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ICONA POP: WE LOVE IT DISCOVER DANISH INTERIOR DESIGN FANTASTIC FINNISH FASHION, DESIGN & ARCHITECTURE CHOOSE AN ORGANIC LIFESTYLE

PROMOTING BRAND SCANDINAVIA

ISSUE 55

AUGUST 2013

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Enabling real

achievement Mannaz is an international frontrunner in customised executive and project leadership development. Adopting innovative and efficient learning methods, we empower people development and business success.

With offices in Copenhagen, London and Hong Kong and an international network of over 375 associated facilitators we have global reach.

You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter M Knowledge and learn more at www.mannaz.com/intl

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Scan Magazine | Contents

Contents COVER FEATURE 8

Icona Pop No matter where you live in the world, at some point over the past year or so, there will have been a time during which you will not have been able to escape I Love It by Swedish pop duo Icona Pop – the raucous, rip-roaring chant of a pop song that clocks in at two and a half minutes, yet packs far more of a punch than the rest of the Top 10 singles put together.

8 32

rant’s ambiance, traditional smørrebrød, and renowned fish and vegetable dishes are plenty bait.

24

25

Oscar & Clothilde Oscar & Clothilde is the interiors venture that aims to promote diversity to fight copycat minimalism, all in the name of helping people create personal homes.

18

26

27

Vestfossen Kunstlaboratorium In 2001, Norwegian artist Morten Viskum by chance stumbled upon empty factory buildings in the lively Norwegian town of Vestfossen. Today, the buildings form a leading hub for contemporary art.

22

23

SPECIAL THEMES 28

Lumskebugten Tucked away by the sea entrance to Copenhagen, the historic sailor’s tavern Lumskebugten no longer has to rely on strong currents to secure its clientele. Led by one of Denmark’s most established chefs, the restau-

Danish Interior Design Denmark is a design nation with proud traditions, and Copenhagen is a design metropolis, which houses many of the country’s leading design and interior businesses.

Bergen Food Festival On the first weekend of September, Bergen Food Festival invites food enthusiasts to a gluttonous weekend filled with local food and beer. Held at Bryggen, the festival features roughly 120 different local food producers and 11 local breweries.

Kontiki Finland Kontiki Finland organises tailor-made adventures and experiences that everyday tourists would not normally come by.

FEATURES 20

Pois Tieltä!

Who doesn’t want to jump on a quad bike or in a truck, get off the beaten track and hit the accelerator? With Pois Tieltä! you can get a thrilling experience in a natural yet safe environment.

Ljungbergs Factory Ljungbergs Factory is a luxurious and fashionable company that produces textiles, home décor and clothes that will never go out of style.

Levi Rally Center At Levi Rally Center and Action Park, thrill seekers can finally realise their extreme dreams. And not just rally buffs will get a kick from it all – anyone can enjoy the company’s array of fun motorsport activities.

DESIGN FEATURES 16

Göteborg Book Fair With more visitors than any other cultural event in the Nordics, Göteborg Book Fair is the vibrant platform where publishers, agents, writers and readers from all over the world meet to explore Nordic literature and buy and sell literary rights.

47

Finnish Fashion, Design & Architecture The Finnish Society of Crafts and Design was founded as early as 1875. It is the second oldest in the world of its kind – only the Swedes have an older organization.

73

Organic Lifestyle Living an organic lifestyle is beneficial both for you and the environment. Turn to our eco-friendly theme for more information on how the Scandies are going green.

REGULARS & COLUMNS 12

We Love This | 14 Fashion Diary | 81 Hotels of the Month | 84 Attractions of the Month

90

Humour | 91 Restaurants of the Month | 103 Music & Culture | 106 Scandinavian Culture Calendar

63 85

Scan Business 94

REGULARS & COLUMNS

BUSINESS THEME

Business Columns & News

96

Key note, columns and news stories on Scandinavian businesses and business events.

102 Scandinavian Business Calendar Highlights of Scandinavian business events.

Swedish Design & Communications Agencies Swedish communications professionals are on the move. The government’s aim is to double the creative export by year 2020. Global clients have noticed that Sweden is parked at the top of the Global Creativity Index.

Issue 55 | August 2013 | 3

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Scan Magazine | Editor’s Note

Dear Reader, I’m currently sitting on a plane on my way to Helsinki, from where I’ll be travelling onwards to central Finland and into the soothing embrace of Finnish nature. Like many thousands of Finns every summer, I’ll be staying at a cottage by a lake, where computers, television and mobile phones are replaced by nature, sauna, good company and hopefully some sunshine. After experiencing recordbreaking summer temperatures in the UK, even the slightly cooler forecast in Finland can’t dampen my spirits. You don’t need scorching heat to enjoy a swim in a lake, a walk in the forest, some fishing, or a cold beverage after the sauna – and all this while you’re surrounded by nothing else but the sounds of nature.

While I’m loath to admit it, we’re quickly approaching the last stages of summer, especially in many parts of Scandinavia where summer is often short but sweet. But I think it’s quite natural to start thinking about your next holiday already, often while the last one hasn’t even finished. It certainly gives you something to look forward to when returning to work after a well-deserved and hopefully quite relaxing break. Perhaps you’re thinking about a winter trip with skiing on the cards or a city break in autumn to a culturally and historically fascinating destination. Have you already had a look at what Scandinavia has to offer for the rest of the year? In this issue, we present a couple of great holiday ad-

ventures, cultural attractions and culinary treats that are available in the Nordic region.

And we simply cannot get enough of Scandinavian design – there is so much great talent to discover in all the different fields of design that we could dedicate a whole magazine to it. This time we’ve picked out some Danish interior design gems, forwardthinking Swedish design and communication agencies, and innovative Finnish fashion, design and architecture companies and brands. This month, we’re also promoting a more organic lifestyle by introducing green products and more sustainable holiday options.

“I don’t care, I love it!” This could be said about many things, but in this case we’re referring to the charismatic duo Icona Pop and their hit song – you guessed it – I Love It. We certainly love their catchy anthem that has finally made its way to the UK. Read more about this raucous twosome in our cover story.

Nia Kajastie Editor

Scan Magazine

Contributors

Rikke Oberlin Flarup

Issue 55 | August 2013

Karl Batterbee

Sara Schedin

Published 05.08.2013 ISSN 1757-9589

Christina B. Poulsen Linnea Dunne Cecilia Varricchio

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© All rights reserved. Material contained in this publication may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, without prior permission of Scan Magazine Ltd.

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4 | Issue 55 | August 2013

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Scan Magazine Ltd 4 Baden Place Crosby Row London SE1 1YW Phone +44 (0)870 933 0423 info@scanmagazine.co.uk www.scanmagazine.co.uk Next issue 6 September 2013

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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”.

Ingvild Larsen Vetrhus is a Norwegian freelance journalist and media researcher who moved to London in 2007 to study journalism and international relations.

She is still based in the UK, where she has written for local newspapers, specialist magazines and African affairs publications.

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.

Linnea Dunne has been writing professionally for over 10 years.

Having started out on a local paper in Sweden, she is passionate about Scandinavian music and culture, and currently works in London as a full-time writer and translator.

Kjersti Westeng moved from Norway to London to study journalism. She now finds it impossible to leave, despite having finished university two years ago. From 9 to 5 she works in PR, but in the evenings she writes her blog and plans her next holiday.

6 | Issue 55 | August 2013

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.

Magnus Nygren Syversen is a Norwegian freelance journalist, 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.

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.

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.

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.

Elin Berta is a Swedish freelance journalist. After working as a news reporter for Swedish Radio, she decided to leave the motherland for a life in London in 2010. Now her focus is back on her first true love - writing - often combined with her love for music and writing reviews.

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.

Julie Bauer Larsen is a 29-yearold journalist specializing in corporate communication. In her current day job she combines her professional skills with years of experience as a volunteer on numerous projects for the Red Cross and other organisations.

She’s passionate about incredible India, fantastic food and new novels.

Karoliina Kantola is a Finnish journalist with a BA in Literature and an MA in Journalism. Currently, she lives in Helsinki, works for the Finnish Broadcasting Company and occasionally writes for various publications.

She previously spent some precious years in Japan and the UK.

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.

Maria Malmros is a freelance writer from Sweden, with a journalism degree from Ithaca College in New York (USA). She enjoys painting, learning foreign languages, and rummaging through London, looking for any areas of the city yet to be uncovered.

Nicolai Lisberg has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the Danish School of Journalism. He has lived in both Denmark and Germany, before moving to London last year. When he is not busy learning a new language, he spends most of his time playing, watching or writing about football.

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Business on the go

Mobile Business app

Now you can monitor your business banking accounts and approve transactions.

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Our new Business app offers a host of features, including:

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Download the new app from App Store or Google Play You must be registered for Business Online to use Danske Bank Mobile Business app.

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Scan Magazine | Cover Feature | Icona Pop

We Love It No matter where you live in the world, at some point over the past year or so, there will have been a time during which you will not have been able to escape I Love It by Swedish pop duo Icona Pop – the raucous, rip-roaring chant of a pop song that clocks in at two and a half minutes, yet packs far more of a punch than the rest of the Top 10 singles put together. It's the sound of euphoric dismissiveness. And it has become the noisy, shout-out soundtrack to the British summer this year.

By Karl Batterbee | Photos: Fredrik Etoall

Scan Magazine met up with the two girls – Aino Jawo, 25, and Caroline Hjelt, 24 – in London, at a gig by Kim Cesarion (Sweden’s next big export, who is also featured in this month’s magazine), to chat about the year they have had, the song that has made them globally famous, and the love story of how the two friends first met.

Firstly, MTV made I Love It the theme song to their Jersey Shore spin-off, Snooki & JWoww. Although it was not until a few months later in January when things got really crazy. The track is used during an extended club scene in HBO’s hit TV series Girls, created by this generation’s pop culture heroine Lena Dunham.

“We've been waiting for the UK to happen”

Icona Pop put in a few high-profile performances in the US, most notably at the SXSW festival and on Dancing With The Stars. The promo saw the song gradually climb the US charts, finally peaking at number 7. Their placing in the Top 10 along with Swedish House Mafia (Don't You Worry Child) is the first time two Swedish artists have been in the US Top 10 together since 1998. And I Love It's success in America was thus cemented by a performance at the Billboard Music

Regular readers of Scan Magazine will have first heard about I Love It in May last year, when it was released in Icona Pop's native Sweden and featured in our monthly music column. The song went on to become the biggest hit of the Swedish summer that year, quickly spreading to the other Nordic nations too. Australia was next on board, followed by Germany and the rest of central Europe. And then things started to take off in America.

Issue 55 | August 2013 | 9

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this not being Icona Pop's only connection to Robyn; I Love It is the first time a Swedish female act has gone to number 1 in the UK since Robyn in 2007 with With Every Heartbeat. But what is their take on the meaning of the song that has got the whole world shouting about being nonchalant?

“It’s just us two, tired of being sad after being dumped, and tired of lying in bed feeling you’ll never be happy again,” explains Caroline. “And then you wake up one day and it turns to anger instead. And you feel a bit stronger again, thinking: ‘You know what – I'm better than this. I deserve better. I don't care. I love it.’ So I think you can hear that there is a lot of anger in the song. It’s definitely about a really shitty heartache. It’s about people who have had enough.”

“It's been a journey”

Awards 2013 and a cover version of the song being performed on Fox's hugely successful TV show Glee. Finally, fourteen months after its release in Sweden, I Love It gets released in the UK, where it is already being used in two large advertising campaigns for Samsung and Microsoft. And in the first week of release, it goes to number 1, selling over 125,000 copies.

“It's been very busy,” confirms Caroline Hjelt, the red-haired member of Icona Pop. It has been over a year now, and people are still discovering the song for the first time. Has the song started to lose its novelty somewhat for the girls themselves? “We're not bored of it yet. It's too exciting. And we've been waiting for the UK to happen. London used to be our home and we love it here. So it feels great that the song is doing well here. We're so happy.”

So where is home now then? “Well, we’re based in New York, but the world is kind of

10 | Issue 55 | August 2013

our home, because we’re traveling like crazy,” says Aino Jawo. When I meet them in London, it is their last evening there after a short trip packed with TV, radio, and press interviews. The day after they are off to France, presumably for more of the same. Caroline is enjoying the ride though. “It’s like a creative chaos. It’s been like that since we released it. Travelling around the world, waking up in different cities and just meeting a lot of crazy and fun people. I wish I could stay in this I Love It mode forever.”

It may have taken over a year to get I Love It to number 1 in Britain, but Icona Pop haven’t always been used to such a slow pace. When they first met, they were quick to realise they were on to a good thing. As Caroline puts it: “Aino came to one of my parties and it was like – where have you been all my life? The next day she came over to my house with a computer and a bottle of wine. And we wrote our first song that day.”

“Then two days after we wrote our first song, we booked our first gig,” Aino chimes in. “I was kind of heartbroken and really depressed. And then a mutual friend of ours forced me to go to a party that Caroline was having. We met and it was instantly like, wow, we are gonna have a lot of fun in our lives.”

“It's about people who have had enough” Listening to the song, it is not too difficult to imagine what emotions Caroline means when she speaks of the “I Love It mode”.

The girls recorded the tune together with British singer/songwriter Charli XCX, who also wrote the song, and it was produced by their fellow Swede Patrik Berger. He has worked on songs by Agnes, Loreen, Tove Styrke and Lana Del Rey, although is perhaps most famous for his work on Robyn’s seminal Dancing On My Own –

Fun for Icona Pop means an impending album before the end of the year. “It’s not going to be 16 tracks that sound like I Love It,” reassures Aino – not that we would mind too much. “It’s been a journey.

It’s like writing a diary.”

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

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Scan Magazine | Design | We Love This

We love this...

August sees holidays well under way across Scandinavia, and nothing beats outdoor living – for as long as the weather permits. Eco-friendly bed linen, wooden carving boards, candles and lanterns in every corner of our gardens, this is Scandinavian "hygge" as we know it.

By Christina B. Poulsen

Danish brand AIAYU does amazing pillows in many colours – even better is the ethical cause behind them and their award-winning approach to sustainable fashion. £95. aiayu.com

We’ve got exciting news this summer for luxe campers as Scandinavia’s favourite sustainable brand ‘AIAYU’ launched a 100% eco-friendly sleep range ‘AIAYU Sleep’ – perfect neutral colours and the promise of a chemical free sleep. From £30. aiayu.com

Candle with the typical Danish word

Wooden carving boards in different shapes

‘hygge’ – the word that best describes the

and sizes are a fun way to add personality to

We love this hand-painted blanket with

atmosphere lighting candles and cooking

outdoor kitchens with limited cupboard

spots! Looks great against clean

good food creates! £16.

space; they’re there to be hung in full view,

Scandinavian furniture. £150.

www.stillebenshop.com

not hidden! £60. www.stillebenshop.com

www.stillebenshop.com

12 | Issue 55 | August 2013

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Scan Magazine | Design | Fashion Diary

Fashion Diary...

Summer weddings, office parties, after work café sessions – how to stay chic yet comfortable in the heat?

Scandinavian label Hofmann has the answer.

By Christina B. Poulsen

Lovely blue silk dress – we love the versatility of this shape. Depending on choice of accessories, this is a great wardrobe staple. £179. hofmanncopenhagen.com

A different take on dressing up! Go feminine yet super comfortable in this luxe jumpsuit. £325. www.kjslaundry.com

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new Danish brand ‘Hofmann’. We love this

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is. Gold plated sterling silver. £159.

hofmanncopenhagen.com

hofmanncopenhagen.com

www.maria-black.com

14 | Issue 55 | August 2013

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Diversity, cultural history and a place to call home Oscar & Clothilde is the interiors venture that aims to promote diversity to fight copycat minimalism, all in the name of helping people create personal homes. Not exactly what you would expect from a brand with its roots in Sweden, the country known for endless whites and simplicity, but that was the whole idea. “The customers came in heaps, and the media loved it,” says co-founder and managing director Alexander Lundfeldt. “People found it really liberating.”

from France, frequented intellectual circles and knew a thing or two about design.

Through a series of letters to each other, the pair got to direct the product purchases for the new Stockholm boutique.

“We simply asked Oscar and Clothilde what they would like in the shop.”

The result was a multifarious assortment of items for the home, thought to bring real character and colour to a house or flat.

By Linnea Dunne | Photos: Sofi Sykfont

Lundfeldt and business partner Jim Grundström came from quite different backgrounds, theatre and fashion respectively, but had a lot in common: they were both deeply artistic, fascinated by cultural history, and bored with the homogenous selection of shops on offer in the Swedish capital. “We sold the inn we had been running, Wreta Gästgifveri, and looked to Stockholm. The overwhelming feeling was that we wanted to create something

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eclectic and personal, an interiors concept combining antiques with modern design.”

England meets France: Oscar and Clothilde For help with the development of their brand, the entrepreneurs used their imagination to bring two fictitious characters to life: Oscar and Clothilde. Oscar, an English writer, was neurotic but style conscious, while his close friend, Clothilde

Alexander Lundfeldt, co-founder and managing director of Oscar & Clothilde

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Scan Magazine | Design | Oscar & Clothilde

Based on a belief that history is hugely significant and any interior project must start with an understanding of its space and grounds, the concept ended up as one embracing different epochs and design styles.

The different design epochs represented in the bricks-and-mortar shop recently inspired nine collections in the brand new web shop, including the Bonaparte Line and the Exotic Line.

Respect for architectural history

“The world is full of stuff,” says Lundfeldt.

And he should know. Together with his business partner, he travels the world to collect beautiful and quirky furniture and antiques, and the idea that treasures from Asia and different parts of Europe get to enrich homes sometimes as far away as the opposite side of the globe is one of the concept’s many charms.

For anyone who agrees with this stance, Oscar & Clothilde, or in reality Lundfeldt and Grundström, offer consultations.

Sometimes a customer has renovated their home and very nearly completed the project but got stuck with one room or particular aspect. Other times, the experts are involved from the get-go, occasionally even advising their client on a property purchase and working with builders to create the perfect frame. “We get on board and help people realise their dream and create a home that’s really theirs,” Lundfeldt explains.

It goes without saying that the two culture vultures and home creators know architecture like the back of their hands. A functionalist flat will get a functionalist treatment, and a house from the 1700s will be decorated as such. “You have to start digging where you stand,” says the boutique owner. “If you understand where we come from, understand our heritage, what you create will be so much more genuine and true. We always start by doing our homework – and you can feel it when you walk into a home like that.”

Looking to the web The brains behind Oscar & Clothilde may be lovers of history, but that is not to say that they are in denial about recent trends.

“We needed a way to make sense of the products and make our ranges seem believable, and collections based on cultural history became the obvious choice.” The different lines make it easier for customers to browse the web shop and can help inspire them, but in the end products can be selected from any number of ranges. For Oscar & Clothilde, the web is a sign of the times, a symptom of a new, busier way of life, but it is also a door to the world. With it comes a future opportunity: to open up the shop to foreign home decorators.

A shop to call home Yet, the managing director is convinced that no matter how good the web shop, the bricks-and-mortar one will never be redundant, making the recent move to bigger, more spacious premises at Birger Jarlsgatan in central Stockholm all the more exciting. “We’ll never completely abandon the traditional trading site. The personal meeting, the physical product – they’re all too important.”

So important, in fact, that many Oscar & Clothilde fans think of the Stockholm boutique as their city centre living room: a comfortable, stimulating space to return to. And the owners welcome this as something very positive: “That people come back and bring along family and friends is obviously a sign that they enjoy the space.”

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

Issue 55 | August 2013 | 17

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Prisms and Pythagoras by Sven Markelius

200 years of textile history get a boost Ljungbergs Factory is a luxurious and fashionable company that produces textiles, home décor and clothes that will never go out of style. Not only is the quality of the highest standard, but also the design and timeless patterns, coupled with a unique sensibility for sustainability, allow Ljungbergs’ products to last for generations.

Factory is their linen wallpapers. They are the only factory in the world that handprint these kind of wallpapers, which are extremely easy to maintain, very resistant and do not require surfaces to be smooth.

By Cecilia Varricchio | Photos: Ljungbergs Factory

Brand new website Ljungbergs Factory is part of Swedish industrial history. Innovative mind-sets coupled with an almost 200-year-long heritage will now take the company to new heights. Indeed, a lot of changes and updates have already been made: the first one is the pattern Salmiak, which was inspired by the pattern Pythagoras, originally designed for the UN building back in

18 | Issue 55 | August 2013

1952. This pattern has been produced continuously for over 60 years. Salmiak can be found on exclusive silk scarves, which were launched on 18 June. These scarves are completely handmade and are available for both men and women. Ljungbergs Factory has now resumed silk prints in Sweden after a 100-year-long break. Another speciality of Ljungbergs

Ljungbergs Factory is a fully flexible company that values the quality of their output more than the volume produced. Today, Ljungbergs Factory has several priorities: introducing new Swedish designers to the scene, and offering a wider range of collections, more patterns and more different kinds of products. Vilma Gustafsson, Ljungbergs’ PR Manager, stresses how

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Scan Magazine | Design | Ljungbergs Factory

sellers. We are also looking for Omni concept partners who would provide a showroom space for our online products,” Gustafsson says.

Minimal impact on environment Ljungbergs Factory takes sustainability and environmental issues very seriously.

All the products are exclusively made in Sweden. Also having an environmentally friendly production process and good working conditions are very important for Ljungbergs Factory. Just to list a few factors, they use only eco-friendly transportation methods, the factory uses only non-fossil fuel, energy is obtained from nearby forests, fabrics are all eco-certified, colours are mixed in a special colour kitchen, and the whole process is carried out in the factory in Borås, in the western part of Sweden. This is a very unusual procedure in the textile and fashion industry, which usually has production outsourced to developing countries, and is something that Ljungbergs Factory is very proud of.

Citrus Limon by Maria Åström

News in the autumn

important the collaboration with new designers is for the company, as it gives their products a modern and innovative style. They have formed a new strategic design partnership with the famous design studio Nyström & Persia, which is responsible for the Salmiak line. Ljungbergs Factory’s product range is getting wider, and now it is possible to find additional products such as bed linen, wallpaper and furniture textiles. Customers can find all the new and classic products on Ljungbergs Factory’s brand new online store (www.ljungbergsfactory.com).

The online store will constantly grow and improve to offer customers the best shopping experience, but it is already possible to purchase any product from any part of the globe as Ljungbergs Factory ships all over the world. “We will sign up with a big agent in Japan in our process of building up a network of global agents and re-

Ljungbergs Factory will participate in major events such as the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week and the famous Formex Fair from 15 to 18 August. Gustafsson tells us that one of the most important news items for Ljungbergs Factory is that they will launch a brand new high fashion collection designed by Naim Josefi, winner of Swedish Project Runaway 2012. The collection will contain very exclusive fashion items as well as everyday clothes. This first collection is only for women and includes a wide range of dresses, blouses and skirts. Amongst other news, new patterns and products will be introduced on a regular basis. As already mentioned, Ljungbergs Factory is always keen to work with emerging talented designers to offer customers the most beautiful and tasteful creations. Take the chance to renovate your home and wardrobe with beautiful quality textiles from Ljungbergs Factory.

Melodi by Stig Lindberg

For more information, please visit: www.ljungbergsfactory.com Salmiak scarf and fabric

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A contemporary art laboratory In 2001, Norwegian artist Morten Viskum by chance stumbled upon empty factory buildings in the lively Norwegian town of Vestfossen, an hour’s drive away from the capital Oslo. Today, the buildings are a leading hub for contemporary art, and this year, Vestfossen Kunstlaboratorium (Vestfossen Art Laboratory) celebrates its ten-year anniversary.

By Ingvild Vetrhus | Photos: Vestfossen Kunstlaboratorium

Vestfossen, located in the municipality of Ă˜vre Eiker, started investing in culture after the millennium, an initiative which has attracted several art institutions to establish themselves in the area, dubbed the capital of culture. Every year, contemporary art exhibitions adorn the rough-looking exhibition spaces at Vestfossen Kun-

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stlaboratorium, located in the old paper and cellulose factory buildings.

Between 2001 and 2003, the refurbishment of the old dilapidated factory took place, and the result became a compelling example of the reuse of old architecture, and provides an interesting scene and

juncture for history and modern art. The art centre has hosted 11 curated group exhibitions since it opened in May 2003. In 2005, the centre also launched a new exhibition space for individual artist presentations, Galleri Star, which has since then

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Scan Magazine | Feature | Vestfossen Kunstlaboratorium

The collection contains works of both prominent and unknown artists, from all over the world, including works by the father of surrealism, Salvador Dali, German artist Joseph Beuys, and controversial Norwegian contemporary artist Bjarne Melgaard. At Galleri Star visitors can experience the exhibition Jørgen Dobloug.

Punktum. Punktum. komma, strek – å male er en lystig lek (Full stop. Full stop.

