorcycles and some of the most spectacular crime and police stories of the history of Denmark. In short, the Danish Police Museum offers you a unique opportunity to come face-to-face with the dark side of society.

Murder weapons on display in the exhibit Ondskab (Evil).

The Danish Police Museum is housed in an old police station from 1884.

The life of Danish Jews The Danish Jewish Museum opened in Copenhagen in 2004 and is the only one of its kind in the country: a cultural history museum that presents all facets of Jewish life and culture in Denmark, covering 400 years, through its main exhibition Space and Spaciousness.

By Nia Kajastie | Photos: Danish Jewish Museum

by their Danish compatriots. The design also rests on five concepts from the traditional Jewish world of ideas, including Mitzvah (the Hebrew word for “obligation” or “good deed’”), which is also the museum’s emblem.

For more information, please visit: www.politimuseum.dk

By the end of the Second World War, six million European Jews had been killed in the Holocaust; but most Danish Jews survived. What they had experienced during escape, exile and in concentration camps was to them - by comparison – “nothing to speak of”. In the book, the witnesses break their silence for the first time and speak openly about the consequences of the war, deportation and exile.

The wartime experiences of the Danish Jews did not end with the German capitulation in 1945, but have continued to leave deep impressions which have persisted to the present day.

“Nothing to speak of” The exhibition focuses on diversity and peaceful coexistence, featuring a selection of exquisite works of Danish-Jewish artisanship as well as simple everyday items from the museum’s own collection.

The exhibition is complemented by world-renowned architect Daniel Libeskind’s interior design, which was created around the historic fact that the majority of Danish Jews were saved from the Nazis

24 | Issue 47 | December 2012

In addition to the collection and preservation of all material pertaining to Jewish life, the museum also emphasises research and interaction with the public.

The latest product of this research is the book Nothing to speak of, which is a result of the museum’s research and documentation project “Danish Jewish War Time Experiences 1943-1945”, with Sofie Lene Bak, Historian, PhD, as project manager.

Nothing to speak of

by Sofie Lene Bak, The Danish Jewish Museum Available from Museum Tusculanum Press, www.mtp.dk.

For more information, please visit: www.jewmus.dk

’’

Nordea is a strong bank with a clear vision for the future.

This makes it an excellent address for our clients.

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Visit us at www.nordeaprivatebanking.com, or call +352 43 88 77 77 for more information.

Making it possible Nordea Bank S.A is a part of the leading financial services group in the Nordic and Baltic Sea regions. Some products and services mentioned may, due to local regulations, not be available to individuals resident in certain countries. The attention of the investor is drawn to the fact that there can be no guarantee on the profitability of any investment in financial instruments and that such investment may entail losses, and this irrespective of the quality of the fund managers selected by the Bank. Past performance is not a guarantee of future results. Nordea Bank is subject to the supervision of the CSSF (www.cssf.lu). Approved by Nordea Bank Finland Plc., London Branch regulated by the FSA in the UK. Published by Nordea Bank S.A., (R.C.S. Luxembourg No. B 14157) 562, rue de Neudorf, L-2220 Luxembourg, Tel +352 43 88 77 77.

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Trond Giske, Minister of Trade and Industry, Norway.

Photo: Henrik Kreilisheim

ber, Norwegian energy companies Statkraft and Statoil opened up a pioneering offshore wind farm at Sheringham Shoal – providing renewable power to 220,000 British homes.

Photo: Bård Løken - Visitnorway.com

100% powered by nature When British think tank Legatum Institute published their yearly inquiry into global wealth and wellbeing in October, the Nordic countries came out on top. And at the very top of the 2012 Legatum Prosperity Index you will find Norway. The index tells a story of a society that succeeds in combining high productivity and efficiency with a good work-life balance.

By Trond Giske, Minister of Trade and Industry, Norway

Norway is a country powered by nature.

Not only does clean hydropower provide nearly 100% of our electricity needs, natural resources are also the foundation for our top industries: a history of seafaring

26 | Issue 47 | December 2012

and living off the sea has made us a world leader in the maritime and marine industries. And in later decades, we have become a leading exporter of energy and energy technology. As late as in Septem-

Another industry powered by nature is tourism: in addition to offering a whole range of spectacular experiences, such as northern lights spotting, dog sledding, outdoor cooking courses, and fishing trips with local fishermen, Norwegian destinations also offer gastronomic delights made of fresh, local ingredients. I am proud of the fact that next only to France, Norway is the home of the highest number of Bocuse d’Or-winning chefs in the world! And if you are passionate about coffee, you will be pleased to know that according to USA Today, Oslo is one of the world’s best cities for coffee.

As a Minister of Trade and Industry, I am often asked what will be the foundation of our future prosperity. The answer – for the future as it has been in the past – is high-skilled people, high-end competencies and an affinity for high quality. This is true for everything from environmental technology to tourism and design – and coffee!

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This tour takes you to the Geirangerfjord and NÌrøyfjord, two of Norway’s most beautiful fjords that both feature on UNESCO’s World Heritage List.

Other highlights include the Raumabanen railway and a beautiful sea voyage on the Hurtigruten coastal express. Relax and enjoy the experience, visit the Art Nouveau Centre in Ă…lesund, stroll along Bryggen wharf in Bergen or walk in the FlĂĽmsdalen valley.

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Combine a beautiful boat trip on the Sognefjord – Norway’s longest and deepest fjord – with a spectacular train ride on the Flüm Railway, a masterpiece of engineering! We recommend an overnight stay en route in order to fully experience the breathtaking scenery of the Sognefjord.

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Scan Magazine | Special Theme | 100% Norway

East meets North in stunning combination When Heidi Bryn Olsson and Tina Østreng met, it did not take long for them to realize they shared a dream. Both wanted to create something of their own, something they could believe in. When a manufacturer convinced the Norwegian designers to try cloth made out of organic bamboo fibre, the two entrepreneurs immediately realized they had found their niche, and Optimist of Norway was born.

By Hannah Gillow Kloster | Photos: Optimist of Norway

Two years ago, Olsson and Østreng were virtual strangers. However, upon hearing them speak about their plans for the future, a mutual friend exclaimed that they should do something together. The spark was lit, “and soon we were lying on the kitchen floor, drawing designs and brainstorming,” Olsson laughs.

Starting out with a few designs for nostalgic Scandinavian children's clothes, Olsson and Østreng initially planned to use organic cotton. However, after trying out cloth made out of organic bamboo fi-

28 | Issue 47 | December 2012

Heidi Bryn Olsson and Tina Østreng

bre, there was “no looking back”. As Østreng explains, that was also the inspiration behind the name of their enter-

prise: “We never look back – we always look forwards, move forwards.” Inheriting from their respective families the mentality that anything can be done, the two women are self-declared optimists, believing in the future of their products.

And with a fantastic material like bamboo forming the base of their company, no wonder.

As the two mothers enthusiastically explain, bamboo is “the new cotton” - soft, durable, washable - but combines this with qualities from several other types of material. One of the key features of bamboo that the two designers highlight is its temperature adjusting ability. Bamboo can keep the body up to two degrees colder in warm weather, as well as keeping you warm in the cold. “I even brought my bamboo bed sheets to Spain,” Østreng declares. “I have never slept that well in

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | 100% Norway

the heat!” It is clear that the designers truly are passionate about their products.

Another testament to the wonders of bamboo is their high customer satisfaction rate in the most brutally honest demographic of all – children. “Children are the most honest consumers,” Olsson states, and being a mother of two herself she knows what she is talking about. Optimist of Norway's line of charmingly oldfashioned children's clothing has been a huge hit with the Norwegian market. Their 70% bamboo and 30% cotton combination means the fabric is soft, extremely durable and easily washable. Furthermore, as Østreng enthusiastically declares, “it keeps active children warm, without the clamminess of wool” - in short, everything one could ever want from a child's garment.

In addition to their hugely popular children's lines, Optimist of Norway have made a significant dent in the home furnishing textiles market. The bed sheets Olsson swears by are among their cornerstone products, adjusting to any temperature, allowing the sleeper to remain at a stable temperature throughout the

night. Another top seller is their extraordinary alpaca/bamboo blend blankets.

Unique on the home furnishing market, Østreng explains that the blanket provides “all the warmth of wool with the smooth, silky feeling of bamboo”.

As if all the qualities inherent in the bamboo fibre weren't enough of a reason for the two designers to feel confident about their product, bamboo is one of the most environmentally friendly materials out there. Bamboo forests naturally regrow, without the aid of harmful chemicals, and are in fact dependent on being harvested to be able to regenerate. As a fundamentally sustainable option to cotton, Østreng and Olsson are confident that bamboo fibre is the future.

As passionate about their heritage as they are about their products, the charming duo stems from “fjords and mountains” respectively, something which is reflected in their designs. Echoing breezy summer days of Scandinavian children's literature, their designs combine a Norwegian national romantic imagery with what Olsson states as the backbone to all their products: “Quality, functionality and comfort.”

Though they started out a mere two years ago, Optimist of Norway has rapidly expanded into the Norwegian market, with over 85 retailers across the country. As Østreng states, they are always looking ahead and are ready to take on new challenges. One of their new ventures has been producing a national costume shirt for the Norwegian company Husfliden, and the two hardworking designers are constantly on the lookout for new business partners and ideas.

Thoroughly established in the Norwegian market only two years after its conception, Optimist of Norway is, as the name implies, looking above and beyond, both in terms of products and markets. With a business built on hard work, solid and sustainable materials, beautiful design and a never-ending positive outlook, there can be no doubt that Optimist of Norway only has one way to go: upwards and onwards.

For more information, please visit: www.optimistofnorway.no

Issue 47 | December 2012 | 29

Wool: More than underwear In Norway, wool is found in most wardrobes. It is what you tend to only take out when you go hiking or skiing. The three Norwegian women behind WoolLand want to change the way you think about wool and teach you how to stay warm and stylish.

By Anette Berve | Photos: Ann Cathrin Buchardt

“We wondered why wool wear had to be so boring, why it seemed like it had to have that underwear feeling.” In 2011, Hedda Rivelsrud, Annette Steen Lien and Siri Sørflaten had had enough and took matters into their own hands. “We all had children in kindergarten and didn´t like the wool options we found. It was dreary and lost its shape too quickly. But also we as adults wanted a better alternative. That is how WoolLand was born,” Hedda recalls. Their vision was to create a new type of base layer that was supposed to function as stylish daywear as well, not just for sports.

Working out of an old barn in Riis in Oslo, the women wrote down their ideas for their first collection and a webshop. It was important for them to make wool attractive, but to also keep the cost down. By only

30 | Issue 47 | December 2012

selling from their newly opened shop in Lilleaker and through the webshop, they have no added cost to their product prices.

look good in our products. When designing our first collection, we discussed how we could make the garments more interesting. We thought about adding details such as pearls, pockets and leather patches even. We particularly wanted to make our garments more durable. Most wool wear tends to be thin and loses its shape too quickly. It was important for us for the products to be shapely and practical.”

Going global After a great response from Norwegian customers, WoolLand are now expanding abroad. Annette explains that the company has received countless requests from overseas, so they have, with their new international webshop, made shipping easily available for global customers.

“Wool is well known in the Nordic and other cold countries, but it is time that we teach the rest of the world how to wear wool and to make the best use of it.”

Details “WoolLand’s key characteristics are design, quality and purpose,” explains Siri.

“You are meant to be warm and feel and

100% natural and chemical free All garments from WoolLand are made up from 100% merino wool. “What many people don´t know is that merino wool is one of the softer, finer types of wool, but it comes in around 8,000 different qualities. So that label in itself does not tell the customer anything,” Annette explains.

“For our garments we have chosen wool of a very high quality, so that when you feel the fabric it feels like cotton; it is that soft.” Wool has many health benefits in addition to the warmth, as it regulates body temperature and keeps you dry.

However, for babies, the benefits are even

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | 100% Norway

more. Babies who sleep on and in wool tend to sleep better, and they gain weight faster. All WoolLand products are certified through Woolmark to ensure their quality, and also OECO-Tex branded, meaning they use environmentally friendly production techniques and fabrics. “Children with atopic eczema can use our wool since it is so soft, and the chemicals used throughout the production process are not harmful for them,” Hedda adds.

For après-ski and the café “We feel we have succeeded in creating products that look good when kids are in

kindergarten, at school and out playing, or when you are enjoying aprés-ski, time in your cabin or at the café.” Hedda continues to explain how they designed the women’s collection based on their own experiences. “As women, we usually want clothes to cover up trouble areas, so we designed the tops to have a long but snug fit, tailored to the body shape. The tights have a broader waistband, similar to trousers, to hold in your tummy, with pockets on the back to create a nicer fit over the bottom, but also to take away that long underwear feel that base layers tend to have. All our products are meant

to have that little extra touch. Our design is all about aesthetic functionality.”

The women explain that the WoolLand logo is made from a caricature of Norway, since they see Norway as the wool land; therefore the name as well. “Norway is known around the world for being sporty and for the cold weather. But we are also known for excellent product quality. Who better to produce a quality wool product and teach how to use it than us.”

How to stay warm: 1. Use WoolLand produts as the inner layer, closest to your skin 2. Wear a thicker wool or fleece layer 3. Wear a windproof layer WoolLand Qualities: • OECO-Tex Branded • No itching • Great for people with atopic eczema • More durable • Washable at 40 °C

For more information and to see the whole collection, please visit shopwoolland.com or woolland.no

Issue 47 | December 2012 | 31

A GREEN SYMBOL FOR THE FUTURE Together, Green Dot Norway’s members ensure that Norway’s CO2 emissions are efficient recycling solutions. reduced by more than 350 000 tonnes each year through efficient Make sure that your company takes its part in this shared responsibility for industrial packaging, and be part of protecting the environment for the future. ©

Visit us at www.grontpunkt.no or call +47 22 12 15 00

Green Dot – for socially responsible enterprises

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | 100% Norway

Photo: Charlotte Spetalen

Sustainability and glamour – the fashionable connection As a child, Leila Hafzi was surrounded by beautiful patterns and quality textiles in her father's Iranian carpet shop. As she grew older and failed to see anything she liked in runway shows and fashion magazines, she realized that she had a contribution to make. Combined with a high awareness of the inequality of living conditions across the world, the result of this realization is the brand Leila Hafzi, which creates stunning and ethical couture gowns, designed in Norway and made in Nepal.

By Hannah Gillow Kloster | Photos: Emile Maximillian Ashley

According to Hafzi, the desire to fill the gap she saw in high fashion is what spurred her on to start her own line back in 1997. “I kept looking for outfits I couldn't find,” she states. As she was starting up, she was introduced to the country, culture and people of Nepal. “My meeting with Nepal automatically triggered a need to use my knowledge of product development and fashion to provide sustainable work for the people I met there,” Hafzi explains.

Hafzi works extremely closely with her team in Nepal, spending a lot of time in Kathmandu. This is not only to ensure quality, but also for inspiration. “For our last collection I was inspired by Tibetan prayer

flags, and I find a lot of inspiration in the way the Buddhist monks carry their capes, the

way they drape the material.” With such a vision behind her work, it is perhaps no surprise that Leila Hafzi has become an international success. “Our gowns hang alongside Valentino and Vera Wang in almost 20 high-end bridal and couture salons in Italy,” Hafzi enthusiastically declares, explaining that part of the brand's international success is due to her designs being directed towards the “intelligent, worldly, international woman; she is strong and knows what she wants”. As such, her gowns hold a universal appeal, so it is no surprise that the American market is next, with pieces being sent to LA, and celebrities beginning to embrace the brand.

Hafzi's next collection will be extremely feminine, strong, gracious and dreamy, bringing together all the beautiful qualities of the brand. In Leila Hafzi, Hafzi has combined her constant guidance by her heart in business as well as fashion with her extraordinary creative talents. The result is a line of sustainable and glamorous fashion that is taking the world by storm, one beautiful and eco-conscious gown at a time.

For more information, please visit: leilahafzi.com

Leila Hafzi, Costume Award Winner. Photo: Dag Knudsen

Issue 47 | December 2012 | 33

Children’s clothing nurturing childhood Hanne Synnøve Koløy wanted a counterweight to an evolving trend in kids’ fashion where young boys and girls are dressed increasingly in adult clothing. Finding inspiration in her own children, she created Mole – Little Norway, a clothing brand dedicated to designing clothes that allow children to enjoy their childhood.

ties are short-travelled as they are produced in Europe and imported from Italy,” she says.

An international success

By Magnus Nygren Syversen | Photos: Geir Øyvind Gismervik Presseb

“My brand is all about creating clothes that make children look like children,” says founder and creator of Mole – Little Norway, Hanne Synnøve Koløy. The mother of two spotted a gap in the market for kids’ fashion, and coming from a family with a long tradition within handicraft, she decided to fill that gap herself.

Koløy wanted to create a brand that provided a good, safe feeling, with clothes that were comfortable for children ages 0 to 12 to play in. “At the same time, I wanted to create a slow fashion brand with clothes you would want to take care

34 | Issue 47 | December 2012

of, and that could be passed down and inherited by younger siblings,” she says.

Inspired by traditional Norwegian culture, the Mole brand has a timeless, classic design, with a modern touch. “These clothes can be used across fashion trends and can be combined with other trendy brands,” says Koløy. The creator of Mole emphasises quality fabrics and a healthy environmental profile and uses ecological products for her clothing. “I use fine merino wool and lambs’ wool for the winter collection and eco-friendly cotton for the summer collection. All my commodi-

Mole – Little Norway has been a huge success both nationally and internationally since its beginning in 2011. Despite having been on the market no more than a year, the brand is already being distributed in over 40 stores across Norway.

However, Koløy has made a conscious choice to keep her clothes away from chain stores in order for her brand to maintain a slightly exclusive feel.

Koløy prefers to distribute her brand through smaller niche stores. “These are not mass-produced clothes, and they are not supposed to be found in stores on every street corner,” she says.

“There has been a huge international interest for Mole since day one,” says Koløy, who believes the distinct Norwegian designs may be exotic to customers of other nationalities.

at home and around me, which was very important. There was a lot of volunteer work in the beginning,” she says.

Starting small, Koløy started promoting her brand at fairs and got off to a flying start hooking customers from the very beginning. “This was something new that my customers had not seen before. I think the timing, the product, the price, the quality and the Norwegian design have all played a part in my success so far,” she says. The self-made designer has no formal education within fashion but thinks that may have been an advantage as her designs have not been influenced as much by trends in the market. “I am just living the dream and making something out of my passion!”

One-woman company Mole – Little Norway is a one-woman company, and Koløy does everything from designing the clothes to managing the economic side of her company. She admits that it was challenging starting out on her own. “I had a good supporting team

Looking forward, Koløy aims to build her brand and establish herself as one of Norway’s leading distributors within her market. “I cannot always do everything myself, so hopefully I’ll be able to hire some employees, or take on a partner or an in-

vestor soon,” she says. A Mole Boutique abroad is in the planning stage, and the brand is set to be featured in both magazines and fashion shows in the United States and Russia in the near future.

“There are a lot of things happening very fast, often before I have time to do it myself,” says the entrepreneur.

Hanne Synnøve Koløy

In addition to her network of 43 retailers in Norway, Koløy currently distributes her clothing brand to customers in Germany, Italy, Finland, Sweden, Taiwan, Ukraine, the Netherlands, Switzerland, France and England, not to mention having provided clothing for the young princes and princesses in the Danish royal family. And this list of countries may soon grow longer, as there has recently been interest from retailers in Kuwait, South Korea and the United States.

For more information, please visit: www.mole.no

Issue 47 | December 2012 | 35

Photo: Bjørn Tore Moen

Throwing out traditional aesthetics Who says linens, blankets, cushions and porcelain cannot be masculine? This was the question posed by the innovative designers at Funkle, who found a surprising gap in the home decorating market.

partners also aim to gain a foothold in the contract market, with hotels and large interior design projects.

By Magnus Nygren Syversen

Masculine designs “We never intended to start a business.

We just wanted something that would help us develop our creativity,” says Magnvor Lunåshaug, managing director at Funkle AS. The company was founded five years ago when a group of innovative young entrepreneurs, who met in college, stumbled into the textile design market with a unique idea for a line of products: masculine design for men.

stores across the country. The woollen blanket from their Power Collection line received the Award for Design Excellence from the Norwegian Design Council, and the company went on to be nominated for the prestigious German design award Designpreis Deutschland. This year a selection of Funkle’s products were bought by the National Gallery, for use in their permanent collection.

“We tried selling our product to one retail store, then another, and they both jumped on the idea. Since then it has just grown and grown,” says Lunåshaug. Five years later, Funkle is a respected brand on the Norwegian market, selling their products through a network of over 40 design

In addition to their retail network and an online web-shop, a portion of Funkle’s sales comes through business-tobusiness sales, with companies buying their products either for use in an office environment, or as gifts to employees and business partners. Lunåshaug and her

36 | Issue 47 | December 2012

What makes Funkle’s products so successful is the nature of their designs and their target market, combined with fine craftsmanship and fine fabrics. Home decorating is by any measurement a market dominated by female customers, but Funkle’s products challenge this stereotype. The typical feminine cushion is thrown out the window to make room for masculine designs such as high voltage electrical towers, coal loaders and massive cranes. “We realised early on that all of our products separated themselves from everything else on the market.

Everything was so dainty and girly; interior products that only women would buy. Ours were cushions for men as well,” says Lunåshaug.

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | 100% Norway

Porcelain launch In a bid to move outside the world of textiles, Funkle is launching a series of porcelain cups, bowls, dishes and vases under the Gullfuglen line this December.

“We are trying to find our own area, where the old and traditional meet the contemporary and innovative,” says Lunåshaug.

Having focused solely on the Norwegian market thus far, Lunåshaug says she and her partners are ready to take the next step and launch their brand internationally. “There is so much potential, and all we need is a little nudge for it to take off,” she says. But in order to do so she needs to find the right partners to help further build and develop the company.

The managing director explains that the entrepreneurs are not looking for the tra-

ditional investor type, but rather an experienced enthusiast with a genuine passion for what they do. “I envision someone who has experience, and who has the drive and the knowledge we need to expand. We need someone who wants to commit with more than just money. If we find that person, we will go from very good to great in no time!”

For more information, please visit: www.funkle.no www.funkleshop.no

Photos: Merete Halseth

The Gullfuglen line was a new introduction last year and tells the story of striking it lucky. The story pays homage to the working class in the harsh 1930s. The main subject in this series is a bird with shaggy feathers on his head, but with long, colourful and glorious tail feathers. This bird represents the workers who made burlap bags for the fertilizer industry.

These men made a good living from the burlap bags, and thus became very attractive husband material for the local women. This series is very colourful, and the motifs are built up of geometric shapes from the architecture at the industrial park in Notodden, the town in which the company is located.

Photo: Ingeborg Øien Thorsland

Funkle currently produces two main lines of cushions and linens: the Power Collection and Gullfuglen (translated: The Golden Bird). The Power Collection features heavy machinery such as the coal loader, oil platforms and high voltage electrical towers. These towers are also featured on the duvet set Electric Dreams, a set that plays around with the idea of recharging while you are asleep. Funkle also has another popular duvet set named Adam & Eva, which plays on how these figures from Norwegian folklore discovered lovemaking. This is perhaps one of their more controversial designs and has become increasingly popular as a gift for weddings and anniversaries.

Photo: Funkle

Issue 47 | December 2012 | 37

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | 100% Norway

A history of Norwegian knitwear As winter approaches, the hand-knit sweater is a staple in any Norwegian winter wardrobe as Norwegians traditionally turn to wool for warmth. For the last 125 years, more often than not, they specifically turn to wool from SandnesGarn – the company behind the original Marius sweater and one of the biggest success stories in wool.

Since its establishment in the small Norwegian town Sandnes in 1888, the wool manufacturer has provided yarn and designs for cold Scandinavian winters. Constantly expanding and keeping up with the latest trends and technologies, SandnesGarn has today grown to become the largest yarn manufacturer in the Nordic region. However, the true story of their success lies not only in their high-quality yarn and large-scale production, but also in their designs.