Comma, stroke – painters love to laugh and joke), an introduction to the Norwegian artist and his lifelong relationship with painting.

“Since the opening, we have presented a wide range of thematically curated exhibitions, based on loans from private collections, museums or directly from the artists themselves,” Viskum explains.

“The goal of the art centre is to introduce our visitors to different artistic practices and to increase knowledge about contemporary art as such.”

This year's main exhibition entitled 1986 2013: An Artist Collecting Art, displays the private art collection of the museum's director Viskum, who has collected art since he was a young aspiring artist. His passion for collecting art is reflected in this remarkable exhibition, which is spread throughout the whole building.

Vestfossen Kunstlaboratorium offers visitors guided tours and lectures, based on an educational plan that has been customised to different levels of knowledge about contemporary art and all age groups. “You can enter the art laboratory knowing everything or nothing about contemporary art – you will still gain a lot from your experience at the art centre,” says Viskum. In order for the audience to gain a complete experience of the art exhibitions at Vestfossen Kunstlaboratorium, the museum offers free tours every Sunday, where visitors are guided through a 45-minute long introduction of the main exhibition of the year. Lectures focusing on different themes and questions regarding the exhibition are also held to provide a deeper introduction to the discussions that define contemporary artistic practice.

“The collection consists of some 700 works of art by 226 artists and is being shown in its entirety. The prime motivation for the exhibition is not, however, to show a collection per se, but rather to create a work of art – an installation, made up of the works of other artists,” says the artist, collector and manager Morten Viskum.

School classes are also welcome to join the educational tours of the contemporary art exhibitions, through the project Art in the Rucksack, as part of the national programme The Cultural Rucksack, initiated to provide a solid curriculum for art and culture in Norwegian primary schools.

sported exhibitions by renowned artists such as Sally Mann, Louise Bourgeois and Alex Katz.

This year’s anniversary marks the advent of a new era in Vestfossen Kunstlaboratorium’s institutional life, especially with the 700-square-metre addition to the original 1,800-square-metre compound. The centre has also opened new facilities for educational programmes, office spaces and a conference room. A new exhibition hall is currently under construction, and by the end of 2014, Vestfossen Kunstlaboratorium, which every year since 2003 has been open from May to October, will finally be open all year round.

Although the museum has been expanding and hosting more events since its opening ten years ago, Vestfossen Kunstlaboratorium is still a young and restless institution that continues to develop its facilities and exhibition spaces so that people of all ages can enjoy the rich world of contemporary art.

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

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Scan Magazine | Feature | Bergen Food Festival

Real food, real people On the first weekend of September, Bergen Food Festival invites food enthusiasts to a gluttonous weekend filled with local food and beer. Held at Bryggen, the Hanseatic wharf, the festival features roughly 120 different local food producers and around 11 local breweries.

By Kjersti Westeng | Photos: Bergenmatfest

Bergen Food Festival was held for the first time in 1989 as a one-day event. It has grown massively over the last thirteen years, but the purpose is still the same: to promote small-scale, local food producers to the masses. From 6-8 September, around 120 food stands will take over the famous Bryggen, selling meat, vegetables, fruit, butter, bread, spices and many other things – some of it ecologically produced. The best thing about the festival is that visitors can talk directly with the food producers about their produce. Festival manager Gunnar Nagell Dahl explains: “All food producers exhibit and sell their own produce. This gives visitors a chance to learn more about how the food is pro-

Over 120 stands are coming to Bergen Food Festival this year

duced and what it is produced from.”

For the first time last year Bergen Food Festival arranged BØ! – Bergen’s first and only beer festival. This year, 11 breweries are attending, some of them local. “The brewers themselves attend the festival and we hope to promote our local breweries,” Dahl says. There are several restaurants within the festival area, inviting visitors in for local cuisine, beer and cider.

Last year over 100,000 people visited the food festival, which is free to enter.

This year’s festival stretches from Bryggen to the famous Fish Market, where there will be food demonstrations and fish auctions. For those wanting to

Free tasters are offered

participate in other fun activities there are lots to choose from, such as cooking classes, treasure hunts and quizzes.

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

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Feature | Restaurant Lumskebugten

Within a short stroll from the old defence site Kastellet and the famous Little Mermaid, Lumskebugten has one of the most peaceful cobblestoned terraces in Copenhagen. Inside, the old tavern has been through a gentle refurbishment, maintaining the historic ambiance but also, through for instance Lauterbach’s characteristic vegetable table decorations, clearly alluding to its new culinary status.

Copenhagen’s historic sailor’s tavern still going strong Tucked away by the sea entrance to Copenhagen, the historic sailor’s tavern Lumskebugten no longer has to rely on strong currents to secure its clientele. Led by one of Denmark’s most established chefs, the restaurant’s historic ambiance, traditional smørrebrød, and renowned fish and vegetable dishes are plenty bait.

By Signe Hansen | Photos: Lumskebugten

Lumskebugten, which translates as ‘the treacherous bay’, might seem an odd name for a classic restaurant serving Danish delicacies and smørrebrød (open sandwiches). But rest assured that the name has nothing to do with the food, service or experience you will receive at the charming old inn.

Lumskebugten refers to the inn’s location at the seaport of Copenhagen, known for its treacherous currents and moving sandbanks. Since 1850 sailors and landlubbers alike have been “washed into” the establishment.

Today, the old sailor’s tavern is owned and run by Chef Erwin Lauterbach, famous for his love of vegetables, fish and traditional Danish cooking. Having headed Saison, one of Denmark’s most successful gourmet restaurants, for more than two decades, Lauterbach took over Lumskebugten in 2011. “What attracted me was the place’s long history – when leaving Copenhagen in earlier days, this is where you would take leave of the city and the first place you would come upon on arrival – as well as its great outdoor space. It’s the kind of place that I would love to stumble upon on my own holidays,” explains Lauterbach.

Restaurant Lumskebugten Esplanaden 21, 1263 København K Phone: +45 3315 6029

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

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stitutes a continuation of a smaller but very successful Romanian element from 2008. “Romania has a long and incredibly powerful tradition of poetry and prose, in part fuelled by its troubled history. While the country faces a tough few years of trying to adapt to the norms of the EU, a number of its authors are now tipped for the Nobel Prize,” says Källsson.

A brand new section for this year’s fair is the Digital Square, which will look at the challenges and opportunities brought about by the paperless book. The programme also boasts illustrious speakers like Sofi Oksanen, Caitlin Moran, Per Gessle, and Isol, recipient of this year’s Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award. An impressive total of 20 former winners of the Nobel Prize in Literature have previously visited the expo.

Göteborg Book Fair

Read books, make books, talk about books

“The fair reflects its time,” Källsson summarises. Expect challenging debates, creative seminars and inspiring speeches – all amounting to a vibrant celebration of literature.

With more visitors than any other cultural event in the Nordics, Göteborg Book Fair is the vibrant platform where publishers, agents, writers and readers from all over the world meet to explore Nordic literature and buy and sell literary rights. In the year before its 30th birthday, the fair offers the stage to Romania, looks at the paperless book, and responds to the recent Literature Inquiry’s alarming news about children’s rapidly declining reading abilities.

By Linnea Dunne | Photo: Niklas Maupoix

“As the report shows, the situation is desperate. Something has to be done,” says Book Fair Director Maria Källsson. Together with Läsrörelsen, a non-profit organisation promoting reading, a section called Make Room for Children has been created, where scholars, librarians, distinguished authors, teaching professionals and politicians, such as Minister for Culture, Lena Adelsohn Liljeroth, and Deputy Minister for Education, Maria Arnholm, will meet to discuss what can and should be done.

“But we won’t just discuss the problems,” Källsson asserts. “We will provide examples of projects that have managed to reverse the trend.” Authors will speak about

24 | Issue 55 | August 2013

their first reading experience, and an illustration exhibition initially created for the Bologna Children’s Book Fair, containing works by some of Sweden’s most celebrated illustrators, will be on display.

Freedom of expression has always been at the heart of the book fair, with previous speakers including social rights activist Desmund Tutu, but it is also an important platform for advocacy. This will be particularly pronounced this year as the political parties gear up for the Swedish general elections in 2014, and education policy is likely to be hotly debated.

This year’s special theme goes under the banner Romania has the Floor and con-

Illustration by Sara Lundberg for Bologna exhibition. ©Lasrorelsen

For more information, please visit: www.goteborg-bookfair.com

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Scan Magazine | Feature | Levi Rally Center

Seeking high-speed thrills At Levi Rally Center and Action Park, located a 15-minute drive from the centre of Levi in Finnish Lapland, thrill seekers can finally realise their extreme dreams. And not just rally buffs will get a kick from it all – anyone can enjoy the company’s array of fun motorsport activities safely and under expert guidance.

By Nia Kajastie | Photos: Levi Rally Center

Rally and stunt driver, as well as driving instructor and world record holder, Jani Ylipahkala set up Levi Rally Center around five years ago and has gradually expanded its activity offerings. Today, the company offers rally car driving and playful racing, icekarting, ATV racing, stigma slalom, snowmobiling, and a “funnycar” obstacle course, where a turn of the steering wheel might have exactly the opposite effect of what you intended.

The centre also holds a winter driving school – something quite essential for those wanting to navigate the snow-andice-covered Finnish roads. Levi Rally Center is mainly open during the winter, but karting

and ATV activities at the Action Park can be arranged at other times as well.

“What’s great about the centre is that we offer suitable products for all; here, everyone gets to experience the thrill of speed in one way or another,” says Ylipahkala.

“It’s our mission to have 100% customer satisfaction. We want to make sure everyone leaves us content, and so far we’ve been able to offer everyone fun experiences. Our tracks and equipment have also been designed so that everything is as safe as possible.”

Ylipahkala and his team are also happy to put together a full-service package that includes travel, accommodation, meals and your unique motor sport experiences of choice. You could also supplement your holiday adventure with a husky or reindeer safari, or perhaps even a helicopter ride – and everything in between.

“There is a wide range of activities on offer in the Levi area; there’s definitely something for everyone. We can combine any of them with our packages to create the best possible programme for you,” says Ylipahkala.

For more information, please visit: www.levirallycenter.fi And to design your high-speed adventure contact: info@levirallycenter.fi +358 45 2721227

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Scan Magazine | Feature | Pois Tieltä

the routes are determined by the time of year. The difference in seasons is very distinctive in Finland, and routes need to be planned accordingly to guarantee an experience that is both exhilarating and safe.

Giving their customers unforgettable and exciting experiences, Pois Tieltä! is a perfect place for a day out with friends, or for companies that want to mix business with pleasure. After a day of conferences and meetings the safaris are perfect for letting off steam. There is a chance, however, that work takes a back seat. “Everyone says that once they get on that vehicle, all thoughts of work disappear,” Hyrkkö explains.

Get off the road!

Who doesn’t want to jump on a quad bike or in a truck, get off the beaten track and hit the accelerator? With Pois Tieltä! you can get a thrilling experience in a natural yet safe environment.

By Malin Wiander | Photos: Pois Tieltä

Pois Tieltä! (Get off the road!) is a Finnish company that organises quad biking and truck driving events for individuals, groups and companies. Conveniently located in the Lohja area less than an hour’s drive from Helsinki, it is a popular destination for company recreational days and conferences, birthdays and bachelor parties.

sauna on the premises, and food and accommodation are easily organised. Transport is arranged for larger groups, and the company provides all their customers with the necessary equipment for driving the vehicles.

“We tailor-make events for our customers from start to finish,” says Paavo Hyrkkö, co-founder of the company. “They only have to let us know when they are coming and what they want, and we organise the rest from there.”

On the truck safaris, customers can test the power of 3.5 litre V8 Range Rover trucks customised to endure the demanding terrain. Large Arctic Cat and Polaris quad bikes especially modified for Arctic conditions, and with engine sizes ranging between 450 and 600 cc, are on offer for the quad safaris.

Pois Tieltä! offers meeting and congress facilities for up to 30 people. There is a

The tours take place in diverse terrain from mountains to fields and forests, and

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

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Scan Magazine | Feature | Kontiki Finland

Celebrating Finland at its best Kontiki Finland organises tailor-made adventures and experiences that everyday tourists would not normally come by.

By Malin Wiander | Photos: Kontiki Finland

With 17 years of experience in the industry, Kontiki Finland offers specialist tours for small groups, individuals and businesses. Despite being a tour operator, it is not an off-the-shelf company and instead tailors every trip according to the customer’s wishes while focusing on responsible low-impact travel.

“We are passionate about preserving and enjoying nature as we find it,” says Sarah Coombes, who runs the company alongside her husband. “We want to celebrate Finland at its best.”

The company offers thematic trips, including wildlife, wilderness, adventure, city breaks and Christmas and family holidays. All holidays are experience-based from start to finish, enabling customers to get an authentic feel for Finnish nature and culture.

Through Kontiki Finland, businesses can treat their employees and clients to activities ranging from fishing trips in the archipelago to team building in the wilderness. With access to congress facilities in and around Helsinki, wildlife experiences can be alternated with more traditional surroundings.

Kontiki Finland organises day trips in Helsinki and the surrounding area, ideal for people who are only visiting for a few days and want to get a taste of real Finnish adventure. The company also arranges activities close to their offices in Sipoo, located deep in the forest only 30 minutes from Helsinki-Vantaa Airport, with both the coast and Sipoonkorpi National Park nearby. Nature is literally on their doorstep, with elks, deer and even lynx frequenting the surroundings despite the proximity to the capital.

For those who have a bit more time to spend, there are tours that offer “fishing in three ways”. One of them takes you to the fast-moving waters of a North Karelian river, the serene Lake Saimaa and the scenic archipelago outside Helsinki, giving a real sense of the varied and beautiful nature of the country.

Whatever the destination or type of holiday, Kontiki Finland makes sure that every trip is a unique experience for their customers.

Kontiki Finland is seeking individuals to approach them with holiday interests and assist in gathering groups of 8+ people to travel as a group. There are incentives for the Group Gatherer on their trip costs.

Contact info@kontikifinland.com for more information.

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

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: ME SIGN E TH DE

Left: Bella Sky / Bella Center.

Photo: Adam Mørk

R C TERIO E SP H IN S NI DA

and scope for development, the fair will act as an international trading platform that will attract professionals, from Scandinavia and all of Europe, who are hungering to see the latest fashions and trends, knowledge and inspiration. With a programme of talks, which includes the award-winning English designer Benjamin Hubert and the Danish design expert Thomas Dickson, a blogger universe with eight of the most influential and trendsetting interior bloggers in Europe, a talent zone with ten up-and-coming designers and architects, as well as strong partners such as the Danish Trade Council and the Danish Design Association, we are seeking to create an all-in experience in the name of good design – and we are looking forward to opening the doors to an outstanding design event in Denmark, in Copenhagen and at Bella Center.

Design is part of Denmark, Copenhagen and Bella Center Denmark is a design nation with proud traditions, and Copenhagen is a design metropolis, which houses many of the country’s leading design and interior businesses.

By Jacob Schmidt, Sales and Marketing Director, Bella Center

Design is an indisputable part of Denmark’s culture and DNA, with names such as Finn Juhl, Arne Jacobsen, Hans J. Wegner and Kasper Salto striking a chord in a world which is showing an unbridled interest in the Danes’ innovative approach to design.

At Bella Center, we believe that Danish design still offers considerable growth po-

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tential, and that greater international focus will open the doors to new markets with promising sales potential. We want to play an active role in developing the market and thrusting Danish design even more into the limelight, which is what we are doing in August with the new design and interiors fair DesignTrade Copenhagen. Thanks to its central location in Copenhagen and Bella Center’s facilities

Jacob Schmidt, Sales and Marketing Director, Bella Center For more information, please visit: www.designtrade.com designtradeblog.dk facebook.com/designtradedk twitter.com/designtradedk Instragram.com/designtradedk

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Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Danish Interior Design

The popular new colour Caribbean goes well with the other blue varieties.

Mix and match to make your very own Le Creuset style.

Today’s top selling colour is red.

Original French cookware with a Scandinavian twist

Scandinavian retailers and in the flagship store in Copenhagen by January. Naturally, it comes with the same lifetime warranty as any other Le Creuset product.

Since 1925, Le Creuset has produced high-quality cookware in bright colours to light up kitchens around the world. In Scandinavia, the brand is developing new additions to fit with the trends of contemporary Nordic design.

By Julie Bauer Larsen | Photos: Le Creuset

Many kitchens in Scandinavia are equipped with at least one piece of stoneware by Le Creuset – usually in the graded bright red colour that everyone today associates with the brand. “The red colour is a top-seller in both the stoneware and our cast iron products. In addition, we see a trend in customers mixing the colours to match their personal style. We really applaud this development as it proves that great quality kitchenware will never go out of style as long as we keep up with the mind-set of the consumer,” says Michael Munk, managing director of Le Creuset in Scandinavia.

Pink for the spring Thirty-five employees in Denmark are responsible for the development of Le Creuset’s products on the Scandinavian

market. While founded in the original French roots of the company, the Scandinavian branch can design new products fit for their specific customers.

“The freedom to keep developing the products is a rarity and really motivates us. We look to the trends in Nordic design when adapting Le Creuset’s products in a manner that combines the better parts of the two. This coming spring, we launch a brand new colour in both stoneware and cast iron products – Chiffon Pink. We expect it to be a big hit – everyone who has seen it so far is looking forward to it hitting the stores,” says Michael Munk.

Fit for a queen – and everyone else

“Worldwide, we are the only brand providing customers with a lifetime warranty on cookware. This is possible because of the quality that our products are known and loved for – by customers from all parts of society. For instance, Le Creuset is a very popular feature on wedding wish lists and recently we are proud to say that one of our products was on the list for the wedding of Prince William and Katherine.”

The original colour of Le Creuset’s kitchenware is Vulcan. Going strong since 1925.

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

The Chiffon Pink line will be available at

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Cozy Room’s atmospheric lanterns have become a staple on Denmark’s interior design market.

The autumn collection entails a new beautiful tableware collection designed by Annette Bjørk and produced in Portugal.

Designing Scandinavian cosiness Through rough, casual and elegant designs, Danish interior design firm Cozy Room channels not just the stylishness of Scandinavia’s design language but also the warmth of its homes. This autumn will see the launch of the company’s new exquisite tableware collection.

By Signe Hansen | Photos: Cozy Room

When you enter a home, you may not immediately notice what colour the chairs are or what adorns the walls, but what most people pick up on instantly is whether they feel at home or not. A stylish home might be impressive, but it can also seem cold and uninviting. Other homes seem to almost entice you to come inside, and make you want to kick back and enjoy a glass of wine on the sofa with your feet rocking to music. It is that kind of home that Cozy Room and its creative manager Annette Bjørk aim to create.

“What we want is a relaxed, laid-back atmosphere created by a luxurious but Scandinavian setting. It is a played down

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but at the same time very characteristic style,” explains the designer, who has more than 20 years of design experience behind her.

Spanning a delightfully broad range of quirky, decorative bric-a-brac, tableware and towels, Cozy Room’s collections possess a versatility that makes them a great match not just for designer but also family and student homes. “What is important for me is, of course, to create beautiful designs but also to reach a price level that will ensure that the designs are actually sold. I find no joy in creating designs that will just look great on the shop shelves but

Cozy Room's creative manager Annette Bjørk

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Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Danish Interior Design

never reach people’s homes,” stresses Bjørk.

Scandinavian elegance and warmth Established in 2011 as a subsidiary to the well-established Danish design company Floradeco, Cozy Room has been characterised by Bjørk’s signature style since the beginning. From lanterns to frames and fabrics, the colours are muted, dusty and composed, while the shapes causally combine Scandinavian elegance with warmth and soulfulness. “The home I have in mind when designing is a very peaceful and mindful place, rarely with a lot of colours – it’s not that we don’t like colours, but we like to keep the base more undisturbed to allow the colours of nature to set the scene through flowers and the changing seasons outside the windows,” explains Bjørk, who aims to create that special Cozy Room feel everywhere, including, of course, her own home. “It’s about creating that ‘ahh’ feeling when you step into a room – an atmosphere that immediately makes you feel at home and at peace. I love that feeling and our collections’ designs are all over my own home.”

colours, is produced in Portugal. Like the rest of the autumn collection it is inspired by raw Scandinavian nature but also retains subtle references to Bjørk’s travels around the world. It is among the many designs of Cozy Room that are intended and designed not just for Danes but for anyone who wants to create an oasis of peace and warmth, epitomising the cosy combination of Scandinavian elegance and warmth.

Cozy Room’s designs are currently traded in Scandinavia. The company is looking for an agent in Germany and will be represented at trade fairs in Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Hamburg this summer.

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

Bowls and plates from Portugal With many of their designs, in particular their characteristic metal and bamboo lanterns, having created a surge of similar products in Denmark, Cozy Room is ready to enter new territory. The autumn collection will follow beautiful tableware with plates and bowls in Bjørk’s distinguished designs. “We put a lot of energy and attention into creating this collection of tableware; it was actually meant to have been part of our spring collection, but I wanted to be sure that it was spot on.

Creating tableware is something entirely new to us, but it is definitely something which we have ambitions to do more of, and I was very aware that, if we do something like this and create a service that people might start collecting, it has to be exactly the way we want it, so we won’t have to make changes later on,” stresses Bjørk.

The rustic service, which is designed in simple, elegant lines and soft earth

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The characteristic Bønnebordet, designed by Designer Zoo founder Karsten Lauritsen, has become a Danish design icon.

Where Danish design animals grow Danish Designer Zoo is much more than a design company; it is a research centre in arts and craft, a political statement, and the source of one of Denmark’s newest design icons – Bønnebordet (bean table).

By Signe Hansen | Photos: Designer Zoo

Founded in 1999 by the creator of Bønnebordet, Karsten Lauritsen, Designer Zoo with two large shops, seven craft workshops and an art ware gallery, is today one of Denmark’s most diverse and innovative design communities. Within the framework of the community, seven craft artists work in their individual styles and materials. The designs are not just created but also produced in the company’s seven workshops in Copenhagen.

duce them here. There is so much talk about outsourcing, but we prove that it’s possible to create a sensible and economically viable business by doing the opposite,” says Lauritsen, who is a local council candidate for the social liberal political party Radikale Venstre in Frederiksberg and a keen advocate for combining personal freedom and initiative with social responsibility.

The bean that feeds the zoo

“What we prove is that it is not just possible to create cool, trendsetting and innovative designs in Denmark but also to pro-

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Lauritsen and Designer Zoo’s most famous creation, Bønnebordet, is a telling example of how having a creative rather

All Keis & Fiedler’s ceramic designs are designed and handmade by Helene Keis and Jakob Fiedler in Denmark.

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“If you follow the rules of normal commercial production, a product has to break through during its first or second season in sale. If it doesn’t, it’s taken off the market again. Now, with Bønnebordet, I made that in 1997, but it was not until 2004 that it became one of the trendiest and hottest designs among first-time movers in Copenhagen. The success of the table has largely been down to giving the design time to mature and for people to get used to it,” stresses Lauritsen.

Today, more than 20,000 of Lauritsen’s bean tables have been produced and sold.

As the table is produced in 14 models, five sizes, two heights and 100 colour variations, buying a bean table means that you do not end up with “what everyone else has”: actually combining two tables, as many do, will leave you with approximately one million different combinations!

Basic research within arts and craft

Dish by Tina Marie Bentsen

than purely commercial approach to design can end up being an incredibly lucrative business. The table, which was designed by Lauritsen in 1997, would not, explains the autodidact furniture maker, have survived had he adhered to the normal short-sighted rules of commercialism.

Several big Danish design names, including the successful porcelain artists Anne Black and Malene Helbak, have started their careers in the workshops of Designer Zoo. With its solid foundation and reputation, the company provides a platform for craft artists to develop and try out new things.

“As an artist you are very emotionally involved in your work and you are mainly concerned about how you want things to be, not how many you are going to have to produce to make a profitable business.

That’s how I want it to be; the people that

work in Designer Zoo should not think about the commercial side but about what they find interesting. Of course not everything turns into something, but we get to try out numerous things and go through a lot of different processes, which we learn from. You could say that what we do is basic research within design.”

Different values Though Lauritsen’s business has, over time, been very profitable, economic success was not, he says, on the cards when he started out.

“When I first had the idea for Designer Zoo, everyone told me that it wasn’t possible to create a successful business like this. But if you look at the criteria differently, it is. It does not have to be either supermarket or Prada prices; it is possible to be in a competitive price range by producing in Denmark; it might mean that you won’t make trillions, but it will give you a rich life based on other values.”

Lauritsen’s philanthropic approach also means that Designer Zoo is regularly involved in various kinds of non-commercial art project involving design schools and new artists. “We find pleasure in helping new and different design projects start off even though there is no profit in it here and now. Rather than striving to score big economic profits we aim to do what we like; it just so happens that quite often, when that’s the philosophy you have, you also end up creating a quite sensible business,” Lauritsen points out.

Designer Zoo consists of seven workshops and employs 20 people.

The two Designer Zoo shops sell the work of its own artists as well as 20-40 exclusively connected Danish designers.

Contact details for Designer Zoo’s shops: 1. Vesterbrogade 137, 1620 Copenhagen Vest.

2. Badstuegade 19, 8000 Aarhus C

Silhouettes from the forests by Pia Lund Hansen

The minimalistic Nordic ceramics by Ditte Fischer are among the many exclusively Danish designs sold by Designer Zoo.

For more information, please visit: www.dzoo.dk and bonnebordet.dk

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make it something it’s not. We want to use the best possible material and showcase that in the best way,” he adds. All the products, designed by a Danish team, are handmade by skilled craftsmen from the finest Indian leather made of real cow or buffalo hides.

The products, which range from items made exclusively for Apple (under the name 19twenty8) and Samsung to ereader sleeves and briefcases, are made in India, which has also added an integral corporate social responsibility factor to the company’s operation.

dbramante1928 bags

Embrace the golden ratio – in high-quality leather With dbramante1928’s range of pure leather cases and bags, you can tote your portable electronic devices in style. Inspired by Danish heritage and the principle of the golden ratio, mastered by renaissance architect and painter Donato Bramante, dbramante1928’s products offer durable, strong, protective and functional carrying and storage solutions for smartphones, laptops, tablets and e-readers.

By Nia Kajastie | Photos: dbramante1928

notes, some people inadvertently use the golden ratio in numerous things just because it quite simply looks right and is aesthetically pleasing.

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iPhone 5 slim cover

Jones emphasises that the ultimate hero of the products is the leather. “We don’t mess around with it too much or try to

iPhone flip case

iPad classic folio

So what does the golden ratio have to do with leather bags and cases? While its mathematical properties are not necessarily familiar to the layman, this famous ratio and its exact proportions are not something you have to be aware of to appreciate the beauty of it. As dbramante1928’s UK director Daniel Jones

“It wasn’t until our first visit to the factory in India that it really hit home what the conditions and standards of living can be like out there. Accordingly, working together with Danish charity LittleBigHelp which supports children and local communities in India, social responsibility has become an intrinsic part of our message, which is even visible in our packaging,” says Jones.

Once buyers open their dbramante1928 packages, they will also see a message informing them that a part of what they have just paid will be going towards the charity. The products themselves, while still seen as investments that will stand the test of time both in terms of durability and design, are still priced very fairly – they are dearer than your average neoprene laptop case but still more affordable than other premium leather bags of the same quality. dbramante1928’s products are available across Europe within various offline and online retailers, including Selfridge’s, Dixon’s Travel and PC World in the UK.

Tan envelope for MacBook

For more information, please visit: www.dbramante1928.com

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Get your original, one-of-a-kind artwork at Bob Noon Five Danish female artists have joined forces at a store called Bob Noon in central Copenhagen. Here, you will find original drawings, prints, postcards and much more, with a story and a heart behind the art.

By Julie Bauer Larsen

“Bob Noon is the result of our desire to In the backroom of the art and design colcreate something together that none of us lective Bob Noon’s store, you will usually find several of the five female artists whose work is for sale in the shop in the central part of Copenhagen.

Here you can see the progress of the work that will soon be hanging on the walls in the shop or sold off to magazines, publishing houses or other regular customers. The five women decided to create the art community to make the most of their different takes on their The five female artists of Bob Noon in front of the store on Matthæusgade 21 in Copenhagen. Photo by Kasper Harup-Hansen. profession.

could make on our own. Our community provides us with extra motivation and inspiration, and this has given us unique opportunities to create the store along with a network of retailers all over Scandinavia,” explains Anna Jacobina Jacobsen, one of the five artists of Bob Noon.

A unique and uncompromising gift There is no such thing as an average customer at Bob Noon. The uniqueness of the products makes it a new experience every time you enter.

“We have a very loyal customer base, but many different types visit the shop.

Many have an interest in art and come here to shop for wedding gifts or to acquire an affordable, original artwork,” says Anna Jacobina Jacobsen.

For more information, please visit: www.bobnoon.dk bobnoon.blogspot.dk/p/forhandler.html or contact rikke@designforest.dk

Passion for life Danish jewellery and home accessory design company Munio combines high-end designs with social and environmental responsibility. In 2012, the company won the Boligmagasinets design award for best international designer.

By Signe Hansen | Photos: Munio Design

Munio, which in Latin means “I defend”, was founded by Peter Rantzau and Morten Nielsen in 2008. Director Morten Nielsen had previously spent several years travelling and studying sustainable forestry in tropical regions. His ambition was to contribute to the protection and reestablishment of rainforests through the utilisation and sale of lesser known species of tropical FSC certified wood.

“One of the reasons that the tropical forests are disappearing is their diversity.

The multiple unknown and unused species of trees make it hard to make sustainable FSC certified tropical forestry profitable. We test out and use these unknown species in our products; some of

them might be difficult to work, but there are some heavenly colours in between,” explains Nielsen.

The unique structures and striking colours of Munio’s meticulously selected woods dominate not just the company’s beautiful wood trays and candle holders but also its jewellery. The jewellery is made from 100% recycled silver and gold combined with wood and organically

carved leather.

For every product sold, Munio plants a tree in a rainforest area and has, together with the Danish NGO The Forests of the World, initiated a reforestation project in Honduras, which focuses not just on the forest but also on local people in the area.

“To us it is very important that the forest we help create is not just a plantation created for the sake of our own conscience but benefits the local community in Honduras as well,” says Nielsen.

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

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than the nursery, and when you have small kids, you know that their things are going to be in the living room and everywhere where you are because that is where they are,” creative director Dela explains.

Before becoming a mother, Dela, who has a design degree from Kolding Design School, had worked in the fashion industry for years. In 2004, she designed her first small collection of children’s bedding, blankets and furniture. Today, Dela and managing director Anne Mette Fischer head a committed group of 20 employees with 37 children between them.

Stylish parents and happy kids Modern design and innovative colours combined with handicraft, such as crocheting and knitting, are some of the characteristic trademarks of Sebra design. A major part of the collection is handmade in natural materials, such as wood, wool and cotton.

Sebra’s stylish and imaginative interiors products for kids have become popular among children and their parents all over the world.

The Sebra that thrives in nurseries all over the world If you have a kid or know someone who does, you are very likely to have come across the distinctive high-quality designs from Sebra Interior For Kids. The colourful products of the Danish company, which was founded by a new mother ten years ago, are popular all over the world.

By Signe Hansen | Photos: Sebra

It was the upcoming birth of her first son, Gustav, which a decade ago led Mia Dela to create Sebra Interior. “When I had my first child, I could not find any baby ac-

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cessories that I felt like bringing into my home; it was all blue bunnies and teddy bear patterns. I just did not feel that it would be suitable for any rooms other

“With very young kids and babies it is obviously not the kids but the parents who choose the products, and a lot of them are bought as presents from family and friends. That is why we create a packaging and design that is stylish and appealing to grown-ups rather than kids. Of course, at the same time, it is important that the products are decorated with cheerful colours and motifs which appeal to kids’ imagination,” stresses Dela. “Our designs just mean that you don’t have to be embarrassed to have your kid’s duvet in the living room when you have guests.”

Another distinctive characteristic of the Sebra collection is its unified universe, which makes it straightforward for parents to create a stylish nursery. At the same time the collection is continuously renewed to follow the colour trends of the time, meaning that parents will not risk ending up with exact copies of the nursery their friends had the year before.

Scandinavian appeal Sebra’s extensive collection, which includes more than 300 designs in furniture, toys, storage and bedding, is, today,

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traded in 25 countries. The founder attributes the broad success not just to the design’s versatility but also its Scandinavian design roots. “In a lot of countries people are attracted to Scandinavian design, and I think that it is obvious, when looking at our designs, that we are firmly rooted in Scandinavian design traditions.

But, of course, what we do is very much done with children in mind, and when it comes to children, they are not that different from country to country.”

Gustav, Dela’s son, who inspired the first collection, is today 10 years old, but the designer, who still designs the majority of the large collection herself, has no plans of moving away from the world of nursery design. “I always hoped that this was something that I would be able to continue to do for a long time, but that I would sit here, ten years later, with 20 people working on my brand, I had not imagined,” enthuses the designer and finishes: “It was more the passion about my products that drove me to create my designs. It is just fantastic that so many people appreciate the things we create and that we are now even more people working on the project so that we can create even more wonderful products.”

All Sebra products are designed in Denmark.

Sebra products are health and safety tested in external European laboratories.

Sebra design is traded in: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Greenland, Holland, Iceland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, South Korea and the UK.

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

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Only silver 925 and all gold plating is used for the jewellery.

The porcelain pearls come to life in the workshop in downtown Aarhus, Denmark.

A trademark for Louise Kragh Jewelry is the porcelain star.

Handcrafted porcelain jewellery from the heart of the Danish design tradition For almost a decade, Louise Kragh Jewelry have designed and produced unique porcelain bracelets, earrings and much more in a small workshop in downtown Aarhus, Denmark.

“Our jewellery is for every woman. You can go classic with porcelain in black and white, or spice up your look with bright reds and yellows – the design will adapt to your personal style. Because every single piece is handcrafted by one of our five talented employees, each has a unique finish, and as a customer you choose the one that fits you the very best,” says one of the three co-owners of Louise Kragh Jewelry, Birgitte Dal.

Today, Louise Kragh Jewelry’s highly appreciated porcelain designs are sold in selected fashion and interior shops around the world. The company offers a wide collection, with two new lines created annually to keep up with the fashion trends of the season.

“Because we produce everything ourselves, we are able to ensure very efficient procedures from thought to actual products. Our designer Louise Kragh spends a lot of time in the workshop thinking and trying out new elements. A prototype is usually created and tested within a few days, and this ensures quality in our products and a very flexible production for the benefit of customers,” explains Birgitte Dal. Jewellery with history

Every piece of jewellery is handmade giving it a unique feel.

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The workshop in Aarhus is part of the

company’s history, and Dal assures that they’ve never considered moving the production far from the Danish design tradition and where it all began.

“Besides making it possible for us to be very flexible in catering to the needs of our retail customers, the workshop is part of both our company’s and our country’s history. Denmark has a strong tradition for local production facilities which we wish to honour – especially since the synergies really work for us. We could not make porcelain jewellery with the same unique look and quality elsewhere,” the co-owner says.

By Julie Bauer Larsen Photos: Louise Kragh Jewelry For more information, please visit: www.louisekragh.dk

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A universe full of details and happiness What started out as some drawings in Sofie Børsting’s bedroom has within a few years turned into well-known designs, which are now sold in several countries.

ate a universe that is full of happiness and aesthetic qualities, often with a humoristic touch. Whenever I get an idea, I start drawing and creating right away rather than overthinking it,” says Sofie Børsting.

A detailed design

By Nicolai Lisberg | Photos: Sofie Børsting

Ever since she was a young girl Sofie Børsting has felt the passion for creating and designing. Over the last couple of years this has resulted in several projects, but right now she is focusing on the

botanical world in what she calls her own universe.

“I have often designed for others, but this time it is really my own thoughts and ideas that come to life. I have tried to cre-

This way of designing might be driven by a spontaneous process, but that does not mean her designs are rushed – on the contrary, her work is rather comprehensive.

“I want it to have the right feeling, so I spend a lot of time on the drawing process, often with many layers of paint and ink and collage techniques. The handdrawn details and colours are what make it special, and I want the people who buy my design to feel that it gives them a unique experience,” says Børsting, whose work is currently sold in Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Iceland, Holland and Australia.

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

Add some of Denmark’s most recognized architects to your home The small country of Denmark is home to some of the world’s most renowned architects. ARCHITECTMADE’s aim is to bring high-quality products from the thoughts and hands of these great men and women into the homes of everyone who appreciates timeless handcrafted design.

By Julie Bauer Larsen | Photos: ARCHITECTMADE “Famous architects such as Utzon, Kjærholm, Juhl, Vedel and Karpf put Denmark on the map back in the 1950s and 1960s. They are known for their simple and sophisticated aesthetics in buildings, as well as furniture and other design objects. At ARCHITECTMADE we have undertaken the task of bringing some of these iconic products back,” says Morten Jensen, owner of ARCHITECTMADE.

A very popular product for offices and living rooms around the world is the Bird by Kristian Vedel.

The company has put designer classics, such as Finn Juhl’s Circle Bowl from 1954 and Kristian Vedel’s family of Birds from 1959, back into production with a strong focus on craftsmanship.

Designer objects to cherish and keep forever ARCHITECTMADE wishes to honour the Danish architects in the production of their minimalis-

A recent reproduction is the wooden Mermaid by Hans Bølling. Created in 1954, the architect was inspired by the classic H. C. Andersen fairy tale of the Little Mermaid.

Specialists construct all products from ARCHITECTMADE and each item goes through meticulous quality control.

tic classics. This is done by setting very high standards – every single piece is handcrafted and goes through thorough quality control.

“The Danish architects created amazing products, and by ensuring high-quality craftsmanship in the production of their designs, we create products that you never tire of. We strongly oppose the use-and-discard culture of modern society, and by making classic pieces of superior quality, this becomes completely redundant,” says Morten Jensen.

For more information, please visit: www.architectmade.com The Circle Bowl by Finn Juhl – known and loved since 1954.

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Mads Hagedorn-Olsen and his long-time business partner Anders Morell Hagen turned insect collecting into a series of art prints.

Let in the bugs Beautiful butterflies and chunky black beetles are the unlikely models for the creative Danish photographer duo Hagedornhagen’s captivating art prints. With their unusual mix of aesthetic and graphic qualities, the prints, which come in a limited edition, decorate the walls of family homes as well as architectural offices.

By Signe Hansen | Photos: Hagedornhagen

motifs. They simply buzz with nostalgia and poetry. At the same time, the photographs express innovation and modernity because of their graphic simplicity and illustrative sharpness,” says the photographer. “The art prints look good in modern homes, where furniture classics are mixed with vibrant vintage artefacts, but they also look fine with a drawing pin in each corner, fixed on the wall in the children’s bedroom.”

Having collected and organised insects since he was just five years old, Mads Hagedorn-Olsen and his long-time business partner Anders Morell decided, in 2005, to turn the hobby into a series of art prints. “I’ve been collecting insects since I was a toddler, but it got really interesting when I was five, and my brother brought home a box of butterflies from South America,” explains Hagedorn-Olsen.

The prints, which depict a selected range of butterflies, beetles and bone collections, have become a favoured decoration

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with housewives and designers alike. “The art prints have a look that conjures up visions of old silk screen prints with nature

Hagedornhagen’s art prints are produced in limited editions of 2,000 copies.

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Beauty in details Among Hagedornhagen’s most popular prints, in particular in family homes, are a series of beautifully extended white butterflies. A less conventionally attractive motif is that of chunky, gleaming beetles photographed in such detail that every tiny beak and hair stands out. To achieve this level of detail, the insects are photographed with a high-end camera, which reproduces the colours and details of the motif most convincingly, and printing techniques and paper are chosen with meticulous care.

inspired by the “stillleben” of the Renaissance, depicts dramatic insects hovering on raven-black backgrounds behind clouds of vaporized water. The three versions are called wasps and water, beetles and water, and wings and water. The results are picturesque scenes where subject and background melt together in wallpaper-like patterns pulling the viewer in.

Among the newer art prints by Mads Hagedorn-Olsen and Anders Morell are a series from the ocean floor, picturing enchanting bottled coral pieces. Other special works, such as the Canvas series, have a darker edge. The series, which is

New works to arrive from Hagedornhagen this autumn include mugs and Christmas hearts with distinctive art prints, as well as well as special, limited edition coppered art prints.

Mads Hagedorn-Olsen and Anders Morell have 10 years of work experience in the field of advertising with their partnership Morganmorell, and have received a number of prestigious prizes and diplomas throughout the years.

With hundreds of bugs in his collection, Hagedorn-Olsen puts just as much work into finding the most photogenic ones and, of course, styling them for the photo. “The Scandinavian insects I have caught and collected myself, but most of the foreign ones I get in boxes from Canada and then organize and set them up. It is very hard to say what makes an insect suitable for an art print, but what I like about the photographs is that, no matter if it is a butterfly or beetle, they are incredibly beautiful and graphically detailed,” he explains.

Decoration with an edge

to try out new things,” stresses the photographer.

Each Hagedornhagen art print has been produced in a limited edition of 2,000 copies.

The art prints come in two sizes, 42 x 59cm and 70 x 100cm.

Each canvas motif has been reproduced in 550 prints. Every print is signed, numbered and delivered in an elegant black frame.

The canvases comes in a format of 120 x 120cm.

“When we decide which works to put out, we aim to create a combination of decorative motifs and more edgy photo compilations. Even though we know it might not sell as well as the more mainstream motifs, we like to present some of our darker and untraditional work, and we continue

Carl Jacobsens vej 16 opg. 20 - 4 sal.

DK-2500 Valby, Copenhagen

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

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Merging Eastern handicraft traditions and Nordic style Inspired by the traditional handicraft traditions of the East, Oi Soi Oi creates a collection of inspirational, functional and decorative designs. Based on an inherent respect for the local people and their skills, the designs are produced in small Vietnamese workshops.

By Signe Hansen | Photos: Oi Soi Oi It only took a few hours from when Britt Goodall and Christina Thorbøll first met in Hanoi, Vietnam, till they had agreed to create Oi Soi Oi, which in Vietnamese means ‘goodness gracious me’.

“Basically, our idea was to create a decent and respectable business where we

could ensure that the people who produced our products were paid decently, had a sound workplace and were properly trained – and, of course, created some beautiful designs,” explains Thorbøll, who with years of experience in strategy and marketing runs Oi Soi Oi’s sales from the

head office in Denmark.

In 2006, Oi Soi Oi started the production of their collection, which today comprises a colourful range of traditionally lacquered boxes, handmade ceramics, sustainable bamboo products, silk garments and much more.

Goodall, who has spent the last 12 years in Vietnam, is behind the distinctive Oi Soi Oi style combining Scandinavian and Eastern elements. Goodall is also in charge of the production and quality control in Vietnam. “The cornerstone of the Oi Soi Oi concept is respect for the people we work with: our customers, our suppliers in their workshops and the many people who contribute to making Oi Soi Oi a success,” stresses Thorbøll.

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

Oi Soi Oi’s versatile designs are inspired by the handicraft traditions of the East as well as a Nordic approach to design.

Designs that love growing old Natural materials and simple, functional and timeless design characterise the works of By Wirth, a small design brand created by Signe Wirth Engelund.

By Signe Hansen | Photos: Erik Zappon

After several years in the fashion industry, Signe Wirth Engelund longed to create something more durable than clothes.

Two years ago, she set up By Wirth.

“My dream was to be able to work thoroughly with my things and create something that would last for a long, long time.

I deplore the buy-and-throw-away mentality; I make things that you can make your own as you give them a history; the natural materials that I work with will only become more beautiful with the marks of time,” stresses the design manager.

Engelund works passionately with design and product development within the fields of interior decoration, lifestyle and fashion. Among her characteristic designs are a decorative candleholder made of butt leather, which will acquire a beau-

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tiful patina over time. Another is an ultrasimplified magazine holder, which is produced in a sheltered workshop in her local area.

“As you can see in the design for my magazine holder, I like to cut to the bone.

It’s the design process and the love for natural materials that are the cornerstones in my work.”

By Wirth’s clean Scandinavian designs have already caught the attention of European agents and are currently sold in France and Monaco, as well as in Denmark and online.

By Wirth’s candleholder in butt leather can be used for both candles and flowers and will gain beautiful patina with time.

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

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pany expanded continuously with a range of outerwear, T-shirts, dresses, skirts, bodysuits, sweatshirts and knitwear for ladies, men, babies, and kids. The kids collections, in particular, have gained a broad fan base all over the world, from Australia to Germany.

Scandinavian design philosophy in a nutshell Danefæ’s colourful collections offer a clear illustration of the Danish design philosophy; the clothing is practical, of high quality and smart with a humorous twist that makes it easily recognisable.

“I think that what has made our collections so popular is the combination of a funny and original design with high-quality garments and practicality. It’s usable clothing with room for play and made to withstand all the challenges of a kid’s life,” explains Louise Hækkerup, adding: “At the same time, the prints really appeal to the kids – boys are completely crazy about the smiling Viking: that’s the one we always hear them asking for in the shops.”

Today Danefæ is traded in around 15 countries, and the 125,000 DKKR (£12,500), which the four partners invested in the firm in 2006, have turned into an annual turnover of approximately 35 million DKKR (£3,500,000).

Danefæ’s autumn collection will be available online and in stores in August. With it comes a much anticipated girl version of the smiling Viking – because, as the women behind Danefæ have proven, in Denmark the female Vikings also want to be in front.

By Signe Hansen | Photos: Danefæ

The smiling Viking decorating the front of Danefæ’s most popular T-shirts for kids leaves no doubt about the brand’s Scandinavian identity. It is, however, not just through the many colourful prints on Danefæ’s children’s clothes that the Scandinavian roots are visible, but also in the inherent pragmatic approach to the Scandinavian weather.

ternative. The raincoats were a huge success, and in the following years the com-

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

Danefæ had its first big success with a small collection of brightly printed ladies’ raincoats in 2006. The idea for the raincoat arose through the two lawyer sisters’ – Nina Warberg Sejersen and Louise Warberg Hækkerup – annoyance at arriving at the office in unflattering raincoats when cycling to work. Together with their good friend, designer Christine Delvoye-Andersen, and her husband Eric Delvoye, they decided to create a more presentable al-

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Louise Roe’s collection comprises a wide range of cushions, blankets and kitchen towels, as well as a selection of decorative and functional vases, glasses and candle holders.

Scandinavia’s most edgy cushions Inspired by the graphic lines of the city, the rapidly growing high-quality Danish design brand Louise Roe creates interior design that combines style and functionality.

By Signe Hansen | Photos: Louise Roe

As a qualified fashion designer with her own fashion collection and many years of experience within interior design, fashion and interiors have become one for Louise Roe. In 2010, she founded the firm Louise Roe. “I want people to look at my products and notice the nice quality. Every time I create a product I take a close look at the stitching and the fabric – that probably stems from my training as a fashion designer. A lot of businesses do interior design accessories without even having a designer employed; they just ship home big containers from China,” says the designer. “I

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found that these products often lacked personality, and I felt that the market was lacking in products that originated from a more personal and exclusive universe. ”Louise Roe’s collection comprises a wide range of cushions, blankets and kitchen towels, as well as a selection of decorative and functional vases, glasses and candle holders, the majority of which are produced in Europe.

Scratching the polish While Louise Roe is today traded in numerous countries all over the world, the

designer does not aim for the mainstream market. On the contrary, she prefers to

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Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Danish Interior Design

maintain a design that, while versatile, has its own distinctive signature and edge.

“Although a lot of my designs are very simple, I also like to scratch the polish a little bit once in a while and create something more individual or something with an inherent symbolism.”

An example of this is Roe’s distinctive series of cushions with ladder inspired prints. The steps symbolise the drive to move and look upwards with a positive mindset, a philosophy the designer practises herself. “Of course you have to have the belief that you can succeed when you start out. If you have too many doubts and consider everything for too long, you will most surely never get started; you have to be a bit naive. Still, I have to pinch my arm now and then to make sure I am awake and remind myself how lucky I was and how well everything actually went.”

Lasting value While Roe releases two collections a year (partly to be able to align the designs and

colours with the changing Scandinavian seasons), she does not design her products for short term use. “My ambition and principles are based on the desire to create a range of home accessories of a quality that means they are not just bought, used and thrown away. There is a lot of industrial design on the market which does not cost a lot, but it does not have any real worth either – I want my products to have an inherent design value and a longevity that allows them to gain their own history.”

Inspired by the patterns of modern architecture and the trends, cuts and colours of the fashion world, the many striking prints, simple lines and strong colours of Roe’s designs are a perfect match for the sleek, modern decor favoured by Scandinavian design fans all over the world. “The home I have in mind when I create my designs is a Scandinavian style home, light and uncluttered. I think the designs look great with Danish furniture, but I also really enjoy seeing them used in homes with

more traditional elements. A lot of my designs, like the plain knitted cushions, are very versatile,” explains Roe. The mother of four also admits that, even though she favours the uncluttered clean lines of Scandinavian style, she realised that a compromise often has to be struck between that and the demands of real life.

“I would like to live really simply without a lot of things and with clean, unbroken lines in my home. But with three football boys and a girl, plus a dog, in not a very big house, that just is not possible. Their things show up everywhere and, of course, that’s the way it should be; a home should be a home not a museum, but I still try to strike a balance with a few stylish pieces and not too much junk.”

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

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watching the illustrations and that makes me happy as well,” says Doherty.