Early renowned for using cutting-edge technology in their wool production, it was in the nineteen-fifties SandnesGarn truly had their breakthrough. In 1953, they launched the fantastically popular Marius sweater, dedicated to the little brother of famous skier Stein Eriksen. As CEO Harald Mjølne states, the Marius sweater became an instant hit and has since then been a symbol of the Norwegian ski and outdoors lifestyle.

Having created such a fashion icon, SandnesGarn continued their work with creating knitting designs that combined traditional motifs with innovative ideas, something that is a cornerstone in the business today. As Mjølne ex-

38 | Issue 47 | December 2012

By Hannah Gillow Kloster Photos: SandnesGarn

plains, knitwear has become increasingly pervasive in current fashion. This has had the knock-on effect that more young people are knitting today than in a long time.

However, Mjølne is careful to emphasize, it is not only about fashion. “People enjoy making something of their own and take satisfaction in creating something rather than always buying.”

Feeding into this creative trend is the increased availability and popularity of alpaca wool, which is softer and, as Mjølne states, “less itchy”. Paired with SandnesGarn's designs, alpaca is perfect for knitters who desire “something thick, warm and simple that they can knit in just a few days”, which, according to Mjølne, is most knitters.

SandnesGarn has held the Nordic winters at bay for more than a century. And with their cutting-edge production technology, soft, wearable wool and stylish yet traditional designs, SandnesGarn will most likely be keeping Scandinavia warm for another century to come.

For more information, please visit: www.sandnesgarn.no

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | 100% Norway

Made with love Celebrating their first anniversary, Ullungene’s handmade children’s clothing is knitted with alpaca wool by Peruvian women, with designs found in Anne Merete Henriksen’s and Thea Gundersen’s grandmothers’ attics.

By Line Elise Svanevik

Ullungene was founded by Henriksen and Gundersen in 2011, after Henriksen had travelled to Lima, Peru, for work. After finding herself feeling incredibly privileged as a young Norwegian woman in the middle of the poverty in Lima, she felt a strong urge to make a difference.

“You walk out on the streets and feel the contrast of being a western woman living a great life and seeing how the women of Peru struggle,” says Henriksen.

“You just want to be able to do something.”

The two friends decided to go on a search for knitters, which proved to be a long and difficult process. However, with some help from a charity based in Lima, they managed to find women who were passionate about knitting and wanted to work for them.

Henriksen and Gundersen then went on to create the designs. “We found most of the knits in our grandmothers’ attics,” says

2

Old knits discovered in the founders’ grandmothers’ attics, redesigned by Henriksen and Gundersen for a fresh and more modern look. Photo: Christina Børding

The founders of Ullungene Anne Merete Henriksen and Thea Gundersen. Photo: Pilar Bustamante

Henriksen, who has a background in accounting but is a keen knitter herself. “We

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would sit down together and go through the knits and adjust them until we had made something we both liked,” she adds.

The duo currently have 20 knitters, who are all women aged between 24 and 60.

Henriksen says the charity provides the knitters with a fair salary, which is incredibly important to them, in addition to providing them with someone they can talk to if they need it.

“Along with high-quality garments, the social profile is very important to us,” says Henriksen. “We want to support a good cause, and we want the women to feel like they are doing something important outside their family lives.”

On Ullungene’s Facebook page, they introduce their knitters one by one, with a short story of who they are. It is a lovely little touch that makes Ullungene seem more unique and personal, and the customers get a loving sense of who has made their children’s clothing.

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For more information, please visit: www.ullungene.no

A modern take on tradition Few things in Norway’s cultural heritage are more visually distinctive than the traditional folk costume, the bunad. The dynamic duo at family-run design bureau SPTZBRGN is bringing this Norwegian tradition into the 21st century.

By Magnus Nygren Syversen | Photos: SPTZBRGN

On 17 May, the Norwegian Constitution Day, the streets in every town and city in the nation are filled with women dressed in the traditional Norwegian folk costume, the bunad. As many as 70% of all Norwegian women own one of these beautifully adorned costumes, which come in a multitude of varieties depending on which part of the country they are from. In comparison, only 7% of all men in Norway own a male bunad, as most men seem to prefer wearing a suit on special occasions.

In these statistics, two innovative entrepreneurs, named Tanja Holmen and Jarle Hagen, saw an opportunity, and together they founded a small design bureau called SPTZBRGN in December 2009. The couple started designing a selection of bunad ties, each of them match-

40 | Issue 47 | December 2012

ing the female bunad of a specific area. As of today they offer 32 varieties of the bunad ties in their collection, and they are working continuously to broaden their offerings.

Modernising cultural heritage “We want to contribute to modernising Norwegian cultural heritage, and our

hope is that these bunad ties will become Norway’s new national garment for men,” says project leader Tanja Holmen. The ties became an instant hit on the Norwegian design scene, and in three years, the couple have built up a network of 25 distributors all across Norway, as well as three retailers in the United States and one in Perth, Australia. Last year, SPTZBRGN received the Award for Design Excellence from the Norwegian Design Council, and the marketing award Robert Millar NY by Trondheim Markedsforening (Trondheim Marketing Association).

“We are creating a brand that is modern yet traditional, exotic, serious and very heartfelt, all at the same time,” says Jarle Hagen. A designer and photographer by trade, he is the man behind everything from the design of the bunad ties themselves to the box they come in. He also pulls the strings during promotional photo shoots, whether he is behind or in front of the camera. “We decided from the start that we would build this com-

pany stone by stone, own and do everything ourselves and keep our cards close to our chest,” he says.

them as gifts for their international business connections,” says Holmen. Already established in the United States and Aus-

Pristine quality There is a lot of prestige connected with the craft of making bunads, and Holmen and Hagen have been careful not to compromise the quality of the garments. Their ties are made from the finest Norwegian materials, using 100% wool, both in the fabric and in the yarn used for embroidery.

Every single bunad tie is handcrafted, and due to the complexity of the embroidery, it can take as long as three days to craft a single tie.

The two entrepreneurs have a great team of ambassadors to help them reach out to an international audience as several celebrities have taken a shine to the distinctive ties. Some of the more famous owners of one or more of SPTZBRGN’s distinctive ties are A-ha’s keyboard player Magne Furuholmen, British artist Damien Hirst and American director Alexander Payne. The bunad ties are also worn by members of the Norwegian royal family, with both Princess Märtha Louise’s husband Ari Behn and even His Royal Highness Prince Haakon Magnus of Norway sporting SPTZBRGN’s designs.

High production costs and limited production in order to keep the exclusivity of these ties mean they belong in a significantly higher price range than your average tie. “This is no doubt an investment for special occasions, such as baptisms, confirmations, weddings and jubilees,” says Holmen, and points out that the cost of these ties is still just a fraction of that of a full bunad.

Regal endorsement “Our ties are an excellent gift, and we see a lot of Norwegian businessmen buying

tralia, SPTZBRGN’s market is growing fast. Having previously focused mainly on Norway, Holmen and Hagen now look to conquer the Russian and the Japanese markets. “The Japanese are especially fascinated with everything Scandinavian and appreciate handcrafted products,” says Hagen.

Tanja Holmen and Jarle Hagen

For more information, please visit: www.sptzbrgn.com www.bunadslips.no

Issue 47 | December 2012 | 41

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | 100% Norway

250 years of Christmas tradition Hadeland Glassverk has been crafting glass and celebrating Christmas for 250 years.

It has become an important part of the Christmas spirit for thousands of Norwegians.

By Magnus Nygren Syversen | Photos: Hadeland Glassverk

With Christmas approaching, the grounds at Hadeland Glassverk in Jevnaker have been transformed into a snowy Christmas Village, featuring a Christmas cottage, lots of activities for children and over 50,000 Christmas lights. “People come to the countryside to find some peace and quiet, and to enjoy our old, venerable Christmas traditions. In addition, they get to visit Norway’s largest factory outlet, where they will always get value for money,” says Kari S. Roll-Mathiessen, operations and marketing director at Hadeland Glassverk’s visitor centre.

Established as far back as in 1762, Hadeland Glassverk (Hadeland Glassworks) is Norway’s oldest industrial company, operating continuously for 250 years. “The glassblowers working at our factory today are using the same equipment as those who worked here in 1762,” says RollMathiessen.

42 | Issue 47 | December 2012

The glassworks feature a living glass hut, where some 600,000 yearly visitors are invited to witness glass products come to life. “Even when it is freezing cold outside, the glass hut is always nice and warm,” says Roll-Mathiessen. To celebrate their 250th anniversary this year, visitors are also invited to enjoy a large anniversary exhibit in the glassworks’ art gallery.

tory has around 140 employees, of which close to 40 are glassblowers. Some of their classic lines of products, such as the wine glass series “Marie”, have been bestsellers for 100 years and are still being produced today. These products are being sold at retailers across all of Norway.

Norway’s largest factory outlet for glass and porcelain products also includes nine separate shops, ranging from a candle foundry and a general store to a waffle house and bakery. The bakery has been a part of Hadeland Glassverk since Ludvig Andreassen was appointed the first baker supreme in 1881. “We offer a variety of tempting food, desserts and snacks,” says the manager.

Hadeland Glassverk produces more glass products today than ever before. The fac-

For more information, please visit: www.hadeland-glassverk.no

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | 100% Norway

“Sealskin has superior insulation, making it sustainable in extremely cold temperatures, while the design makes them uniquely Nordic,” says Helge Reigstad, managing director at Topaz Arctic Shoes.

“In fact, we have models that are used on polar expeditions; some of our boots have been to both the South and the North Pole.”

Based on classic Norwegian design where every boot is handmade, the classic model Article no 50 is still selling as much today as it did in the 1960s; this year, Topaz are launching new models, including slippers and the more modern Polar.

“Polar is our latest modern model, and it is designed to go higher up on the leg as all of our boots are designed for winter and cold weather. Polar can also be used in the autumn and spring because of its design,” says Reigstad who designs all the models himself.

The family business behind Norway’s famous sealskin boots Footwear brand and family business Topaz is the world’s largest producer of sealskin boots and slippers, and the ever-expanding company is preparing for the winter with several new high-quality models.

Despite the seal industry being highly regulated, the company, based in Ulefoss in Norway, strives to make caring for the environment a vital priority.

“The seals are mostly from Norway and certain areas around Greenland; this is due to EU regulations. We strive to maintain our quality and tradition while also focusing on future growth. The raw material we work with is carefully collected in a responsible way,” Reigstad explains.

By Didrik Ottesen | Photos: Topaz

For over 20 years, Topaz has produced their high-standard boots and slippers, and with the material used as well as the

inimitable design, it makes perfect sense that the boots are to be found in some of Norway’s finest and largest shops.

The ultimate quality and excellent design of Topaz’s products are as obvious as their ambition for their products to always have that “something extra”.

For more information, please visit: topaz.no 50 Woman

Polar

Rufus

Issue 47 | December 2012 | 43

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | 100% Norway

Photo: Jarle Haukeland

Art and fashion in perfect harmony Gro Aakenes Sævig has dedicated most of her life to textile arts and art history. In establishing her new company, Artwear by Gro, she has found a way to combine her two great passions.

By Magnus Nygren Syversen | Photos: Mira Jakobsen

Artwear by Gro is exactly what the name suggests: wearable art in the form of dresses, tunics, skirts and jackets, all presented through Gro Aakenes Sævig’s distinctive artistic expression. “I want to convey the history of art in my own way,” says Aakenes Sævig, who looks to different artistic styles when she creates her designs. So far she has made two collections, one of them inspired by the Renaissance and the other inspired by art nouveau. A third collection, which the designer is currently working on, is based on op art, or an optical art style.

44 | Issue 47 | December 2012

To gather inspiration, Aakenes Sævig travels to where the art is. For her collection inspired by the Renaissance, she found her inspiration walking the streets of Florence, and for the art nouveau collection, she let her camera run wild in Barcelona.

“The way I work is to take photographs of a famous work of art or architecture and then focus on one specific part of that piece, or the piece as a whole. I often create my patterns and designs based on the tiniest little detail, such as geometric el-

ements or even the rasters in the picture,” she explains. One of the examples she gives is using the curved lines in the hair of an angel in one of Austrian artist Gustav Klimt’s paintings to create a pattern on a skirt. “I do not know of anybody else that does this.”

Art, women and quality All of the products in Artwear by Gro’s collections are exclusive, limited and numbered. Aakenes Sævig produces no more than 100 of each dress, and skirts and jackets stop at 50. Staying true to their creator’s background as an art historian, every piece of garment comes with a hang-tag that tells the story about how the pattern came to life.

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | 100% Norway

Artwear by Gro’s clothing is based on Aakenes Sævig’s design ideology, in which art, women and quality are the three key elements. She targets a broad audience and her customers range in age from 18 to 80. “My dresses and tunics can be used in everyday life as well as for more formal occasions, and they are excellent when travelling. They are made from high-quality fabric, and they hardly wrinkle. You can wear them with pants or as a dress, and they are great to wear on the beach,” says the designer.

The designer aims to offer clothing that is both timely and timeless, both stylish and comfortable, and with shapes and designs that will not go out of style. The clothes are designed to complement the shape of the female body, aiming to highlight the right areas. Aakenes Sævig’s motto when creating her designs is a quote from the esteemed costume designer Edith Head, which states: “A dress should be tight enough to show you're a woman and loose enough to prove you're a lady.”

A sense of exclusivity Aakenes Sævig started working with textile arts in 1997 and has been designing garments for the last six years. But it was not until she partnered with Anne Tellefsen and launched Artwear by Gro last year that production took off. “Anne takes care of the economic side of our business, which gives me time to focus on the designs,” says Aakenes Sævig. The company is situated in the beautiful coastal town of Bergen, on the west coast of Norway, and all the designs are developed at the USF Verftet Arts Center.

name for itself, despite being only a year old. Now Aakenes Sævig looks across the Norwegian borders, hoping to attract international interest. “We have not yet marketed ourselves outside of Norway, but the history of art is universal after all,” she says. Most important for the passionate designer, however, is to come up with

ideas for new collections. “There is so much to take from in art history, and I really want to take on more,” she says.

For more information, please visit: www.artwearbygro.no

Artwear by Gro products are not currently available in traditional retail stores. Instead, Aakenes Sævig uses a network of eight art galleries nationwide, as well as the web-shop, to promote and sell her brand. “If we were to mass produce our clothing, we would probably want to sell them through retailers as well, but there is something nice about this feeling of exclusivity,” she says.

With two collections on the market, Artwear by Gro has already made a decent

Issue 47 | December 2012 | 45

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | 100% Norway

Handcrafted design with ‘something special’ With a playful and tactile approach to every new project, award-winning design studio Handverk has developed its own style and firmly believes that there is something beautiful inside every project.

By Didrik Ottesen | Photos: Handverk

“We are different and creative in the way in which we work and design our products.

There are many great designers out there; however, due to our approach and the way we express ourselves, we have developed a somewhat different and fresh type of design,” says Eivind Stoud Platou, creative director and partner.

As films, books and music enthusiasts, Evind Stoud Platou and co-partner Kåre Martens have mainly worked within these fields, using their creative and innovative approach to make their products stand out.

“We do think that every new project should have its own identity, and considering the fact that most of what we do is handcrafted, the identity of the project becomes more genuine and can shine through more easily.”

For more information, please visit: www.madebyhandverk.no

46 | Issue 47 | December 2012

Photo: Magne Langåker

At age 42, Kirsti Nordberg Moe abandoned her job and a steady paycheck in order to become a milliner. That is a decision she has not regretted for a second.

is a portrait of Nordberg Moe’s career.

“Sewing has always been a way of life for me, and through my education to become a secretary I learned several languages.

That has proved to be a successful combination,” says the milliner.

Photo: Trond Svenningsen

Who wants to be a milliner?

Having grown tired of working as a secretary at a hospital, Kirsti Nordberg Moe left her job to pursue her passion to become a milliner. Today she has 22 years of experience in the hat-making business behind her and a clientele that includes both royalty and clergy. “It’s hard to make a living as a milliner; it’s very challenging, but very fun,” she says.

Nordberg Moe runs Atelier Kinomo, based at the Sunnhordland Museum in the small municipality of Stord on the west coast of Norway. However, most of her clientele live around the capital Oslo. All of her hats are, of course, handmade and range from standard models to more exclusive one-of-a-kind creations. “There is not an abundance of people with an interest in hats, but those who are interested often want something special,” she says.

“We are traditional and yet experimental in our process, and the combination of that and our creative approach makes the product perceived as somewhat more genuine.”

“The reason we worked on and chose the projects we have is that we have a burning passion for what we do; we thoroughly commit ourselves to every project and client, and by doing so every project has that something special,” Stoud Platou says.

Recently Nordberg Moe has had great success travelling the country with a 20th anniversary exhibition, and the popular milliner even had the book “Silhuettar” (Silhouettes) written about her. The book

By Magnus Nygren Syversen

For more information, please visit: www.kinomo.no

Luminator won the Norwegian Lighting Award for Smaalenene Bridge and are nominated for the Nordic Lighting Award. Photo: Marion Haslien. Designer: Erik Selmer

Light the way In a country consumed by darkness for several months of the year, illumination of public spaces not only works as guidance and security but also creates atmosphere and ambiance in an otherwise dark space.

By Anette Berve Luminator AS is a well-known name within the illumination industry and delivers sustainable, creative and advanced illuminating solutions for companies and public spaces. The company dates back to 1971; however, Per Arne Helberget took over as owner and managing director in 2001, and has since then managed the creative direction towards today’s success, with numerous high-profile projects in their portfolio and several awards. Lately Luminator have crossed the borders and worked on projects in Iceland and most recently on the renovation of exclusive Hotel D'angleterre in Copenhagen.

Sauda Sønnå power station.

Photo: Courtesy of Luminator

Trial illumination Luminator AS operates within four different segments: interior and exterior illumination, LED lights and spec-projects.

“We differ from our competitors by executing trials of our illumination design for our clients,” Helberget explains and adds that by conducting a trial run on a small scale both the client and designers can more easily visualize the end product. This autumn Helberget and his team are busy carrying out a trial illumination of the his-

Oscarsborg Fortress outside Drøbak.

Photo: Erik Selmer

torical Eidsvollbygningen, due to finish in time for the Constitutional Jubilee in 2014.

Reduce light pollution Eidsvollbygningen is not the first historical building Luminator AS has worked on.

They are currently also designing new lighting systems for several fortresses, including Akershus Fortress in Oslo. When the project is finished, Helberget estimate to have reduced its electrical consumption by 70%. “As illumination designers we focus on sustainable and environmentally friendly solutions. It is important for us to keep the environment in mind when embarking on any project,” Helberget continues. He explains that controlled lighting fixtures that can be switched on and off are amongst the energy saving methods they use. “At the same time we also focus on light pollution and make sure that we do not use unnecessarily bright light and disturb the natural ambiance.”

Every other year, the Norwegian Lighting Award is presented, and Luminator AS has been awarded the prestigious award twice and received honorary mentions three times. Last year, the jury praised Luminator AS for its design on Smaalenene Bridge in Askim, for the subtle illumination. Helberget attributes Luminator’s success to the team effort in his company: “It is not only important to have highly qualified designers; it is our collaboration and collective creativity that is the most vital ingredient.”

For more information, please visit: www.luminator.no

Issue 47 | December 2012 | 47

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | 100% Norway

New Norwegian knitting universe Pocknit combines a brand new knitting technique with the tried and tested traditions of Norwegian knitting culture to create new and innovative products and designs.

By Magnus Nygren Syversen | Photos: Jacob Hoffmann

“Pocknit was made from our growing need to keep things in our pockets,” says creator Ingeborg Griegel. The brand name Pocknit stems from the words “pocket” and “knit”, and Griegel uses a brand new knitting technique to create garments with hidden pockets in which to keep everyday items. She gets a lot of her inspiration from her hometown of Namsos, where the company is based.

“This is traditional knitwear such as sweaters and scarves, building on traditional Nordic knitting culture and utilising a zipped pocket to create an extra storage room for everyday items, such as mobile phones, iPods, money and makeup,” says Griegel, and points out that these are items for young people, and men and women of all ages. “These garments appeal to all men and women, from the trendy urban woman to the rugged outdoorsman.”

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experience behind her. “I have worked incredibly hard for this, and it feels fantastic to finally be able to launch Pocknit. I can finally offer the products I have been working on for so many years,” says the knitting entrepreneur.

After years of testing both the product and the market, Griegel is ready to launch her first collection of knitwear, and she already has a network of retailers in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, France, Austria and the United States.

“That is a very good start, and I have absolute faith it will grow larger,” says Griegel, who aims to also break into the market in Germany, Japan and England.

“My long term ambitions are sky high. I want as many as possible to wear my products, and I want to help people feel comfortable wherever they are, whether they are in the city or in the mountains, on land or at sea,” says the Pocknit creator.

Getting the company up and running has been a long process for Griegel, who has an education in textile design and years of

For more information, please visit: www.pocknit.com

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | 100% Norway

Vera&William is a tribute to all ladies and gentlemen living under a demanding climate with changing seasons. Each garment is created beyond seasonal limitations and realised with much thought and loving care – simply to offer the very best of everything. Photos: Siren Lauvdal

Wool and Vintage elegance In such a demanding climate as found in Norway, wearing the right materials to stay warm is essential, particularly when it comes to underwear worn close to the skin.

Vera&William has a vision of simple elegance and pure natural fabrics to help you through the changing seasons.

By Anette Berve | Photos: Courtesy of Vera&William

“I've always wanted to create something of my own and be able to make a difference in the industry.” After a few years working as a fashion assistant, Anne Cecilie Rinde had had enough of mass ordering garments and felt like she had lost touch with the design aspect. “As a designer you can take responsibility for how you produce your collections. It is not just about aesthetics. Fashion can be so much more than producing just for the sake of it.” She created the brand Vera&William based on her love for craft and vintage, simplicity and elegance, with garments made from delicate materials like merino wool, silk, angora and cashmere. Rinde wanted to focus on using pure, natural fibres because of their unique functions and ability to provide the ultimate comfort that no synthetic fibre can replace.

Old traditions Rinde explains that her vision was to take designing back to the basic traditions of the 20s and 30s, when garments were detailed and durable. A lot has changed in

the clothing industry since. Previously the use of natural fibres was more common; today almost everything is made from a synthetic mix. “I wanted to re-launch the classic traditions and old techniques in assembling and making garments,” she explains. Rinde is detail oriented, but older knitting techniques proved challenging. “Modern machines are now customized to synthetic production, so authentic details are hard to create, especially lace trims made from wool and not a synthetic blend.” Rinde explains that pure natural fibres are thin but coarse, harder to knit, but more functional and lovable in use. It goes hand in hand with her vision of creating a product that is appreciated and meant to last.

Meant to last “The clothing industry is one that has a very poor reputation in terms of thinking green. I wanted to create products under fair conditions and items that are meant to last more than one season and aim to do more than just give temporary satisfac-

tion.” For Rinde, contributing to an ethical and sustainable development in the textile industry is fundamental. “No matter what you produce you will leave footprints in one way or another. It is important for me as a designer to do what I can do to reduce the pollution and waste in addition to creating garments that last.”

Anne Cecilie Rinde is also the driving force behind Designerkollektivet, a collaborative showroom with Norwegian designers in Oslo. See www.designerkollektivet.no for more information about her project.

For more information, please visit: www.verawilliam.no Facebook: Vera & William +47 922 02 182 / post@verawilliam.no

Issue 47 | December 2012 | 49

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | 100% Norway

Wearable art inspired by nature Designs from Mariette have only been available for a few years, but they are already among the most sought-after designs on the market.

By Therese Wallin | Photos: Hanny Charlotte Pedersen

Two years ago, Mariette Røed Torjussen decided to venture out into the world, leave her safe job behind and launch her own clothing line. Since she started designing and making her own clothes, there has been an ever-growing demand for her design aesthetic.

Mariette’s next collection for spring 2013 is composed of chiffon and other highquality materials. The fabrics are chosen according to their suitability to each design, so that their natural characteristics

are strengthened by the design that they are used for. The natural flow of the fabrics is breathtakingly flattering on the body. There are also some more edgy parts of the collection. “There is a lot of flow and movement in many of the garments, but I have also worked with leather so that there is something for every occasion and every style in the collection,” says Mariette.