By Nicolai Lisberg Photos: Going Danish

Often when Mariann Doherty, the owner of Going Danish, starts to make an illustration, she does not know what it will turn out to be, but one thing is sure: she wants her art to convey a feeling amongst her customers – a feeling of joy.

The Sun

the keywords have been joy and humour.

“The characteristics of ‘Going Danish’ design are the positive energy the illustrations fill you with. I often meet customers who tell me that they become happy by

In need of a balloon

If you are tired of staring at depressing and melancholic art, you should take a closer look at the illustrations from Going Danish. Ever since Mariann Doherty started creating her own design in 2010,

Cushioning for feet made by hand The name reveals it all: at Rug Solid it is about rugs and nothing else. Handmade from recycled bits of fabric and leather from the fashion industry, every single rug is unique.

By Signe Hansen | Photos: Rug Solid

Founded in 2003, it all started with just one rug. As the years went by the company’s range of rugs grew and so did their knowledge and insight into the rug-making craft. In 2012, the company decided to focus solely on rugs and changed its name to Rug Solid.

“We believe that focusing on one thing creates the best conditions for manufacturing a solid product saturated by quality and soul,” ex-

plains the company’s director Tina Steneman.

Rug Solid’s huge collection of colourful rugs is produced by an extensive network of small manufacturers and the rugs are, thanks to the handmade process and the changes in the recycled materials, never alike. “Of course, it would be cheaper to produce the rugs in the traditional manner, then we wouldn’t have to sort, select, prepare, colour coordinate and cut

Going Danish wants to go big At this point she is selling her illustrations in four countries, but she wants to expand the market in the coming years, and she hopes to do so by continuing creating illustrations with an added pinch of humour.

“If you want to succeed in this business, I believe it is important to create something that is truly your own. My inspiration comes from various things. It can be the shape of a cloud, an old poem or something my kids do, but I always make sure to add the Going Danish angle to it,” says Doherty about her illustrations that are always printed on French high-quality paper.

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

the ten thousands of bits and pieces. But we love the idea of recycling, and as an extra bonus you get a rug that is guaranteed to be unique,” says Steneman.

If you are lucky (and patient), this means you might be able to spot a piece of one of this year’s catwalk designs in the tens of thousands of tightly hand-woven strings that compose a Rug Solid rug.

For more information, please visit: rugsolid.dk

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Mariann Doherty

Things are going well for Going Danish

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FIN

NI

SH FA SP SH EC ION IA , D L TH ES IGN EME &A : RC

HIT EC TU RE

The Opera House in Helsinki, designed by Hyvämäki-Karhunen-Parkkinen architects (1977). Photo: VisitFinland.com

Architecture in Finland

By Jorma Mukala, Editor-in-Chief, ARK The Finnish Architectural Review

Some five million people have chosen the densely forested "northern rim” of Europe and brisk climate of Finland as their home. Trees dominate the landscape here and, while there are no mountains to speak of, the country abounds with lakes.

Cities in Finland are rather small, scattered randomly around the woodland countryside. The vast open territory of Lapland comprises the entire northern section of our elongated country, while our shores are a polymorphic gathering of ornamental islands and archipelagos. Along with its suburbs, the capital city of Helsinki on the southern coast forms the only urban area in Finland with over a million inhabitants.

Modern architecture has found a strong foothold in our cold environs. Still in its in-

fancy, modernism came to Finland in the late 1920s and was immediately enthusiastically embraced. Practicality, functionality, application of contemporary technology and the pursuit of equality have remained important values in the Finnish architecture community throughout the decades. This continuation of the modernist ethos may well be regarded as one of the hallmarks of contemporary Finnish architecture.

There are no Finnish names among the famous list of hip “starchitects”, and despite having received a lot of attention from the press, “wow-factor” architecture with its dramatic and surprising shapes has not caught on. In its stead, however, efforts to mitigate climate change are quickly changing the ways Finns construct

their built environment. This new emphasis on sustainable development has also re-introduced wood to contemporary architecture in a fresh new way. Half a century ago, wood was largely confined to traditional “old-fashioned” construction, but as a renewable natural material, wood is definitely making a comeback. Architects are finding innovative ways to use this ecological material that the country’s many forests supply in abundance.

For more information, please visit: www.ark.fi www.safa.fi

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Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Finnish Fashion, Design & Architecture

Left: The Design Forum Shop (Photo: Liisa Valonen). Right: Design by Katri/n (Photo: Ville Paul Paasimaa). Below: Samuji (Press photo).

The Runway to Success Did you know that the Finnish Society of Crafts and Design was founded as early as 1875? It is the second oldest in the world of its kind – only the Swedes have an older organization. Finland wasn't even independent at that time… Today, the society maintains Design Forum Finland, the promotional organization for Finnish design.

metropolises. The runways are waiting for Finnish fashion.

Design Forum Shop, Erottajankatu 7, Helsinki, www.designforumshop.fi

By Anne Veinola, Communications Manager, Editor-in-Chief, Design Forum Finland

Design Forum Finland is an office that has a versatile field of activities, from design competitions, media services, publications and design promotion projects to a design shop and showroom. The number one focus is to enhance the use of design in small and middle-sized enterprises.

Design Forum Shop in the heart of Design District Helsinki is a good place to see this work in real life. Here, budding designers and manufacturers have a place to learn the tricks of the trade and see if their ideas are selling or not. You'll also find those that have already made it. The shop boasts the world's largest selection of Finnish contemporary design.

One of the specialities in the shop is fash-

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ion. The beginnings of the Finnish fashion industry have not been easy, after the running down of the clothing industry in the 1980s. Just now Finnish fashion labels are extremely interesting to follow: small but edgy, often ecologically minded, individual. The classics like Marimekko and Vuokko have been followed by names such as Samuji, Heikki Salonen, Paola Suhonen, Julia Lundsten, I Know Why No, Lumi, 2OR+byYat, Costo, Katri/n, R/H… the list is delightfully long.

There is more to be expected. Pre Helsinki is a new platform for Finnish fashion that was launched this May and will continue with its group of selected designers to the fashion weeks in Paris and New York.

Some labels have already been seen with their own showings in the world's fashion

For more information, please visit: www.designforum.fi

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Spaces you need to experience Behind the newly established design agency Kokema Design lies plenty of experience and know-how within architecture, interior design and project management. Founded in Helsinki in early 2013, the agency is on a mission to create spaces that offer positive, even surprising, experiences – in short: spaces that you need to experience.

clients. While both apartments are set in Helsinki, one is located in an art nouveau building in the city centre and the other in a new-build property on Lauttasaari Island.

By Nia Kajastie | Photos: Kokema Design

Founder, architect and interior designer Sabina Dontcheff decided to develop Kokema Design on the premise that design is very much a form of customer service, where the aim is to create spaces according to each client’s specific wishes and needs, and the boundary conditions set by the project. Seamless communication is key, as is mutual trust between the two parties, as Kokema wants to offer added value to its clients, whether this means through a new way of working, a stronger brand identity, increased job satisfaction, added sales, or even a new remarkable home.

Three months into Kokema’s operation, Dontcheff was joined by interior designer and former colleague Hanna Pyrhönen, who had previously worked with her on numerous projects, ranging from com-

pany headquarters to hotels, restaurants and projects in Finland and abroad. The agency’s name, Kokema, also hints at the experience the twosome has gained over the years, as well as emphasising the spaces they create as unique experiences.

“We want to produce high-quality design that stands out – innovative, modern yet still simple and functional. We don’t copy ideas or slavishly follow trends, and the client’s needs and wishes are always in focus. Naturally each project is distinctive, and we start from scratch every time,” explains Dontcheff. Accordingly, Kokema’s spatial and interior design always tells a unique story.

Two of Kokema’s recently completed private home projects showcase the agency’s dedication to the unique needs of their

The older apartment includes high ceilings and large windows, offering plenty of light. Based on these factors and the client’s personal preferences, the designed interiors consist of a classic combination of white, black and oak elements, with a strong visual effect created through ingenious lighting and large letters adorning the walls.

The owners of the modern apartment, on the other hand, are great admirers of a high-quality European design language, and thus the end result is understated with lighting used to enhance its best features. Ultimately, the interior design is there to accentuate the spectacular views of the sea and surrounding nature.

For more information, please visit: www.kokemadesign.fi

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Paulig roastery and headquarters. The exterior architecture reflects the different functions of the complex. Photo: Matti Kallio

Creating a responsible urban environment Focusing on the successful combination of architecture, urbanism, ecological design and construction, Tommila Architects Ltd. provides full architectural planning and urban and interior design services for both the public and private sectors. One of the leading architectural practices in Finland, the company combines traditional architectural design with urban design.

By Inna Allen | Photos: Tommila Architects Ltd

Founded in 1984 by architect and managing director Mauri Tommila, the company’s design philosophy is to produce architectural designs that meet the changing needs of modern society. “In order to ensure architectural quality and best value in every project, we take into account functional, economic, ecologic and aesthetic factors, and work until we’ve decided upon an overall design that fulfils the clients’ requirements and favourably reflects its time,” Tommila explains. With offices on the leafy Kuusisaari

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island in western Helsinki, Tommila Architects consists of 20 professionals. The practice has won numerous awards in national and international design competitions, which have in turn resulted in several commissions. Covering a wide range of projects, Tommila Architects have worked on public and private housing, libraries and concert facilities, offices, retail buildings and multi-purpose commercial complexes. Each commission is assigned a project manager who oversees the project from inception to completion,

in a close-knit collaboration with the managing director – an approach that has been successfully tested in many projects. Well-known projects include the Paulig coffee roastery, the Iso Omena shopping centre and the Arabia Gallery refurbishment. In Paulig’s coffee roastery project, production facilities and offices were built at the recently opened Vuosaari harbour. A distinct concept, the coffee company’s headquarters and production facilities are housed in the same building.

Emphasis on design and functionality Urban environments, workplaces and retail spaces of the world today comprise a significant part of the everyday surroundings we live in, and subsequently have a profound effect on the well-being of both the individual and society as a whole.

Tommila Architects believe that a well-

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thought combination of design and functionality reflects directly upon the quality of everyday life and the capacity of our society to maintain comfort, ecological awareness, competitiveness and attractiveness. Their efforts in this respect have led to a body of work ranging from developmental urban design projects to cutting-edge offices and ecological retail facilities. “Approximately two thirds of man’s impact on nature is directly or indirectly related to the construction industry,” Tommila says. “Thus the most important challenge of the modern construction business is to develop solutions that will lead to a better balance between man and nature.” Tommila Architects don’t see environmental issues in town planning and construction as a burden but as an opportunity.

Ecological and digital solutions Tommila Architects place a particular emphasis on environmentally sustainable design and construction. Addressing issues of natural lighting, ventilation and energy conservation, the architectural practice is involved in a number of projects in which the ultimate goal is to produce rational, flexible, efficient and comfortable ecological buildings. Maximizing daylight and employing natural ventilation and climate control are essential methods for reducing energy use and maintaining a healthy,

Gongqing DigiEcoCity - Image by Tommila Architects Ltd.

comfortable and productive indoor environment. “Key design factors in terms of ecological and financial efficiency involve functionality, flexibility and efficiency in spatial design, while material and structural selections are based on durability and ease of maintenance,” Tommila continues.

In addition to his own architectural practice, Tommila is also the president of DigiEcoCity Ltd. – a Finnish company that brings together Scandinavian expertise in city planning, construction, environmental issues and mobile technology, based on ecological principles and new innovation in digital technology. Providing architec-

tural services in these multinational collaborations, Tommila Architects offer valuable Nordic experience in the environmental field which is in high demand at the moment. “There is strong interest in these kinds of urban development project to create a better world, especially in China, Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Russia and new EU member countries. Nordic expertise is now increasingly implemented in planning and construction strategies,” Tommila says.

For more information, please visit: www.arktom.fi

Left: The lobby of Paulig roastery and headquarters (Photo: Jussi Tiainen). Middle: Iso Omena Shopping Centre. Along with the shopping centre, the project included two attached office blocks, three units of flats and a multi-level car park (Photo: Voitto Niemela). Right: Martela headquarters. The building also serves as an exhibition space for furniture, which gives the interior an open character (Photo: Voitto Niemela).

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The renewal of Attido’s brand identity has been awarded with the Red Dot Award and the Rebrand 100 Award.

vaara says. When projects so require, Bond also utilizes its extensive network of freelance designers to provide clients with the best possible skill set. “We design, visualise and define brands in a way that help companies differentiate themselves from the competition. This can mean creating brand identities, branded environments, packaging, experiential web services or advertising.”

A special bond between design and quality Covering graphic, retail, package and digital design, Bond is a Finnish creative agency focused on branding. For Bond, quality comes first – everything else is secondary.

By Inna Allen | Photos: Paavo Lehtonen

Founded in 2009 by four designers, Arttu Salovaara, Jesper Bange, Aleksi Hautamäki and Marko Salonen, Bond was born from its creators’ mutual desire to establish a creative practice that centres on quality design. “In our opinion it is worth investing in quality,” says managing director Arttu Salovaara. “Our motto is: We believe in quality because it is the only thing that stands the test of time.”

With offices in the cultural Kruununhaka district of Helsinki, Bond now consists of 16 creative professionals from different backgrounds. With graphic designers, interior and spatial designers, an artisan and an industrial designer on board, the company’s range of expertise is diverse.

“In our projects we utilize the know-how of each of our professionals in order to create comprehensive concepts,” Salo-

“We describe our mindset as ‘a craftsman’s attitude’,” Salovaara explains.

“Craftsmanship means persistence – being true to your own work. It also means we sometimes put our laptops down, grab a brush and create a brand illustration for example by good old-fashioned painting.”

Bond’s operating method is designer-led – the designer is always primarily responsible for the project and the one clients can be in contact with. “We believe it’s important that there is direct connection between the client and the designer.”

Bond works on a wide range of project categories, for both large and small companies. Their diverse client list includes the University of the Arts Helsinki, for which Bond created its entire identity, as well as Moomin Characters Ltd., Caverion and Puustelli Miinus. In the autumn, Bond will open a sister office in Abu Dhabi. Operating through local partners, the office will bring much appreciated fresh Nordic design to the United Arab Emirates.

For more information, please visit: www.bond.fi

Left: Interior design for a cafe at the historic Jugend Hall, Helsinki.

Middle: Store concept for bathroom company Laattapiste.

Right: Visual identity for University of the Arts Helsinki

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Great inventions, great realisations Imagine that you could see beautiful Lapland and its northern lights and the midnight sun on your own smartphone. Because of Great Apes, you can. Innovative ten-mangroup Great Apes proves that Finnish know-how of digital technologies is much more than just IT engineering.

northern lights and the midnight sun, and has also been part of a big advertising campaign at Helsinki-Vantaa International Airport.

By Karoliina Kantola | Photos: Great Apes

And those who keep moving on the ground may have heard of the smartphone application Sports Tracker. The GPS-based workout tracker running on Windows, Android and iOS has won numerous awards, including the prestigious red dot design award. “Finland has a strong and qualified reputation when it comes to ‘traditional’ design and mobile games. We want to show that Finns also know how to produce great applications and digital experiences,” Sipilä explains.

Helsinki-based digital design and development agency Great Apes was created five years ago by three professionals and has grown to a group of ten design and programming talents, being now one of the leading Finnish digital innovators.

Since the early days, Great Apes has both kept its key market and broadened with new know-how. The first clients of the agency were advertising agencies, and digital marketing campaigns still form some 40 per cent of their work assignments. “We want to keep working with the advertising industry because it is an area of new ideas and experimentation done in rapid cycles,” says Niko Sipilä, one of the partners.

Moreover, the other key market of providing digital service design, development

and consulting is all about new ideas and experiments. Platform-independent service design can refer to mobile platforms such as iOS, Android and Windows, as well as digital experiences for the Internet, for example. The result is what the client needs: anything between a lottery application for smartphones to a multitouch digital instrument built around 50 actual electric cars. “The combination of dividing work between these two key markets is our advantage,” says Sipilä modestly, while looking at their diplomas won from both national and international awards.

One of the most internationally known pieces of work is Laplication, an application that shows the most exciting sights of Lapland on iOS devices. The application is for seeing and taking pictures of the

Great Apes sees good design as a stylish appearance as well as a pleasant user experience, and adding professional development to it.

For more information, please visit: www.greatapes.fi

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“We choose the right people for the project’s needs. We have several cooperation partners and spend a lot of time on background research and the target group, understanding the brand and how to prevent brand damage,” Maaike Beenen explains.

Pink Moose has clients in Europe and Asia, as well as in Canada and the US. To the UK audience she says: “I would encourage British companies to work with Pink Moose design. Having worked for or with international companies, we have the skills and know-how. Communication and customer service is key for us, and we value these as the key to success.”

Maaike Beenen, founder, Pink Moose

Pink Moose ensures your brand success Creating a new graphic image for your company or a more engaging webpage, can potentially be a daunting process. In a fast-paced environment where the expectations of users have increased, the PINK MOOSE design team focuses on user experience design and gamification to ensure that your brand will succeed.

A new service Pink Moose design now offers is gamification to design. It is a new concept and brings many possibilities to improving a company website or marketing material. Gamification makes things more fun, engaging and makes people want to spend more time with a brand.

“The idea is not only to have design but to add emotion to a brand by creating positive user experiences for a company’s customers. Gamification offers a lot of different possibilities, and together with a customer and target group research we can tailor the right elements for you,” says Maaike Beenen.

By Emelie Krugly Hill | Photos: Pink Moose

Pink Moose design offers comprehensive services to ensure that all of your design needs can be realised. This Finland-based company has been focusing on visual design and user experience design since 2008. Dutch founder Maaike Beenen moved to Finland in 2001 and is based in Oulu, northern Finland.

combination as Pink Moose is a modern professional company, but also has space for some humour.”

“I started in 2003 as a freelancer and changed to company form in 2008. Many people ask me how the company name was made up. I’m working up north, which is represented by the moose. My daughter was born around the same time, so pink colours were everywhere at that time and was added to the logo. It seemed a good

The Pink Moose team consists of freelance UI designers, graphic designers, researchers and brand experts. Whether you are looking to improve your website, mobile apps or refreshing marketing material, such as logos and brochures, Maaike and her colleagues are fully equipped to meet your needs.

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Maaike, who has a background in communication and graphic design, loves clean, stylish Scandinavian design, and uses colour to make things more clear.

For more information, please visit: www.pinkmoose.fi

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Top left: Minna Parikka. Below: Hackman. Right: Smakbyn.

Working with ambitious brands Helsinki-based Agency Leroy is the brainchild of three graphic designers, Christa Björkstam, Janne Hänninen and Linus Vuorio, who took the plunge together in 2011 by forming their own creative agency. Today, Leroy’s 12-strong team of creatives with experience from all different spheres of the industry, including product, interior, digital and, obviously, graphic design, continues to unleash their creative force on a wide range of projects, crafting strong visual identities and communication for ambitious brands.

By Nia Kajastie | Photos: Agency Leroy

One such passionate client is shoe designer Minna Parikka, for whom Leroy has been working since the launch of her first collection. Together with the creative team behind the brand, the agency has created everything from packaging to campaign photo shoots, as well as producing illustrations for a series of silk scarves. Like many of its other projects, this cooperation neatly showcases Leroy’s adaptability, as well as its client-focused approach.

“Once you’ve really embraced the client’s wishes, the design will not seem forced,” says Hänninen. “But at the core of it all, as we’ve analysed it, the client’s passionate attitude towards their own brand mixed

with our excitement for creative solutions makes an exceptional symbiosis and some great results. Thus we want to work with ambitious brands.”

Another long and fruitful partnership has been Agency Leroy’s collaboration with chef Michael Björklund, founder of the Åland-based culinary centre Smakbyn.

“Building the Smakbyn brand has been a great challenge as the concept includes everything from a 170-seat restaurant to the Smakbyn Times publication, and locally produced spirits and other various produce,” explains Hänninen. This hard work was also awarded with the silver award at Vuoden Huiput (celebrating the

“best of the year” in Finnish advertising and design).

While co-creation is clearly important for the agency, they have also created a framework through which they can produce things themselves – or very close by. Accordingly, Agency Leroy has its own photography studio, as well as a wood workshop for building the prototypes and set designs needed for their projects.

The agency’s core competency lies in crafting strong brands and meeting its clients’ needs through creative, designbased solutions. By developing a solid platform for the cookware and cutlery brand Hackman through strong imagery and clean design, the agency showcased how a coherent aesthetic can add a lot more oomph even to a well-known brand.

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

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Rich Nordic design through strong contrasts

By Nia Kajastie | Photo: Siloa&Mook

Fresh and forward-thinking Finnish design house Siloa&Mook is on a mission to blur the boundaries between different design areas. Perceiving clothing, accessories and furnishings as part of a larger entity, the brand emphasizes design above other features. In Siloa&Mook’s design language, rough and edgy meet smooth and soft, with rich prints added on top, creating a more nuanced aesthetic that differs from the characteristic Nordic minimalism.

Kick-started in spring 2012 by CEO Otso Lindfors, Siloa&Mook is a relative newcomer on the Finnish design field, which has set out to make a splash and create a recognisable look that is very “Siloa&Mook” yet classic and timeless in many ways.

Designing high-quality women’s and men’s clothing, accessories and furniture, the brand is taking a holistic approach to design, emphasising fluidity between the different forms.

“We believe our comprehensive approach is one of the things that sets us apart.

We’re not tied down to designing solely clothes or furniture,” explains Lindfors.

“It’s all to do with a dialogue between garments and furnishings; we don’t need to make a distinction between them. A customer could easily then discover a garment through a piece of furniture, or vice versa.” This becomes evident as you detect the same prints transferred effortlessly from clothing to furniture.

Siloa&Mook’s first fashion collection, AW13, which was showcased earlier this year, is an appetizing taster of what’s to come.

Combining the eye-catching prints of this year’s Hyères winner Satu Maaranen with the vision of Siloa&Mook’s head designer Laura Juslin, a Who's Next 2013 awardee,

the pieces mix silk, wool and leather to form clear, sculptural silhouettes and surprising details in a beautiful way.

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

Making a big difference with small changes Helsinki-based interior design agency From: was established three years ago by interior architects Marika Tesolin, Elina Aalto and Maria Kinnunen to design spaces with character which people can call their own and be proud to live and work in.

From: provides design solutions for commercial, public and private spaces. The name reflects their vision; taking a space and turning it from something ordinary into something extraordinary, whether it is transforming an office space into a home away from home or making a fashion store into a gallery space.

“We take pride in reflecting the personality of our clients and their companies in our designs,” says Tesonen. “There are plenty of designs out there that are great, but they don’t always tell the story of the people using them.”

Telling the story of the people who will use the spaces and creating something

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unique to fit their personalities are at the core of From:'s design philosophy. One example is the Media Factory at the Aalto University where a generic office space has been turned into a warm and colourful hub for creativity, with mismatched old Finnish design pieces to create a contrast to the immaterial and digital work being done there.

Another focus in the design process is sustainability – to re-use existing resources when possible and use materials that stand the test of time. “We believe in using material sensibly and making a big impact with minimal waste,” Tesonen says. “By making small changes you can make a big difference.”

By Malin Wiander | Photos: From:

For more information, please visit: www.from.fi

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Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Finnish Fashion, Design & Architecture

Think further, faster and fearlessly “We’re this fast little motorboat in the midst of tankers,” is how CEO Petri Pirkola describes the small yet ambitious creative agency WTF Helsinki (We Think Further Helsinki), which he runs with partner and wife Pauliina Pirkola, née Savolainen. In addition to the usual advertising agency fare, WTF Helsinki applies its creativity and design thinking to everything from concept planning to digital media.

By Nia Kajastie | Photos: WTF Helsinki

In 2010, when Pauliina joined the office, the brand WTF Helsinki was born, widening the agency’s range from traditional graphic design to a more holistic perspective. Petri, who comes from an advertising background, and Pauliina, who has worked in consulting, including an eight-year stint in Hong Kong, combined their expertise to form a full-service creative agency that is able to take a project from the initial idea stage to execution and take care of long-term development – all under one roof.

“It’s quite telling of our way of thinking that we have hired our employees from outside of the industry or straight from university. We don’t want somebody who’s too set in their ways; when it comes to de-

sign, we like a young, fresh and creative way of thinking, which we want to nurture,” says Petri.

Design thinking is a creative approach that plays an important part in WTF Helsinki’s work. It stands for a process of thinking that helps smooth out edges and makes things work better through new, open-minded solutions. It is also evident in the way WTF Helsinki operates, as its partners and designers work directly with the clients, which helps keep the office small and effective; it currently consists of six employees and the same number of freelancers.

“We compete for the same contracts as 100-strong offices, and sometimes we win

and sometimes we don’t. It just shows that size doesn’t matter,” says Petri. “And it adds flexibility, which is a big plus,” adds Pauliina.