No age limit

“Clothes are an essential part of who we are, and I wanted to make something different, something that would stand out,” says Mariette. There is no doubt that many have welcomed her vision. Indeed, her clothes have not only been worn by various celebrities but have also featured at red carpet events and been acknowledged in the media.

Elements of nature translated into clothes “I draw my inspiration for my designs from nature. Many of my ideas originate from elements such as water and how waves move. The colour palette of my collections also mirrors those colours found in nature,” says Mariette.

Mariette has managed to do what most people only dream of, she has created a line with clothes that are not only beautiful to look at and impeccably made but also make her clients feel comfortable, trendy and beautiful. “It is extremely rewarding to see that women of all ages wear my designs,” says Mariette.

Mariette’s clothes allow you to become one with nature, whilst displaying your personality to the outside world.

For more information, please visit: mariette.no

Issue 47 | December 2012 | 51

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | 100% Norway

Left and middle: Scandic Fornebu

A hotel night beyond the ordinary Designing and constructing buildings, such as hotels, which are both functional and conceptual on the outside and the inside, is an art that Narud Stokke Wiig Sivilarkitekter (Narud Stokke Wiig Architects) have come to master. With their solutionbased approach to architecture, they add surprise and inspiration to all their work.

By Therese Wallin | Photos: NSW

Narud Stokke Wiig Architects (NSW) have their business headquarters in Oslo, Norway, but their work can be seen in locations far beyond this idyllic city, ranging from Tromsø in the north of Norway to a university campus in Iraq; what they have in common is that they are outstanding designs by NSW. With around 40 employees, the office of this competent group of architects is always buzzing with inspiration and design ideas.

“We do not specialize in designing a specific type or style of building. Instead, we concentrate on solutions and ensure that all we do has that extra something,” says

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Tore Schjetlein, who is one of the partners at NSW. “As such, we have worked for a range of clients and created everything from offices, private houses, and even transformed many buildings.”

Stay at a design hotel and experience something beyond the ordinary NSW are not like many other architects.

They listen to their clients’ needs and then create a design that does not only suit these requests but also allows the clients and their customers to enjoy the premises. “Think of hotels for instance; the basic concept is to have rooms for the purpose of sleeping or having meetings in,

but they can offer so much more if you design them with that spirit in mind,” says Schjetlein. NSW have become specialists in designing hotels in difficult terrain, giving them an edge that seems impossible to the untrained eye.

“We have designed many hotels in the past and what is important is to use the environment around you and ensure that you make the most of it. Even if the location is by an airport runway, we think outside the box to create designs that will satisfy the hotel owners and give their guests something unexpected and a truly enjoyable stay,” explains Schjetlein.

It is not only the inside that counts NSW also looks at pleasing the wider public. “A hotel, or any building for that matter, is seen by many more people than those staying in it. Seeing that this is inevitable, we work with creating attractive

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | 100% Norway

Above: Rica Rock City Hotel

exteriors as well as wonderful interiors.

This adds something to the local area as well as to our clients,” says Schjetlein.

NSW design hotels with three principles in mind, they do not merely seek to create standard bedrooms and an ordinary dining area, but strive to create designs which are not only functional, but also interesting and enjoyable. “Of course it is crucial that the hotel functions well logistically and that the staff can go about their business in peace without disturbing the guests. However, we

want the guests of our designed hotels to enjoy it beyond the traditional sleeping and eating function that they have. The hotels that we design serve a further purpose, they add to their surroundings a standard that was previously not reached and connect to the local community,” says Schjetlein.

With returning clients, the designs are a true success story The fact that NSW’s clients return and hire them for subsequent projects is a testament to their expertise.

“One of the many things that our clients appreciate is that we design according to the local environment. As such, we make the most out of natural sunlight and other elements from nature. This is not only about taking responsibility for our environment, but it is also one of the best ways to create a design that adds to people’s stay. In this spirit, we work very much with windows and adapt and tailor them to each perspective of the building. Some will be smaller and some will be bigger, but we always ensure that guests are able to connect with the outside world through their hotel bedroom window,” says Schjetlein.

Photo: Rica

NSW’s design will not only be admired by present and future generations for lifetimes, they will never go unnoticed, making the thrill of staying in a hotel designed

by NSW impossible to resist.

For more information, please visit: www.nsw.no

Rica Airport Hotel - Stavanger

Issue 47 | December 2012 | 53

Margarinfabrikken. Photo: Kim Müller

Micropolis and the Global World STUDIO hp AS landscape + urbanism was established in 2004 as an extension of the two owners' international activities in research and teaching. In 2008, they began to receive commercial commissions.

“We are a young company with a lot of experience and high professional and scientific expertise in both landscape architecture and urbanism,” says Hettie Pisters, professor of landscape architecture at the Oslo School of Architecture and Design. Her partner, Ole Møystad, is a professor of architecture at NTNU in Trondheim. “When the wild-card system was created to ensure that new, young companies also got a chance to prequalify for invitational competitions and parallel commissions for the public sector, we considered joining in,” she laughs, “we are a young company after all, and we are always keen to renew ourselves.”

well as in practical landscape architecture and urban development, is the pushing of the boundaries of the economic and technical aspects but also in the crafts-

The recurring theme in all of STUDIO hp’s work, within R&D, academic publishing as

Margarinfabrikken.

Photo: Jiri Havran/ Arfo

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manship. The office has completed projects at various levels, including master plans and feasibility studies within project and urban development for the construction of outdoor areas for some of the biggest as well as some smaller kindergartens in Oslo. The outdoor play area of the largest kindergarten in Norway, Mar-

Margarinfabrikken Playscape. Client: Municipality of Oslo.

Illustration: CTRL+N Architects

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | 100% Norway

garinfabrikken kindergarten in Sagene in Oslo, is an example of how the office has combined a large and a small scale area in one and the same project. As a structural idea for the project, STUDIO hp took the city and the city plan as the basis for the playground. “It's in the kindergarten where children will practice being in the city and the wider world outside their home for the first time. Therefore, we think the city was an interesting educational model for a kindergarten with about 700 children between one and five years old.”

To push the boundaries of each project, STUDIO hp has a team of specialists in the relevant technical and management disciplines on every assignment. This information is combined with further awareness of ecology, infrastructure and the understanding of the urban landscape as a dynamic object, like something that unfolds over time, just like nature does. The study of the challenges and opportunities for urban development of vertical landscapes like the 80-metre high cliff that runs through the

centre of Holmestrand is such a boundary.

Holmestrand has been a recurring case in STUDIO hp's work for a while.

Møystad explains: “In 1997, we came home after three years of working on urban development and reconstruction in Beirut. The first phone call we got when we came home was from the mayor of Holmestrand, also chairman of Bellona, Olaf Brastad. He had read an article about our work and wanted us to come down to talk about urban development in Holmestrand. Since then we have worked on Holmestrand on several occasions. At the same time, STUDIO hp is engaged in projects in the Middle East and China. We are often asked how we, as a small Norwegian company, combine themes from the new megacities with local Norwegian towns like Holmestrand. You often hear that deep down every Norwegian is a farmer. How can you say that about a nation where 90% of the population lives within a distance of 10 kilometres from the coast - with 20,000 kilometres of coastline

Holmestrand Wall. Client: Municipality of Holmestrand. Photo: STUDIO hp

Holmestrand Bache Gabrielsens Square. Client: Municipality of Holmestrand. Photo: STUDIO hp

– and where settlements consist almost entirely of small, some tiny and some larger urban centres? We claim that Norwegians are basically townspeople and seafarers, as some stay close to the shore and some go around the world. But everyone has their home port in some small city. All have a close and direct relationship with the forces of nature, and with the technology that makes it possible to exploit it and to survive it.

“At the end of the age of sailing ships, Holmestrand, with a mere 3,000 inhabitants, had almost 100 transcontinental ship owners. In that sense, we have experienced Holmestrand as 'a waistcoat pocket size world city’, as the poet Herman Wildenvey put it.” In the construction of the Bache-Gabrielsen's Square, this story is the basis for the design. “We think it was an important story to tell about the relationship between micropolis and the global world.”

Sande Nordre Jarlsberg Brygge- Garden City. Client: Schage Eiendom AS. Illustration: Ghilardi + Hellsten Architects

For more information, please visit: www.studiohp.as

Issue 47 | December 2012 | 55

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | 100% Norway

Effortlessly elegant Combining elegance with comfort, Wiksén is a brand for confident women with an eye for quality and detail.

By Magnus Nygren Syversen | Photos: Truls Qvale Rikke Wiksén has been designing outfits for years, but it was only when her friend and business partner Camilla Hagen came into the picture in October 2010 that she could concentrate fully on her career as a fashion designer. Hagen takes care of the business side of things, leaving Wiksén to focus on her designs. “Until then I had always had other jobs on the side, so that is when the business really started,” says Wiksén, who shares her name with the brand she has created.

“Our clothing is what we like to call effortlessly elegant. The clothes are nice and elegant, yet very comfortable, and use exclusive natural fabrics,” says Wiksén, who uses a lot of fine wool and silk in her garments. “My greatest strength as a designer has always been choosing quality fabrics and finding a nice cut for my designs.” Wiksén says her clothing is flattering on the body and fits most body shapes.

Wiksén started out designing evening wear, but in two years, her collections have grown to cover a larger portion of the

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market, including coats, tops and trousers as well as dresses. “These are clothes you can wear to work and then go straight out on the town in afterwards,” says Wiksén. The designer likes finding themes that work as a common denominator throughout a collection. These can be minor details such as a silk pocket, giving the brand an original twist and a more exclusive feel.

Wiksén has focused mainly on the Norwegian market thus far, but the duo in charge has noticed a growing international interest for the brand through their web-shop.

They ship dresses to four different continents, to customers in countries such as the United States, England, Australia, Hong Kong and Saudi Arabia. Now looking to establish themselves in major cities across the globe, the Wiksén brand will be exhibited during the fashion week in Copenhagen for the third time next year.

For more information, please visit: www.wiksen.no

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | 100% Norway

A jewel like no other Discover your inner designer through custom-made jewellery from Jewellers Bugge & Authen.

By Therese Wallin | Photos: Bugge & Authen Juvelerverksted AS Remy Bugge, the owner of Bugge & Authen Juvelerverksted, has worked for many years in the jewellery industry, and he knows how important it is to have jewels that reflect the personality of the per-

son who wears them.

“Bugge & Authen are more than an ordinary jewellery store. When you come to us you will meet with me and my staff and actually see jewellery being made,” says Bugge.

delivering a personal experience to clients.

“From next year onwards, people will be able to make their own rings under my guidance or the guidance of someone from my staff. This means that they are not only involved in the design but also in the actual making of their rings,” says Bugge.

Bugge & Authen’s desire to deliver an experience out of the ordinary to its clients gives them the chance to truly treasure jewellery that their inspiration has breathed life into.

A personalised experience “Many clients have a specific design idea in mind, but many also come wanting a specific type of jewellery, such as an engagement ring. I talk to the client about their needs, what they envision and for what sort of occasions they intend to wear the piece of jewellery, and then we work on the design together. This means that no piece is the same as the other because they are specifically made for each client,” explains Bugge.

Next year he is going the extra mile in

When art meets fashion Ellen Marlen Hamre brings her paintings to life through handbags and shoes. Her fusion of art and fashion makes for unique products that stand out from the crowd.

By Anette Berve | Photos: Ellen Marlen Hamre

For more information, please visit: www.gullsmedbugge.no

Lately her designs have made it onto shoes, on which she paints motifs to match the handbags. “The bags and shoes are today an extension of my paintings,” Hamre states. “They are small paintings you take with you when you go out.”

Hamre is a petroleum engineer by profession, but a creative soul by heart.

Hamre has been painting over the years, her signature being the use of bold colours and cartoon-like images. She explains her motivation as “that euphoric feeling you get when you feel joy, energy and enthusiasm.” For her paintings, Hamre uses acrylic paint and mixed media, a technique she has transferred to her handbags.

Small paintings A few years ago she had the idea of transferring the colours and characters in her paintings onto handbags. “It started as an experiment to see if I could transfer the motifs onto a different canvas.” Since then she has created unique handbags that are

all different; no bag is the same. Some are made from leather-like fabric, while in her most recent bags she has experimented with the use of knitting. “I also sew in small details to give them a more individual design. It can be a pearl or an old fabric piece. I have even used an old pair of suspenders as the shoulder strap.”

Ellen Marlen Hamre’s Love Is All Around bag

For more information, please visit: www.ellenmarlen.com

Issue 47 | December 2012 | 57

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | 100% Norway

Exclusive feminine design with a personal touch

body even more beautiful by emphasising the right things. It is vital that the designs can be easily dressed up and down depending on the occasion,” she explains.

Holding a strong position in the women’s clothing market, Morami could be considered an exemplification of Norwegian fashion design, with its unique expressions, high standards, quality products, close relations with customers, and modern design based on tradition and cultural heritage.

Morami is a brand with a personal and individual touch as it represents much of Baumann Semb’s personality, and the name itself is a tribute to someone very special.

By Didrik Ottesen | Photos: Morami

Notably proud of these qualities and the individualism her brand represents, Siri Baumann Semb founded Morami in 2007; the brand has since then experienced significant growth as she follows her own recipe to success.

“Norwegian fashion design is somewhat lagging a bit behind the larger Swedish and Danish designers. I believe it’s important for Norwegian fashion brands not to aspire to overtake them but to position ourselves and follow our unique path towards success,” says Siri Baumann Semb, inventor, owner and designer of Morami.

With dedicated attention to detail and quality, Baumann Semb’s vision of creat-

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ing exclusive women’s clothing separate from high-street brands has motivated her to embrace some of the advantages individual designers have compared to big brands.

“We’re operating in a small country, and this gives us the opportunity to create a unique relationship with our customers.

As a niche brand, we value personalised service. It enables us to work and design on preferred clothes, which are both fashionable and of high quality; there is no room for errors,” she says.

Baumann Semb describes her collections and style as “classic, elegant and feminine”. “My vision is to make the female

“My main inspiration when I started was my mother and what she stood for as a woman; I used her as inspiration. She passed away in 1989, so I grew up without her, and this is sort of a tribute to her and a way of keeping the memories of her alive.”

“The personal aspect in Morami is comprehensively mirrored throughout everything I do; this is also, partly, what makes it so unique,” she concludes.

For more information, please visit: www.morami.no

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | 100% Norway

Exceptional wool clothing with a special history

As wool is considered the ultimate clothing material when wanting to keep warm, Lanullva products have been used on expeditions to the North and South Poles, Greenland and Alaska. The company wants to ensure that their new and modern design does not compromise the quality.

Based on the seafront in north-western Norway, Lanullva is a second-generation wool clothing family business famous for its unique design patterns and products that will keep the entire family warm.

“We use 100 per cent merino wool of top quality as we produce clothing for everyone, including baby clothing and blankets.

We have to make sure it doesn’t itch or feel uncomfortable, and that it maintains the same quality despite the fact that we are developing the collection designwise,” Lyngstad says.

By Didrik Ottesen | Photos: Lanullva

The company originated when Lyngstad’s mother wanted to help her husband, who

often came home cold and sweaty from a long day’s work at their farm, by making clothes to keep him warm when working.

The result was undergarments that breathe made of pure wool.

“The design has developed since then, as has the type of wool we use. The collection, however, is still based on the same principles, and we use the same irreplaceable pattern with a layer of air and ventilation that provides magnificent insulation and helps keep the body warm, even when doing hard labour,” Lyngstad explains.

The family business, consisting of a factory and its own concept store, is based on a renovated dock by the sea; and just as the old dock has been renewed so has the Lanullva brand, by taking treasured cultural and historical features and bringing them to the modern age. Their products are sold exclusively from their own webshop and concept store, which aims to attract tourists coming to experience the Atlantic Ocean Road. “We are proud of how we have developed, but we want to progress further, with our tradition as the solid foundation,” Lyngstad concludes.

Photo: Øivind Leren

The picturesque nature surrounding the factory and shop of Lanullva, based in Lyngstad, sets the perfect backdrop for the production and sale of some of the most exceptional wool collections. “The basic idea and function of the clothes is that the pattern my mother developed is based on old techniques that maximise the functionality of the wool, so that it protects, heats and provides ventilation at the same time,” says Gunn Anne Lyngstad, manager at Lanullva.

For more information, please visit: www.lanullva.no

Issue 47 | December 2012 | 59

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | 100% Norway

From one successful career to another Stine Goksøyr left her successful career as a florist to follow her dream of designing dresses. One and a half years later her clothing is sold through 80 retailers all over Norway.

By Magnus Nygren Syversen | Photos: Ma Ortiz

After working as a florist for 16 years, Stine Goksøyr decided to drop everything and start over as a fashion designer. “It is not really fashion design in itself that drew me in this direction, but dresses are, and have always been, a passion of mine. So things kind of fell into place quite naturally,” says Goksøyr.

start, gaining a lot of interest from all over Norway. Little more than a year since the first few dresses shipped out, ko:ko Norway is now distributed by 80 retailers across the country, as well as one outlet in

In March 2011, she founded her own brand, ko:ko Norway, and by October that same year, her clothing was ready and on the market. “I have had plans to do this for such a long time, so I had to take this chance and just do it,” says the 39-yearold entrepreneur.

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Norwegian designs

Photo: FOA

Immediately finding her audience, Goksøyr and ko:ko Norway got off to a great

Sweden and one on the Faroe Islands, and of course online through her web-shop.

“We randomly came across the retailer on the Faroe Islands and realised that the shop had exactly the kind of style we were looking for. They seemed very interested in Nordic design, were very enthusiastic and fronted what we stand for,” says Goksøyr, who prefers to sell her brand through specialised niche shops, with their own distinctive style, rather than the larger chains. “We look towards people who have opened a shop because they are passionate about what they do and interested in Norwegian design.”

Norwegian tradition and heritage play a large role in Goksøyr’s designs. “What I really burn for is the opportunity to show off what we have on offer when it comes to Norwegian designs,” says the designer, who is particularly inspired by the rural parts of Norway. “I get inspiration from the typically

Norwegian, or typically Nordic, and I combine that with clean and playful shapes and colours,” says the designer. Black, red and bright pink are colours often seen in Goksøyr’s garments, and dotted patterns are often used to bring extra life to the dresses.

Goksøyr is now looking to stabilise her growth and figure out the right path to take her brand one step further. “Things have happened very fast, so I think it would be smart to take some time to del-

In addition to dresses, the ko:ko Norway collection also include shoes, handbags, shawls and jewellery, as well as basic garments such as tops and tights. “But my main focus is on the dresses, and everything else we build around them,” says Goksøyr.

The next step After an incredibly rapid expansion during the first year of ko:ko Norway’s existence,

Photo: Marius Bech Dahle

“This brand is for tough, Norwegian women who dare to wear bright colours and somewhat untraditional cuts,” says Goksøyr, who is currently working on her fourth collection. She started off with a collection of dresses for use in day-today life, but has since designed a collection of dresses meant for going out to parties and more formal events as well.

egate and focus on what we want to do next. It is important not to just rush into things,” says the founder.

Goksøyr reveals that there are many interesting plans in the works, both in regards to further developing the brand’s concept and in expanding with new brands and new ideas. Also on her to-do list is to conquer the market outside of Norway.

“When you reach one goal, you have to set new ones. Our next goal is Scandinavia,” she says.

Europe might be the next step for ko:ko Norway somewhere down the road, but for now Goksøyr wishes to gain a foothold in the neighbouring markets in Sweden and Denmark. “We want to take one step at the time. So far we have focused entirely on Norway, and we have just begun branching out to Sweden. We have not worked much with Scandinavia yet, so that is where we will start,” says Goksøyr.

For more information, please visit: www.kokonorway.no

Issue 47 | December 2012 | 61

Photo: Niels Kavli Borge

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | 100% Norway

Midtåsen sculpture pavilion is located on a hill above Sandefjord. The pavilion is designed as an expansive walk in light concrete walls and glass. The building’s geometry surrounds and reinforces the adjacent hill shape to the west and help form an exterior space which can be used for small gatherings. The pavilion opens up to the south with large panoramic windows capturing the view.

Interpreting the Norwegian landscape The Norwegian landscape and centuries of Norwegian architectural traditions are the spectacular sources of inspiration behind the successful design of Lund Hagem Arkitekter. Among the firm’s many prominent projects are a holiday house for the King of Norway, the Olympic village in Lillehammer and the Oslo Public Library.

By Signe Hansen | Photos: Sam Hughes

Since being founded by Svein Lund and Einar Hagem in 1990, Lund Hagem Arkitekter has designed a string of harmonic holiday houses integrated into the Norwegian landscape. Partner Einar Hagem explains: “The site we build on is very important to us – we try to leave the most beautiful part of it untouched and that means that we often build on the more difficult terrain, the typically rocky Norwegian landscape.”

Lund Hagem Arkitekter, who employs about 45 architects in its offices in Oslo, has incorporated the same integration between nature and structure in several of its cultural projects. One example is Midtåsen Culture Park in Sandefjord. “The criteria for the sculpture pavilion was to create a building that would protect the sculptures from the forces of nature but at the same time define the surrounding forest - not destroy it,” explains partner Svein Lund.

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The result is an impressive white concrete building, which, with a massive opaque glass roof and huge spaces, creates a natural outdoor feeling while still protecting the sculptures inside.

In Lund Hagem Arkitekter’s more urban projects, the role of nature is replaced by the role of urban landscape, something which creates different challenges and different results. One of the firm’s most prominent current urban projects is the Oslo Public Library (Deichmanske Bibliotek), which the firm successfully secured together with the architects in Atelier Oslo. “We won the project commission through a competition with entries from architect firms from all over the world.

The reason for this was our solution to the urban situation and the landscape, the relation to the Opera, together with an inventive and highly functional library,” says Lund. The construction of the library will start next year.

Three natural stone platforms define the site at heights of 21, 24.5 and 27 metres above sea level. The cabin Stavern sits on the crevice which separates the different levels.

The new Deichman Library is part of the Deichman-Axis in Bjørvika. Illustration Lund Hagem Arkitekter/ Atelier Oslo

For more information, please visit: www.lundhagem.no

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | 100% Norway

Clever way to clean your feet The ingenious design of the ShowerSandal provides a simple way to clean your feet, without having to bend down to wash them.

By Magnus Nygren Syversen | Photos: Avivo AS

The idea behind the ShowerSandal, developed by Avivo AS, is as simple as it is brilliant: it is an easier and more comfortable way to clean your feet. Shaped like a sandal with brushes washing both the bottom and the top of your foot, the ShowerSandal grips onto the bathroom floor by suction and friction pads integrated under the sole. By affixing the foot brush to the floor users can easily wash and massage their feet by rubbing them against the brushes.

“The foot brush is unique because you can wash your entire foot without having to bend down in the shower. It contributes to softer and firmer skin, and your feet are properly cleaned,� said entrepreneur Christopher Syran in an interview with Norske Bransjemagasinet (The Norwegian Industry Magazine). He says the brush is particularly popular amongst workers with jobs that take a toll on their feet, but points out that this is a product suited for almost everyone.

Invented and designed by Norwegian entrepreneurs, the ShowerSandal is a 100% Norwegian product, although the production does take place in neighbouring Denmark. Christopher Syran first started developing the idea when he was studying in the United States. As a tall Norwegian, he found it difficult to wash his feet in the narrow showers generally found in student housing, and so the idea behind ShowerSandal was born.

Little did Syran know that the idea would result in a successful product that has already sold over 70,000 units through a network of distributors in more than ten countries across the globe, and has received the Award for Design Excellence by the Norwegian Design Council.

For more information, please visit: www.showersandal.com

Issue 47 | December 2012 | 63

Scan Magazine | Hotel of the Month | Denmark

Book a spacious hotel flat for your holiday or business trip at Palads Hotel which is located in the centre of Viborg.

Hotel of the Month, Denmark

Enjoy peace and quiet at Best Western Palads Hotel in the heart of Viborg A quiet, luxurious atmosphere and a central location make Palads Hotel the perfect place to stay, whether you are going on a business trip or looking to spend a romantic weekend with your significant other.

By Rikke Oberlin Flarup | Photos: Best Western Palads Hotel

With its large number of conference venues and training centres, Viborg has become a popular town for business people.

This has created a high demand for comfortable and peaceful places to stay. Hotel manager Ole Bach understands this to the fullest, and by adding just that little extra he has made sure that Palads Hotel has become a sought-after retreat for travelling business people.

A luxurious home away from home Business people from all over the country choose to stay at Palads Hotel for several

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reasons, all of which have to do with Ole’s excellent understanding of their needs.

The hotel has 10 hotel flats with a wide selection of comforts, including private Jacuzzis, saunas and kitchens. These flats are often used by business people looking to stay in town for a bit longer than regular hotel guests.

In a hotel flat, you get all the comforts and privacy of a real home - plus a little extra luxury. A kitchen allows you to prepare your own food making you completely independent of restaurant opening

hours and menus. A spacious work space with free Wi-Fi gives you the opportunity to turn the flat into a perfect home office.

The hotel also has three luxurious suites with lounges large enough for meetings or interviews. In both suites and flats, you will be able to enjoy a relaxing evening in your own private Jacuzzi or sauna as a well-deserved treat after finishing a hard day’s work.

With free parking right on the doorstep and a location at the beginning of Viborg’s high street, Palads Hotel not only provides easy access to the centre of this beautiful historic town but is also very easy to get to.

A romantic getaway in a medieval town Viborg is of great historical significance and dates back to the Middle Ages. Traces

Scan Magazine | Hotel of the Month | Denmark

of this time period can be found all over Viborg and in its beautiful, peaceful surroundings, making it a great destination for a romantic getaway. And the Romantic Weekend is in fact one of Palads Hotel’s most successful offers. It includes a stay in one of the 10 comfortable suites, where couples, upon arrival, will find a bottle of chilled Champagne ready to be enjoyed in the spa, in the sauna or wherever preferred. Much like the flats, the suites come with a kitchen, ensuring that extra privacy and calmness that you look for when spending quality time with your significant other.

An untraditional hotel manager Viborg is not the only thing bearing medieval traces. When he is not busy attending to his hotel guests, Ole can be found exercising his historical hobby: being a knight! It just so happens that Ole is one of the best knights in Europe. Twice he has won bronze in the European Jousting Championship; this year he won silver on his home turf at Spøttrup Borg. A great deal of improvising is required in jousting tournaments. A skill that Ole has perfected over the years and makes great use of on an everyday basis as hotel man-

ager, making sure that everything runs smoothly for the guests.

Excellent quality and service Palads Hotel is a proud member of Best Western International, the biggest hotel family in the world with more than 4,000 hotels around the world, 30 of which can be found in Denmark. Each Best Western hotel is independently owned, and being a member of this hotel family is a great mark of quality. Only hotels living up to the brand’s high standards for both quality and support services will become members. In a Best Western Hotel, you will al-

ways find someone who rewards you for your loyalty and provides you with excellent service. At Palads Hotel that someone is Ole, and some of the many perks of being a guest at his hotel includes a free one-hour sailing trip on the good ship “Margrethe I” on Viborg Lake, free tickets for the historical tour round Viborg on board the tourist train and free access to Viborg Svømmehal, an attractive spa retreat close to the town centre.

For more information, please visit: www.hotelpalads.dk

At Palads Hotel, you can book a room with your own private Jacuzzi and sauna.

Issue 47 | December 2012 | 65

Scan Magazine | Hotel of the Month | Iceland

Hotel Rangá’s luxurious suites are themed according to the seven continents.

Hotels of the Month, Iceland

Luxury and adventure in south Iceland The southern part of Iceland is full of natural wonders, ranging from hot springs and waterfalls to glaciers and black sand beaches, not forgetting the notorious Eyjafjallajökul volcano; it is a place for both nature lovers and adventure seekers. The winter season brings with it long nights, but only in the darkness can one experience the magnificence of the northern lights, and among the best places to catch a glimpse of aurora borealis are four-star luxury resort Hotel Rangá and three-star retreat Hotel Highland.

By Nia Kajastie | Photos: Hotel Rangá & Hotel Highland

Since opening as a small log cabin back in 1999, Hotel Rangá has developed into a first-class resort with 51 luxurious rooms, including continental suites, themed according to the seven continents, and a master royal suite. The four-star hotel is situated an hour from Reykjavík by one of Iceland’s finest salmon rivers, the East-

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Rangá River, and close to the country’s south coast; it is also known as a uniquely reliable place from where to see the northern lights.

“Hotel Rangá is perfectly placed for viewing the aurora borealis. With mountains in the distance, plenty of high-altitude wind

to push the cloud cover away and almost no light pollution, we very often have perfect conditions for seeing the northern lights. The hotel site was not specifically chosen for the northern lights, but it turns out to be a great location. I can't explain it; we're just lucky,” says operation manager Ingi Þór Jakobsson. At Hotel Rangá, the ideal way to keep an eye on the sky is by soaking in one of their outdoor hot tubs heated with geothermal water.

Hotel Highland, which is under the same management as Hotel Rangá, is situated a bit further inland, at the edge of the pristine Icelandic highlands. A gateway to the mountains and Iceland's most impressive volcanic area, the location is also

Scan Magazine | Hotel of the Month | Iceland

optimal for viewing the aurora borealis, due to clearer skies in the mountains and towards the middle of the country.

Hotel Rangá

“In the area, you only have the guests and the staff, in addition to the mountains and the silence of nature. Besides the sounds of the wind, you cannot hear anything. It’s a fantastic place from where to discover the surrounding nature. In the winter, you can enjoy the black and the white, meaning the sand and snow, billions of stars and the northern lights,” says Jakobsson.

The three-star hotel offers sixteen standard rooms and four suites, including two family and two luxury suites, as well as a sauna and outdoor hot tub; and while it is accessible by paved road all year round, guests are advised to use a 4WD to reach it in the winter.

Enjoy the nature and a gourmet meal While the two hotels are different in style and size, they both still offer great service and excellent food. The hotels’ restaurants are focused on local ingredients of the highest quality and have both been praised for their gourmet offerings. Hotel Rangá has been garnering great reviews for its take on modern Nordic cuisine with a Mediterranean twist for years now, while the newer Hotel Highland is quickly catching up in reputation. At Highland, guests also have the option to make their own food as the family suites come with small kitchens.

what they would like to see and experience, Jakobsson confirms that they are always eager to help people plan their trips. “We might be able to reveal some secrets we know about the area, thus offering visitors more than they expect.

That’s what we always try to do.”

In the winter season, as Jakobsson explains, Hotel Highland offers the slightly more adventurous option. “This is actually the first whole winter that we’re going to be open. If people are interested in going to the mountains, we can really make something out of Highland in the wintertime. It’s a real adventure to go to the highlands as we can get a lot of snow. If you want to discover how hard nature can

sometimes be, Highland is the place,” he adds.

What makes Iceland a great destination in winter in general are its mild temperatures. While temperatures in some areas of Scandinavia can plummet way below zero, the average winter temperature in Iceland is usually just around zero. If you are eager to experience the northern lights and unique nature, Iceland, and Hotel Rangá and Highland in particular, really is the best place to do so.

For more information, please visit: www.hotelranga.is www.hotelhighland.is

Hotel Highland

While the hotels offer plenty in terms of culinary adventures and cosy atmosphere, what attracts most visitors is the stunning nature of south Iceland. Adventure lovers have plenty of attractions to choose from as the hotels can arrange various tours and excursions. Why not explore the surrounding landscape on “super jeeps”, ATVs, dog sleds, horseback or snowmobiles? For something slightly out of the ordinary, guests can take part in a helicopter sightseeing tour that will take them close to the Eyjafjallajökull glacier and volcano.

While guests coming to Iceland have often read a lot about the area and know exactly

Issue 47 | December 2012 | 67

Scan Magazine | Attraction of the Month | Norway

Photo: Svalbard Museum

Attraction of the Month, Norway

Past, present and future all found near the Arctic If you are looking for a cultural experience that is something out of the ordinary, then Svalbard Museum is the place for you. The Arctic is not far away from the museum, in fact there is no other museum closer to the Arctic, and your visit will prove to be a pleasure for all your senses.

By Therese Wallin | Photos: Guri Dahl

Svalbard Museum offers its visitors more than the regular museum visit. People do not come to the museum simply to look at art or read historical texts; it offers much more than that. The museum gives you the opportunity to experience the history of Svalbard through various interactive teaching devices, and there is an endless amount of information and knowledge for visitors to digest. All the exhibitions are carefully chosen by the

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Capturing 400 years of history in one museum is not an easy task, but Svalbard Museum has managed to do just this. “We see that our visitors enjoy their visits here, and that they come again,” says Tora Hultgreen who is the director of the museum.

“Because there is so much to learn from the various exhibitions and the on-going research, many visitors come here several times a year because they appreciate that there will always be something new to experience and see here.”

Research and science make it more than a tourist attraction

managerial staff, who ensure that they are relevant to the local area.

Research is key to the continuing understanding of the nature and climate around Svalbard. As such, the museum, since six

Scan Magazine | Attraction of the Month | Norway

Photo: Halvor Rønning

Capturing 400 years of history in one museum is not an easy task, but Svalbard Museum has managed to do just this.

years back, is conveniently located in Svalbard Science Centre. “We focus on spreading knowledge about Svalbard and the connection between nature, culture, landscape, human activity, technology and the environment,” explains Hultgreen.

“The continuing research allows us to fill gaps in our knowledge and to explore more pieces of the puzzle of Svalbard’s history and climate.”

The museum is not only a key attraction for anyone visiting Norway, but it also plays an important role in its local society.

“The museum is located in the rather small town of Longyearbyen. Despite the fact that we are not in a big city, we nevertheless play an active role as a centre for environment and climate research, and function as an arena where knowledge can be spread and shared,” says Hultgreen.

December special As Christmas is just around the corner, we are all looking for something special to treat ourselves with, and a visit to Svalbard

Museum could not be a better option.

From 12 December, there will be a very special exhibition. The museum will be showing a self-portrait of the world famous Norwegian painter Edvard Munch.

Svalbard is one of seven museums that will have the honour of hosting the selfportrait, courtesy of the National Gallery of Art. Families, school classes and adults all pay a visit to Svalbard Thanks to the museum’s wide variety of exhibitions and its focus on having various forms of information and teaching devices available for the benefit of its visitors, it is a destination appreciated by all. It does not matter what age group you belong to, you will inevitably find a visit to Svalbard Museum an intellectual treat that will get your curiosity running.

“We run many talks here that people can attend for free,” says Hultgreen. “These are popular and a good opportunity for people to establish an initial acquaintance with the museum.”

Not only Norwegians visit Svalbard. In fact, an ever-increasing number of visitors are from other parts of the world, such as from Europe, Asia and the United States.

“Some people who pay us a visit discover that their ancestors were here at Svalbard. Sometimes we fail to realise that so many people’s past has at one point or another crossed Svalbard. This is truly an amazing aspect of the history found at the museum and all the information we have readily available,” says Hultgreen.

One of a kind The central role played by Svalbard Museum extends beyond its local community; the extensive research that is carried out on the area, and the museum’s commitment and passion for sharing and spreading knowledge has developed it into a pleasant and cheerful spot. Once you have paid a visit to Svalbard, you will feel an urge to return and to see and learn more.

For more information, please visit: www.svalbardmuseum.no

Issue 47 | December 2012 | 69

Scan Magazine | Attraction of the Month | Denmark

Attraction of the Month, Denmark

Let the kids blow off steam in safe, colourful settings With trampolines, jungle gyms, bouncy castles and much more, Randers Legeland in Jutland has something for kids of all ages. Let the kids run wild in the colourful playland, while you sip a cup of coffee or join in.

By Signe Hansen | Photos: Randers Legeland

Founded on the outskirts of Randers six years ago, Randers Legeland has grown so popular that owner and director Rune Haugset is, today, a very busy man. “We have all kinds of visitors, a lot of tourists but also many regulars who come back again and again to have a great time in a fantastic playland with a great atmosphere and nice surroundings,” he says.

The playland is open during weekends and school holidays.

Spread out over 3,000 square metres, Randers Legeland offers a wide range of activities for kids up to 12 years old. Meanwhile their parents can, for instance, have a go in the game centre or just enjoy a free

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coffee in the TV and computer lounge and cafeteria. “Some families like to take part in the activities whereas others prefer to take a break; we have so many activities, some which the kids can do on their own and some where parents can take part,” explains Haugset.

The centre also provides free wireless Internet, so busy parents can get some work out of the way while their kids enjoy themselves, as they undoubtedly will. “Our activities are put together to provide something for all age groups – it is never the children who ask when it is time to go home,” Haugset points out. “It is a fantastic, easy way of taking out your kids;

you do not have to worry about where they will go or if they will be safe.”

For the grownups who want to come back on their own or maybe bring the entire family, this is also a possibility. Randers Legeland’s facilities can be booked for all kinds of parties and provide the perfect setting for family gatherings with many children. For outings such as hen and stag dos or teamwork days, the playland’s event company offers an unmatched, in Jutland, selection of 12 grownup activities, such as toilet-race, bungee-football, human table football, bungee run and fatsuit wrestling.

For more information, please visit: www.randerslegeland.dk

Scan Magazine | Columns | Humour

IS IT JUST ME...

By Mette Lisby

Who secretly wonders what happened to the concept of time?

It hits me like a jingle bell around this time of year when, much to the surprise of every adult I know, IT’S DECEMBER! AGAIN ALREADY! How did that happen?

What’s even worse is that once you enter December, Santa Claus is breathing down your neck, pushing you into a crazy time trap, which makes Jack Bauer’s to-do list in 24 look decidedly relaxing and chilled.

It didn’t used to be like that. Time lasted much longer when we were kids. December went on for ages. When I was seven, December was an excruciating time warp that tauntingly lasted FOREVER. And then some.

And it wasn’t just December – it really was the whole concept of Time.

Take summer vacations for instance.

Back in school, a summer vacation was a promise. A wild and crazy suggestion that maybe when you returned to school two months later, EVERYTHING could have

changed. And when you got back eight weeks later, it had. Send a six-year-old away for 56 days, and they will come back with a couple of new teeth.

Thus, reunited with your classmates after summer vacation, everybody would flaunt dramatic changes. Some hit puberty over summer (it happened to a teacher of mine).

Over the course of a summer your girlfriends developed breasts! Even pubic hair!

All in an eight week gap. Today, I find it’s a challenge to get a facial and a wax appointment squeezed in, during the span of a summer vacation.

Today, a summer is gone after five nights of BBQ and a couple of days at the beach. In my childhood, the prospect of a summer was endless. ANYTHING was possible! You might end up going to exotic places like Brighton or Bristol. Your parents could take you camping in Wales! See,

Different Christmas Many Christmases ago my dad took a snapshot of me in our house in Sweden as I was midway through my 24-hour Christmas hysteria. In the picture, I’m suspended in the air, my arms bent like chicken wings and blurry with the motion of flapping at three times the speed of my incessant bounce. (Which is fast!) My teeth, which grew quicker than anything else on my face, are bared in a grin so joyfully intense that I look almost animallike. Outside the window you can glimpse a snow-covered landscape and the twinkling, frozen Gulf of Bothnia. This was Christmas to me – snow and ecstasy.

Then of course we moved to England. I didn’t realise how much I depended on snow for it to feel like Christmas until I was faced with the steady, dark drizzle of a British winter. And just what were these greasy, dense lumps of black that were supposed to go in the fireplace? They didn’t burn like the dry logs we were used to, but seeped a toxic, opaque smoke and

EVERYTHING was within reach. You could fall in love. Numerous times. Today, it’s near impossible to get a romantic dinner booked with your loved one in the exact same timeframe.

I wish that time would slow down, take it easy and last a little longer. That is what I really want for Christmas this year.

Mette Lisby is Denmark’s leading female comedian. She invites you to laugh along with her monthly humour columns. Since her stand-up debut in 1992, Mette has hosted the Danish versions of “Have I Got News For You” and “Room 101”.

By Maria Smedstad

then died. It took my family about seven years to learn how to use coal, and oh how things have changed. Christmas in England is different – of course it is; I’m no longer eight with disproportioned teeth for starters. And I found that what started off as me adapting to a new way of life, slowly grew into something else: that of me settling in. The darkness now feels

romantic; the smells of wet leaves and coal smoke are the new scents of Christmas. Santa doesn’t arrive on a kick-sled, but trudges heroically through the mud and no one sings carols about Staffan the stable boy. But that’s OK. Ding Dong Merrily on High is much more of a party tune anyway.

Maria Smedstad moved to the UK from Sweden in 1994. She received a degree in Illustration in 2001, before settling in the capital as a freelance cartoonist, creating the autobiographical cartoon Em. She writes a column on the trials and tribulations of life as a Swede in the UK.

Issue 47 | December 2012 | 71

Scan Magazine | Food | MASH

houses to Denmark, whilst simultaneously offering a real alternative to trends such as molecular gastronomy and Nordic cuisine that were then dominating the Danish restaurant scene.

“People have eaten and enjoyed steak for thousands of years; we thought we would make something completely different by going back to basics,” says Trauboth.

“You’ll experience Scandinavian informality, and at the same time, we are very much dedicated to our guests being our main focus. Whether you’re after a full dining experience with four courses or a 45-minute meal before the theatre, our staff is passionate about food and wine, very knowledgeable and will ensure a relaxed atmosphere.”

MASH has finally come to town Christmas has come early for steak and wine lovers in London, especially if you happen to be Danish or have a thing for their cuisine. The renowned Danish steak restaurant chain MASH has finally come to town.

By Emelie Krugly Hill | Photos: MASH

MASH, an acronym for ‘Modern American Steak House’, received instant acclaim when they opened their first restaurant in Denmark in 2009. MASH London is the fifth restaurant of its kind, and to put it simply, it is an informal restaurant offering a wide choice of dishes with a Danish twist.

Diners can look forward to top-quality meat sourced from America, Australia, and South America, as well as a wide range of fine wine, beer and cocktails.

This new restaurant is located in an art deco building on Brewer Street. This impressive 330-seat Danish steakhouse in a Soho basement is perhaps the most ambitious and largest Scandinavian restaurant in London, covering no less than 2,000 square metres. It is the brainchild of Copenhagen Concepts, which

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also operates the Le Sommelier and Umami restaurants.

“We were considering Sweden, Germany and the UK, but the choice was then fairly easy. We thought if we can make it in London, we can hopefully make it anywhere,” explains Peter Trauboth, co-owner and general manager. Peter has been part of the Danish gastronomy industry for the past 16 years. He started his career at Le Sommelier in 1997 and received the award for Best Sommelier in Denmark last year.

MASH was co-founded by Danish sommelier and restaurateur Jesper Boelskifte and his partners Erik Gemal, Francis Cardenau, Peter Trauboth and Mikkel Glahn.

It was their shared ambition to bring the style and quality of fine American steak-

At MASH, the tables are large and comfortably situated so you won’t need to worry about having to listen to other people’s conversations; simply relax in the red leather booths and enjoy premium quality, mouth-watering steaks from the world’s finest cattle and a superb wine list that features no less than 800 various wines. “Our ambition is to grow our American wine collection to be one of the largest in Europe,” says Peter Trauboth, who is proud of their large bar where you can enjoy just a glass of wine or one of the MASH signature cocktails.

MASH is open for lunch between 1pm3pm and dinner from 5.30pm. The bar is open from noon until 1am. Opening times on Sundays are 5.30pm until midnight.

For more information, please visit: www.mashsteak.dk

Scan Magazine | Food | Scandinavian Christmas

Popular products: The glögg, pepparkakor, pickled herring, hot smoked salmon, prinskorvar, Christmas ham, traditional chocolates, marzipan pigs, and all the other essentials for a real Swedish smorgasbord. This year, you can also buy deli products from different parts of Sweden, including elk salami, chanterelle mushrooms and organic jams.

Madsen Restaurant

Above left: Glögg at Scandi Kitchen. Photo: Marie-Louise Avery. Top right: Madsen Restaurant’s private dining room. Below: Deli products from TotallySwedish. Bottom right: Stockholm Restaurant & Deli’s Christmas buffet

Scandinavian Christmas wouldn’t be the same without… … glögg, pepparkakor, herring and Christmas ham. If you are spending Christmas in the UK this year, no need to despair as there are plenty of places where eager Scandies, or lovers of Scandinavian food, can stock up on the essential ingredients – or even sit down and enjoy a full Christmas meal.

By Nia Kajastie

Danish Food Direct Danish Food Direct’s products can be ordered by telephone on 01234 244333, by mail order or online at: www.DanishFoodDirect.co.uk By when to order: For orders to be guaranteed by Christmas, they need to be made by 5pm on 11 December.

Popular products: A range of festive herrings, Tuborg Julebryg, glogg extract, pork loins, ham and veal, and for dessert the popular rice pudding with cherry sauce to go on top.

Scandi Kitchen Scand Kitchen have a cafe & deli in Central London where they stock a wide array of food products. People can pop by and stock up in the shop or order online via www.scandikitchen.co.uk/shop.

By when to order: Scandi Kitchen have their Christmas stock in now. If you are after something specific, you can order online and choose the option "pick up in store" and add the date you want to pop by.

Popular products: For the Norwegians pinnekjøtt (dried lamb racks) is popular, the Swedish Christmas ham is essential for the Swedes, and for the Danes a proper svinekam, roast pork, is a must.

Madsen Restaurant in South Kensington serves a traditional Scandinavian Christmas Buffet on Saturdays and Sundays until the 22 December. On weekdays the Christmas Buffet can be pre-ordered for groups of more than eight people.

How to book a table/Catering: For bookings, call 02072252772 or visit www.madsenrestaurant.com. For catering, send an email to reservations@madsenrestaurant.com or call the number listed above.

See all of their catering menus on the website.

Stockholm Restaurant & Deli Visit www.stockholmdeli.co.uk and download the Christmas order form and email it to info@stockholmdeli.co.uk or call 020 8876 7747; alternatively you can pop by the shop/restaurant at 109 Sheen Lane, SW14 8AE East Sheen.

They are also serving a traditional Swedish Christmas buffet every day, except Mondays and Sunday evenings, 8-23 December at 7pm. Saturdays and Sundays also at 1pm.

By when to order: Last date to place an order is 21 December for collection on the 22nd.

Popular products: Christmas ham, pickled and marinated herring, gravad lax with mustard & dill sauce, homemade meatballs, veal brawn, rolled pork terrine, pressed pork terrine, and of course prinskorv.

TotallySwedish TotallySwedish have two stores in London at 32 Crawford St., W1 and 66 Barnes High St., SW13. You can also do your Christmas shopping through their online store www.totallyswedish.com.

By when to order: For deliveries before Christmas, all orders have to be made before 1pm on the 17 December.

Issue 47 | December 2012 | 73

Scan Magazine | Restaurant of the Month | Denmark

A buzzing Friday evening at Evita Peron, Copenhagen’s popular Argentinian-themed restaurant.

Restaurant of the Month, Denmark

First-class nostalgia Copenhagen restaurant Evita Peron is created in homage to the spirit and style of le belle époque, an idea that has generated a remarkable dining experience.

Photos: Evita Peron

It is the same thing every year. When summer is upon us, we don't really notice, we are just content. Time breezes by.

But when winter comes creeping in with its frost and darkness, we start dreaming: “Where did all the flowers, birds and excess go?” We reminisce. If only we could turn back time and really appreciate the sunlight and all its gifts. Imagine.

Well that is exactly what Copenhagenbased restaurant Evita Peron has done – just on a bigger historic scale.

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Just about one year ago, Ramon Tor-DelSpar Lacarta opened his dream restaurant. An Argentinian restaurant inspired

by Lacarta's personal ties to Argentina and his profound admiration for the period around the beginning of the 20th century known as la belle époque.