Inspired by Helsinki’s term as the World Design Capital in 2012 as well as a wealth of Finnish design know-how in different sectors, Pauliina, with help from Finn Niche editor Markku Vartiainen and other contributors, set in motion the book project Welcome to Finnish Design Thinking.

Introducing 50 of Finland’s very best companies, the book offers insight into the innovative ways Finnish businesses utilise design.

Pauliina and WTF Helsinki are now working on a similar project for South Africa and Cape Town, which was chosen as the Design Capital 2014.

For more information, please visit: www.wtfhelsinki.fi

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Rune & Berg Design on Runeberginkatu in Helsinki. Photo: Jukka Kaitala / Studio Skaala

Seamless visual identities The founding trio behind the Helsinki-based design agency Rune & Berg Design is bursting with original ideas and eager to share these with clients looking for unique, high-quality design and solutions that bring joy to the user. Jenni Herkama, Hanna Herkama and Sara Tuohikumpu create visual identities that flow seamlessly from graphic to spatial design and tell a story that supports their clients’ objectives.

By Nia Kajastie

Rune & Berg Design was established in the summer of 2011 by the Herkama sis-

ters, interior architect Jenni and graphic designer Hanna, as well as Jenni’s former

colleague Sara Tuohikumpu, interior architect and managing director of the company. Forming their own design agency was quite a natural step for the three creative thinkers, who wanted to offer clients a comprehensive service creating corporate identities. Since then, interior architect Sari Seppälä and account manager Raija Mattila have joined the team, adding their skills to an experienced and enthu-

Bilot – a city of experiences includes, among other things, a cafe, hairdresser and florist’s. Graphic designer Hanna Herkama has created the florist’s pattern, which has been printed on the carpet and wallpaper. Photos: Okko Oinonen

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Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Finnish Fashion, Design & Architecture

siastic line-up of creatives who are keen to see their clients flourish.

whole visual identity is tied together through strong patterns.

“We at Rune & Berg Design feel like we’ve succeeded when we see our clients prosper,” asserts the slogan on their front page, and this success is the result of an effective combination of spatial and graphic design.

Mika Tanner, the president and CEO of Bilot, praises the concept: “Rune & Berg’s proposed BilotCity theme won us over, and the implemented ideas are suitably bold. The theme has become a natural part of our marketing, and even our customers talk about BilotCity. The design project was interesting as the size of the open-plan office was doubled yet the new premises had to connect seamlessly with the older ones. This was achieved and the

“We think they are interlinked and go hand in hand,” explains Jenni Herkama. “It’s easier to create a cohesive story and effective visual identity when everything from the design of the website and business cards to, for example, the shop space, signs and bags are created by the same people.”

Below: In UpCloud.com’s office the emphasis lies on comfort. The comfortable spaces promote work well-being and function as a recruitment asset.

Photos: Robert Lindström

result is a success as a whole.”

Examples of other clients of RBD include FremantleMedia Finland, the European Commission Representation in Helsinki, UpCloud.com and Boehringer Ingelheim Finland, among many others.

In addition to its cutting-edge office space and graphic identity projects, the team at Rune & Berg has recently also developed comprehensive shop concepts, as well as fresh and atmospheric restaurant and café designs.

For more information, please visit: www.rbdesign.fi

While the Rune & Berg designers are driven by the desire to create stunning, fresh and functional design, their project management model ensures that work is finished on schedule and stays within the prearranged budget. “High quality does not have to equal high cost,” Jenni stresses. “And great ideas and tight schedules are not mutually exclusive.”

Interior and graphic design in perfect harmony Rune & Berg’s core skills lie in designing comprehensive corporate identities. While traditionally spatial and graphic designers have worked through separate channels, the designers at Rune & Berg cannot imagine separating the two design fields.

“We create strong visual identities that can be used in advertising, communication and within spaces. Instead of separating graphic and spatial concepts, we’re stepping on new ground and building the entire visual identity as a whole,” confirm the designers.

Rune & Berg Design’s interior design concept for Bilot, a leading Finnish IT company, recently elected as SAP’s Innovation Partner of the Year in Finland, does just that. For the company, they have created an inspiring office space built around the theme “Bilot – a city of experiences”.

The new office concept includes rooms named after different places within a city, from the library to the florist’s, while the

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Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Finnish Fashion, Design & Architecture

Left and middle: Microsoft Finland’s headquarters in Espoo. Right: Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation, Tekes.

Creating and activating spaces Design studio Kohina is not your typical architecture office. Even its name, which could be translated as a certain kind of rush or hubbub, implies that it wants to capture the essence of our busy, modern lifestyle and what people need right here, right now. The studio creates, shapes and activates physical spaces, aiming to make a positive and valuable impact through design.

By Nia Kajastie | Photos: Kohina

Established in Helsinki in 2007 by architect/interior architect Susanna Kallio, Kohina is a multi-disciplinary office that offers services within principal, architectural and interior design, as well as workplace consultation and project management. Kohina has specialised in making innovative work environments that are functional and efficient, in addition to being eye-catching and comfortable, while also excelling at creating original concepts for leisure projects and commercial spaces. When required, the office can also offer turnkey deliveries straight to the client.

Kohina’s portfolio includes plenty of highprofile clients, both domestic and international. One of their most prominent

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projects is the design and office concept they created for Microsoft Finland’s headquarters in Espoo. Completed in 2010, this case has been presented all over the world, including at the WORKTECH 12 conference at the British Library in London last autumn.

“It is a ground-breaking project within Finland,” explains Kallio. “It’s one of the first in Finland to take the mobile working concept to such an extreme. We followed the brief of creating the best work environment possible for Microsoft, who were ready to move to a fully mobile model, where nobody has an assigned work desk, not even the CEO.” An employee survey conducted in March 2011 confirms that the project has been an all-round suc-

cess as over 95% found the new work culture inspiring and more flexible.

More recently, Kohina won a competition to design a new multipurpose lobby area for the Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation, Tekes, which serves as a pilot for a different model of customer service and way of presenting the client’s brand identity.

“We take on very varied projects, ranging in size from a couple of workstations to 400-500 of them. Each client is treated on an individual basis; there is no set recipe to what we do as each project begins with new research and unique requirements,” Kallio says.

Kohina’s designers not only listen to the needs of their clients but also make sure to understand their business perspectives.

For more information, please visit: www.kohina.eu

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By Maria Malmros | Photos: Kristiina Männikkö / Minna Parikka

A universe of her own Minna Parikka’s fate was sealed at age fifteen, upon having the epiphany that she was meant to be a maker of marvellous footwear. What started as a teenage dream became a small empire for the indomitable shoe designer.

After exploring the fashion hubs of Milan and London, the mother country, Finland, called her back. She set up shop on home turf with her distinguished flagship store, “The Universe”, a sort of dreamy playground for grownups afflicted with a serious shoe addiction.

While also a sought-after handbag and clothes designer, Parikka’s design is rooted in her love for shoes as a self-confessed “heavy user of heels”.

Non-conformist, she designs for the woman who rejects the mundane, and finds reasons to celebrate and sparkle every day. Parikka says: “If you are wearing shoes with glitter and bunny ears, you just cannot be miserable.”

Colours explode and materials clash irreverently in the autumn/winter13 “Wonderland” collection. Throughout the seasons, her work retains its signature eccentric feel, playful details and exquisite attention to craftsmanship.

With everyone from Lady Gaga to the first lady of Finland walking in her shoes, Parikka has been an unstoppable force since she first set foot on the international fashion arena.

As a side note, she boasts her own firstclass postage stamp in Finland.

For more information, please visit:

Knowing no boundaries, this rule-breaking trendsetter leaves behind a trail of fashion foot prints wherever she goes. Those

Spatial designers with a twinkle in their eyes Studio Lillehammer specialises in strategic spatial design and takes its work very seriously – but it doesn’t mean the designers themselves can’t crack a smile. The affable twosome behind the company, Johanna Paloviita and Minna Lindberg, create memorable spatial solutions that fit their clients’ needs to a T. Approaching each project with a goodhumoured yet assertive manner, the founders of Helsinki-based Lillehammer aim to create spaces as well as encounters between products and consumers that surprise, inspire and fill people with newfound energy.

As the two designers usually work among themselves, they are able to offer a highly flexible service to their clients, and they are happy to continue building on their diverse portfolio, which includes office and retail space, as well as private home designs.

“We take on projects with an open mind.

We’ve worked on a lot of design related to

hooked on Minna Parikka’s off-the-wall shoes can expect to be kept on their tiptoes.

wellness, including wellness centres and care homes, as well as projects to do with work well-being in the form of office spaces,” says Lindberg. “A recently finished project, for example, included a wellness centre, hotel rooms, restaurant and meeting rooms.”

For more information, please visit: minnaparikka.com

No matter the project, however, Studio Lillehammer’s design is always based on a thorough understanding of the client’s business needs and goals, and for privately owned projects, on individual requirements and wishes.

When working with wireless network operator Digita, Lillehammer faced the challenge of creating effective work spaces as the office was scaling down in size and swapping over to an open-plan design.

And for commercial television station MTV3, the designers modernised and personalised the look of their meeting rooms to fit the client’s renewed brand strategy, with the end result receiving praise from all sides. Other satisfied clients have included Ikea, Siuntio Wellness Center, the Finnish Fair Corporation, the Ministry of Education and Culture, and Fiskars.

By Nia Kajastie | Photo: Petri Pystynen

For more information, please visit: www.lillehammer.fi

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Left and top middle: Supercell. Below: SLS. Right: Fazer.

Surprising solutions that add value – and a fun factor The founders and head designers behind Helsinki-based design office KOKO3, Aino Brandt, Jukka Halminen and Helka Parkkinen, are no lone wolves; in their hands, superb interiors and intellectual concepts are created through cooperation and interaction – and by having fun while doing so. The joie de vivre that permeates all of KOKO3’s work translates into actual high-quality spatial solutions that express brand identities creatively and effectively.

By Nia Kajastie | Photos: KOKO3

The KOKO3 trio, who have been working together for over 20 years completing hundreds of successful projects, established their own office in 1997 as a natural continuation of this on-going teamwork. Over the years, the design office, which now consists of an additional ten employees, has amassed a portfolio of exciting and strong client brands, ranging from Arabia and Fazer to Finnair and Nordea. KOKO3 has gained strong experience in creating surprising spatial strategies, unique spaces and interiors, and authentic spatial solutions for work environments, as well as the hospitality and retail sectors.

“We’re actually interested in the middle ground between all of these; we don’t

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want to specialise in one sector,” explains Halminen. “It’s one of the things that drives us,” Parkkinen chimes in. “We’re interested in hybrids and new combinations of spaces; you could take a concept with a café, work space and gallery all in one, and create something new through that.”

A layered way of working, whether it is several spaces in one or adding new layers to something old, is something that KOKO3 excels in, in addition to being able to remain spontaneous, surprising and enthusiastic while creating high-quality results. “If we’re having fun and the client is enjoying themselves, it shows in the end result,” says Parkkinen.

Naturally all their work is driven by effective dialogue with the client, and working with an enthusiastic client is something KOKO3’s designers relish. One such client is the fast-growing game developer Supercell (developers of Clash of Clans and Hay Day), for which KOKO3 designed a creative and visually impressive work environment that matches the client’s passion.

For Fazer, KOKO3 was able to create a whole new café concept – a total experience that includes an innovative service concept and visual identity, effortlessly fitting the vision of the client.

Another example of KOKO3’s expertise is the tailor-made office of SLS, Svenska Litteratursällskapet, an interactive work environment project including change management with workshops, integrating the users’ needs and wishes from the early stages.

For more information, please visit: www.koko3.fi

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The VIP President terminal at Helsinki-Vantaa Airport

A window onto Finland The VIP President terminal at Helsinki-Vantaa Airport is an international meeting point that embodies the elements of Finnish nature and landscape.

By Malin Wiander | Photos: Finavia Oyj / Jussi Tiainen

Built in 1997, the VIP President terminal was primarily designed for the use of the Finnish president, cabinet ministers and their guests. In addition to the reception hall, the terminal consists of two conference rooms, a lounge and lobby, and a separate press room. It serves as a welcome point for state visits and has the ability to host meetings for up to 100 guests.

The VIP President terminal is designed to be a window onto Finland. “Our goal was to incorporate the Finnish landscape and

light in the design,” says Kaarina Huhtiniemi, interior architect at Arkkitehtitoimisto Huhtiniemi Oy, who were in charge of the project.

The materials used in the construction of the reception hall depict different aspects of Finnish nature. The soapstone floor represents the firm soil, the granite walls symbolize rocks, and the majestic 20feet-high alder columns give an impression of branches in a Finnish forest. Made entirely of glass, the wall facing the runway enables light to flow through the hall.

Because the terminal caters for state visits and dignitaries, the security aspect needed to be taken into account in the planning without compromising on the welcoming atmosphere.

All furniture and design elements used in the terminal are of Finnish origin. The quirky one- and two-seat solid wood PONI benches that grace the terminal and its corridors are Huhtiniemi’s own creation.

Over 800 benches have since been made, and the PONI series has been expanded to include tables and bar stools.

The design and construction of the VIP President terminal was a family affair for Arkkitehtitoimisto Huhtiniemi Oy, with Kaarina Huhtiniemi being in charge of the interior aspects, and her husband, architect Reino Huhtiniemi, designing the building itself.

“Natural materials and especially wood play an important part in all our designs,” explains Kaarina Huhtiniemi, “and these elements are especially visible throughout the VIP President terminal.”

Furniture design by Kaarina Huhtiniemi, interior architect at Arkkitehtitoimisto Huhtiniemi Oy. Manufactured by juuripuu.fi. Photos: Malek Sabogal

For more information, please visit: www.arkhuhtiniemi.fi. www.juuripuu.fi

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Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Finnish Fashion, Design & Architecture

Seinäjoki City Library, 2012 (Photo: Tuomas Uusheimo).

A team effort: Interior design integrated in architecture As an integral part of the award-winning JKMM Architects team, JKMM Interior shares the company’s passion for individual, innovative and well-executed solutions that are created with users and sustainability in mind. Involved from the very first planning stages of each project, the in-house interior designers, together with the architects, help create a unified whole, where the interior architecture and furnishings are seamlessly integrated into the building’s architecture. At JKMM, design is a team effort.

mon sense, an understanding of quality materials, high technical innovation and many other crucial factors play an important part, but in the end, it is the people who will be using the finished building and its interiors for decades to come.

By Nia Kajastie

“As interior architects we have to get close to the user. We work in close cooperation with the client who represents the end users to ensure that the end result represents both functionality and high-quality design. It’s crucial that the client and users are happy with the outcome, and that the interiors fulfil all the requirements for usability,” says Meuronen.

Currently, JKMM consists of 43 employees, which includes 24 architects, and 3 interior designers, who form the JKMM Interior team. Over the last 15 years, JKMM Architects have built up a diverse portfolio of work including numerous important public buildings in Finland. They have been awarded for their work on several occasions, including Päivi Meuronen being chosen as the Interior Architect of the Year 2013 at the Finnish Designer ’13 Awards.

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“JKMM has in principle always had an interior architecture side, which also forms one of its strengths. As all projects are designed from beginning to end as one cohesive unit, the interior design can thus be integrated into the architecture so it doesn’t feel detached or like a glued on embellishment,” says Meuronen.

Blurred lines JKMM Interior, consisting of Päivi Meuronen, Paula Salonen and Viivi Laine, designs spaces for people. Naturally, com-

“Our emphasis lies on team work through which interior design blends effortlessly into the total architecture; you won’t be able to tell where the architecture ends and the design starts.”

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JKMM Interior also works on independent design projects that are not tied to the work of JKMM Architects, such as, for example, the Embassy of Finland in Paris, where a local architect dealt with the restoration of the building, and JKMM’s interior architects stepped in to create the comprehensive spatial solution.

Functional and inspiring design In JKMM’s projects, innovative architecture and striking aesthetics often live in harmony with high functionality. A recent example of a prominent, visually striking project is the new building for Seinäjoki City Library, which was completed in 2012.

Here, the end result reflects how well the architects and interior architects have understood the needs of the users as well as the conditions set by the surroundings and context.

Verkatehdas Culture Center, Hämeenlinna, 2007 (Photo: Arno de la Chapelle).

Their library projects in general have been a great measure of their success as the increasing number of visitors to them proves that the goal has been achieved – people enjoy using these public spaces.

The Turku City Library, another one of their projects, for example, has one of the highest visitor numbers in all of Finland.

will not incur any extra costs afterwards.

For the Saunalahti project, artistic touches where included in the early building plans, and for the Finnish Pavillion at the Shanghai EXPO 2010, the floor paintings, showing enormous, elongated fish, were always going to be a part of the visual identity.

“I think it’s important to see that functional solutions that stay within the budget and exceptional architecture and design aren’t mutually exclusive,” concludes Meuronen.

For more information, please visit: www.jkmm.fi

The design and construction of Viikki church in Helsinki is an extreme example of how detail-oriented JKMM’s work can be. They provided the design for the building and its fixtures and furniture, as well as designing everything from candleholders to glass vases.

A further project that has attracted plenty of attention is the House of Children in Saunalahti. The kindergarten, which was finalised in 2011, was created on the same budget as any other building serving the same function. “Coming up with insightful solutions and designing with real purpose in mind doesn’t have to cost any more than basic building,” says Meuronen.

Another way for JKMM to add inspiring and individual touches to their design is by including art. While very few clients put aside extra funds for art, if it is an integrated part of the design and planned as such from the very beginning, the clients

Top left: The Finnish Pavillion in Shanghai EXPO 2010 (Photo: Derryck Menere). Below: The Embassy of Finland in Paris, 2012 (Photo: Ilona Rista). Right: Turku City Library, 2007 (Photo: Michael Perlmutter).

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Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Finnish Fashion, Design & Architecture

Left: Restaurant Grill It Turku. Top right: Restaurant Rulla. Below: Sokos Hotel Lakeus.

Finding joy in work, life and successful solutions The work of an interior architect is not just about adding frills or a finishing touch, and hiring one does not necessarily mean you are looking for increased luxury. Interior design can create real added value for all types of spaces and users, which is what Interior Architects Fyra want to communicate to their clients.

By Nia Kajastie | Photos: Interior Architects Fyra

The four women behind Fyra, Hanna Neuvo, Eva-Marie Eriksson, Niina Sihto and Tiina Närkki, who all bring years of experience to the table, approach each individual project with renewed enthusiasm and passion. Their slogan “an office of people who enjoy life and work” sums up how they feel about interior design and the results they have achieved so far.

“Each member of the Fyra team puts their heart into their work, and we hope this is reflected in the end results,” confirms Närkki. In addition to the four partners, Fyra has two more employees, forming a medium-sized office in Finland that is able to work on both small and large projects.

restaurant projects, as well as other public spaces. The office’s core expertise lies in creating functional and effective spatial solutions that can offer its clients financial benefits, and add to the well-being and satisfaction of employees, customers and other end users.

Since its establishment in 2010, Fyra has worked on numerous office, hotel and

“There’s plenty of artistic skill in our field, but interior architecture is about much

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more than what you can see. We have to guarantee the usability of each space and create cost-effective solutions to show the client why it makes sense to hire a designer,” adds Eriksson.

Fyra believes that comprehensive design, created in cooperation with graphic designers, architects and experts from other fields, leads to the best end results. The partners are also keen to keep up to date with current trends within and outside of their field. And as the office has gained a comfortable foothold in the Finnish market, the next natural step for Fyra is to look beyond Finland’s borders.

“Project management is an integral part of what we do, and we’ve found it crucial especially when designing large hotel projects. By planning and managing every step of the process, we ensure that we’re always on the same page with our client and that everything runs without a hitch,” explains Närkki.

For more information, please visit: www.fyra.fi

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A brand is born Some brands immediately bring to mind strong associations: when we hear a name like Coca Cola, most of us see a logo flash before our eyes, while recalling how the sweet, fizzy drink tastes. However, we are often blissfully unaware of the team of creative, visionary brand identity experts behind every successful brand. So, exactly what does it take to create a mesmerising brand that will make a company stand out in today’s tough marketplace?

By Maria Malmros | Photos: Toni Hukkanen

Jukka Ihalainen, partner at Goofy Creative branding agency, stresses how important it is for companies to embrace change; in his line of work, it often equates to growth.

With a market that never stops churning out new talent, bold, progressive companies that keep a firm eye on the competition are the winners in this game.

Ihalainen says: “Brands are never done; there is no such thing as a brand that cannot be developed.”

Branding is an external manifestation of a company’s values that will attract the right clientele to a business, while creating an easily recognisable identity. A catchy name, a memorable logo and stunning visual designs make up the tools the brand-

ing magicians pull out of their hats to make that happen.

A kind of magic Goofy Creative founder Toni Hukkanen knows a few things about building a brand; his passion for branding set his own company ablaze. With brands like Nike under their belt, the agency now has an undeniable presence internationally.

As their name implies, they do not take themselves too seriously. However, they are hard core about making sure the companies they work with prosper and get a leg up on their competitors.

Ihalainen is quick to point out that building long-term working relationships is

pivotal. While clients sometimes approach them looking for a one-off solution, Goofy Creative’s real forte lies in developing small start-up businesses with great potential.

After starting a mutually rewarding partnership a few years back with then startup company Mehuiza, the agency took the company on a journey from its humble beginnings to its current status as one of the biggest producers of smoothies in Finland.

Ihalainen explains that this is what their work is all about: a team of innovative geniuses coming together to create something completely original; nothing is more rewarding than watching a new company hit the ground running. Ihalainen says zealously: “That is when the magic happens.”

For more information, please visit: www.goofy.fi

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Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Finnish Fashion, Design & Architecture Left: Girl's jacket made out of a tent cover, belt from tightening strap of army trousers, fur hood from surplus fabric. Boy’s coat, mix of a Swedish army wool coat and German army tent cover. Top middle: Men’s clothing designed by Anssi Tuupainen. The jacket is a coloured Hungarian army rain cape, with parachute lining from the Finnish army. The trousers are of army tent fabric. Shirt made of ecologically grown cotton with camo effects. Top right: Shirt made out of factory surplus fabric, skirt from a vintage curtain, and bag from seatbelts.

brand continuing to make a name for itself internationally.

Celebrating ten years of aesthetics, ecology and ethics The original idea behind Globe Hope – to create beautifully designed clothing from recycled and discarded materials – which ten years ago might have sounded slightly bonkers, resonates with consumers today more than ever. Disposable consumption is out; sustainable fashion is in. And Globe Hope has been at the heart of this development for a decade.

By Nia Kajastie | Photos: Globe Hope

Clothing entrepreneur Seija Lukkala started on her Globe Hope journey at the beginning of the noughties when she became painfully aware of the wastefulness of the textile industry and disposability of low-quality clothing. This was not the legacy she wanted to leave behind for future generations. Consequently, she decided to begin her own “upcycling” revolution through Globe Hope, an eco-label

that re-designs and re-sews leftover materials into truly unique and beautiful garments and accessories.

The first collection was launched in 2003 under the name Hope, garnering attention back home in Finland as well as all the way to Japan. While it has not always been smooth sailing, the hard work has certainly paid off, with the 10-year old

“Over the years, there has been many a highlight, but recently Globe Hope represented Finland in the EU’s climate campaign ‘A world you like. With a climate you like.’ as a model company. This has increased our visibility within the EU, although Europe has been part of our journey from the very beginning,” says Lukkala.

With two seasonal collections brought out annually, as well as their classics collection consisting of previous bestsellers, the clothing is often designed around overarching themes but still remains classical, with plenty of surprising detailing. The materials used include recycled army textiles, work uniforms, advertisement banners, sailboat sails, car seatbelts and other vintage textiles as well as hard materials. Globe Hope has also made a name for itself creating business gifts and corporate products, for which they often use the client company’s own discarded materials.

Facts - Multiple award winner, including Amnesty International’s Designer Of The Year (2005) & Suomi Palkinto for outstanding performance in the field of Art and Culture (Finnish Ministry Of Culture, 2006) - Bearer of the Avainlippu symbol for outstanding Finnish production and skill - Two stores in Helsinki, and numerous retailers in Finland, Germany, Belgium, Italy, Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Japan - Products also available through webstore

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

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Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Finnish Fashion, Design & Architecture

are characterized by their natural materials and low pile.

Kristiina Lassus has created a range of designs in different colours, qualities and sizes, but custom alterations and bespoke rugs are also available upon request. In fact, in order to meet the needs of selective clients who seek exclusivity, production is carried out in small editions. The process takes a relatively long time as each phase is carried out by hand, but these steps ensure that each and every product is unique.

Kristiina Lassus

Nordic simplicity and Tibetan handicraft Kristiina Lassus is a Milan-based internationally acclaimed Finnish designer with extensive experience in interior design, product design and creative direction. Nowadays, Kristiina is mainly focused on her exclusive rug collection, Rugs Kristiina Lassus, which she manufactures in Nepal and showcases in her Studio Gallery in Milan.