“La belle époque was a special time in the history of the world; the industrial revolution was at full speed, and people had yet to be disillusioned by the hor-

rors of the World Wars – anything was possible,” Lacarta explains, and elaborates on the name of the restaurant: “Even though Evita Peron was born at the end of la belle époque, she grew up to be an Argentinian icon for the sentiment of optimism and prosperity characteristic of that period.”

Key to time travel And visiting the restaurant, placed only a short distance from the central station, one quickly sees why. The interior design of Evita Peron is modern but with obvious influences from the beginning of the last century; big chandeliers and elegant black-and-white photographs of

Scan Magazine | Restaurant of the Month | Denmark

Evita Peron offers exquisite steak, wines from the best regions in the world and entertainment by the finest jazz musicians in Denmark – the perfect set-up.

tango dancers and polo players decorate the walls.

Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen, frequent the restaurant.

“Of course the interior design was important when trying to recreate the feel of an era,” Lacarta says. “But the real key to time travel is impeccable quality,” he adds laughing. “That's why the steak we serve at Evita Peron is the very best available on the global market. We get them flown in from the finest houses in Argentina and the United States – our meat is unsurpassable. In addition, we serve wines from the best regions all over the world, and during the weekend, some of the finest jazz musicians in Denmark entertain the dining guests. A perfect setup, if I dare say so myself.”

First class onboard the Titanic

And you don't have to just take the owner’s word for the high standard at Evita Peron: apparently guests, ranging from world-famous athletes, such as boxer Mikkel Kessler and soccer player Michael Laudrup, to the former Prime

It seems that innovation might be part of the recipe of the success of Evita Peron.

In homage to the 100-year anniversary of the launch of the RSS Titanic, the restaurant has acquired the menu from first class on board the great ship and turned it into an exclusive experience only available by pre-booking. The thought is that there is more to the story about the Titanic than a mere collision with an iceberg.

“All too often when you hear the Titanic mentioned focus is on the tragedy, but the fact is that Titanic was built to be not only the biggest ship at the time, but also the most luxurious one,” Lacarta explains. “The guests in first class were among the wealthiest and most powerful people in the world, and they travelled at a time in history where class divisions

were still widely accepted – now, I'm not condoling injustice, of course, I am just saying that it takes one hell of a menu to impress a crowd like that, and that's inspiring. What we have done at Evita Peron is to recreate the menu from first class but at the same time we’ve made it affordable to the general public.”

The Titanic Menu at Evita Peron consists of five servings with more than 20 dishes, and even though it is the declared goal of Lacarta to make the first class menu accessible to the general public one can still - if one feels particularly nostalgic for the class divides of the early 20th century - reserve the special VIP room at the restaurant and get the full experience of being a “first class citizen” – welcome aboard!

For more information, please visit: www.evitaperon.dk

Issue 47 | December 2012 | 75

Scan Magazine | Restaurant of the Month | Norway

Restaurant of the Month, Norway

Café, bistro or restaurant – the choice is yours With three separate sections, each specialising in one aspect of the culinary experience, Fredrikstad’s newest dining destination Fabel offers a little something for everyone.

By Magnus Nygren Syversen | Photos: Vibeke Jerkaas

“I am in a state of euphoria and panic right now. My dream is about to become a reality,” said Fabel’s owner, manager and executive chef Lars Gulbrandsen shortly before the grand opening on 1 December.

“It feels like that moment right before you go on a roller coaster,” added head chef Henrik Svensson.

After years of planning, preparation, market research and assembling the team,

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the culinary duo is delighted to finally open the doors to what they hope will become Fredrikstad’s number one dining destination: Fabel.

As a part of the city’s brand new literature centre, Fabel enjoys one of Fredrikstad’s premiere locations, situated right on the beautiful quayside promenade, in the heart of the city centre. “We want Fabel to be a place that the people of Fredrikstad

can be proud of and a first choice for people in the entire region,” says Gulbrandsen. He has gathered a first-class team with a lot of experience to make that happen. “Great architecture and a great location mean nothing if you do not have a team that delivers. Our team delivers,” he says.

Food in three ways Building on the concept “food in three ways”, Fabel is divided into three equally important sections: a vibrant and lively book café, an old-fashioned bistro-style food bar, and a quiet and classy restaurant. In addition, there are two outdoor serving areas, a dining hall, and a lounge

Scan Magazine | Restaurant of the Month | Norway

for guests to enjoy a cocktail or a glass of wine, bringing the maximum capacity close to 1,000 patrons at any given time.

The book café is the first section you enter. This is the place to sit down with a friend, a book or a newspaper, and enjoy a quick lunch or a cup of coffee. “We are going to set the standard when it comes to coffee,” says Gulbrandsen, pointing out that Fabel’s baristas have trained under Tim Wendelboe, who won the World Barista Championship in 2004. And for those looking for something sweet to complement their cappuccino, there is a selection of cakes and pastries made by decorated pastry chef Richie Bocarro.

Vintage meat slicer As you enter the food bar section of Fabel, the first thing that catches your eye is a rare, vintage Berkel meat slicer. “This model is so rare that the people we bought it from drove all the way from Italy to deliver it,” says Gulbrandsen and makes no attempt to hide the fact that the slicer was a costly addition to the kitchen. “But for us this was super important. It was practically the first thing we bought. I guess that says a lot about us,” says the executive chef and gets an agreeing nod from Svensson.

Aside from the Berkel slicer, the food bar is dominated by an elegant stainless steel,

open kitchen solution from worldrenowned producers García Casademont.

“My philosophy is that chefs make better food in an open kitchen, where the guests can see you. There is nowhere to hide, you cannot make mistakes, and you have to stand behind the food you make,” says Gulbrandsen. He thinks access to the chefs plays an important part in giving the guests a complete dining experience.

As far as the food goes, the two chefs’ philosophy is simple: cost-friendly, oldfashioned meals that fill your stomach, slow cooked and made from the best raw materials. “As long as they meet our standards we try to use as many local producers as possible, so that the food is shorttravelled,” says Svensson.

That little bit extra The third section is the restaurant. This is the more classy choice for fine dining and offers a set three-course menu. This menu varies based on what raw materials are currently in season. “It is of course

possible to change this into a two-course meal with a cheese platter, or a fivecourse meal for that matter. Regardless of what our guests choose, the food will be of a very high quality,” says Svensson.

Fabel is a place where you go to get a complete culinary experience, whether your preference is a buzzing café, tender barbecued meats served in sizeable portions, or a quiet, classy three-course dinner.

“The most important thing for me is that we view our patrons as guests rather than customers,” says Gulbrandsen. “When you invite guests into your home, you exert yourself that little bit extra to make everything perfect. That is what we need to do every day, with every single guest, whether they have a cup of coffee or a five-course dinner.”

For more information, please visit: www.fabel.no

Issue 47 | December 2012 | 77

Scan Business | Key Note | Mannaz

Scan Business Business Features 79 | Business Themes 84 | Business Calendar 113 | Conference of the Month 114

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Effectiveness – Renaissance Style

By Paul Blackhurst, Client Director, Mannaz

On 8 September 1504, Michelangelo’s statue of David was unveiled to an expectant world. It was an immediate sensation.

People expected the statue to speak such was its level of accuracy and realism.

Michelangelo, on being praised for his genius, claimed that it was an easy thing to do, saying: “David was always inside the stone. All I had to do was to remove the parts that were NOT David.”

Rewind to 1501 and Michelangelo was causing great concern to his employers by walking around and around the rough piece of marble and appearing to do nothing for several months. Despite appearances, he was doing the essential, valuecreating work of thinking, imagining and clarifying his vision before he eventually put his chisel to the stone to “release David”.

Many senior managers that I work with could do with a bit more of Michelangelo’s attitude. In our current culture, we seem to confuse business with busy-ness. We lurch from meeting to meeting and from e-mail to e-mail, mistaking quantity of output for quality. All of our advances in communication technology drag us into immediate decision-making and a focus

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on managing the present rather than leading into the future.

So, are you here to create lots of dust and heat as you chip away furiously at the marble, or do you want to create something that might last (maybe even longer than David’s 500 years and counting!)? As you head into your next business day, take the time to reflect, to plan and then to choose the activities o “work”. Those few minutes of quiet reflection might be the most important minutes of the day. You can achieve your goals as easily as Michelangelo did. Just put down your mobile phone (your chisel!) and become clear on what you really want to achieve. If you have objectives agreed with your boss, take the time to clarify together exactly what success would look like, so that you can literally see what you are there to deliver.

Then, as you go through your day, be ruthless to eliminate the parts that are “not David”.

It will take a bit of effort of course. Even Michelangelo admitted, “If people knew how hard I worked to get my mastery, it wouldn’t seem so wonderful after all.”

Paul Blackhurst, Client Director, Mannaz

For more information, please visit: www.mannaz.com or email pbl@mannaz.com

Scan Business | Feature | Linköping University

Professor Anthony Turner, head of Linköping University’s Biosensors and Bioelectronics Centre

It is a field he has devoted half his life to studying. While working alongside colleagues at Oxford and Cranfield universities, he developed the world’s most successful type of glucose sensor for home use, which has radically improved the quality of life of people with diabetes. The work made him a great believer in the need to work across different academic disciplines to advance science for the public good.

“That’s what attracted me to the university here at Linköping. I met fellow minds at an early stage in my academic career, and for three generations now this university has been instrumental in ensuring that everyone realises the benefit of collaboration rather than sticking your arms around your own little group and trying to keep everything secret.

“The fact that Linköping is a relatively new university meant it had to be adaptive and has had to be a bit clever, rather than relying on 500 years of history for its reputation. It’s what I liked about the place nearly 20 years ago, and why I’ve decided to relocate here.”

Fellow minds made him relocate One of the early British pioneers of using biosensors to treat people suffering from diabetes has moved to Sweden to continue his dream of commercialising academic research to benefit society. Here, we meet Professor Anthony Turner, who now heads Linköping University’s Biosensors and Bioelectronics Centre.

By Nic Mitchell | Photo: Göran Billeson It was no sudden move for Professor Anthony Turner to ‘up sticks’ from England and move ‘lock, stock and barrel’ to Sweden. For the distinguished Professor of Biotechnology at one of UK’s leading research institutions – Cranfield University – had visited Linköping a number of times to work with its scientists.

So, when he retired from his full-time role at Cranfield, Professor Turner opted to leave Britain and join an academic community in which he felt thoroughly at home.

“I really like the environment and people here.

I’m a great believer in the multi-disciplinary

approach to teaching and research – and that’s a great strength of Linköping University. And, being able to work alongside the world-renown Professor of Physics, Ingemar Lundström, who has done so much to encourage an entrepreneurial approach to academic research, and ensure that it benefits the wider society, meant there was no holding me back when the Vice Chancellor offered me the chance to move here to carry on my work.”

Professor Turner’s heart is now very much set in Sweden’s South East, and he now heads the University’s new Centre for Biosensors and Bioelectronics.

Like a relay-race runner, Professor Turner feels it is his mission to keep the ‘spirit of collaboration’ alive and build on Linköping’s excellent track record in transferring the University’s wealth of knowledge to benefit society at large!

He would love to see more British postgraduate students and researchers follow in his footsteps, saying: “I’m sure they will be impressed. I’ll never forget one of my first visits.

I’d come for a professorial committee and was met not by a member of faculty, but by the President of Linköping’s Students’ Union. You wouldn’t find that back in the UK.” “So, yes Sweden is another world when it comes to universities like this one, but it is all the better for that,” says Professor Turner. “It provides a more relaxed, safe and caring environment, well-equipped laboratories and a flat management structure. Linköping’s also got a high level of student satisfaction and a reputation as a good place to work and study.”

For more information, please visit: www.liu.se

Issue 47 | December 2012 | 79

Scan Magazine | Feature | Danske Bank

From left to right: Anders Kjaer, Private Client Advisor; Paul Williams, Private Client Advisor; Ian Stockdale, Head of Personal Banking; Julie Smyth, Danske Bank; Mikkel Tvermose Nielsen, Personal Customer Advisor

London Calling: Nordic Banking in the UK From 15 November 2012, all of Danske Bank Group’s banking operations will be known by the Danske Bank brand name. Among those to change its trading name was the UK bank formerly known as Northern Bank, one of Northern Ireland’s leading retail banks, which also has an office in London. Scan Magazine spoke to Ian Stockdale, Head of Personal Banking for Dankse Bank, London, about Danske Bank’s “new standards” and what the London office can offer the Nordic community in the UK.

based Danske Bank Group is well known in the Nordic region, and the Danske Bank brand is equally well trusted and familiar to Nordics. In the Nordic region, Danske Bank Group serves customers through nationwide branch networks in Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland.

By Nia Kajastie | Photos: Sanna Halmekoski & Thomas Erskine

As the world has changed, Danske Bank is changing with it, introducing its “new standards” in response to what the bank describes as the “new normal” environment, the current state of affairs that has prevailed after irreversible changes to the world around us. As part of this change, all

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banking operations within Danske Bank Group have taken the name Danske Bank, including Northern Bank, which has been part of the group for seven years.

As one of the leading northern European financial service organisations, Denmark-

“Through the rebranding, we will benefit from the strong name that we have, and we will become one international banking group,” explains Ian Stockdale. “The majority of our customers know Danske Bank Group, and while Northern Bank has been our legal trading name, many Londonbased customers have thought of us as

Scan Business | Feature | Danske Bank

Danske Bank and have already seen the benefit of Danske Bank Group’s investment over the past seven years.”

Catering to Nordic private and personal banking customers in London Boasting a steadily growing Nordic customer base in London, Danske Bank can look after the personal and private banking affairs of Nordic clients both in London and back home.

“We have a unique offering for Nordic people living in the UK or planning on moving here because Danske Bank Group has full access to the UK clearing system,” adds Stockdale. “It’s a practical point, but an important and convenient benefit that those living here who already have accounts with Danske Bank in one of the Nordic countries can transfer money same day value, fee free. Opening an account with us could not be easier for existing customers, and we can offer service in all the Nordic languages.”

Locally Danske Bank can offer everything from day-to-day transactional banking to home loans, as well as the right expertise on more complex matters; private onshore and offshore banking can be handled through the team at Danske Bank Luxembourg.

Danske Bank is also well known for its progressive technology platform, offering easy access to 24/7 eBanking, even for

customers on the move through their new iPad and tablet app, as well as their award-winning mobile banking app, launched last year.

“Combining technology that puts banking at your fingertips, with expertise, local relationships and easy cross-border transfers within a leading European Banking Group, our new standards are designed to provide the best customer service in a

rapidly changing world. Our change of name is a unique opportunity to create an even better bank for our customers.”

With these benefits in mind, Ian wants to welcome the Nordic community in London, and those planning on moving to the UK, to Danske Bank:

Velkommen til Danske Bank i London!

Contact details: Ian Stockdale Head of Personal Banking London Branch Danske Bank UK 75 King William Street London EC4N 7DT Tel: 020 7410 8054 Mob: 07917 618127 ian.stockdale@danskebank.co.uk

For more information, please visit: www.danskebank.co.uk

Issue 47 | December 2012 | 81

Scan Business | Feature | Saguru

Saguru’s sleek and cost-efficient apps are employed to help companies improve their customer relations and services. Illustrations by Saguru

Three form a perfect one In the southern Swedish town of Malmö, you will find three bright, forward-thinking entrepreneurs who have put their heads together and created a tailored service that focuses on boosting companies’ growth and cutting their costs.

points of view, so that we see them from the same perspective as the client.”

Leading in app development

By Therese Wallin | Photos: Dennis Bärlund

Saguru is a company that develops apps with function, style and quality at heart.

These sleek and cost-efficient apps are then employed to help companies improve their customer relations and services.

Saguru is where apps come to life. “Our clientele is mixed and from different industries. We cater to both relatively new companies and to those who have been well established in the market for many years. What they all have in common is that they want to increase their profits.

One of the best ways to do so is to get the right apps for the company’s needs,” says Daniel Wigren, CEO of Saguru.

“A perfect one-stop shop for app development” Saguru caters to all its clients’ needs.

“Some of our clients come to us with an idea in mind, and others come to us with

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certain issues that they wish to address or areas in which they are looking to improve. We listen to their needs and then develop an app that corresponds and addresses those needs,” explains Wigren.

“We are very proud to be considered a ‘perfect one-stop shop for app development’, which is exactly the service which we are looking to provide.”

At the foundation of the company’s success is the combination of three individuals’ different talents, which are put to work together in order to create a business that caters to today’s enterprises.

“All of us have our own ideas, knowledge and experience, and we originate from different areas, but we combine our characteristics to develop apps that our clients are pleased with. The fact that everyone at Saguru has an input in how the business is run means that we create apps that are considered from different

Apps have traditionally been designed with the client in mind being a private person, but Saguru has taken this to a new level. “Many of the apps that we are developing are targeted at our clients’ customers, but we also create apps that are to be used within the company itself.

Companies can increase their efficiency and find new cost-saving methods for improving their administration,” Wigren explains enthusiastically.

“Companies often struggle to find new ways to improve their efficiency, and custom-made apps are a way of tackling these problems,” says Wigren. “We have experience in developing apps that can be used by all kinds of divisions in a company and that can be accessed from any type of smartphone or tablet.”

Quality, design and cost-efficient products “We do not believe in overcharging our customers. The most important thing is

Scan Business | Feature | Saguru

Above left: Co-founders Bill Mårtensson, Dennis Bärlund and Daniel Wigren. Photo: Salmiak Media

that they are happy with the products, and that the users of the apps are pleased with them and find them easy to use, fun and good in design,” says Wigren.

In the spirit of having happy and satisfied clients, Saguru keeps updated with how their apps are being used. “We are always happy to continuously improve our apps; maintenance is a crucial cornerstone in ensuring that the users get the most out of the product,” says Wigren. “Our clients give us feedback that we use to ensure that they get a product that they are pleased with and that makes a difference to their business as soon as it is launched.”

From students to teachers Wigren met the other two founders of Saguru, Dennis Bärlund and Bill Mårtensson, at Malmö Yrkeshögskola (Malmö Vocational University). “We all took the same degree in app development and soon recognized that our backgrounds complemented one another, and we set out to become the market leaders in app development,” says Wigren. These days they teach at their old school, and the principal, Claes Magnusson, still acts as a mentor for his three former students.

“Although our primary focus is on app development, our services extend to run-

ning workshops and meeting with companies to help them see what apps can do for them,” says Wigren.

Saguru’s ability to predict market trends makes them a one-of-a-kind company that operates with the clients’ needs in focus, going over and beyond to ensure that their services help businesses flourish.

For more information, please visit: saguru.se

Issue 47 | December 2012 | 83

: ME E E H L T AD

R CIA ISH T E SP ED SW

Kista Science City is one of the most expansive districts in Stockholm. It is a melting pot where companies, researchers and students collaborate in order to develop and grow. Photo: Cecilia Larsson/imagebank.sweden.se

Country of innovation and creativity

By Ewa Björling, Minister for Trade, Sweden

Openness to trade spurs production, innovation and consumption. Over time, exports have a positive impact on economic growth. These statements can be seen as my points of departure in my daily work as Sweden’s Minister for Trade.

In Sweden we constantly sharpen our innovative edge. Our vision is to be a worldleading country in research and innovation, an attractive place in which to invest and conduct business. Trade, combined with a business environment that facilitates innovation and investments is vital for society. This combination has served Sweden very well, enabling us to achieve stable growth and prosperity over the years. Like any company that constantly needs to keep up with changes in the markets, Sweden also needs to adapt to changes.

As Minister for Trade, it is my responsibility and pleasure to promote my country

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abroad. In this context I often refer to specific industries and businesses to illustrate that Sweden is an innovative and creative country. Cultural and creative industries have great potential for growth, and this is one of the main reasons why I launched the promotion calendar which focuses, month by month, throughout the year on creative industries where Swedish industries are at the forefront – such as music, communication, film, fashion, literature and gaming. Alongside these branches, our traditional industries, and others, continuously deliver products of good quality, price and design – some of these companies you can read about in this paper.

Our free trade ambitions open the way for constructive means of pursuing prudent macroeconomic policies based on innovation and trade. Swedes are eager to adopt and develop new technologies, and we aim to empower innovation, especially

in the field of green solutions and other industries with potential for growth. Though the global economy may be in some difficulty, everything is still possible.

Ewa Björling, Minister for Trade, Sweden

Founder Gudrun Sjödén

Add a splash of colour to your wardrobe and home Winter is upon us, and it often means the return of layers upon layers of beige, black and grey, but there are forces out there that do not stand for people wrapping themselves in a cocoon of blandness that neither delights nor reflects one’s personality.

One such whirlwind of colour is clothing and home textile company Gudrun Sjödén, which just happens to be one of Sweden’s biggest fashion exporters.

By Nia Kajastie | Photos: Courtesy of Gudrun Sjödén

Established in 1976 by Gudrun and Björn Sjödén, the company has made quite a colour-drenched splash, and not just in Sweden. Founder Gudrun continues to play an active part as the designer and creative director of the company, keeping Gudrun Sjödén on its vivid track, while striving against the plain and mediocre.

Today, the company sells its products all over the world through their online store, and from its boutiques in Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Germany, London, and soon also in New York and Helsinki.

The main concept behind Gudrun Sjödén is to create colourful clothes and home textiles from natural materials. With

colourful stripes and surprising mixtures of patterns, the clothes create a unique yet functional expression for women of all ages, shapes and sizes. The fashion also shows strong influences of Scandinavian design, and nature is without a doubt an added source of inspiration.

“My inspiration also comes from Swedish folklore, as well as folklore from all over the world,” explains Gudrun Sjödén. “The design attached to folklore is always very colourful, which is something I relish.”

A green soul Green thinking has always been an essential part of the company, and in the fu-

ture Gudrun hopes to see “more colourful women with a green soul – all over the world”. The sustainable principles behind Gudrun Sjödén’s designs have been in place for over 35 years now, maintaining that timeless design, clothing and textiles created from high-quality natural fibres and organic cotton will, as expected, last longer and also be used for much longer.

A long lifespan and a piece of clothing or textile that radiates with personality and happiness: this is what Gudrun Sjödén stands for.

Visit Gudrun Sjödén’s new store in London, opened as recently as April 2012: 65-67 Monmouth Street Covent Garden, London, WC2H 9DG

For more information, please visit: www.gudrunsjoden.com

Issue 47 | December 2012 | 85

Scan Business | Special Theme | Swedish Trade

Marintek Anchor Marina Dubai UAE. Photo: Nakheel L.L.C

Green floating solutions in rain and shine Seaflex provides a smart, long-lasting and environmentally friendly solution to be used for mooring docks in marinas, for example, and that can be found in bays all around the world, from the USA and Europe to China.

By Therese Wallin | Photos: Seaflex

Seaflex offers products that you may not necessarily be aware of but that every boating enthusiast will appreciate as crucial for safe docking in every one of the world’s marinas. Seaflex designs, manufactures and installs an elastic mooring solution for docks, wave attenuators and buoys.

When Seaflex started, its products were mainly sought after because of their competitive pricing and long duration. These key characteristics are still a cornerstone in the company’s success, but over the

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years, its focus on being environmentally friendly has become an essential part of the brand. “Our installation devices have always been the most environmentally friendly ones on the market,” says the president and CEO of Seaflex, Lars Brandt.

New way to look at environmentally friendly products “There is no question that manufacturers, companies and governments the world over have become more concerned with the benefits of environmentally

friendly products as awareness grows and their popularity spreads,” says Brandt. Indeed, in many countries the law stipulates the need to use products that are purposely constructed so as to not destroy the seabed. Brandt explains that, “Besides the long lifespan and the good price-quality ratio of our installations, the one thing our clients value the most is that we offer a mooring solution that does not destroy the seabed.”

It functions completely differently from old mooring options, such as chain, piles or cable; it is not only safer for the environment but also reduces risk of damage to docks and boats during bad weather. Combine this with the fact that they require minimal maintenance compared to most traditional solutions, and

Scan Business | Special Theme | Swedish Trade

you easily understand why Seaflex is used all around the world.

Custom-made mooring solutions make one concept perfect for all “The fact that Seaflex’s mooring solutions do not contain normal steel, which oxidates/corrodes, is an important consideration for our clients,” says Brandt. “This requirement is not only often imposed by law but generally people are taking more and more responsibility themselves towards the environment and realize that leaving a good environmental footprint is important.”

Seaflex has a readily available manufacturing process, in order to assure that each client receives the perfect solution.

This is a complex process, but Seaflex has many years of experience and knows very well how to do it. “We have developed a software application, ‘J Flex’, which allows us to take all relevant factors into account, including wind speed, the intensity of the waves, the depth of the sea at the specific location, and a range of other points which are important to include when making mooring solutions,” says Brandt.

This allows them to consider the specific forces at each location to ensure that they manufacture the correct custom system that features all the specific properties suitable for that particular location where

the product is going to be installed.

Seaflex also ensures that inspections of their mooring systems are carried out regularly in order to certify the quality they promise.

around 98%, of our mooring installations are to clients outside of Sweden, including all across Europe, China, South Africa, the United Sates and beyond,” says Brandt.

Well-developed products

The ever-growing demand for Seaflex’s mooring installations is a testament to their adaptability and ability to cater to clients’ needs, whether big or small.

Seaflex does not believe that its status as a market leader in this niche market of elastic environmental mooring solutions is owed to one specific feature of its installations, but rather to its general strategic approach to mooring solutions.

It is its ability to develop wholesome solutions and its focus on price, quality and protecting the environment that have worked together to bring about Seaflex’s success.

Seaflex exports their products all over the world, and one of their many strengths is their ability to adapt their installations to the local waters and environments of their clients’ locations. “The majority, in fact

In today’s world it is rare to find a company that, from the beginning, has combined a commitment to sustainability and the environment with the ability to offer competitive prices in order to champion a unique product that adheres to stringent standards of quality. With Seaflex, your boats are safer and the world is cleaner.

For more information, please visit: www.seaflex.net

Seaflex has clients all around the world. Left: Trapani, Sicily, Americas’ Cup stopover. Right: Vancouver Seaplane Terminal

Issue 47 | December 2012 | 87

Scan Business | Special Theme | Swedish Trade

ular than we could ever have imagined,” says Edvardsson enthusiastically. “We simply managed to make it easy to enjoy tasty fish even on a hectic weekday.” Simply add fish! is already available in the UK via on-line retailer Ocado, and Abba Seafood has plans to expand their product to a second retailer soon. “We want to ensure that UK consumers can easily get hold of the product as it has been welcomed with arms wide open so far,” explains Edvardsson.

Beyond the traditional idea

Simply add fish!

Edvardsson says that Abba Seafood, as market leader in Sweden, is commonly associated with traditional Swedish bestsellers such as Abba marinated herrings, spreads (including “Kalles kaviar”) and caviar. “Against this background, it is even more exciting for us to launch a product that many might consider to be an unexpected addition to our line,” says Edvardsson.

Abba Seafood’s new product makes it easy to cook tasty fish that the whole family will enjoy. It might sound too good to be true but delicious fish can now easily be served in every UK household. The magic lies in the tasty and mild cook-in-sauces prepared

by Abba Seafood in collaboration with professional chefs. Just pour one of the sauces over the fish fillets of your choice, for example salmon, and let it cook in the oven for 20 minutes. Voilà, dinner is served.

Simply add fish! will transform your eating habits so that you will not only eat healthier but, more importantly, you will have the pleasure of regularly eating fish prepared to perfection.

By Therese Wallin | Photos: Abba Seafood

“We know that consumers want to eat more fish on a daily basis, and so we developed Simply add fish!,” explains Anette Edvardsson who is key account manager at Abba Seafood’s export department.

“This is without a doubt the most convenient partner in the kitchen for anyone who wants to serve a perfectly cooked and healthy fish dish without spending valuable time on planning or preparation.”

Research carried out by Abba Seafood showed that most families in the UK want to eat more fish. “We found that the desire to consume fish on a daily basis was particularly prevalent in families with children,” says Edvardsson. “Many people

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find it difficult to know how to prepare fish or how to vary the dishes. Simply add fish! is the trouble-free solution to these dilemmas. The chefs who developed the sauces have done so also with children in mind, using only natural ingredients for that lovely homemade taste.”

For more information, please visit: www.abbaseafood.com

Already a success “We launched the product a year ago in Sweden, and it became more pop-

+

=

Scan Business | Special Theme | Swedish Trade

Enjoy a cheesy twist Relish cheese perfected for the occasion when buying a product from Wernersson Ost (Wernersson Cheese).

By Therese Wallin | Photos: Elenore Örtlund

A timeless savoury bite “We consume cheese on a range of different occasions these days; not only on our breakfast toast, but it has become even more common to enjoy cheese for dessert and in cooking,” says the CEO of Wernersson, Magnus Ekstrand. Indeed, as we travel more and discover new cooking methods and cultures, we are eager to try it out ourselves at home.

Ekstrand explains that their consumers are looking for a wide variety of products: “We see that people are influenced by how cheese is used in other cultures and what different types of cheese they use. Our customers want to bring these influences into their kitchen and we make that possible.”

Photos: Stefan Svensson

Wernersson Ost entered the market in 1930 when its founder, Tage Wernersson, gained a good reputation for the cheese products sold in his local store. Since then things have changed and the business has grown immensely. Today, the company enjoys a leading position on the Nordic cheese market, but it remains true to its fundamental values of quality, taste and craftsmanship.

Quality at home Wernersson’s ability to keep up and predict the future cheese trends has allowed its products to enjoy a given place in all homes, and they are continuing to strengthen their hold on the market.

A product from Wernersson will allow your taste buds to discover something extraordinary with every bite.

For more information, please visit: www.wernerssonost.se

More than 800 different Swedish products, groceries, deli, gifts, Swedish art and design

We provide Londoners & the UK with a range of fine Swedish products Online store www.totallyswedish.com Visit our London stores 32 Crawford Street, London W1H 1LS 66 Barnes High Street, London SW13 9LD Check our website for opening times!

Facebook / TotallySwedish1 @TotallySwedish1

Scan Business | Special Theme | Swedish Trade

Seaside C:015

Designing and manufacturing your future home You have found your dream lot of land and now all you need is the perfect house.

There are many things that you have to take into consideration when creating your new home, but with the right help and expertise, it will be an exciting process from start to finish. Trivselhus is a leading Swedish house supplier specializing in custommade house plans. Its architects will design a unique house for your specific taste and needs. Scan Magazine spoke to Bernt Gustavzon, the architect behind Trivselhus’ new house series Seaside.

By Sara Schedin | Photos: Trivselhus

“At Trivselhus we look at current trends in fashion and interior design, and then connect them to our house design. At the moment our New England-inspired series Seaside is very in demand. People like the cosy country style with many nooks and crannies,” says Gustavzon.

“Our functionalist houses, with their sleek surfaces and large windows, are also very

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popular, but lately we have seen a slightly bigger interest in that more traditional style.”

sunshine and lazy days on the beach. The houses are designed in a robust style with wide wood panelling, large windows with glazing bars and beautiful patios which are covered with grey windswept wooden decks. The interiors are characterized by a light and relaxed style with white walls, white stained oak floors and high ceilings with stained wood panelling. The kitchens get a rustic charm with countertops in light stone, and white mirror doors and cabinets complemented by old knobs or pulls. Light and space are keywords that help create harmony and balance.

Living by the beach The Seaside series offers houses specially designed for Nordic lots with beachfront locations. They are created for those who like the thought of a life by the sea with

“The houses are designed in a traditional New England-style, but with a Swedish touch. It’s ‘American East Coast meets Swedish West Coast’. We have been in-

Scan Business | Special Theme | Swedish Trade

Bernt Gustavzon

each other on a field and everyone had the exact same Volvo. These days we personalize everything from houses and cars to sofas and bicycles.

Seaside A:028

“Our clients want something out of the ordinary. They are interested in design and have often bought an interesting lot of land, which the architects might have to put some extra thought into in order to maximize its potential,” says Gustavzon.

From idea to reality

spired by brands like Lexington, GANT and Artwood, which are all very popular at the moment,” says Gustavzon.

In the Seaside show houses, clients can get a feel for what sort of furniture would suit that particular style. They are decorated with warm colours, cosy sofas with lots of pillows and shelves filled with books, mixed with small details like velvety stones and other beach finds.

Tailored to the smallest detail ”When designing a house we take every aspect into consideration, from smaller interior details to bigger things like how to make the house work with the lot. It’s important to see to every factor since the client will probably live there for a long time. This way each client gets a personalized and unique home.” The wish to have something personalized, something that no one else has, is a trend that Gustavzon has seen emerge during the last ten years. Gone are the days of the 80s when identical houses were built next to

What sets Trivselhus apart from an architecture firm is that it designs and manufactures its houses; this way it is easier to keep costs and other expenses under control. A unique building system makes it possible to build the houses completely after the clients’ wishes. “To be environmentally aware is also something that is very important to our clients and many ask for energy saving options. We think about what materials we use and a ground source heat pump has been standard in our houses for many years. It lowers the energy usage significantly and is a safe option considering increasing energy prices,” says Gustavzon.

Trivselhus has sales offices spread out all over Sweden, but the head office is based in Småland, a southern province which has a long tradition and extensive knowledge of manufacturing wooden houses.

Trivselhus exports to other countries as well, including Norway, the United Kingdom, Germany and Switzerland.

For more information, please visit: www.trivselhus.se

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Award-winning charcuteries Discover food products made according to the good old recipes, with modern focus on quality and client satisfaction.

By Therese Wallin | Photos: Värmlands chark

At Värmlands chark (Värmland’s charcuteries) the focus is on using the best of the traditional recipes, methods and values in making their products.

“Quality is important to our consumers, but so is the assurance that all our products are developed and produced according to traditional methods which stress the importance of flavour and texture. Combining all of these factors is a part of how we ensure that our products are of top quality,” says the company’s CEO Jesper Gunnarsson Berg.

Hearty company based in the community The company has its foundations in the northern part of Sweden and operates according to a vision of giving back to the community. “We co-operate with many

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farmers in the surrounding area. Not only does this ensure that our assortment of products is made from produce that we know is of the highest quality, but also that our establishment’s profitability is shared with the community,” says Gunnarsson Berg.

Värmlands chark’s products have for long been popular on the market, and they were recently awarded a range of medals in the most prestigious competition in Sweden for producers of cold cuts. ”The judging panel consists of both experts and everyday consumers, which makes it an even bigger honour to be awarded in a range of different categories as this reflects all the spectrum of views and tastes from the market,” says Gunnarsson Berg.

Värmlands chark is a company that honours traditional and genuine food-making processes, while always striving to ensure that theirs are the highest quality products on the market.

Perfection by supplementing the traditional with modern concepts “Having top-quality products at competitive prices is of course an important part of our success, but so is our commitment to our customers,” explains Gunnarsson Berg. “We listen to the views of those who purchase our products, and their feedback has been an important part of our achievement in having developed our products to perfection.”

The commitment and sense of achievement are what add an inspiring and wonderful feeling to Värmlands chark, and in the light of their recent achievements, they more than deserve the praise.

For more information, please visit: www.varmlandschark.se

Scan Business | Special Theme | Swedish Trade

Their soap Tallba, launched in 1935 and with a scent of musk, moss and pine, will paint you a picture of the deep Swedish forests.

The company has clients all the way from the USA to Asia, and they recently signed contracts in New Zealand and Australia.

But the road here has not always been straight and easy.

Around 40 years ago, the business was bought by a big multinational company that wanted to shut down the soap production. But Jonny Freij, at the time technical manager at the factory, was not ready to stand by to see that happen.

“I believed in our product, and I didn’t want to see all our knowledge go to waste,” Freij says.

A small Swedish family business with big dreams Victoria Scandinavian Soap AB knows the importance of tradition and dedication. The company has been the Purveyor to the Royal Swedish Court since 1924 and provides high-quality soap to clients all over the world. They now turn their eyes closer to home as they look to expand, even more, in Europe.

By Elin Berta | Photos: Victoria Scandinavian Soap AB

The story began in 1905 in the small coastal city of Helsingborg in the south of Sweden. Starting out by producing stearin candles, the company has throughout the years produced several different products, ranging from margarine to perfume.

Today, the main part of the production is focused on their own label, and that is

also where the high value of Swedish tradition can be seen. The biggest product, as popular today as when it was first launched in 1930, is the Egg white Soap.

Inspired by how Swedish women for generations have made their own facial masks, it is a combination of egg whites, lanolin and rosewater that creates the unique ability to cleanse the pores.

And rightly so, as since he took over the business and became the chief executive director in 1980, the company has grown from 7 to 40 employees.

Victoria Scandinavian Soap AB also provides private labels for both exclusive brands and smaller companies. “Our motto is our flexibility,” Freij says. “Our production team work close to our graphic designers, putting their heart and all their effort in customising products for every client.”

With the support of a new, modern factory with the latest technology and the capacity to increase their production, they now hope to keep expanding in Europe.

For more information, please visit: www.victoriasoap.com

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A much-loved Swedish classic Since August Stenström opened his shirt factory in Helsingborg in 1899, Stenströms has grown to become one of Sweden’s most well-known and respected design and fashion houses. The brand stands for style, quality and comfort in every detail.

Swedish men and women have had a century-long love affair with its classic yet modern shirts, and now, as the brand expands, the rest of the world is quickly discovering Stenströms elegant and comfortable garments.

line. There is also a range of shirts for formal evening wear, and you can even have your shirt made-to-measure, which allows you to select everything from fabric and colour to cuffs and collar.

“Stenströms is not only about shirts though. We also make sporty leisurewear, knitted garments, scarves, accessories, boxer shorts, ties, and women’s blouses, which are available in the models: Classic, Feminine and Slimline,” says Ramberg.

By Sara Schedin | Photos: JKF Foto

Autumn trends

An eye for detail

shirt consists of 23 components. Each shirt undergoes 60 distinct operations and is checked at five critical inspection stations. One hundred and fifty metres of thread are used to assemble each shirt and most buttons are handmade from genuine mother-of-pearl.

Stenströms careful attention to detail is one of the main reasons why its shirts have become so popular. A Stenströms

The men’s shirts are available in three models: Classic, Fitted Body and Slim-

“Stenströms has been expanding rapidly over the last few years and our collections are now sold in 19 countries, including the UK, Germany and the Benelux region,” says marketing manager Marie Ramberg.

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This autumn’s ladies’ collections are inspired by the dressy 50s and 60s. The silhouettes are relaxed but still feminine, and the garments are made from lightweight fabrics and soft knits. Patterns are subdued and colours are mild.

In the men’s collections, bold colours are combined with softer nuances to create a balanced contrast. A different coloured

Scan Business | Special Theme | Swedish Trade

buttonhole thread adds another dimension to the garments. Checks and plaids are also recurring features this autumn.

Both the men’s and ladies’ collections feature a selection of cardigans, pullovers, waistcoats, scarves, ties, hankies and jackets in the softest merino wool or cashmere.

Dreaming of spring Right now, in the darkest month of the year, spring feels painfully far away, but luckily there are only a few months left until little buds will appear on the trees again and the sun will warm our pale winter faces. Stenströms spring collections, with their vibrant colours and beautiful patterns give us a taste of what is yet to come.

“This spring, our collections come in colours like coral, aqua, orange and green.

The patterns range from dots and stripes to flowers and paisley,” says Ramberg.

“For the women, we will see a lot of washed linen with elements of sheer lace.”

The collections also feature garments in navy blue, red and white, with clear influences from the American East Coast. The crisp white shirt completes that stylish marine look.

Winner of a prestigious fashion prize “Stenströms clothes are still made mostly by hand by our skilled tailors. The factories have of course been modernized during the last century, but certain operations still demand a human touch in order to make a perfect garment,” says Ramberg.

Twenty years ago most of the production was transferred from Helsingborg to Estonia where Stenströms has had its own factory since 1993. And now, when the volume is so big, the company also contracts factories in other parts of Europe.

“It’s important for us to have the production as nearby as possible so we can make sure that our clothes keep the high qual-

ity that our customers are used to. We’re also careful to ensure that a good working environment is provided for our co-workers,” Ramberg explains.

Stenströms eye for quality is one of the reasons why they won the fashion and retail magazine Habit’s prestigious prize ‘Supplier/Agent of the Year’ during the Swedish Fashion Awards in August. The jury’s statement said: “With strong growth, good increase in sales and with a solid knowledge of the branch, the winner of this year’s prize is guaranteed a place as Sweden’s most successful supplier.

With a magnificent feel, sharpness and with a great focus on detail the company delivers innovative high-quality products to a continuously growing group of loyal customers.”

For more information, please visit: www.stenstroms.com

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Scan Business | Special Theme | Swedish Trade

The company also makes a range of other items, such as cufflinks and bracelets with traditional Swedish symbols.

The whole chain

Photos: Borje Svensson

Shine like no other Add a metal product from Sporrong to your outfit, or to mark an outstanding achievement, and people will immediately know that you have done something with excellence.

By Therese Wallin | Photos: Sporrong

Sporrong is one of the oldest companies in Sweden, and since its inception in 1666 it has enjoyed a reputation for excellence in design, quality and customer service.

“Since the company started it has stayed true to its fundamental values of quality and honoured its heritage of excellence in craftsmanship. Sporrong is today widely regarded as a premier supplier of highquality metal accessories and other tailormade items used for a wide range of occasions,” says the CEO of Sporrong, Michael Englund.

Reputation for excellence Thanks to Sporrong’s commitment to excellence, their products are highly sought after. “Most of our clients have come across our products on many different occasions and are familiar with the Sporrong brand before they order their individual metal products from us,” explains Englund.

Indeed, not only does Sporrong design, manufacture and deliver various forms of products with traditional Swedish symbols on them, they are also one of the main producers of items for the Swedish royal family.

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Sporrong’s commitment to quality is so strong that it has ensured that it has full control over the whole process of design, manufacture and delivery of its products.

“We meet with each client and assess what they are looking for. After identifying the customer’s needs, we design and manufacture the product in our own factories. We also take responsibility for the final part of the chain and ensure that the products are delivered to the right location and at the right time as requested by the client,” says Englund.

Sporrong’s commitment to quality and customer satisfaction is never-ending, and it is thanks to its hard work and strong commitment that its clients keep on returning. Workmanship of the highest standard is a key component of the success story of Sporrong, which keeps on growing and succeeding beyond the Nordic region.

“As the main producer of metal products in the Nordic region, we have worked within many different industries. For example, we make the majority of military badges and other items specifically designed for the armed forces,” says Englund. Sporrong’s wide range of clients in different branches is a testament to the company’s ability to make products adapted to the wishes and needs of each individual client.

Sporrong has also produced many awards and medals for sporting organisations and events as well as charities. “We ensure that every client is pleased with their final product and that it is one of a kind,” says Englund.

Michael Englund, CEO, Sporrong

For more information, please visit: www.sporrong.com

Scan Business | Special Theme | Swedish Trade

A creative business steeped in unparalleled tradition The Skultuna brass factory in Västmanland has for over four centuries run a neverceasing production line with the same items and materials, a feat unmatched anywhere in the world. It was founded in 1607 by King Karl IX, and today Skultuna has the honour of being a Purveyor to the Royal Court of Sweden.

By Ulrika Osterlund | Photos: Skultuna

“We collaborate with internationally acclaimed designers who interpret our style with their own twist, where the starting point and creativity begins with the brass itself,” says managing director Viktor Blomqvist.

Some of the hottest names at the International Furniture Fair in Milano work with Skultuna’s interior design products.

Designers of such calibre as Luca Nichetto, Richard Hutten and Claesson Koivisto Rune shape Skultuna’s legacy in creating objects of the highest international quality that become the timeless classics of tomorrow. Candlesticks, bowls

and other trinkets are part of their popular lines.

Skultuna also create brass accessories and are market leaders in creating cuff links in Scandinavia, producing 25,000 pairs every year. The up-and-coming bracelet collection will be in focus in the future, with plans of bringing in dedicated jewellery designers.

All of these classic products can be seen in the recently opened concept store on Grev Turegatan in Stockholm. Internationally, Skultuna can be bought at retailers Skandium and Selfridges in London, as well as at Barneys in New York.

For more information, please visit: www.skultuna.com

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: ME ION E H AT L T IN

T CIA DES D E SP ESS LAN

SIN BU

FIN

Above left: Senate Square, Helsinki, World Design Capital 2012. Right: Alexander Stubb, Minister for European Affairs and Foreign Trade of Finland. Photo: Pekka Mustonen

Welcome to Finland – we are ready to roll up our sleeves for You

By Alexander Stubb, Minister for European Affairs and Foreign Trade of Finland

In Europe, the optimists have had difficulty making their voices heard over those of the pessimists during the past year. It has admittedly been a tough time for everyone, but Finland continues to take a constructive approach to meeting Europe’s challenges. The amazing variety of events and projects seen in Helsinki during its year as 2012 World Design Capital shows Finland’s drive to find solutions to complicated problems.

When the EU received the 2012 Nobel Peace Prize, the award formed a welcome ray of light as the autumn days became shorter. It reminds everybody of what Europe is all about: despite certain dilemmas, the EU still represents an excellent vehicle for building peace and wellbeing across the continent.

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Just like the rest of the world, Finland has been experiencing slowed economic growth. Nevertheless, Finland’s economy remains one of the strongest in Europe, as indicated by its ability to maintain a credit rating of AAA throughout the economic downturn. We learned our lessons the hard way during our own economic crisis in the early 1990s, and our economy has held up relatively well in recent times.

Challenges lie ahead, but we Finns are at our best when the pressure is on. Our history has included situations that seemed impossible to solve, but time and time again we’ve rolled up our sleeves and overcome tremendous odds. Finnish expertise and Finnish sisu – our own unique blend of courage and endurance – have proved to be an indomitable combination.

Nokia forms a case in point. As the telecoms giant has restructured, former Nokia employees have created promising start-ups such as smartphone developer Jolla, and spin-offs such as web-on-TV business Uniqoteq.

Finland has reinvented its ability to promote export business by forming Team Finland, which gathers together the strengths of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, global business enabler Finpro, the Finnish Chamber of Commerce, the Confederation of Finnish Industries and other like-minded organisations. By the same token, Invest in Finland provides incoming foreign investors with guidance and advice.

Centria UAS prepares its students for their future careers and offers them indispensable experiences in a multicultural environment.

Focus on your future in a multicultural environment Education that will pave the way for your future career, an international student body, innovative research and plenty of support: Centria University of Applied Sciences in western Finland will offer you all this and more.

By Nia Kajastie | Photos: Centria University of Applied Sciences

Centria UAS, which celebrated its 20th anniversary earlier this year, is a relatively small higher education institution, with 3,300 students and 300 staff members. It offers 21 degree programmes within five different fields of education: Technology, Communications and Transport; Social Sciences, Business and Administration; Social Services, Health and Sports; Culture; and Humanities and Education.

Focusing on internationalism from early on, Centria UAS started its first Englishlanguage degree programme for business management in 1996. Today, 500 international students from 40 different countries are studying for their bachelor’s de-

grees at Centria UAS, as well as many exchange students, who are completing a part of their degree here. For the study year starting in autumn 2013, the institution offers three English-language programmes: Business Management, Industrial Management and Nursing.

Centria UAS is spread over three campuses, Kokkola, Pietarsaari and Ylivieska, located on the Ostrobothnian plain. “We are still quite a small institution on an international level, but with such a multicultural study environment, we still have a global connection. Due to its size and location, Centria is also a highly safe place to study. Our teaching staff know their students well, which adds to the comfort-

able atmosphere. Here every student is treated as an individual, and we are supportive and flexible when it comes to their circumstances,” explains communications manager Paula Erkkilä.

As a natural continuation of their studentcentred values, the institution’s mission is to prepare students for their future working life. On top of learning from the meeting of different cultures, they will be equipped with professional expertise that is easily translated into practice and will be of use in their future careers, whether in Finland or abroad.

“We are a genuinely international institution set in small localities, which still include all the necessary services and plenty of recreational opportunities. We offer high-quality education, with frequent international lecturers adding to the multicultural atmosphere,” adds Erkkilä.