By Cecilia Varricchio | Photos: Matteo Curti and Marco Pirovano

After years working broadly across different areas of design, Kristiina Lassus founded her studio in Milan in 2003. She registered the KRISTIINA LASSUS trademark some years later and in 2008 launched her exquisite collection of hand-knotted rugs.

distinguishing it in quality and texture from industrial products. The rugs are hand-knotted with a density of 100 and

Ethical and ecological issues are very important in Kristiina Lassus's production.

For this reason she only collaborates with manufacturers who have been certified by GoodWeave – an organisation guaranteeing that no child labour has been used during production. A percentage of production is also donated to contribute to the education of underprivileged children in Nepal. Kristiina Lassus's collection of rugs has received several international design distinctions, including the Green Good Design (2011) award and the Red Dot Product Design Award (2008 and 2010).

The rugs are available for purchase from Kristiina's Studio Gallery in Milan or through various agents and retailers in Europe and Canada. Their timeless and harmonious designs ensure lasting delight throughout the decades, while their style is ideal for both modern and traditional environments.

For more information, please visit: www.rugs.kristiinalassus.com

Focusing on quality Manufactured in Nepal according to the oldest and finest Tibetan artisan traditions, Kristiina Lassus's rugs are of exceptional quality, both in terms of materials and workmanship. They are made from hand-spun Tibetan wool, natural linen, fine silk and bamboo silk. Individual handcrafting makes each piece unique,

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Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Finnish Fashion, Design & Architecture

Dead Birds and Lionheart – blazing a trail in Finnish fashion design

Deadbirds & Lionheart, founded by British-trained Finnish designers Maria Jokela and Anni Niemi made its debut with cutting-edge womenswear in 2005.

From their atelier showroom in Tampere, southern Finland, Jokela and Niemi produce small and distinctive collections of separates and dresses.

Drawing on their core values of “unknown cut, lingering meaning and striking look” and inspiration from music, literature and arts, Dead Birds & Lionheart weaves magic with inimitably cut garments from bamboo, cotton and silk to create a kaleidoscope of colour balanced by monochrome – the perfect execution of marry-

ing the simple with the complex. The emphasis on quality over quantity and often going for experimentation over slavery to popular trends, Jokela and Niemi have cemented their commitment to forging ahead to the beat of their own drum.

Looking ahead, Dead Birds & Lionheart’s autumn/winter 2013 collection, Lions in Parallel Universe, will be unveiled in August. Jokela and Niemi’s creations are available at selected fashion and design retailers in Tampere and Helsinki, with the duo saying they have their sights set on British shores for the future.

Jewellery created from precious metal – with a precious story Chao and Eero is a complementary goldsmith duo with years of experience and a heart of gold. In their jewellery, modern minds meet traditional techniques. The future is decided by the user.

By Karoliina Kantola : Photos: Chao & Eero In a world packed with homogeneous disposable goods, it is such a ray of light to find unique design, dedicated artisans and pure handcraft. The jewellery company Chao & Eero stands for all of these. The jewellery by Chao-Hsien Kuo and Eero Hintsanen is a combination of their imaginations and interests, as well as 20 years of international studying and working experience.

By Eleonoora Kirk | Photos: Johanna Levomäki. Top photo: Vesa Tyni

Finnish fashion design has made a name for itself internationally with labels such as Ivana Helsinki and Marimekko, yet in a recent news article by Finnish national broadcaster Yle (05.07.2013) about the paucity of Finnish designers’ products available in Finland, one brand is keeping the home fires burning.

The couple design and make the jewellery.

“The forging is part of the drafting,” explains Hintsanen, from their studio in Lahti, Finland.

Moreover, the materials do not come from further away than Scandinavia; Chao & Eero use only precious metals from Finland, Sweden and Norway. “We know what the material is, where it comes from and

For more information, please visit: www.deadbirdslionheart.fi

how to work with it,” Hintsanen continues.

While the materials are only from the north, the ideas for the jewellery come from around the world. When Chao and Eero travel, they observe all the tiny details that cross their way. The source of inspiration can be a wild flower bud in a Finnish forest or a graffiti painting in an urban landscape.

“Our inspiration comes from the environment that we live in. We find beauty and potential in places where not everyone can,” Hintsanen explains.

Chao & Eero work for people who share the same values with the goldsmiths themselves, for people who appreciate the unique path of their products, and who know that the path of sustainable jewellery will continue for long.

For further information, please visit the website at www.chaoandeero.com, where a web shop is opening in September.

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Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Finnish Fashion, Design & Architecture

Creating experiences From offices and company headquarters to Michelin-starred restaurants and cruise ferries, Helsinki-based interior design agency dSign Vertti Kivi & Co makes spaces that help its customers succeed.

By Malin Wiander | Photos: Okko Oinonen

With more than 800 finished projects in their vast and diverse portfolio, the company approaches each task with both the client and their customers in mind.

“Our job is to create experiences that make the client say WOW!” says Vertti Kivi, CEO of the company. “By making spaces that customers enjoy to be in, we help our clients succeed. It's a chain reaction; if customers enjoy the space, it increases business for the client.”

Good ideas, professional design and a cost-effective execution are key elements in the company’s work process. The starting point is always what the person actually using the space would enjoy, and the idea is then materialised and executed within the outlined space and budget.

“Our task is to make miracles with a limited budget,” Kivi explains.

“In addition to our experience of challenging and diverse projects, there is a massive amount of knowledge in our company,” Kivi says. “That gives us an advantage in our field.”

Having a great amount of experience does not mean that the twenty interior architects and designers at dSign Vertti Kivi & Co are set in their ways – quite the opposite. Their approach is to take on each project with vision and a lack of preconceptions.

This is particularly evident in one of their latest and largest projects – designing all the public interior spaces and suites in the

2,600 passenger cruise ferry M/S Viking Grace. In the design of the ship, which had its maiden voyage in January this year and sails between Turku, Finland, and Stockholm, Sweden, the company has stepped away from the traditional idea of what a Scandinavian cruise ferry should look like.

Red carpets, ropes and brass railings have given way to modern design with an abundance of lights and colours.

Following the company’s achievements on the domestic market, Kivi and his colleagues are now looking to continue their success outside Finnish borders.

“Breaking into the international market is definitely something we are aiming to do. Our clients can be small or big – the most important thing is that they are passionate about what their interior spaces look like,” he says.

For more information, please visit: www.dsign.fi

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HAL F T I C KP R I C E E Get 5 0% o T S b f f tick y app ets lyi sc20 ng code 1 2 h p at ch ecko ut

All the best of brand Scandinavia for you to taste, test and buy!

12-13 October 2013

Tobacco Dock, Wapping, London

The Scandinavia Show will be returning to London in 2013.

This time at the historic Tobacco Dock in Wapping, London.

The Scandinavia Show is the only UK show dedicated exclusively to showcase the best of Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland and Iceland.

The show incorporates Scandinavian design, travel, lifestyle, fashion, culture, music and food and all our exhibitors have well-stocked stalls – everything can be purchased at The Scandinavia Show.

If you love the bright and airy Scandinavian design, then The Scandinavia Show will be a can’t-miss event. The show will exhibit everything from top-end furniture, lighting, fabrics, carpets, interior design items, designer clothes and footwear, to timeless classics that will always embody the simple, yet stylish Scandinavian disposition.

Food All the most mouth-watering specialities from the Nordic culinary table will be handed out or sold at The Scandinavia Show.

Travel Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland and Iceland are some of the greatest travel destinations in the world. And The Scandinavia Show will be the UK’s single most important showcase for Nordic tourism this year.

Gold Sponsor

Design & Lifestyle

Silver Partner

For further information and tickets:

www.scandinaviashow.co.uk Partners and Sponsors

Organised by

SCAN M A G A Z I N E

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SP

OR ECI GA AL NI C L THE IFE ME ST : YL E

Treehotel cabin. Read more on page 79

Live organically – live well

By Nia Kajastie

Living an organic lifestyle is beneficial both for you and the environment.

good reason to want to protect something that they often take for granted.

Green products are free of chemicals and other harmful substances that can cause health issues and long-lasting harm to our surroundings, while sustainable companies aim for all aspects of their daily operations to be as environmentally friendly as possible. In the end, living organically now can make a difference in the long run – by leaving a healthier, safer and cleaner environment behind for future generations.

While the change to more organic products has been a slow process, it has become almost unfashionable not to buy green nowadays. This trend has also ensured a wider selection of eco-friendly products, with new ones arriving on the market and shops shelves regularly – and it doesn’t have to be an expensive choice either.

From organic and eco-friendly bakeries to biodegradable luxury interior design products, the Scandinavians have mastered the art of organic living. Surrounded by untouched nature, the Scandies have a

For this theme, we have chosen some first-rate Swedish and Finnish organic and sustainable products, services and companies. Read on to find out more about how the Scandies are going green!

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Soft as a baby’s bottom Finnish children’s clothing line Melli EcoDesign is truly a product of love. Marica Jensen created her first pieces of clothing for her own prematurely born daughter as she was unable to find anything suitable, something both soft and functional, not to mention ecological, on the market. Jensen wanted to offer this same luxury to other mothers and their new-borns, and thus Melli EcoDesign was born out of necessity, but also care and devotion.

By Nia Kajastie | Product photos by Tomi Tuuliranta

In 2010, Marica Jensen gave birth to her firstborn, a little girl nicknamed Melli, who at four months premature weighed only 580 grams; her twin brother, Christian, only lived three hours. Little Melli spent five months in hospital, with her mother at her side, but she survived, and finally the day arrived when the sunny, cheerful little girl, now weighing three kilos, was brought home.

Once the family was happily settled at home, there was still something that lingered in Jensen’s mind: she had felt sur-

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prised and disheartened after discovering there were no warm, soft and practical clothes made to fit premature babies available at the time her daughter was born. She had also been looking for something colourful and beautifully designed – to create a more personal and cosy world for her daughter in the otherwise sterile hospital setting. In the end, she had to design and make the clothes herself.

After the birth of Melli’s little brother Lucas, Jensen finally took the plunge and

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Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Organic Lifestyle

started on the road to develop her own domestically produced, ecological children’s clothing brand. Through a programme offered by the Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment (ELY), Jensen was put in touch with fashion designer Anne Linnonmaa, who immediately advised her to broaden her collection from preemie clothing to larger sizes, which today range from 36cm up to 128cm.

Unique designs in 100% organic cotton The delicate skin of a baby deserves the best possible protection in order for the child to feel comfortable, warm and safe.

Accordingly, Melli EcoDesign uses only high-quality and durable 100% organic cotton produced in Greece, which is certified with the ecological and ethical GOTS textile standard.

“Organic cotton and silk are the most suitable materials for hypersensitive skin; synthetic fibres just won’t do. We’ve also placed tags with wash information on the outside of the garment, so they don’t touch and irritate bare skin, and we’ve used minimal seams; the clothes for premature babies have no seams at all,” explains Jensen. “Organic cotton is also of high quality and thus soft and durable.”

The products have all been designed with ease of use in mind, so that that each piece of clothing can be put on and taken

off without causing the child any discomfort. The clothes are made in doublesizes, leaving room for growth, and the colours and patterns fit both boys and girls.

The clothing and fabrics are all printed and sewn in Finland, and Jensen has worked together with different Finnish designers who have helped her realise the ideas for Melli EcoDesign’s unique patterns, which cannot be found anywhere else.

“A lot of customers buy the products for the designs, in addition to them being soft and ecological. We sell a lot of the preemie range, especially the clothes with patterns on them. Our retro colours, orange, yellow and brown, have also been really popular. We’ve even been asked whether these designs are available for mothers as well. That’s why our autumn collection includes some tunics in adult size,” says Jensen.

hospitals, through a distributor in Denmark, and at a specialised children’s boutique in the US. “I’ve had interest from many countries, including Australia, England and France.

After the online shop went live not even a year ago, it has all happened quite quickly.

Now that we’ve seen that the demand is there, we are looking to expand further internationally,” adds Jensen.

Melli EcoDesign products are available worldwide through their online shop, which currently has Finnish, English and German language settings.

From Scandinavia to the US Marica Jensen opened the Melli EcoDesign online shop in November 2012, with the idea of keeping the business purely web-based to begin with, but she was quickly receiving enquiries from retailers from all around Finland. Currently, Melli EcoDesign’s products are already available at 11 stores in Finland, as well as

For more information and the online shop, please visit: www.melliecodesign.com

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Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Organic Lifestyle

The future way of travelling

environment, culture and nature must be evident in each of these destinations.

Making an active choice

Would you like to travel to new exotic places where you could experience the most inspiring cultures and visit amazing places? Would you like to travel responsibly, respecting the environment without compromising on comfort and luxury? Then look no further – you can have all of this with Ecospheres.

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Galapagos

Ecospheres is a Swedish online-based travel agency completely focused on ecotourism. For Ecospheres, ecotourism does not mean that customers have to miss any of the comforts deemed necessary for a perfect holiday. Indeed, Ecospheres offers only eco-luxury travel, meaning that they offer only the best destinations that fit their criteria of sustainability and show respect for the environment. In order to pick a destination precisely, Ecospheres uses a proprietary rating system, which they call eco-rating.

By using this internal assessment system (based on the principles of ecotourism developed by the International Ecotourism Society, TIES) they ensure that every destination complies with the strictest standards set by a recognised international organisation. All the offered destinations are carefully selected by the owners Ulrika Löfdahl and Tina Frisk, who have rated each of these according to the assess-

South Africa

By Cecilia Varricchio | Photos: Ecosperes

ment system. Löfdahl tells us that the way they rate can differ according to each destination’s potential, but the bottom line is that an endeavour to use ecologically friendly methods to actively enhance the

Today Ecosphere offers many exciting international destinations, and their most popular one is Kenya, where both the owners have lived and therefore know inside out. Ecospheres wants customers to feel more like guests than tourists when they travel with them, and that the quality of service is always of the highest standard.

Ecospheres uses mostly local employees as a part of their concept. Employing only local personnel has several benefits. For example, the guides are always more knowledgeable of the place and can offer a unique perspective for customers.

When we travel, we have the opportunity to choose among an endless range of destinations and resorts. As consumers, we have the responsibility to think how we spend our money and the impact we have.

When spending on travelling, we need to ensure that our choice will be a combination of an extraordinary and memorable experience for us, as well as a good choice for the local environment and communities.

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

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Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Organic Lifestyle

Quench your thirst with guilt-free bliss

By Elin Berta Photos: Dennis Dufva/Studio Dufva

Tired of only finding organic sodas with herb flavours, Mattias Lindemann decided to do something about it. Less than a year after the launch of Sodalicious, people all over Sweden are enjoying the organic sodas.

Cola-flavoured soda

Citron-flavoured soda

Orange-flavoured soda

Mattias Lindemann, founder and owner of Sodalicious, and his family aim to live as organically as possible, not only when it comes to food. When work is done on their house or in their garden, organic products are always used.

“As more people realise the importance of living ecologically, it gets easier too, as more products get out on the market,” Lindemann says. ”One thing that we were missing was organic sodas. We wanted our usual favourite sodas, only organic and with less sugar. And that's how the idea was born, in the spring of 2012.”

So an intense time of testing different ingredients, trying to develop the best drinks possible followed. And no more than four months later, Sodalicous launched their three drinks. Using only natural and organic ingredients such as raw cane sugar and actual fruit and no preservatives, the drinks are produced in an organic brewery in Germany.

Organic Luxury – High-quality, environmentally friendly design Grön Interiör (Green Interior) is a luxury interior design store specializing in selling only fully biodegradable products, not damaging either us or the environment.

By Cecilia Varricchio | Photos: Malin Sydne

Founder Kaisa Frank tells us that often we are not conscious of the impact that common materials such as foam rubber, cotton, polyester and acrylic can have on us and the environment. For example, she mentions that to produce 1kg of cotton 0.5kg of toxins is released. With this in

“So far we are offering three different flavours: Cola, Orange and Lemon. And we have had a great response to them.

Cafés, restaurants and shops from north to south Sweden are selling Sodalicious drinks,” Lindemann continues. “We are a small company and have barely done any marketing, so I guess our products speak for themselves.”

mind and realising that we should not have to choose between nice, luxury objects and eco-friendly ones, she decided to open Grön Interiör’s online store in 2009, giving customers the opportunity to buy luxury design objects which are ecological and environmentally friendly. One year later, thanks to the success of the online store, she opened a shop in Stockholm.

Owner Mattias Lindemann. Photo: Sodalicious

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

icantly helps in improving the environment, a toxic recyclable material will always be toxic no matter how many times you reuse it. Grön Interiör offers high-quality furniture, such as beds and office chairs in exclusive designs, as well as sheets and blankets which are ecological throughout the entire production chain.

Kaisa Frank, the founder of the eco-friendly shop Grön Interiör

Grön Interiör Renstiernasgata 19 Södermalm, Stockholm

Understanding the ecological balance

Soft and exclusive plaids made of the finest baby alpaca and cashmere from Tuscany

When we acquire any product, we should be aware of two very important facts: firstly, any choice that we make has an impact on the world we live in, and secondly, recyclable is not the same as ecological. Although recycling is the duty of every person and signif-

Phone: +46 (0)8 403 905 43 E-mail: info@groninterior.se Open 11am-6pm on weekdays; 11am-4pm on Saturdays For more information, please visit: www.groninterior.se

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Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Organic Lifestyle

Organic bread baked with love

By Cecilia Varricchio | Photos: Backers

If you haven’t tried Backers organic bread yet, now is definitely the time to remedy that.

Backers is a fully organic, family-owned bakery, which guarantees delightful bread that is good both for yourself and the environment.

Backers is a small farmyard in southwestern Finland where baking has been a priority for no less than 11 generations.

They are a local bakery and offer many different types of bread. They also grow most of their flour themselves, which, of course, is 100% organic.

Skärgårdslimpa (archipelago bread) is one of their most popular products: it is very dark and flavourful. It is made with a lot of rye malt, which gives it a unique taste.

Even though it is made entirely without preservatives, this bread has a natural durability and can last for weeks, maintaining the same good taste and fragrance. Skärgårdslimpa represents nearly half of the production of Backers’ bakery.

Their values mean everything to Backers, and their belief is that food should both taste good and do good. They want to preserve old traditions, and the owners, Olle Lindholm and Diana Nyberg Lindholm, tell us that the family is very engaged with the slow food programme. She also stresses that one of the best characteris-

tics of organic food is that it goes through several rigorous controls, and therefore every ingredient that has been used in production is much more transparent. If you choose organic food, you are doing a big favour to both yourself and the planet.

For more information, please visit: www.backers.fi

Bread for the body and cake for the soul Caramel nut pie, walnut bread and Klövsjödrottning cake – these are some of the favourites among the regulars of the stone oven bakery Klövsjö Stenugnsbageri in Jämtland, Sweden. Their products are homemade, organic and eco-friendly.

“Our breads are quality products that are healthy for the body,” the owner Erika Dillner says. The biscuits, buns and cakes? “They are healthy for the soul.” Dillner once ran a flower business but always wanted to work with food. “I can't live without bread,” she says, “and good, healthy, eco-friendly bread is rare.” She found a location and met the cook Nathalie Persson. In 2009, the ecological entrepreneur and the cake specialist indulged their passion for sourdough and buns and opened Klövsjö Stenugnsbageri.

Their cosy café, a short walk from a lake, offers homemade breads, buns, biscuits, cakes, chocolates, sandwiches and salad, as well as a range of eco-friendly products such as organic teas. By the way, Klövsjödrottning cake, Klövsjö Queen, a variation of the classic Prinsesstårta, Princess cake, is their own invention: a delicious construction with blueberry jam, raspberries, vanilla cream and marzipan. They will happily invent your wedding cake, too.

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Driven by an eco-friendly vision, they homemake as many things as possible, without unnecessary ingredients; the rest they source ethically and regionally. They cook their own jam and order their flour from a nearby mill in Östersund.

Appreciating the local even extends to their surroundings, as the bakery's name suggests.

Klövsjö has been voted Sweden's most beautiful village, and the community has long been

By Anne Malewski

ecologically minded. In this welcoming environment, Klövsjö Stenugnsbageri has become a thriving attraction. Pizza Fridays, Biscuitand-Bun Tuesdays and Cake Saturdays are now popular traditions. “The all-you-can-eat buffets are great for trying something different and, perhaps, finding a new favourite bun,” Dillner says. For the even more adventurous, they will host a baking course this autumn.

Erika bakes nut bread in stone oven. Photo: Stephane Lombard

For more information, please visit: www.klovsjostenugnsbageri.se Photo: Tina Stafrén

Photo: Erika Dillner

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Cabin

A unique experience where imagination becomes reality Don’t miss out on an outstanding experience in one of Treehotel’s extraordinary rooms. Here, you can let your imagination flow and enjoy an exceptional view of magnificent landscapes. Choose different rooms with different designs and styles, all fitted out to the highest standard.

By Cecilia Varricchio | Photos: Peter Lundstrom, WDO / www.treehotel.se

Treehotel is part of Brittas Pensionat (hostel), which is located just 60 kilometres south of the Arctic Circle in Harads, close to the Lule River. The hotel is very easy to reach, being based approximately one hour’s drive from Luleå (Kallax) airport. Treehotel was opened in 2010 by founders Britta and Kent Lindvall. Ecology

and sustainability are key values, and an essential part of the whole experience is bringing customers closer to nature.

Therefore, at Treehotel, they only work in a way that will not have a negative impact on the environment. To achieve this objective, specific construction techniques have been used and every aspect of daily operations is carefully analysed in order to maximise environmental efficiency.

Kent and Britta Lindvall

Perfect place for inspiring conferences Treehotel is the ideal place not only for private customers but also for companies that want to organise conferences. In fact, on 15 April 2013, a new room, called Dragonfly, was inaugurated. With an area of 53 square metres and a height of 6 metres,

Ufo

the Dragonfly room is the ideal place to host conferences with the goal of opening up participants’ minds and boost creativity. Creative companies that are looking for an inspiring environment in which to hold their conferences will find exactly what they are looking for at Treehotel. In addition to the conference room, Dragonfly also has two bedrooms, which together with all the other rooms can host up to 22 guests. Customers can choose from different conference packages, activities and delicious food served at Brittas Pensionat.

Service of the highest standards Founder Kent Lindvall tells us that one of the most important aspects of Treehotel’s concept is that every guest will feel properly looked after. Since the hotel is a family business, customers are ensured of always receiving exceptional service.

Treehotel hosts guests from all over the world. Many of them go to Scandinavia just to visit and stay at the Treehotel. This year, do not miss your chance to experience something new by getting closer to nature and your childhood dreams.

For more information, please visit: treehotel.se

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Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Organic Lifestyle

Finnish confectionery craft at its finest

By Malin Wiander Photos: Makulaku

In the idyllic town of Porvoo, east of Helsinki, family-run liquorice company Makulaku combines traditional values with bold innovation.

Makulaku was founded in 1994 as a small family-run business. Today, the company employs 40 people, makes 2 million kilos of liquorice a year and exports its products to 20 countries.

“The company has come a long way since it was first established,” explains Thomas Hackman, sales director at Maku-

laku. “The first batches of liquorice were cooked in the owner’s kitchen, and last year we opened a two-thousand-square-metre factory to meet the growing demand.”

In 1997, after identifying the growing popularity of organic products in the Finnish market, the company started making organic liquorice. Four years later, after a meticulous development process, Makulaku launched a range of organic filled liquorice that went on to win an honourable mention at the Finnish Organic Product of the Year awards in 2011.

The Makulaku factory has two lines of production: one that makes traditional black sweet or salty liquorice, and one that makes filled liquorice. The cooking process is different for the two, but both are time consuming and executed with

A cleaner world Cleaning doesn’t necessarily have to feel like a chore nor do cleaning products have to be an environmental burden; instead of harsh, malodorous chemicals, why not choose the fresh-scented, ecological Pohjan Neito and Pohjan Akka detergents that will have you and your home feeling pristine and energised in no time? With these products, you are not only creating a cleaner home but, in the long run, a cleaner world.

By Nia Kajastie | Photos: Clean Solutions Finland

Launched in August 2012, this new range of household cleaning products created

by Clean Solutions Finland aims to offer users a refreshing cleaning experience, leaving behind a green footprint. The range has been given the Nordic Swan label, which confirms that the products are ecological, biodegradable and safe to use.

toxic materials that won’t build up in nature,” explains head of marketing and sales Yvonne Peltola.

“We wanted to create a visually distinct product that stands out, a high-quality eco-range that offers maximum cleaning power, and a detergent made out of non-

The beautifully packaged range is both pleasing to the eye as well as the first home cleaning products to feature Braille labelling in Finland. Currently, the differ-

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the utmost care. Respect for tradition, carefully selected ingredients and quality control are essential when making the delicious sweets.

Innovative product development combined with traditional values has proved a winning formula for the company. “There is a continuous increase in domestic sales, and we have seen a steady 50 per cent yearly growth in the export of our organic liquorice,” Hackman says. “The future looks very bright for Makulaku.”

For more information, please visit: www.makulaku.fi

ent Pohjan Neito and Pohjan Akka products include all-purpose, window and glass, toilet and bathroom, and quick cleaner sprays, as well as various liquid detergents. The range is available nationwide in Finland, as well as in Russia and the Baltic countries, and Peltola is hoping the products will soon also find their way into other Nordic, central European, and even Asian homes.

Yvonne Peltola, Head of marketing and sales

For more information, please visit: www.pohjanneito.fi or contact yvonne.peltola@cleansf.fi

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Scan Magazine | Hotel of the Month | Finland

music is performed every night, with tango, waltz and other traditional styles playing all evening. The Taika Dancing Restaurant and the Joiku Karaoke Bar provide heaps of entertainment when you feel like partying.

Spa Hotel Levitunturi is located in the Levi ski resort. The distance to Kittilä Airport is 14 km and 180 km to Rovaniemi.

Address: Levintie 1590 Sirkka Finland

Hotel of the Month, Finland

House of fun Set at the heart of the Levi ski resort in Finnish Lapland, Spa Hotel Levitunturi is surrounded by untouched Lappish nature, where seasonal changes create unforgettable outdoor experiences. The hotel’s vast choice of services offers something for everyone.

By Inna Allen | Photos: Spa Hotel Levitunturi

Whether you are planning a romantic escape for two, organising a family fun holiday or booking a business trip, Spa Hotel Levitunturi’s broad range of services will keep you entertained. Lapland’s largest hotel, Spa Hotel Levitunturi, has been awarded a quality system certificate for its accommodation, restaurant and meeting services. Rooms are located in ten separate hotel buildings in peaceful surroundings, all on the same grounds. Guests will not only get high-quality accommodation, but all amenities, such as the Spa Water World and Children’s Playhouse, are free for hotel residents.

Activities and pampering Lapland’s short yet beautiful summer provides stunning scenery for nature lovers.

There are several hiking and county walking networks in the region, along with many parks and water activities. In addition, Levi has a fantastic 18-hole golf

course located only four kilometres from the hotel.

Containing 17 indoor and outdoor pools of varying sizes, the Spa Water World is Lapland’s largest spa. Along with various saunas, a water slide, a gym and sports hall, there is also a day spa where you can enjoy numerous pampering treatments. “We provide the perfect combination of active outdoor fun with calming spa experiences,” says marketing manager Tarja Syrjänen. “And the Children’s Playhouse, which is a real favourite amongst the young ones, promises a lot of fun with a ball pit and a bouncy castle, among other things.” With additional glow bowling available every night, the adjacent bowling alley is ideal for sporting enthusiasts and family get-togethers.

The Levitunturi Restaurant World serves mouth-watering meals till midnight. Live

For more information, please visit: www.hotellilevitunturi.fi

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Haaheim is situated in a beautiful area of Tysnes, and the garden surrounding the hotel boasts over 1,500 roses.

Hotel of the Month, Norway

Creating magical moments As much as we love to travel, there really is some truth to the famous saying “there is no place like home”. To some people, a posh five-star hotel simply cannot compete with the comfort of their own home. But Haaheim hotel in Norway is the exception to that rule. They have managed to create a homely yet magical atmosphere in which everyone feels welcome and at ease – and most importantly, at home.

By Kjersti Westeng | Photos: Haaheim Hotel

Haaheim has only been a hotel for four years; before that it was an old, desolate but beautiful farm with a fascinating history. Haaheim is situated at the foot of Mount Tysnessåta in Tysnes, an area that consists of a group of islands and has for a long time been one of the most popular tourist destinations in the southwest of Norway. The name Haaheim means “town of those who serve the Gods” or “the town up high”, but in the 10th and 11th century, Haaheim was actually sit-

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uated a bit further down and was used for the poaching of deer. After the Black Death left the area deserted, the farm was moved to where it lies today. The Haaheim family bought the farm in 1770 and owned it until Torstein Hatlevik bought it in 2000 – without electricity or water. Hatlevik redecorated it and decided to open up a small hotel in 2009.

Hatlevik says: “I thought Haaheim was such a lovely place to live, so I wanted to share it with others. It started out as a

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Scan Magazine | Hotel of the Month | Norway

Visitors often come to Haaheim to visit the restaurant and the garden café. The chefs change the menu on a daily basis and are well known for their creativity and passion for food. Hatlevik explains: “We use a lot of local produce in our cooking as well as our own vegetables and herbs. The menu is based on the products we have at the time, which is why it varies from day to day.” Although the menu changes daily, Haaheim restaurant is best known for its soups, which are made from fresh herbs and vegetables from its very own garden. The famous soups are served in the garden café as well, in addition to delicious cakes and other small meals. Those who want to learn how to cook like the chefs at Haaheim can join one of the cooking classes available at the hotel.

The menu at Haaheim changes every day.

Something for everyone

hobby, but the hotel quickly became very popular.”

Where magic happens Hatlevik wants everyone to leave Haaheim having experienced something they could only describe as magic. And from the outside, Haaheim certainly looks like a place where magic can happen. The garden surrounding the hotel has more than 1,500 roses and is the perfect place for a romantic stroll before sitting down for a coffee in the beautiful garden café. Haaheim's own gardener ensures that the garden looks beautiful, as well as harvesting vegetables, fruit and herbs to use in the kitchen.

The hotel is just as impressive on the inside. With only five rooms, each room has its own look and feel and draws inspiration from various historic events connected to the farm and surrounding area; in effect, each room tells its own unique story.

The stunning scenery makes Tysnes a popular destination for hikers, cyclists and kayakers. Visitors can rent both kayaks and bicycles from Haaheim, and the staff are always happy to offer advice on what routes to take. For those who want to explore Tysnes by foot there are plenty of marked paths starting at Haaheim, making for a great way to experience the area.

A lot of people also go fishing in the river or play golf at the Dalen golf course just 700 metres away from the hotel. For those feeling slightly lazier there are lots of relaxing options to choose from at Haaheim, such as aroma therapy and massages by Haaheim's very own aroma therapist.

Haaheim also has its own library where visitors can borrow books to read in the garden or in front of the fireplace.

In the evenings, Haaheim opens its doors to its very own concert hall, where Hatlevik, who is a former musician, sometimes performs. The staff at Haaheim also arrange opera nights, theme weekends, readings and ghost walks, so even the evenings are full of fun activities. “We make sure we have something for everyone here at Haaheim. People want to be seen and experience something out of the ordinary; we make sure they get that,” Hatlevik adds.

Haaheim hotel is the perfect destination for a romantic getaway.

Visitors enjoying a glass of wine.

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

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Scan Magazine | Attraction of the Month | Sweden

Bohuslän. Photo: Goran Assner

Attraction of the Month, Sweden

A shellfish journey among islands, fjords and Swedish traditions Cold and salty waters, a fishing tradition that goes back centuries, and a beautifully preserved archipelago are among the contributing factors that make Bohuslän the obvious destination for shellfish lovers. Add the fact that it boasts Sweden's first and only marine national park, as well as some easy-to-get-to fishing villages, and you won't be surprised to hear that food journalists have gone mad for the place. This is the Shellfish Journey – and it is shellfish at its very best.

By Linnea Dunne | Photos: Jonas Ingman

At 7 in the morning on the first Monday after September 20 every year something magical happens in the Swedish county of Bohuslän. It is the lobster premiere, and countless boats all leave the dock at the same time, their pots ready for the big catch. Whether you come to visit in September or later on during the lobster season, you can learn everything there is to know about fishing for the black gold.

While the entire Bohuslän coast offers excellent lobster fishing, Sea Lodge Smögen

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Scan Magazine | Attraction of the Month | Sweden

is a special gem thanks to its own pier and certified gourmet restaurant. Learn by doing as you join local fishermen who have known the trade since their early childhood years on their boats at sea, and enjoy your own catch cooked to perfection by the gourmet chefs.

the morning. A restored storage warehouse painted in traditional Swedish red, Bryggan Fjällbacka Hotel & Restaurant, offers a grand mountain backdrop and stunning panoramic views of the archipelago.

Seafood safaris, crayfish parties and spa treatments

The ideal place to familiarize yourself with shrimp is Vann Spa, Hotel & Conference outside Lysekil, a hotel and spa resort located at a quiet fjord where you can embark on a seafood safari and fish for shrimp, which are known to be redder, sweeter and bigger here than in other places, and spot a seal or two if you are lucky. Accommodation, a three-course dinner and access to the spa are included in the seafood safari package, so this is a treat that combines recuperation with holiday fun.

Most closely associated with Sweden, however, is perhaps the crayfish, because of the traditional crayfish parties that take place in August every year. At Fjällbacka, local fisherman Ingemar Granqvist will bring you along to catch, cook and enjoy the local delicacy before spending a night in pure luxury in a cosy seaside hotel, with a three-course crayfish supper in the evening and a scrumptious breakfast in

While near Lysekil, make sure to say hello to local fishermen and mussel farmers Adrian and Lars, who will happily take you along on a trip to their farms where divers dive for shellfish. Their expertise will become yours through stories and short lectures about the best mussel opening techniques and the lives and habits of the shellfish.

If your favourite shellfish is oysters, head for Grebbestad, as an astonishing 90 per cent of Sweden’s oyster supply originates here. This must-taste from the exquisite Bohuslän menu is ideally enjoyed alongside a porter at Everts Sjöbod, where you can also take part in a two-hour oyster opening class in the 19th-century boat house.

Waters that bring out shellfish flavour Close to Gothenburg, the Bohuslän coastline is both lively and easy to get to, yet carefully protected thanks to the reservation status of its waters. You simply do not get anything like it anywhere else in the world: an untouched archipelago with its many islands and fishing villages, fishermen who are itching to teach you about their trade, and, of course, the uniquely Swedish ‘allemansrätten’ which gives you the right to venture anywhere and truly enjoy nature at its purest.

While Swedes on summer holidays flock to the area for the couple of months following midsummer, a top tip is to visit Bohuslän during the autumn or spring.

The shellfish season has then kicked off properly, but you will avoid the crowds.

Moreover, there is plenty to do before that seafood safari: between nature walks, boat trips and kayaking, you can be sure that all your nature, adventure and culinary desires will be seen to.

For more information, please visit: www.westsweden.com/shellfishjourney

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Light Houses - Young Nordic Architecture.

Photo: Juho Haavisto / MFA

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Museum. Photo: Voitto Niemelä

Attraction of the Month, Finland

The art of architecture The Museum of Finnish Architecture is a museum specifically devoted to architecture.

Offering a wide range of information on architecture and the built environment, it is one of the key influences in promoting modern architecture in Finland and abroad.

By Inna Allen

Established in 1956, the Museum of Finnish Architecture (MFA) is the second oldest museum of its kind in the world. Housed in a neo-classical building, designed by architect Magnus Schjerfbeck and completed in 1899, the museum was founded on the basis of the photographic collections of the Finnish Association of Architects (SAFA).

Housing an extensive and internationally significant collection, the MFA makes a key contribution as a national and international expert in architectural research and presentation. “Our mission is to activate a personal connection with the built environment and provide tools for understanding architecture,” says museum director Juulia Kauste. The focus of the research and collections is on architecture after the turn of the 20th century. The museum’s archive, which is open to all, specialises in modern Finnish architecture and consists of black-and-white photographs, slides, original drawings, copies of drawings, documents and models. In addition to books published by the museum itself, the MFA bookshop sells other books related to architecture, as well as postcards, posters and other items.

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works by young Nordic architects. “It is an expanded version of the joint Nordic Light Houses exhibition curated for the Venice Biennale in summer 2012,” Kauste explains. “Celebrating the jubilee of the iconic Nordic Pavilion designed 50 years ago by Sverre Fehn, the original version of the exhibition explored the Biennale’s shared theme ‘common ground’.”

The MFA has a long reputation for promoting high-class Finnish architecture through exhibitions on both an international and national level, and its exhibitions have been travelling around the world since the 1950s. The MFA has recently conquered new, exciting areas by taking touring exhibitions to the Far East and adapting latest technologies in representing architecture.

The MFA’s summer exhibition “Light houses. Young Nordic Architecture”, open during 5 June - 22 September 2013, is a two-part exhibition with contemporary

Permanent exhibition. Photo: Voitto Niemela

Opening hours: Exhibitions, library, bookshop: Tue-Sun 11am-6pm, Wed 11am-8pm Address: Museum of Finnish Architecture Kasarmikatu 24 00130 Helsinki, Finland

Juulia Kauste. Photo: Patrik Rastenberger / MFA

For more information, please visit: www.mfa.fi

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Attraction of the Month, Norway

The history of mining in Norway's Silver City The history of Kongsberg began in 1623 when, legend has it, two shepherd children discovered silver in a nearby valley. Nearly 400 years later, 300 mine shafts remain intact and the Norwegian Mining Museum welcomes you to an adventure through Kongberg’s rich history.

By Ingvild Vetrhus | Photos: Norwegian Mining Museum

Silver mining made Kongsberg Norway’s second largest city for a brief period of time, and between 1623 and 1957, the city produced over a million kilograms of the world's most coveted form of silver, the native wire silver, to the royal coffers.

Today, the Silver City is a booming worldclass technology city, and Kongsberg has its remarkable history illustrated on the Norwegian Mining Museum's various exhibition sites. Visitors have the opportunity to explore a range of extraordinary presentations, including the world's largest crystallised silver exhibition, the Ski Exhibition, the Royal Norwegian Mint Exhibition, the Kongsberg Industry Exhibition, and the Norwegian Minerals and Mining Exhibition, which are all conveniently located in the heart of the city. The Royal Norwegian Mint Exhibition holds the Norwegian central bank's collection of coins and medals, dating back 300 years.

Every year from May to September, the Silvermines, which are located eight kilometres west of Kongsberg, are open seven days a week. Here, visitors will experience a spectacular mine train journey 2,300 metres into the deepest mountains, 342 metres below the surface. Inside great stone chambers, children can go on exciting treasure hunts looking for minerals, whilst visitors of all age groups can take an unforgettable guided tour through the history of mining, where distinct gothic forms adorn the large stone caves as the result of ancient mining techniques.

tivities for children where they can wash out real silver and become real miners.

“What is so unique about the Silvermines is that when you are inside the mountain, you see the dimensions created by hardworking miners over the centuries. It is a fascinating visual experience,” says Alfhild Skaardal, director of the Norwegian Mining Museum.

The stone chambers are also a popular venue for corporate events where a large stone room, with a capacity for 200 people, is available for conferences, dinners, theatrical performances and concerts. The stone chambers, dubbed Norway's most distinctive gallery, currently host an exclusive art exhibition by artist and photographer Arild Brun Kjeldaas, which will be on display for visitors and conference guests until the end of 2013.

For more information, please visit: www.norsk-bergverksmuseum.no

Outside the Silvermines, the Activity Square provides fun and educational ac-

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Attraction of the Month, Denmark

Let Funen’s culinary riches tempt you With 40 food stands, folk music and culinary workshops, a new annual food market in Faaborg offers a delicious introduction to Funen’s rich food culture.

By Signe Hansen | Photos: Fynske Fristelser

The fertile soil of Funen has been the source of some of Denmark’s most abundant agricultural produce for decades.

Furthermore, in recent years, the green island has become increasingly known for its wide range of high-quality artisan food products and restaurants. At Fynske Fristelser (Funen Temptations), Funen’s biggest – and only – exclusively regional market, foodies can revel in the island’s diverse flavours, rich food culture and history.

“Fynske Fristelser is the Funen market; everyone and everything there is from Funen and the islands – there is no other food market like that. At most other markets vendors are selling food produced all over the world, but here everyone knows

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their products inside out and can tell their stories from their often humble beginning to their existence today,” explains event manager Mads Holdgaard. “Our name pretty much tells it all; it is all about presenting products from Funen and showing our island’s natural riches. But it is also

about revealing the culinary history of our region – from the era of large agricultural estates to today’s modern production of high-quality food products.”

This year’s market is set to take place in the courtyard of a charming historic merchant’s home facing Faaborg port and the famously beautiful South Funen Archipelago, on the last Saturday of August.

Smoked cheese, homemade chocolate and gourmet secrets Visitors to Fynske Fristelser will be met by approximately 40 of Funen’s best food producers, farmers and chefs. Among them they are likely to discover a range of small-scale, homemade products but also recognized names such as the awardwinning brewery Midtfyns Bryghus, and the delicious Konnerup chocolate, as well as Falsled Kro, Denmark's finest gourmet inn. “You have all kinds of products represented here: juice, fish, honey and, of

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Scan Magazine | Attraction of the Month | Denmark

ditional night watchmen. The event will also be visited by traditional folk musicians as well as the Danish National Girls Choir.

As it did last year, the market will culminate in a huge dinner party, which this year will be held in the museum’s hollyhock-adorned courtyard. Here guests will be able to enjoy the idyllic historical settings, seaside views and, essentially, food from some of Funen’s best restaurants, as well as the company of their chefs. “This year, what we aim to create is a down-toearth and relaxed event but with highquality food and wine. It will be prepared in cooperation with some of Denmark’s most accomplished food artists, who will also be at the event so our guests have the opportunity to chat with them,” says Holdgaard.

course, Funen’s famous smoked cheese.

But it is not just anyone who can join the market; the products have to be of Funen origin and of high quality,” stresses Holdgaard.

Local wine, homemade chocolate, bread and cakes, and milk and cheese from well-treated animals are also among the treats waiting for guests at Fynske Fristelser.

Time and date: Fynske Fristelser will take place Saturday August 31, 2013, from 10am10pm.

Place: The market is located at Holkegade 3, 5600 Faaborg (right behind the harbour).

Faaborg is located on central Funen, approximately two hours by car from Copenhagen and Aarhus, and 35 minutes from Odense.

Entrance: 40 DKKR (children under 12 free)

If you feel tempted to try out some of Funen’s delicious, lovingly prepared delicacies and For more information, please visit: regional specialities, just follow the scent of www.fynskefristelser.com fresh produce (and the directions below).

FREE ENTRANCE TO SCAN MAGAZINE READERS Please qoute “SCAN Magazine August 2013” and refer to this article for free entrance to the event.

Founded by Pastry Chef and Chocolatier Henrik Konnerup, Konnerup & Co’s high-quality chocolates are sure to please even the most discerning taste buds at the Funen food market.

Hollyhocks, seaside views and historical ambiance Situated in what is one of Faaborg’s most beautiful locations and the home of its historical museum, Fynske Fristelser will not only provide an insight into Funen’s food culture as it emerges today but also into its traditions and origins.

“Our guests will be engulfed by Funen’s temptations not just through taste experiences but also historical and culinary tours, and talks on our food culture,” Holdgaard explains.

Among the offers will be historical city walks with a special focus on the island’s agricultural and culinary developments throughout time, guided by the town’s tra-

Falsled Kro, Denmark's finest gourmet inn, will also be represented at the Funen food market.

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Scan Magazine | Columns | Humour

IS IT JUST ME...

By Mette Lisby

Who is slightly perplexed by the number of “Experts” who have analyzed everything about the royal pregnancy from the second it was announced?

What exactly are these people “Experts” on?

Royals?

Babies?

Giving birth?

Are you automatically authorized to go on TV and tell the nation how you think the Royal soon-to-be-parents feel, if you tick two out of three boxes? Or will one do?

The question has haunted me for a while now: How exactly do “Experts” qualify?

Because to me these “Experts” seem to be randomly guessing about what is going to happen, what COULD happen, based solely on assumptions made by other “Experts” “interpreting” what the Royal family does and does not do.

Mind you, it’s not just the royals who are scrutinized by Experts, we now have Experts on everything from lifestyles to realtionships.

So I went overboard and threw myself

into doing extensive research on Experts.

“Extensive research” in today’s journalism means that you skim the top two sites that pop up on Google, before you completely ignore them and write whatever you had in mind in the first place.

That’s right! In today’s world of reporting nobody is held back by actual facts.

Just as “Experts” are not weighed down by actual expertise.

According to Webster’s an Expert is someone who is “accomplished with trained ability” which I found somewhat promising.

But when you dig deeper the word stems from “experi”, Latin for “to try for one self (experience)”, or “to investigate”.

That’s a very vague description for persons who are interviewed in all seriousness and trusted to inform us about .... everything.

Chickens and llamas

One of the problems with speaking two languages is that occasionally you’re left feeling like you speak two languages fairly well instead of one perfectly. My childhood language is Swedish, while my grown-up tongue is English. Sometimes that leaves me stranded for words. This was made apparent when I pet sat for my

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friend Jane a while back. Jane is the proud owner of about 20 animals, ranging from rabbits to llamas. She’d left instructions on a sheet of paper in the kitchen.

Instantly I spotted two problems. Firstly there was no mention of the llamas, and secondly, there was a word I’d never come across before –‘bantam’. ‘The bantams’ needed feeding once a day, but who/what were they? Could ‘bantam’ mean ‘llama’?

I found the bantam food referred to in a barn and went around trying to match the grains to leftover scraps in the various animal enclosures. Something in the chicken coop looked similar, so I tentatively spread a handful around and was greeted by some enthusiastic squawking.

That left me with the llamas. Nigel the llama already made me nervous. His job was to keep the sheep safe and – apparently – to follow me around with a kind of aggressive curiosity. On day two, Nigel started communicating with me in a quiet,

That explains why we are inundated with experts. It’s merely someone who “tried something”!

That makes plenty of people experts.

Particularly if we include the even more ambigous definition “investigated something”.

Actually that would make me – who has investigated what Experts are – quite the Expert on Experts.

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

insistent bleat. If you’ve never heard a llama nag, I recommend you Google it and see what you would have done in my position. By the end of the week I broke down and fed Nigel some hay. I confessed all to Jane on her return. She laughed and exclaimed: “Silly me for not writing ‘chicken’ and silly Nigel for telling you he needed feeding!” (He didn’t.) At least I learnt something. Llamas are able to con you no matter what language you speak.

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. Maria writes a column on the trials and tribulations of life as a Swede in the UK.

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Scan Magazine | Restaurant of the Month | Norway

Restaurant of the Month, Norway

Dinner in a secret garden Escape the hustle and bustle of the Norwegian capital and enjoy a quiet dinner, hidden away in a secret garden looking out over a picturesque fjord.

By Magnus Nygren Syversen | Photos: Mats & Martin

20 minutes outside Oslo, along the coast of the Oslo Fjord, you will find a charming little place called Vollen. With narrow streets and white picket fences, surrounded by beaches and hiking trails, Vollen has a traditional but vibrant centre, where you will find everything from an old-fashioned bakery to genuine shops and art galleries.

In the heart of this Norwegian gem lies Brasserie Mats & Martin, an unpretentious and warm restaurant focusing on honest, rustic food, made from fresh, seasonal ingredients and prepared in the best way possible.

“Our chefs have worked at some of the best restaurants in Norway, and here at our brasserie, we get to make the food we

like to eat. There are plenty of classic international dishes, each with our own little twist,” says owner Mats Bunæs.

“We like to say that we serve the food we would serve to our closest friends and family. We want our guests to be impressed, without having to feel like they are dining at a fine restaurant. This is a place to relax and enjoy beautiful surroundings and great food made from quality ingredients.”

The charm of this quaint restaurant is highlighted on sunny summer days when guests can enjoy their dinner in the restaurant's idyllic secret garden. “Many of our guests have said that they are struck by its charm, and there's a fantastic view of the fjord,” says Bunæs.

In September, Brasserie Mats & Martin celebrates its 10th anniversary. “When we stumbled upon this place ten years ago, we just fell in love with it,” says Bunæs.

Since then the restaurant has grown to become a beloved part of Vollen's town centre, and four years ago, Bunæs and his business partner opened a second restaurant in Oslo.

“We always strive to better ourselves. Our goal is to be one of the preferred restaurants outside of Oslo,” says Bunæs.

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

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Scan Magazine | Restaurant of the Month | Denmark

Restaurant of the Month, Denmark

Taking the bull by the horns Forget all about horsemeat and rubbery mince patties. The two Bull restaurants in Odense, which serve no-nonsense burger menus in classic American diner settings, use only meat from a local butcher’s known for its high quality and animal welfare standards.

By Signe Hansen | Photos: Bull

Six years ago Henning Andersen was working as a smith in Odense when he had a great idea: he wanted to set up a burger restaurant that could compete with the low-quality chains which were, then, without real competition in Odense. It was simple and straightforward, but nonetheless the result was a hugely successful concept. Today, the burgers, fries and soft drinks served in and out of Andersen’s two Bull restaurants add up to an approx-

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imate annual turnover of 20 million DDKR (£2,000,000).