Application period for study year 2013/2014: 7 January – 12 February For more information, please visit: www.centria.fi

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Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Business Destination Finland

funding from the Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment, and we’re working on a new business plan. The quality system must also be in order when dealing with larger international corporations,” he says.

Timo Ahonen, CEO of JTA-Connection

JTA-Connection is growing and internationalizing JTA-Connection Oy from Tampere is shooting for the world with a firm touch. The company already has an office in Germany and has performed challenging assignments in over 100 countries on five different continents. The need for staff speaks volumes for the speed of growth; by the end of this year, the company will have recruited at least 50 more experts.

Photo: JTA-Connection Oy

JTA-Connection designs and implements challenging electrical, mechanical and automation projects for the machines and equipment of its client companies. The vast selection of services includes electrical and automation design, control panel manufacturing, mechanical assembly, export installation, introduction, installation supervision, testing and maintenance services of machines and equipment.

Service on a one-stop-shop basis “We offer a comprehensive service where the parts can be detached and offered individually according to client wishes. Clients will receive exactly the kind of service package they want,” summarizes Timo Ahonen, CEO of JTAConnection.

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Clients of the company include some of the most important export companies in Finland, ranging from Metso and Vaisala to Wärtsilä and Cargotec, among many others. “The goal of internationalization is to invest in export and gain major foreign technology export companies as clients alongside the Finnish ones,” says Timo Ahonen.

He has noticed that large companies wish to operate with other large companies.

“We want to be a company with resources to fulfil all kinds of needs, whether the client is Konecranes, Outotec or some new international master of its field. We want to grow with our clients.”

However, they are not going to conquer the world unprepared. “We have received

According to the HR coordinator of the company, Marjo Rautanen, personnel development is an important part of growth and internationalization. Especially when the order book is filling up quickly thanks to new contracts. “We invest in the continuous training of our staff while looking for the best talents to join our company.

We’re looking for skill potential, in particular, not just substance competence: people with the right attitude and client orientation. The people we’re looking for are flexible, they have good language skills and motivation, and they’re willing to travel,” she states.

Experience creates reliability The company has performed challenging installation, installation supervision, introduction, and electrical and automation design projects on machines and equipment in over 100 countries. This work includes, for example, installation of diesel and gas power plants and factory automations, erection of automobile factory production lines and windmills, and the introduction projects of cranes in automated container harbours, and so forth.

The staff, which has gained experience in different cities and jungles of the world, will not stand idle even in difficult situations. “Experience in different kinds of custom and various operating environments all over the world has contributed to our extensive skills and vision,” Timo Ahonen notes. “Flexibility, continuous training of personnel, and listening to our clients and taking their needs into consideration have made us a strong and reliable cooperation partner. This policy will be maintained throughout our internationalization and growth,” he promises.

For more information, please visit: www.jtaconnection.fi

>> For businesses in the construction and renovation industry, as well as professional decorators, sanding is a labour intensive and expensive work phase. Not only this, sanding can be messy and pose risk to the health of those involved in the work process. Using Mirka’s dust-free net sanding products is a win-win situation for all – saving time and money, and also caring for the health of its users.

More Productivity with Dust-Free Net Sanding Mirka specialises in the development of innovative abrasive technology and patented abrasives that offer customers a truly dust-free surface finishing process.

– Dust-free sanding is a very fast-growing market as people are starting to realise how important it is to avoid inhaling sanding dust into the lungs, but instead collect it as it´s created.

Looking beyond health and safety factors, dustfree sanding is also very fast, as there is no need to cover up surfaces before the sanding work can begin. This gives businesses the opportunity to save time, increase profitability, and ultimately earn more money, says Ralf Karlström, CEO KWH Mirka Ltd.

Keeping businesses running at all times In a highly competitive construction and renovation market, the old saying ‘time is money’ goes well with all business activity. With Mirka’s dust-free net sanding abrasives and sanding tools, businesses and home renovators can speed up their work by about 20% compared to the use of conventional sanding methods and equipment.

Traditional sanding methods also create enormous amounts of airborne dust that can be toxic or even carcinogenic. Bare wood dust may cause serious health problems, such as asthma, when it is inhaled. According to the UK-based Health and Safety Executive (HSE), carpenters and joiners can be, in fact, four times more likely to get asthma compared with other UK workers.

Focus on innovation Mirka products are recognised as being market leaders through sustained focus on innovation driven by customer needs, investment in ground-breaking production machinery and providing systems which produce profit.

– Mirka is renowned for setting high standards and launching new products and new production techniques that deliver clear improvements, says Karlström.

– Machines and tools that are comfortable and easy to use are essential for professionals. This is why we have concentrated on user-friendliness and ergonomics, as well as performance and efficiency, Karlström adds.

Ralf Karlström, CEO KWH Mirka Ltd

About Mirka Mirka Ltd is a world leader in abrasives technology innovation, offering a complete range of technically superior, high quality abrasives, supplementary products and complete sanding systems.

Mirka’s core business areas are automotive refinish (ART), original equipment manufacturing (OEM), construction & decoration as well as the wood and furniture industry. All of Mirka’s products are manufactured in Finland and more than 90% are exported and sold in over 80 countries, including subsidiaries located in Europe, North America, South America and Asia.

www.mirka.com

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Business Destination Finland

Managing director Sami Kotiniemi emphasises that the company is entrepreneur-led and clients always have a familiar face to contact when needed. “We stand behind our solutions and promises,” he confirms.

7th Sense Solutions for machinery, automation and electronics Finnish technology company DA-Design Oy, which specialises in electronics and software engineering, was established in 1995 by four enthusiastic engineering students. Today, its clients consist of industrial and manufacturing companies, space and defence authorities, as well as public transportation operators. Although their clients operate in very different fields, a common factor is their need to find high technology solutions for streamlining their production. While DA-Design’s core skills lie within engineering, the company meets this demand through “7th Sense Solutions” that offer added value for their clients.

By Nia Kajastie | Photos: Courtesy of DA-Design Oy

Offering high technology expertise and knowhow of embedded systems related to software and electronics, mechanics, RF and microwave engineering, DA-Design aims for an innovative approach to its projects and eagerly takes on new challenges.

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“Over the years, we have learned that unless we offer our clients services with added value, we are easily replaceable.

That’s why we started working on a new strategy; we already believed in our knowhow and knew what we were capable of, including innovative solutions and

services; but we wanted to be able to offer turnkey solutions that would increase our clients’ companies’ value. We wanted to aim for something bigger and expand abroad as well,” says managing director Sami Kotiniemi.

A new direction DA-Design’s new message is encapsulated in the term “7th Sense Solutions”.

They are offering a different kind of approach and solutions to the problems that their clients face.

“It means that on top of the ‘normal senses’, we offer an additional dimension, something different to what our clients are used to. We aim to fully understand

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Business Destination Finland

1

2

3

4

Product Development: On top of customer-specific solutions, DA-Design also works on its own research and development. For various applications, the company produces and manufactures a range of products, such as: Display Module Controlling System (1), TV Audience Measurement System (2), Antenna Positioners (3), Electronic Warfare Suite Testers (4).

the critical business issues facing our customers. We want to find out how we can enhance the functionality and profitability of their products. While we are first and foremost an engineering office, our engineers form our ‘production machinery’, and with this talented machinery we create state-of-the-art solutions for our clients,” explains Kotiniemi.

“Our solution selling also covers the whole life cycle of the product, from planning to manufacturing. We can offer comprehensive service through our integrated turnkey solutions, thus taking responsibility for the whole life cycle, from R&D through to service delivery. We also take care of product maintenance and remote monitoring.”

Solutions from the depths of sea up to space

About DA-Design Founded in 1995 by four engineering students, DA-Design started off working on software and electronics design for a few domestic companies. Almost 18 years later, with two of the original founders still on board, the company is going strong within the industry.

While we live in an analogue world, analogue information needs to be processed digitally through modern technology in order to realize the benefits for our analogue environment.

the way up to 200 GHz. Digital signal processing and the required algorithms, embedded electronics and software are the company’s core competences. This combined with strong experience in device electronics, all the way to the development of integrated circuits with partners, provides the basis for the production of reliable and high-performance solutions.

In 2006, DA-Design bought the media research business unit from Mitron Oy; and in 2007, they merged with YLINEN Electronics, which is known for its space-craft systems and technology development activities with ESA and NASA. Today, DA-Design provides services meeting industrial, military, and space quality levels and standards.

For more information, please visit: www.da-design.fi

“The 7th Sense Solutions represent costeffective performance, reliability and security. Our staff’s multi-application expertise provides us with the ability to carry out reliable, simple as well as more complex measurement, control and automation solutions, and systems and components for them. By applying lessons learned from space applications to industrial automation, and in turn lessons learned from industrial automation to military use, from military use to industry, from any application to another, we offer new types of reliable solutions,” says Kotiniemi.

DA-Design’s professionals have the ability to measure, manage and process phenomena from DC to high frequencies, all

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Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Business Destination Finland

thus strengthen the client’s competitiveness in the market,” says business development manager Antti Varis. With over 20 years’ experience in the field, DeltaEnterprise has established itself as one of Finland’s leading service providers of manufacturing optimization services and solutions.

Enhancing production There are many factors affecting production efficiency, and sometimes these can be difficult to determine. Delta-Enterprise offers its clients problem-solving solutions and expertise help in production management issues. “Companies spend a lot of time recording and transferring information manually, and mistakes are easily made. When data collection, transfer and reporting are automated, labour resources can be used for more productive tasks,” Varis says. Efficiency can be improved, for instance, by automatically gathering and reporting key production quantities and by optimizing the production schedule.

The Delta-Enterprise management team

Optimizing manufacturing efficiency Specialising in production optimization, Oy Delta-Enterprise Ltd. provides comprehensive services and technological solutions to improve the manufacturing operations of its clients. Based in Espoo, in southern Finland, the company designs and implements tailor-made manufacturing execution systems, smart measurement systems and automation solutions.

By Inna Allen | Photos: Oy Delta-Enterprise Ltd

Intelligent production is the key to everything. Providing automation services, smart measurement systems and industrial information systems, Oy Delta-Enterprise Ltd. aims to improve their clients’

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manufacturing operations and in turn create better end results. “We deliver a range of solutions for different kinds of industrial companies. The goal of these solutions is to optimize production and

Manufacturing execution systems (MES) are the starting point for achieving accurate measurement and efficient production management. Working in close cooperation with their clients, DeltaEnterprise experts begin the process of designing an information system by determining the goals to be achieved. Keeping clients up to date with the process is important, and contact during this early phase is frequent. “We deliver the new system to the client in parts so that it can be gradually tested in practice. This means any new ideas can easily be included in the project in a versatile way,” Varis explains. Since knowledge of the production personnel is the foundation for any system operation, Delta-Enterprise makes sure the client’s staff and management are carefully trained to use the systems. This guarantees the functionality of the system to the client from the start of its life cycle. “To keep our clients’ productions efficient after modernization, we monitor their system remotely, which means they will receive our immediate assistance in the event of an error or problem.” Offering manufacturing process

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Business Destination Finland

monitoring, error correction and active support services, Delta-Enterprise ensures its clients can concentrate on optimizing their production.

Business development manager Antti Varis Photo: Sami Perttilä

Technological solutions Achieving high quality in industrial production often requires visual inspection.

Machine vision technology offers many opportunities for quality control, product measurement and inspection. As one of Finland’s leading system integrators in machine vision technology, Delta-Enterprise can handle systems ranging from precision laboratory measurements to the fast online product inspections. They deliver turn-key machine vision systems to the client’s production facility and integrate the system with the client’s existing ones.

Industrial software production and consultation services are also a significant part of Delta’s operations. Handling everything from automation to polished, webbased services, the company uses the latest Microsoft technologies to produce seamless, reliable and user-friendly interfaces efficiently.

International markets Currently the solutions provided by DeltaEnterprise aim at assisting companies reach their full potential in international markets. “We want to do our part in promoting the business operations of European companies; here exports are one of the key factors. In order to improve competitiveness, we must utilize the clients’ skills in industrial operation as extensively as possible,” Varis says. “By focusing on the right elements and reducing unproductive work, these goals can be achieved.”

Delta-Enterprise is investing time and money in new technologies. Operating and benefiting from new technology results in clients getting the most effective solutions possible and allows for long life cycles of systems. Better knowledge of production improves competitiveness and brings significant added value to the client in the form of cutting-edge expertise.

Services provided by Oy Delta-Enterprise Ltd.: - Manufacturing Execution Systems - Intelligent Measurement Systems - Advanced Automation Solutions - Industrial IT Consultancy and Services

For more information, please visit: www.d-e.fi Above: Delta MES - Efficiency Dashboard

Issue 47 | December 2012 | 105

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Business Destination Finland

ganization,” project manager Teemu Elomaa explains.

Lean5 operates in a very practical way, keeping things simple, and works together with the personnel of the organization. The journey naturally begins by engaging the management of the company in the process. However, it is crucial to include the entire personnel of the company in the process as this greatly decreases change resistance and creates solutions that the people in the organization actually believe in.

Not running, but walking: Time is a key element of Lean

Finland’s Lean achievement of the year award. Lean5 Europe Ltd. partners: project manager Teemu Elomaa, chairman of the board Jari Kaarima and CEO Matti Torkkeli. VR Group: Sami Kaipiainen, Leo Riihiaho and Antti Vigelius.

Lean improves productivity and competitiveness According to the vision of Lean5 Europe Ltd., all businesses and sectors, both private and public, can benefit greatly by implementing Lean productivity models. By choosing Lean, you won’t need to run faster in order to improve productivity - you can walk a shorter distance instead.

Photo: Lean5 Europe Ltd.

Lean5 Europe Ltd. concentrates on improving productivity by minimizing costs and ineffective actions. During their long careers, Lean5’s key people have developed the methods the company uses today.

attention to these factors,” chairman of the board Jari Kaarima adds.

“Our task is to understand what is relevant to the activity of our customer’s company, whether it’s production or services. Actions that do not create any value from the customer’s perspective, and thus not for the company itself can be found in all processes. When these actions can be reduced on a regular basis, there’s no need to run anymore. Walking is simply enough,” Kaarima adds.

Lean5 Europe Ltd. and Finland’s “Lean achievement of the year” award Finland’s Lean Society evaluates production industries, service industries and the public administration sector, and rewards the most prominent Lean achievements with the Lean achievement of the year award.

Lean is a journey

“Lean has the tools to improve competitiveness in your home country as well as in global markets,” Matti Torkkeli, the CEO of Lean5, says.

Lean’s strategy is based on the idea that wasting resources should be minimized.

All actions and operations that only consume company’s resourses without adding any extra value to their customer should be eliminated.

“Improved productivity creates cost-effectiveness, and cost-effectiveness creates competitiveness. If businesses aim to succeed in the increasingly demanding economic situation, they should pay more

“Lean’s goal is to set the right amount of ‘things’ in their right places. We call this the Lean-journey, and its goal is a culture of constant improvement, which simultaneously drives change in the or-

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“We reduce time spent on such daily activities that are not essential for the company’s customer value production. This way we can minimize time spent on the entire process, from the initial order to the final product,” Torkkeli explains.

This year the first prize of the award was presented at the Dipoli Congress Center in Espoo on 2 October to the service unit of VR Group, the Finnish national railways.

Lean5 Europe Ltd. has created and implemented the development process in question in close collaboration with the personnel of VR Group service unit.

For more information, please visit: www.lean5.fi

SP E DA CIAL

NI SH THE TR ME AD : E

Above left: In March 2012, the BCSD Denmark held a successful conference about a sustainable future, at Carlsberg’s historical site. Chairman of BSCD Denmark, Niels Due Jensen, and Carlsberg’s Chairman, Professor Flemming Besenbacher, greeted the participants with a warm welcome. Right: Carlsberg Museum and Business Centre

The Management of the Future is Sustainable By the Danish Business Council for Sustainable Development

Danish companies are well known around the world as being at the cutting edge of environmental processes and products. But requirements and expectations are constantly increasing.

Companies gradually have to adjust to the fact that they are being measured according to whether they create value on a societal perspective, and not only for their shareholders. This is difficult, and therefore it is necessary that companies are able to inspire each other.

At the Danish Business Council for Sustainable Development (DK-BCSD), global inspiration is being made available for use in industries’ everyday workings. In the CEO-led network of Danish companies and organizations, some 35 members

work to incorporate sustainable development as a significant aspect of their businesses.

members into partnerships and thus provide an efficient forum for the companies’ sustainability-related activities.

The environmental activities are now enhanced with social and financial aspects.

Members of the DK-BCSD work together towards sustainable products, an orchestration of responsible suppliers and procurement – and monitoring and reducing the inevitable climate impact of business activities. Covering everything leading to a more professional way of doing sustainable business.

The DK-BCSD is the Danish regional partner in the world's largest sustainable development network, World Business Council for Sustainable Development.

WBCSD is represented worldwide and plays the leading advocacy role for business.

The DK-BCSD organizes meetings for discussions and conferences presenting new knowledge. Events are used to support the development of innovative tools. The aim is to support the practical work, enter

Membership is open to all businesses and organizations that comply with the charter.

Learn more about the Danish Business Council for Sustainable Development at www.rbenet.dk.

Issue 47 | December 2012 | 107

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Danish Trade

Delivering candlelight ambiance for centuries ASP-HOLMBLAD has satisfied the Scandinavian obsession with candles for centuries. Founded in 1777, the company continues to look after its historic brand.

lady whom we have to be careful with,” stresses Poulsen.

By Signe Hansen | Photos: ASP-HOLMBLAD

As a result of the company’s continuous development, ASP-HOLMBLAD was the first in Denmark to launch tea light candles in 100 percent stearin. “Stearin is a natural raw material and that means that it is CO2 neutral, and in a world where we all have to think of nature this is an important factor,” explains Poulsen. “Using 100 per cent stearin candles is a little something that we can all do to contribute to a better climate with less CO2 in the atmosphere, while, of course, at the same time contributing to the good mood at everyday and celebratory gatherings!”

As ASP-HOLMBLAD celebrates its 235th anniversary this year, the company can look back at a long and far more interesting history than most companies.

Founded by Jacob Holmblad in Holmbladsgade in Copenhagen, the first production site was a world away from the modern and quality-conscious company of today. Back then candles were produced by a mix of horrifically smelling animal products, while today ASP-HOLMBLAD has become renowned because of its insistence on using only the highest quality products, explains managing director Mette Poulsen. “Our brand is a

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guarantee of quality; we always use firstclass raw materials and never compromise on what we put in our candles. Our target is to bring warmth and good atmosphere to your home.”

History and renewal In 1907, ASP-HOLMBLAD was granted the status of Danish Purveyor to Her Majesty, and in 1942, the company marketed the first advent candle in Denmark, which this year celebrates its 70th anniversary. “We think a lot about product development and innovation, but, of course, we also respect the old brand that we have; it’s like an old

For more information, please visit: www.asp-holmblad.dk

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Danish Trade

Supplying the sky with fresh fish Although it is one of the oldest businesses within the fishing industry in Denmark, Jacob Kongsbak Lassen keeps developing and renewing. Since 1992, the company has been Purveyor to Her Majesty the Queen of Denmark, and, recently, through a major contract with the world’s largest independent provider of provisioning for airlines, it became purveyor to the sky as well.

By Signe Hansen | Photos: Courtesy of Jacob Kongsbak Lassen

Founded in 1883, Jacob Kongsbak Lassen, which is Denmark’s oldest privatelyowned company, is, today, run by the third, fourth and fifth generation of the Kongsbak family. Besides selling approximately seven tons of fish every day, the company produces a range of special products including smoked salmon and mackerel from its recently acquired smokehouse in Malmö, Sweden, Kongsbak Fisk AB.

mind; you need to trust in your own judgement because you have to sell on the fish within three to four days otherwise it is lost,” explains the company’s namesake and fifth generation of the Kongsbak family, Jacob Kongsbak, adding: “It is in our blood; we know what is going on and where it is going on and that’s why we can provide our clients with the products and quality they want at the right prices!”

Knowhow and new ideas

A green outlook

When it comes to buying and selling fresh fish, a cool mind is indispensable; but the knowhow and love of the trade, which come from generations of dedication, also come in handy. “Buying fresh fish that you haven’t disposed of yet demands a cool

While they also source poultry, game, vegetables and other catering products, Jacob Kongsbak Lassen is primarily based on fish. The products include both Danish and imported fish, but common sense and environmental concerns play an impor-

tant role in the selection and packaging process. “We are a very green organisation; we recycle around 90 per cent of all waste,” Jacob explains. “And, to avoid too much transport, we buy as many products in Denmark as possible. For instance, you can buy Danish plaice filleted in Holland and then transported back to Denmark – it might be a bit cheaper, but it just doesn’t make sense. It’s about buying locally and buying the right products.”

The necessary transport is facilitated by a fleet of refrigerated and freezer vehicles adhering to the latest EU standards.

As a special seasonal treat, Jacob Kongsbak Lassen produces a special hot smoked Christmas salmon with orange, cranberry, dried apple slices, cinnamon, sugar, brown sugar and salt.

For more information, please visit: www.kongsbakfisk.dk

Issue 47 | December 2012 | 109

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Danish Trade

Take your kids with you anywhere Having a child does not need to be an obstacle to living the life you normally live; with the Chariot multifunctional carrier, you can go jogging, skiing, hiking, strolling or cycling all without having to leave your precious little one(s) behind.

By Signe Hansen | Photos: F. Bülow & Co. ApS

The Chariot carrier is distributed in Denmark by F. Bülow & Co. ApS, an established family-owned Danish company specialising in sourcing quality goods for discerning private and commercial buyers. The carriers fit right in their product group.

The Chariot is ideal for busy dads who, when back from a long day at work like to go for a jog, or mums who prefer to start the day with a refreshing bicycle ride instead of a stressful car journey; the Chariot can be customised to the various demands of any lifestyle.

When you buy a Chariot, you buy a basic carrier which, by adding five different conversion kits, can be converted to fit any of the abovementioned purposes. At the heart of the carrier’s functionality is a spe-

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cial click-on mechanism, which means that you never need any tools; you can convert your carrier from a bicycle trailer to a jogging stroller just by clicking on the desired kit.

Marketing Manager at F. Bülow & Co ApS. Anne Galsøe explains: “The Chariot carrier is multifunctional and its purpose depends on the person using it. It can be used for transport. A lot of people in Denmark’s bigger cities cycle to and from work and for them it is ideal to be able to drop off both the kid and the carrier in the nursery/kindergarten on their way to work. For other people it might be the difficulty in finding time for their favourite sport like running or hiking which makes the carrier indispensable because they are able to bring the children along.”

F. Bülow & Co. ApS currently sells five basic versions of the Chariot carrier, two touring carriers and three sports carriers.

Furthermore, the basic carriers come in different sizes depending on the age and number of kids they are meant for; the largest model can carry 45 kilos and all carriers have adjustable suspension to adjust to different loads.

For more information, please visit: www.bylow.dk

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Danish Trade

Take a decisive step to prevent drinkdriving in your company Preventing drivers from turning on the motor if they are affected by alcohol, the Dräger alcolock is an efficient security tool as well as a great way for companies to send a signal of moral responsibility.

By Signe Hansen | Photos: F. Bülow & Co. ApS

Although there is no law in Denmark requiring drivers to have a breath analyser or alcolock installed in vehicles, the Dräger alcolock has become positively popular with Danish transport businesses. Among the many major companies which the Danish supplier, F. Bülow & Co., has supplied the German lock with is Carlsberg. For the brewery, which has, in recent years, gradually changed its traditionally very liberal alcohol policy, the installation of alcolocks in all their vehicles - from the director’s car to the approximately 300 lorries - sent a clear signal to the world about their serious approach to the issue of drink-driving.

“All their lorries installed with the alcolock are marked with a visible sticker as well,

and for companies like Carlsberg that means that they can send a very unambiguous message that even though they drive with alcohol, their drivers are always sober,” explains marketing manager at F. Bülow & Co Anne Galsøe adding: “But most importantly, the lock can prevent accidents and damage to both material and people. Statistics show that a lot of people are drinking and driving, and this is the only way to make sure that your employees are not among them!”

The Dräger alcolock works by demanding a breath analyser test from the driver when the ignition key is introduced; if the test is below the legal Danish driving limit, the engine can be turned on unaffected, but if not, the ignition switch will remain locked.

This type of test has been made a legal requirement in several countries; in Sweden, for instance, it is obligatory for people with previous drink-driving convictions. Dräger also produces breath analysers used by police in several European countries. “The analyser is based on an electrochemical sensor which is very precise. Dräger also delivers measuring devices for the medical industry and hospitals which demand extreme accuracy,” stresses Galsøe.

F. Bülow & Co. also trades Dräger’s handheld breath analyser, which, at affordable prices, is accessible to all drivers, private or commercial, who want to ensure that they are below the legal limit before driving off.

For more information, please visit: www.bylow.dk

Issue 47 | December 2012 | 111

SLA’s landscape for SEB Bank has fast become a popular recreational spot for both bankers and skateboarders.

Photo: Jens Lindhe/SLA

SLA’s landscape for the new Novo Nordisk Corporate Center will combine full climate adaption for both landscape and buildings with natural elements that enhance stress reduction, increase productivity and boost innovation. Photos: SLA

Turning extreme weather phenomena into urban amenities – and profit for businesses Climate change and increased demands for sustainability create new challenges for modern businesses and cities. Breaking the mould with innovative solutions, SLA’s urban spaces not only create social and environmental benefits but also financial gains.

large underground water tanks. From there the rainwater is automatically pumped back into the urban space for irrigation and for cooling on hot summer’s days.

By Signe Hansen

Founded by owner and creative director Stig L. Andersson in 1994, sustainable development through nature has always been at the heart of SLA. Business manager Mette Skjold explains: “Green outdoor spaces can play a much more important role in the drive for sustainability than people normally think. When we design urban spaces and landscapes for cities or big corporations, we always strive to turn the environmental challenges into opportunities – for social, health and economic gains.”

Recent urban challenges have brought even more attention to the potential benefits of outdoor spaces; SLA’s ambition is not just to solve those challenges but to develop extra value from them. “The climate changes demand that cities and corporations address the many issues of sustainability and climate adaption. Increased rainfall, temperatures rising, etc. All these issues have to be solved. We believe that the use of urban space and nature is by far

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the best way to do it,” explains Skjold. “By designing green, performative urban spaces in close connection with the buildings, we not only ensure natural management of rainwater and avoid flooding, research has shown that green outdoor spaces also produce healthier and happier employees and citizens, reduces stress, are cheaper to build and maintain, and create more economic value for the surrounding area.”

Among the firm’s most recent projects is the SEB Bank’s headquarters in Copenhagen for which SLA created a 7,300square-metre public space elevated seven metres above the surroundings. The green and white dune-like landscape not only ensures the mobility of pedestrians and cyclists and gives SEB employees easy access to the distressing and inspiring effects of nature; it also functions as Copenhagen’s first 100 % climate-adapted urban space collecting all rainwater into two

Situated in a, in recent years, much criticised area, the attractive space and its climate-adapting qualities have not only enhanced the everyday wellbeing of the employees, it has also attracted much attention and publicity, branding SEB as an environmental, socially conscious and modern bank.

Many more projects from SLA are underway including the competition-winning proposal for a park surrounding Novo Nordisk new Corporate Centre. The park will incorporate innovative measures to convert potential climate disasters into enjoyable sensations, such as cascading water roads. It is all about thinking in new ways, explains Skjold: “The time calls for innovation of values, expression and form.

At SLA, that is what we seek in all our designs; it is what gets us up in the morning.”

For more information, please visit: www.sla.dk

Scan Business | News | Networking Events

What do Darth Vader and Victoria Beckham have in common?

In this day and age, the key to a successful professional career lies in our ability to network and brand ourselves. On 13 November, at the Nordea Bank in London, the FBCC proudly presented speakers Dr Mandy Lehto and Andy Lopata at the Personal Marketing and Networking event.

When the first speaker, a former director at an investment bank and now a personal branding expert and corporate image consultant, Dr Mandy Lehto opened up with the intriguing question ‘What do Darth Vader and Victoria Beckham have in common?’, the room went quiet. At first glance the two are very different, so what do they have in common then? The answer is simple: “They both have a strong personal brand,” Mandy told us.

During her speech on personal branding, she defined a brand as something consistent that gives us a promise and a

sense of familiarity. Therefore in order to create a brand for yourself, Mandy advised the listeners to consider the following: how to differentiate yourself, acing that first impression and being present when talking to potential new contacts.

The second speaker of the evening was Andy Lopata, business networking strategist and author. Andy’s first piece of advice when it comes to networking was to stop

By Rikke Oberlin Flarup

asking ‘What do you do?’ as the opening question when meeting new people and instead focus on what you have in common. “Networking is about collaboration, understanding that we all have something different to offer and sharing those resources to enhance everyone's potential,” Andy explained. www.fbcc.co.uk

Below: The two speakers of the evening, Mandy Lehto and Andy Lopata.

Scandinavian Business Calendar – Highlights of Scandinavian business events Lighting of the Norwegian Christmas tree in Trafalgar Square Organisers: NBCC, City of Oslo and the Royal Norwegian Embassy Date: 6 December

Christmas Luncheon Join the SCC for the Annual Swedish Christmas Luncheon at the Landmark London Hotel. The event promises traditional Swedish Christmas food, a grand raffle, lots of entertainment and great company. Limited availability.

Date: 7 December

St Lucia Concert in Birmingham The Chamber is organising a Lucia service at Birmingham St Philip’s Cathedral on Monday, 10 December. The service will be led jointly by staff from the Swedish Church and the Cathedral, and Jeffrey Skidmore will direct the choir from the Academy of Vocal Music.

Date: 10 December

Photo: Magnus Arrevad

Photo: NBCC

Annual Christmas Lunch 2012

FBCC Christmas Lunch

This year at the DUCC Annual Christmas Lunch you will be able to enjoy both a hot and cold buffet and ris à la mande for dessert, and each table will of course be supplied with traditional Danish snaps. We will once again have a raffle game with great prizes and maybe other surprises… Make this your company’s Christmas Lunch and bring colleagues and guests along for an enjoyable day. You can book your own table or be daring and mix with others and expand your network!

The FBCC warmly welcomes you to join our traditional Christmas lunch! Network with your peers and entertain clients and colleagues, whilst savouring delicious Finnish food and enjoying the beautiful settings of the Ambassador’s Residence. We also invite you to sing along to well-known Christmas carols and try your luck in the raffle. Price: £75 members / £100 non-members (incl. VAT).

Venue: The Hyatt Regency Hotel, London Date: 14 December

Venue: The Ambassador’s Residence, 14 Kensington Palace Gardens, London W8 4BE Date: 14 December

Issue 47 | December 2012 | 113

Scan Business | Conference of the Month | Denmark

Conference of the Month, Denmark

Tailor-made conferences in historic settings Located in the heart of Copenhagen, the historic Moltkes Palæ palace allows you to tailor any event to fit your company’s budget, size and special requirements. But no matter what setup you choose, two things are always included: the unique setting and amazing service.

By Signe Hansen | Photos: Moltkes Palæ

Built in 1702, Moltkes Palæ in Dronningens Tværgade has previously been the home of a string of prominent figures, including several noblemen, a prime minister and a queen dowager. Today it is owned by Copenhagen’s craftsman association and run by the award-winning Danish chef René Bolvig. Shortly after Bolvig took over the lease of the palace in 2005, he initiated a major refurbishment

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and through two years of restoration brought the palace back to its past glory.

Amazing, accessible and affordable The proficient management and unique setting mean that businesses which choose to host their conferences, conventions, dinners, meetings or sales presentations at Moltkes Palæ can be sure of a special yet affordable and easily ac-

cessible experience. Head of booking Tommy Tviis explains: “We are located right in the heart of Copenhagen with the old part of the city surrounding us – very close to Kgs. Nytorv - and that means that our guests benefit from easy access to everything. Besides, they get the ambiance and history of the palace and its surroundings; seeing and exploring the building and its history is an experience in itself, there is no copy of Moltkes Palæ anywhere.”

The unique and impressive constitution of Moltkes Palæ, however, means that a lot of people fear that it is out of their reach economically, but that is, stresses

Scan Business | Conference of the Month | Denmark

Tommy Tviis, most often not the case at all. “Actually our prices are competitive compared to many of our competitors,” he points out.

Tailor your event One of the features especially adding to Moltkes Palæ’s competitive edge is the palace’s specially designed on-line Meeting Planner, which makes it surprisingly easy to adjust any event to fit special expectations and/or a limited budget. The programme enables you to easily make out where you can add and remove services to save money or give guests an extra treat. “The idea is that you should be able to configure exactly the package that you want by adding on to our basic service in order to spend your budget in the best possible way,” says Tommy Tviis.

A versatile palace With 1,000 square metres of conference and event facilities divided between 11 halls and lounges, Moltkes Palæ can host everything from a small exclusive board meeting to major events for up to 750 people. “One of the things which is special about us is that we have rooms in almost all possible sizes, and it is not just a matter of one or two rooms divided by bland folding walls; the palace is a historic home and that means that we have a lot of big and small lounges and halls,” says Tommy Tviis.

He goes on to stress that the most important feature in making Moltkes Palæ an extraordinary setting for all kinds of events is the palace staff. “We take pride in making things happen; we are not like some big chain where you have to follow some kind of set procedure. Here, you can have the coffee when and where you want it, and you can have whatever you like with it. Our staff is always friendly, efficient and polite; we want our guests to feel that we feel really lucky to have the chance to be here on the day of their event.”

government officials from all over the world, including Denmark’s Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt. The guests enjoyed the flexibility of the palace in, among other things, a special lunch box setup which made sure that all 300 guests during the three days had the possibility of enjoying a fresh lunch in between meetings.

other of life’s grand occasions. For most events, dinner is served in one of the large halls, while one or more of the smaller chambers provide a more intimate setting for private dinners.

The palace’s kitchen is, of course, overseen by René Bolvig, who with his many years of experience from places like Nimb and Hotel d’Angleterre ensures that the food always adheres to his recognized standards.

Accommodation for guests can be arranged in a wide range of hotels conveniently located from the palace, one of which is just across the street.

Gala parties and private dinners

Food that shows craftsmanship Last year, Moltkes Palæ housed the Global Green Growth Forum’s yearly conference, which filled up the halls with

With its historical setting and elegant halls and chambers, Moltke’s Palace is also the ideal venue for holding celebrations, banquets, wedding receptions and

For more information, please visit: www.moltkes.com

Issue 47 | December 2012 | 115

Scan Magazine | Scan News

Famous Icelandic tenor releases new Christmas album

Scandinavian Christmas

by Trine Hahnemann

Christmas is coming early this year for the fans of Gardar Cortes Senior as the tenor is out with a new album that contains 17 tracks of well-known, traditional and modern Christmas songs.

In Scandinavia, Christmas preparations and the whole festive season start as early as the first Advent Sunday, lasting all the way to the end of December. Baking, decorating and hosting small events before Christmas are all part of the charm and add to, what the Danish call, the ‘hygge’ (cosiness). In her newest cookbook, Trine Hahnemann introduces us to nearly 100 Christmas recipes from Sweden, Norway, Finland and Denmark, and shows us how we can celebrate Christmas the Scandinavian way.

By Nicolai Lisberg

If one day you find yourself having a conversation about classical music in Iceland, the name of Gardar Cortes Senior is most likely soon to be mentioned. The tenor, who founded the Icelandic Opera in 1979 and worked there as director until 2000, has been the moving force in the development of classical music in Iceland, although his abilities are known internationally as well. He has had tenor roles in some of the most popular operas, and he has worked as an orchestral conductor all over Europe, in addition to being the guest conductor of a 300-person choir and orchestra in Carnegie Hall, New York.

Now, the talent of Gardar Cortes Senior is once again receiving international attention through the release of his new record, Dreaming of a White Christmas (Draumur um Hvit Jol), which provides listeners with 17 familiar and modern Christmas songs; it is already for sale and digitally available on iTunes.

A taste of Gardar Cortes Senior’s When Santa got Stuck Up the Chimney as well as a jazz version of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer can also be heard on YouTube.

By Nia Kajastie

Scandinavian Christmas by Trine Hahnemann, and beautifully illustrated with Lars Ranek’s photographs, is an essential guide to how Scandinavians prepare for and celebrate Christmas. The book guides readers though every festive occasion, including Christmas brunches, cocktail and tea parties, lunches and dinners, with both traditional and modern recipes to tempt your guests with.

With recipes ranging from hearty lamb stew and traditional Christmas porridge to gingerbread and duck and pork for Christmas Eve, as well as glogg and other yummy drinks, the book includes all the savoury and sweet comfort food that puts Scandinavians in a Christmassy mood.

Scandinavian Christmas by Trine Hahnemann, £16.99, hardback Available on www.amazon.co.uk

Sleeping in a winter wonderland The new tour from Taber Holidays takes you on a Scandinavian winter adventure – with a twist.

How would you like to spend the night sleeping high up in the treetops with the northern lights dancing in the sky? Or tucked up in a sleeping bag in a hotel made of snow and ice?

ing the last two days, guests can participate in pre-booked winter activities, including a host of different northern lights options, ice driving and a moose safari, to name a few.

By Kjersti Westeng

The “Treehotel and Icehotel" tour is a brand winter activities. The journey then continues new addition from Taber Holidays, a tour operby rail across the Arctic Circle to Jukkasjärvi, ator specialising in travel to Scandinavia. ManKiruna. aging director Suzel Taber-Shaw says: “This In Jukkasjärvi, guests check into the fatour offers the opportunity for our guests to mous Icehotel - the world's biggest igloo. Durstay overnight at not one of Sweden's most unique hotels, but two.

Both provide a really amazing overnight experience.”

Guests arrive in Luleå and are transferred to the tiny village of Harads, home to the unique Treehotel. This is where holidaymakers spend their first night sleeping between branches four to six metres from the ground. After a starry night in the treetops, it is off to the beautreehouses have been designed by world-class Scandinavian architects. tiful city of Luleå, where guests have The At the Treehotel, guests can choose between five different designs: the Bird's the opportunity to try a number of Nest, the Mirrorcube, the Cabin, the Bluecube and the UFO.

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At the Icehotel, guests sleep on reindeer skin-covered beds made of snow and ice.

For more information, please visit: www.taberhols.co.uk

Scan Magazine | Culture | Peter Stormare

cent. If I did a movie about a guy living in Stockholm, I couldn’t do that accent. To be honest, I tend to turn down most Swedish scripts unless it is a good one like this. I tell my agent if they do a movie about the north, where you have these very proud people who stick together, then I go over and do it.”

False Trail is just one of a host of films the prolific actor, who is also a talented musician, has coming out over the next few months. Stormare scoffs at suggestions, though, that he is one of the hardest working stars in Hollywood.

“I like to be in motion the whole time so I actually consider myself lazy,” he says. “I believe I am here for a special reason and I don’t want to mess it up. I find peace when I work and it is sort of meditation.”

Rolf Lassgård (left) and Peter Stormare (right) in False Trail

Good at Being Bad From kidnappers and drug dealers to Satan himself, Swedish star Peter Stormare has become the villain of choice in Hollywood.

By Pierre de Villiers When Peter Stormare was a young actor, he received a piece of advice from the great director Ingmar Bergman that has stuck with him to this day.

“He said to me - always be a question mark for the audience. And when you turn a question mark upside down, like you do in Spain, it becomes a hook,” the Swedish star explains when Scan Magazine catches up with him in his adopted home of Los Angeles. “So if you play a villain you have to try to lure the audience into liking him a little bit so that it becomes intriguing. It’s easy to play a bad guy that shouts things like ‘I’m going to blow your brains out!’, but you can deliver those lines with a bit of a twist, and I think that is why I continue to work in this business.”

Stormare’s attitude to acting has made him one of the first people Hollywood filmmakers call when they want someone to come up with a memorable villain. In a career spanning more than 30 years he has

played the Devil opposite Keanu Reeves in Constantine, removed Tom Cruise’s eyes as a deranged doctor in Minority Report and put a body into a wood-chipper in the Oscar-winning Fargo. Stormare’s latest bad guy is as twisted as they come. In Swedish crime drama False Trail, the actor plays Torsten, a Norrland policeman caught up in the brutal murder of a local woman. For Stormare, who grew up in Arbrå, Hälsingland, the film offered a rare opportunity to speak in his mother tongue.

With Stormare continuing his trend of playing dastardly characters in his next two films – The Last Stand and Hansel and Gretel Witch Hunters – one has to wonder if he hasn’t grown weary of being typecast as the bad guy for so many years.

“No, because I would rather be typecast than not be cast at all,” Stormare points out. “And if you ask actors, they’ll tell you they want to explore dark characters like King Lear or Macbeth, those sort of crazy bastards. I do get asked why do you do all these villains and I say - It takes a good guy to be a bad guy.”

False Trail is in cinemas from 14 December.

“I am from the north so doing False Trail was like talking the language from my childhood which I hadn’t done for years and years,” he says. “It is kind of a strong dialect, almost like a mid-American ac-

Issue 47 | December 2012 | 117

Scan Magazine | Culture & Music | Karl Batterbee

Scandinavian Music been Miss Li, who has been putting her retro pop spin on other artists’ classics, Swedish Idol graduate Darin, who has been turning them into dance tracks, and Maja Ivarsson of The Sounds, who has been veering between electro and punk pop for her interpretations.

For the best of their respective songs, check out Här Kommer Natten, En Apa Som Liknar Dig, and Mitt Bästa För Dig.

Right now in Sweden, the latest series of the TV show Så Mycket Bättre is well under way. That’s where a group of artists get together each week to sing each other’s songs – and then release them on iTunes. Early favourites have so far

Over in Norway, former pop kid Bjørn Johan Muri has returned all grown up – tattoos and all. More importantly though he has come back with a splendid new track, Even A Fool. What starts off as your standard pop/rock song soon turns into something very special indeed – thanks totally to that chorus it deploys. It’s like Coldplay meets Scandipop. And it works so well. Very excited to hear what’s next from him.

By Karl Batterbee

take on the retro-flavoured pop sound that seems to translate so well in Sweden.

Amanda’s tuppenceworth on the genre makes it sound funkier, which in turn makes the whole thing appear a lot fresher too. The verse has got a fantastic melody, the chorus is immensely catchy and clever, and the music playing throughout is toe-tappingly upbeat. As debuts in Swedish pop music go in 2012, this is one of the very best.

Finally, in Denmark, someone has done the impossible. Kato & Electric Lady Lab have sampled a little bit of Right Said Fred’s I’m Too Sexy and actually managed to make it sound good.

Like – REALLY good. It’s their new single Alive.

Hands-in-the-air dance music with a dark streak. And take a peek at the cool video on YouTube also.

Another more “grown-up” pop track that is doing quite well in Scandinavia right now is Amanda Fondell’s Bastard. The song is a new

www.scandipop.co.uk scandipop@googlemail.com

Scandinavian Culture Calendar Ibsen’s Love’s Comedy (Until 15 Dec) Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen’s bittersweet Love’s Comedy from 1862, where a guitar-playing poet struggles with the consequences of falling in love. Orange Tree Theatre, London, TW9. www.orangetreetheatre.co.uk Solid Air at Transition Gallery (Until 23 Dec) Solid Air brings together Norwegian artists Lars Korff Lofthus, Marianne Morild and Hanneline Visnes. Transition Gallery, London, E8. www.transitiongallery.co.uk Per Kirkeby: Monotypes and more in Berlin (Until 26 Jan) Kirkeby is one of Denmark’s most beloved living artists and has had extensive exhibitions and retrospectives at institutions

118 | Issue 47 | December 2012

By Sara Schedin

Kiss on the Shore by Moonlight, Edvard Munch, 1914

– Where to go, what to see? It’s all happening here! like Tate in London, the Louisiana Museum in Copenhagen and Museum Kunstpalast in Düsseldorf. He has also produced numerous major public and collaborative works. This exhibition features a selection of etchings from 2001 and Kirkeby's monotypes from 2007-2012.

Tue-Sat 11am-6 pm or by appointment.

Niels Borch Jensen Gallery, Lindenstrasse 34, Berlin. www.berlin-kopenhagen.de

© Per Kirkeby Monotypes © Du Moulin and Niels Borch Jensen Galerie, Berlin

Munch: The Modern Eye in Olso (Until 17 Feb) The travelling exhibition Edvard Munch: The Modern Eye focuses on his later works. A large part of the exhibition is dedicated to Munch’s experimental photography. Tue-Sat 10am-4pm, Sun 10am5pm. Munch-museet, Tøyengata 53, 0608 Oslo. www.munch.museum.no

Scan Magazine | Culture & Music | Culture Calendar

Helene Schjerfbeck in Stockholm (Until 24 Feb) This extraordinary exhibition which features 110 of Finnish modernist Helene Schjerfbeck’s most famous works has now moved from Ateneum in Helsinki to Prins Eugens Waldermansudde in Stockholm. Tue-Sun 11am-5pm, Thu until 8pm.

Prins Eugens väg 6, Djurgården, Stockholm. www.waldemarsudde.se

more information visit: www.officialrefused.com Sankta Lucia (13 Dec) Churches across Europe, including Berliner Dom and Southwark Cathedral in London, will celebrate Sankta Lucia in a traditional Swedish way around the 13th this month. Girls and boys in white long nightgowns with candles in their hands will be singing Swedish Christmas carols and Lucia songs. Visit the churches’ websites for tickets and more information: cathedral.southwark.anglican.org www.berlinerdom.de Photo: Dennis Blomberg

Akseli Gallen-Kallela, Lake Keitele, 1905, Lahti Art Museum, Viipuri Foundation

52 Souls - Symbolist Landscape 18801910 in Helsinki (Until 17 Feb) Ateneum Art Museum’s exhibition 52 Souls presents a wide selection of poetic, mystical and sensual interpretations of nature, painted between 1880 and 1910, including landscapes by such masters as Paul Gauguin, Vincent Van Gogh, Claude Monet and James McNeill Whistler.

Finnish Symbolist art will be represented

by Väinö Blomstedt, Albert Edelfelt, Akseli Gallen-Kallela, Hugo Simberg and Ellen Thesleff. Tue-Fri 10am–6pm, Wed-Thu 10am–8pm, Sat-Sun 11am–5pm.

Ateneum Art Museum, Kaivokatu 2, Helsinki. www.ateneum.fi

The Flying Dutchman featuring Matti Salminen (15 Dec) As part of the Shell Classic International 2012/13, the Zurich Opera Orchestra is taking Wagner’s celebrated story to London. The opera stars Welsh bass-baritone Bryn Terfel in the title role, Italian soprano Anja Kampe as Senta and Finnish bass singer Matti Salminen as Daland. The Royal Festival Hall, London, SE1. www.southbankcentre.co.uk

Refused in Stockholm and Oslo (8 & 9 Dec) Swedish hardcore punk band Refused formed in1991, split up in 1998 and reunited earlier this year. They are playing in Stockholm and Oslo this month. For

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Nyréns Arkitektkontor STOCKHOLM - MALMÖ

Nyréns Arkitektkontor is an award-winning Swedish architecture practice. The office was founded in 1948 by Carl Nyrén, and today Nyréns have around 120 people working in two offices in Sweden, in Stockholm and Malmö. Nyréns employs architects, engineers, interior designers, landscape architects, urban designers, building conservation and restoration specialists, 3D visualisers and architectural modellers. We provide integrated solutions that bring urban design, master planning, building design, engineering, landscaping, interior design and conservation expertise together.

Malmö Beijerskajen 8 SE 211 19 Malmö Tel +46-(0)40-618 92 00

Komedianten, Varberg, Completed 2012 Photo: Max Plunger

Stockholm Nackagatan 4 Box 4709 SE 116 92 Stockholm Tel +46-(0)8-698 43 00 www.nyrens.se info@nyrens.se