“The success went beyond all my expectations. We had, of course, done some simple budgeting, but the outcome was not near anything we had calculated for; the first day we had 500 people queuing up outside the restaurant,” explains the restaurant owner. He attributes the success mainly to the high quality of the meat. “I think that people are willing to pay a little more for proper meat. Our meat is sourced from Grambogaard butchery, which adheres to organic principles and purveys meat to many highend restaurants.”

Today, Andersen has two Bull restaurants in Odense; one in Albanigade and one in Middelfartvej. Both restaurants do take-

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Scan Magazine | Restaurant of the Month | Denmark

away as well as eat-in food; the restaurant in Middelfarvej also has a popular drive-in service.

Local vegetables and homemade dressing Prior to opening Bull, Andersen had not made a burger anywhere else but his own kitchen. But even though he admits to having burned his share of burgers on the first hectic opening day, the restaurant owner, who is in the kitchen every day, has since had plenty of opportunity to polish his skills. “I had absolutely no experience; I just thought: I’m sure I will figure it out,” says the confident ex-smith. “My thought was that if the concept of the existing burger chains could work, I could easily make something similar but better – with higher quality products and better service.”

To ensure that his burgers stand out compared to those of bigger chains, Andersen sources all his vegetables from local producers and even makes his own burger dressing. Apart from that the menu is pretty much like that of most other burger restaurants: burgers, fries, soft drinks, onion rings, hot wings and the like. Still, the restaurants attract not just the usual young fast food crowd. “I was actually quite surprised that, already from the first

day, we had a very mixed clientele. I think the older part of our customers were in particular attracted by the fact that we source our meat from Grambogaard, which is something most of them know and respect,” says Andersen.

Chicken salad

Homemade, home-built Just like the menu the interiors of the two Bull restaurants are faithful versions of an American diner, with red vinyl booths, old 60s posters and country music. But like everything else, the restaurants were “made in Funen”. “The first restaurant was built by hand by me and my family. My wife and father-in-law bought the fabric for the chairs and stitched it on themselves. Later, once we got a little money in the box, we changed the entire restaurant and created the American diner theme,” Andersen explains.

Even though Andersen today runs two restaurants, employs around 60 people and has a third restaurant on the cards in Jutland, he still spends every day in the kitchen. “I have to be there. I’ve tried to stay away, but I suppose I just feel most comfortable with doing things myself. It will be difficult with the one in Jutland, but I guess I can still drive there on some days,” he laughs, adding more seriously: “No, actually our business plan is to even-

Green salad

tually open one new restaurant every year, and part of that plan, of course, is to find the right people to help us.”

Bull restaurants Albanigade 53, 5000 Odense C Open every day noon-9.30pm Middelfartvej 9E, 5000 Odense C Open every day 11am-10pm

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

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Scan Business | Key Note | Mannaz

Scan Business Key Note 94 | Special Theme: Swedish Design & Communication Agencies 96 | Business Calendar 102

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Motivation – show me the money

By Paul Blackhurst, Client Director, Mannaz

If you are a manager trying to “get things done by other people”, then you need to be able to motivate others. The most common mistake is to assume that other people are motivated in the same way that you are. Seventy years ago, Abraham Maslow described his hierarchy of needs, and despite the advancing years, it remains a useful framework for considering differences in human motivation. Maslow proposes that humans are driven to satisfy needs in a sequence. There are basic survival needs which, if not met, are the overriding priority. When these are met (food, drink etc.), then the next level needs are safety and shelter. These seemingly primitive needs may not be obvious in the workplace, but there are instances where such low-level needs are not met. In these instances, people will be driven to satisfy these lower level needs and unconcerned with higher-level needs such as belonging (the human need to be part of a group) or self-esteem (how they feel special in some way). While many managers I work with are firmly on the self-esteem level where such things as job titles, office size, car park place etc. are seen as highly important and, therefore, motivating, many of their colleagues from the newly-married to the newly-divorced will be in a

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completely different place for motivational purposes.

Money has an interesting role to play as money can impact a low-level need, such as safety and security, or a higherlevel need, such as self-esteem. In either scenario, money is not an enduring positive motivator. However, on the contrary, people who perceive that their work is not rewarded fairly will be demotivated, irrespective of the amounts involved.

According to the Gallup Organisation, a perception of fairness is the key issue in motivation. People need to feel fairly treated and the performance management system is a key tool for this. Before implementing elaborate incentive schemes, managers need to ensure that their people have clear objectives, the tools to do the job and regular feedback on how they are doing. Check with your people this week – do they know what is expected of them, and do they know how they are doing?

The pinnacle of Maslow’s hierarchy is self-actualisation, being what you were born to be. Ultimately then, when you get past the basics, giving people a sense of mastery, contribution and purpose may be the most motivating and altruistic thing you can do.

Paul Blackhurst, Client Director, Mannaz

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

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WEALTH W E ALTH P PLANNING L A N N ING

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Photo: Nicole Lage-Vianna

Scan Magazine | Business Theme | Swedish Design & Communications Agencies

Left: Autodance app by CP+B Group (page 100-101). Right: Ewa Björling, Swedish Minister for Trade, and Jessica Bjurström, CEO, KOMM and co-founder of Made @Sweden

Mini Theme: Swedish Design & Communications Agencies

The second wave of Vikings Swedish communications professionals are on the move. The government’s aim is to double the creative export by year 2020. Global clients have noticed that Sweden is parked at the top of the Global Creativity Index (*1), so Swedes are being recruited internationally or just bringing the clients back home.

By Patrick Smith, concept developer at Ohlsonsmith Living Identities® Member of Komm’s (*4) International Committée. patrick@ohlsonsmith.se

At this year’s Cannes Lions, the world’s biggest advertising festival, a special academy, Made@Sweden (*2) was held to uncover “The Swedish Way”. We’re looking at the second wave of Vikings, but this time their weapons consist of highly creative minds instead of axes and swords.

When the long winter ends, Swedes live in the Nordic light that illuminates their lives. They become harmonious, and the bright harmony manifests itself in all sorts of contexts such as design, furniture, textiles, photography, news gathering, editing, graphic design, art direction, advertising and so forth. A big part of the success is also that Swedes find it easy to accept personal responsibility and to work independently.

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In the theory of The Creative Class , the three necessary prerequisites for true creativity are talent, tolerance and technology. All three are to be found in Sweden.

People here are active, thinking individuals with rights and awareness. Swedes quickly adopt inventions and technology that simplify their lives. They feel at home in other cultures, and beyond the Swedish borders their chameleon-like nature makes them attractive. On the following pages, you will encounter examples of Swedish creativity, and you can decide for yourselves if it is the light or the pure creativity that affects you. (*3)

FACTS *1 The Global Creativity Index, GCI, assesses the prospects for sustainable prosperity across 82 nations according to a combination of underlying economic, social and cultural factors that we refer to as the 3 Ts of economic development—Technology, Talent and Tolerance. martinprosperity.org/media/GCI%20 Report%20Sep%202011.pdf *2 Made @Sweden presented by Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, The Swedish Institute and KOMM, a three-day programme providing access to the people behind some of the world’s strongest brands and most progressive start-ups. www.canneslions.com/talent_training/ academies.cfm?section_id=136 *3 The Creative Class – made up of workers in fields spanning science and technology, business and management, healthcare and education, and arts, culture, and entertainment – is a driving force in economic growth. www.creativeclass.com/richard_florida *4 The Swedish Association of Communication Agencies, KOMM, is a professional association of consultants for marketing communication, design & advertising. KOMM serves as a member organisation as well as an informative interest group and creator of public opinion. www.komm.se/in-english

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Scan Magazine | Business Theme | Swedish Design & Communications Agencies

A better life through good design

By Ewa Kumlin, Managing Director Svensk Form

Sweden has one of the most multi-faceted design industries in the world. For a land with approximately 9 million inhabitants there is such a great depth and diversity in our design and creative outputs that it makes my counterparts in other countries a little jealous of just how creative we are as a nation. So it's only right that I be a little bit excited about SwedishDesign.org and the reasoning behind its development – to showcase and promote even more Swedish design internationally. For it gives me even more of an opportunity to be a little vocal about how much talent we have active today and also show everyone the legacy of Swedish design history.

information and super-lengthy articles – there are plenty of other sites and magazines doing that job perfectly well. What we're trying to do is to collate as much of Sweden's creativity in one place, so that people can get a quick snapshot of what's happening, who's pushing things forward and then travel off in search of more – perhaps from the websites of the designers exciting them as a viewer.

(the Swedish Society of Craft and Design)

At Svensk Form we work under the motto: A Better Life Through Good Design. I hope that as this site flourishes, more people around the world will see the many ways in which design benefits our lives and codes of existence.

We feel that the site is going to operate as a jumping off point for Swedish design. It's not a comprehensive, sprawling mass of

2

For more information, please visit: www.swedishdesign.org

Scan Events specialises in the design, planning and management of corporate entertainments, exhibitions, conferences and meetings.

Our services include: • • • • • • • • • • •

Svensk Form

Creativity and content Locating venue and vendors Budget planning and development Negotiating rates Invitations Entertainment VIP assistance Arranging speakers Design and production of printed material AV and technical support On-line delegate registration

Our approach to successful conference planning is simple: we always put our clients in the front seat.

CONTACT US TODAY! Phone +44 (0)870 933 0423 Email info@scanevents.co.uk or visit www.scanevents.co.uk

Svensk Form is a membership society, the oldest society of design in the world, founded in 1845. Historically Svensk Form has always been working in the forefront of new ideas and visions in the design and craft field, and has initiated several movements and milestone exhibitions throughout its time. Svensk Form publishes the design magazine FORM, produces exhibitions and works under the motto “A better life through good design”.

Svensk Form is the founder of the Swedish Design Awards. www.svenskform.se

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Scan Magazine | Business Theme | Swedish Design & Communications Agencies

Cow monitoring camera packaging redesign

Simplifying, clarifying and implementing all the way Graphic design, print campaigns, PR activities and packaging designs: it is all the same, if you ask Lupo Design. But what exactly does that mean? “A channel is not a solution. We help brands identify their problematic customer touchpoints, and then we fix them, one by one,” says the agency’s managing and creative director Ludvig Bouveron.

clients,” says Bouveron. “At the end of the day, this is all about problem-solving.

Whatever the channel, we want to create solutions with great results.”

Turning premium on its head

By Linnea Dunne | Photos: Lupo Design

Back in 2006, with 20 odd years’ experience of design and advertising, and after some time as partner at a well-established agency, Bouveron’s mind was set on the B2B segment. Convinced that a brand is only as good as the sum of the different points of contact it has with its customers, he was adamant that the theory of touchpoints would be at the

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heart of his new venture – and so Lupo Design was born.

The agency’s 12 staff come from different parts of the world and a variety of backgrounds, but while its portfolio boasts projects big and small, simple and complex, they all grow out of the same core belief. “We want to be honest with our

As the primary agency for DeLaval, the Tetra Pak-owned manufacturer of milk production equipment, Lupo Design has had the opportunity to show off its expertise in a wide range of communications-related fields. The agency has not only revamped the packaging for entire product ranges, representing over a 100 million euro turnover, but it has also handled the global communications campaigns around all product launches since

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Scan Magazine | Business Theme | Swedish Design & Communications Agencies

product is transported from one warehouse shelf to the retailer warehouse and, in the case of DeLaval, the end customer dairy farm. But even in instances where the customer does not see the packaging in real life, the web shop will have images of it, as will printed catalogues. Promoting a relevantly packaged water pump or just the water pump itself is not the same thing at all. In one case you promote your product and convey your brand positioning to customers – in the other you merely communicate a product category.

2010, developed the company’s new graphical guidelines, and designed its stands for the biggest agricultural trade show in the world, EuroTier, both last autumn and in 2010.

Bouveron reflects on the packaging overhaul: “DeLaval have always laid claim to being the premium brand in the industry, which to a large extent is true. However, there was a belief that simply putting the DeLaval logo on a box was enough to convey this. A lot has happened over the past decade, and it doesn’t quite work like that anymore.” With tougher competition and a tougher economic environment, customers will no longer pay a premium price unless they genuinely experience that the product has a premium value – and as such, Lupo Design turned the word premium on its head.

Deciding instead that the DeLaval ranges had to be innovative, best in class and offer real value for money, Lupo Design created a striking but more quietly confident range of packaging designs, the primary task of which was to communicate the benefits of the product to the customer – because, as the creative director points out, at a time when staff training is costly and many sales associates are only trained simply to sell, the product expertise has to be communicated via the packaging.

Attractive and informative packaging The results of a cow monitoring camera packaging redesign, to give an example,

Small agency with big clients

were as undeniable as they were impressive: the predicted volume for the first year sold out in less than four months, with a total that year of over 250 per cent of the annual prognosis. Markets that had initially been averse to the idea of selling the cow monitoring camera even came around to it when they heard what other markets said. “The feedback we got across the board was that the attractive, informative packaging made the product a phenomenally easy sell,” says Bouveron.

“The client happily told us that it was almost as if the product sold itself.”

Interestingly, packaging is a touchpoint that is often ignored in the industrial segment, where it is sometimes seen merely as the unimportant capsule by which a

With clients like DeLaval International, The Swedish Radio, ACCOR Hotels Scandinavia and Sherwin-Williams Product Finishes, Lupo Design is a small agency with surprisingly big clients. Perhaps Bouveron, an industrial strategist originally, has a skillset that is hard to find in today’s channel-focused media industry.

But if you ask the man himself, it is pretty simple: “In today’s society, we are always individuals as well as professionals. Some decisions are rational, but most are also emotional – and those are the triggers we have to reach. If you manage to do so in a well-thought-out and consistent way, you’ve got a lot to win.” What can you say?

Numbers don’t lie.

For more information, please visit: lupodesign.se

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Gustav Martner, executive creative director and managing director for CP+B in Sweden. Photo: Pontus Johansson

Creating the most talked-about advertisement in the world How can advertising be relevant in a time with endless ways of consuming media and popular culture? The advertising agency CP+B has a simple yet surprisingly effective solution: if you make advertising that taps into the changes in society, it will make people talk about it, write about it and share it with their friends.

By Cecilia Varricchio | Photos: CP+B

Gustav Martner, executive creative director and managing director for CP+B in Sweden, was a co-founder of the digital agency Daddy, which was acquired by CP+B (Crispin Porter + Bogusky) in 2009.

With more than 25 years of experience, the group is today one of the largest global advertising agencies and operates in five different locations: London (UK), Göteborg and Stockholm (Sweden), Miami (Florida), Boulder (Colorado) and Los Angeles (California). They specialize in making adver-

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tising concepts in such a way that the advertised brands become symbols for progressive and positive changes in culture and society. The ability to develop such powerful messages can be linked to CP+B’s planning process, which includes insight into pop culture and use of new media channels. The Internet is, of course, one of the most important media channels and since its inception has changed the way people make use of information. Even though built on a digital

foundation, the agency calls themselves “media agnostic” and work with all kinds of executions. “Today, an investment in one well-executed app can give more return than a traditional 360 all-media campaign. The trick is to do more detailed planning to find out at which touch points between users and media it makes most sense to implement an idea,” Martner says.

How to make people talk about an advertisement To create a successful advertisement, you need to catch people’s attention and interest. To be successful in a marketing campaign, it is necessary that the beneficiaries of the campaign will want to spread it and talk about it. CP+B give peo-

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Scan Magazine | Business Theme | Swedish Design & Communications Agencies

For the launch of the Just Dance 3 console game, CP+B created Autodance, an app which automatically makes any filmed video clip into a dance movie. The app has been downloaded over 8 million times, and uploaded videos made with the app made Just Dance’s YouTube channel the biggest one in the world.

At the premiere of the new James Bond movie, CP+B gave away the new water proof Sony Xperia to the audience – secret agent style. The stunt was filmed, and got massive attention on blogs and on YouTube.

digital services and have created a planning process inspired by digital start-ups and design thinking. They are able to turn around outdated brands, make them renowned and ensure a long-lasting positive impact. Their formula seems to work – in fact the magazine AdAge declared CP+B as the agency of the decade a few years ago, and they are the agency that has won the most Grand Prix at the world’s biggest advertising festival, Cannes Lions.

just started work with Stena Line globally.

The goal of this new partnership is to renew the perception of travelling by ferry.

This is a typical opportunity to make people talk in new ways about their upcoming vacations and what they value about their travelling. The future looks bright for CP+B, and we are looking forward to seeing how their up-and-coming campaigns will amaze us and make us talk about them.

ple reason to talk of the brands and products the ads have been created for, and people will find themselves talking about it naturally as if they were talking of common topics in their everyday lives – career, relationships or the weather. For example, when Sony launched a waterproof smartphone, CP+B linked the product benefit to a conversation about why our expensive smartphones don’t comply with rainy weather in Scandinavian countries. Martner tells us that the best and most reliable indicator of their success is when newspapers use a CP+B advertising campaign in their articles to disclose change in society and people’s habits.

Current projects CP+B Sweden are now expanding through a few recent new business wins. They have

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

How advertising has changed Advertising has changed a lot compared to the past. Previously, companies tried to reach out to big target groups, whereas nowadays it’s more valuable not to see people as target groups but as users.

Users can have different mindsets in different situations. To make an effective advertising campaign, you need to understand that in modern media there are many ways to get people to act, instead of just listen to a message. For example, when someone books a flight ticket, he goes online and checks for different prices, travel times, and departure and arrival times. In this case there are plenty of options to opt for in the ad field. CP+B are the leader in developing products and

Research is everything. When realizing that the majority of people who eat the classic Swedish sandwich spread “Kalle’s Caviar” wouldn’t do it without boiled eggs, CP+B decided to focus on making people boil eggs, instead of talking too much about caviar. One execution was this iPhone app – an egg timer that automatically creates perfectly timed playlists with your songs from iTunes.

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Scan Business | News | Scandinavian Business Calendar

Scandinavian Business Calendar – Highlights of Scandinavian business events

Building a Competitive Europe – Three Perspectives New, rising powers such as China are resetting the global economy. In order to be able to compete and to grow, Europe has to improve its overall competitiveness. This high-level seminar offers three perspectives – both from a Nordic and a UK point of view as well as a financial industry angle – to how this could be done before it’s too late. Speakers: Lord Mayor Roger Gifford, Minister of Economic Affairs in Finland Jan Vapaavuori, and Chief Policy Di-

rector Katja Hall from CBI Venue: Mansion House, London EC4N 8BH Date: 2 September

NBCC stand at Offshore Europe in Aberdeen Come and talk to us at the NBCC stand at the Commercial Norwegian Pavilion at this year's Offshore Europe in Aberdeen.

Venue: AECC, Aberdeen, UK Date: 3-6 September

Annual Crayfish Party The crayfish season is one of the most popular cultural celebrations in Sweden and promises comical paper hats, lanterns, great food, a special Swedish raffle called "fiskdamm" and traditional drinking songs (snapsvisor). This is the perfect opportunity to bring clients, colleagues and friends along to a typically Swedish event.

Sign up at www.scc.org.uk Date: 6 September

THØR: T HØR: LÖVES LÖVES CRISPBREAD C RISP PBREAD HE H E JJUST US T D DÖESN’T ÖESN LIKE L IKE T TØ Ø SH SHØW Ø W IT. Crispbread: o Crispbread: one ne o off o over ver 6 600 00 d delicious elicious Swedish, Danish Norwegian S wedish, D anish aand nd N orwegian foods foods UK our online aavailable vailable aacross cross tthe he U K ffrom rom o ur o nline sshop hop and and in in our our London London store. store.

SCANDIKITCHEN.CO.UK SCANDIKITCHEN.CO.UK GOOD G OOD FOOD FOOD W WITH ITH L LOVE OVE F FROM ROM SCANDINAVIA SCANDINAVIA

DUCC

Joint-Nordic Thursday Drinks The Thursday Drinks is a perfect occasion to network with people from the Norwegian, Danish, Finnish and British business communities in an informal atmosphere. Canapés and welcome drinks are generously sponsored for the 50 first guests to arrive.

Venue: Strand Palace Hotel, 372 Strand, London WC2R 0JJ Date: 29 August

Ways of financing your company and projects We are again organising this popular London Stock Exchange event. This year we focus on ways of financing your company and projects for companies operating in an international environment. We will be looking at ways of finance and what is realistically available and just as important what is not, and who can access what kind of finance. It is really a step back to reassess the opportunities, as much has happened over the last couple of years.

Venue: London Stock Exchange, 10 Paternoster Square, London EC4M 7LS Date: 23 September

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Music & Culture | Kim Cesarion

could be changing. But if people want to see me as the new soul export from Scandinavia, I thank them.”

With only one hit single to his name, Kim had some of the biggest record labels in the UK and the US scrambling to sign him. And he has since been brought to the UK for a series of gigs and television interviews. This time six months ago though, even people in his native Sweden had not heard of him. So just how did he go about getting everybody Undressed?

“I started with music when I was four years old. It’s an interest I had as a kid. I really wanted to do something with it and practise it. It was my own choice. Then I played music all through school. And then after high school I met Arnthor [Birgisson, songwriter behind hits for the likes of Britney Spears, Jennifer Lopez, Celine Dion, and Leona Lewis]. We booked a session just to try it, to hear my voice. And he liked what he heard. So we spent all of three years in the studio, just working and trying to find a vibe and sound that was different but still something that everyone could appreciate. And that's how we got Undressed.”

Let's get undressed Scandinavian pop music has long been regarded as a massive worldwide export disproportionate to the comparatively low number of people who live there. But Scandinavian R&B and soul? Not so much. However, all that could change in the coming months thanks to one Swedish newcomer, whom both RCA Records in the UK and Columbia Records in the US have already flagged as one of their top priorities for 2013.

By Karl Batterbee | Press Photos

The artist is Kim Cesarion – and the song Undressed. Already a monster hit earlier this year across the Nordic region, it is the type of song that everyone was expecting from Justin Timberlake. Delivered with a mixture of a falsetto and a growl, and set to a Prince-esque funk, it is a song that could well put Scandinavian soul music on the map; although Kim himself is typi-

cally Swedish in his modesty when responding to that thought.

“That’d be cool if it comes to that. I’m just gonna be me and keep doing music. And maybe the next album won’t be soul; maybe it’ll be more funk, maybe more dirty, or maybe even more soul. The music surrounding my voice, a soul voice,

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

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Scan Magazine | Music & Culture | Valby Summer Jazz

Singers Maria Montell and Bobo Moreno performing a duet at the Betty Nansen Theatre.

An unmatched celebration of jazz for novices and connoisseurs alike For the fourth year in a row Danish saxophonist and composer Benjamin Koppel presented Valby Summer Jazz, his ever-growing and independent sub-festival to the mother festival Copenhagen Jazz Festival. From July 5-14, jazz connoisseurs as well as novices were able to attend 26 concerts with both Danish and international musicians, including some of the biggest jazz legends of our time.

By Rikke Oberlin Flarup | Photos: Jannik Knudsen

“Music is a form of communication, and to me it is very important to play both for and with the audience. That is why we try to make this festival very inclusive,” says Benjamin Koppel.

Valby Summer Jazz grew out of his musical vision, and since 2009, he and his company, Cowbell Music, have been organising the festival, which takes place just outside the centre of Copenhagen in the

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small suburb of Valby. World-class pianist and composer Kenny Werner also plays a major role in the creation of the festival.

Every year he and Koppel work together on assembling different talented musicians in interesting and new formations.

This year, on two main stages, the historical and beautiful Betty Nansen Theatre and former porcelain factory Prøvehallen, the audience were introduced to international stars such as Joe Lovano, Markus

Stockhausen and Palle Danielsson, as well as Danish stars including Marie Carmen Koppel, Maria Montell and Erann DD. That once-in-a-lifetime feeling Within very few years Valby Summer Jazz has established itself as one of northern Europe’s most distinguished jazz festivals, one of the reasons being its strong focus on bringing unique concert experiences to audiences.

“I am lucky enough to have played with a wide range of fantastic musicians from all over the world. This festival has given me the opportunity to invite some of them to Denmark to play. In collaboration with Kenny, I have assembled special orchestras with musicians who have never

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Scan Magazine | Music & Culture | Valby Summer Jazz

Top left: Erann DD and Bobo Moreno performing at Valby Summer Jazz. Below: The man behind the festival, composer and saxophonist Benjamin Koppel. Right: Benjamin Koppel and John Blake Jr. performed together along with Benjamin's father Anders Koppel, John's son Jonathan Blake and the Danish choir Ars Nova Copenhagen.

played together before. This gives the audience an experience they cannot find anywhere else. It is very much a once-ina-lifetime feeling,” explains Benjamin Koppel.

What a Wonderful World. The singers were clearly enjoying themselves on stage, making jokes and spreading good and friendly vibes to the audience, who repaid with a standing ovation.

The audience seems to have noticed this.

The number of people visiting the festival has only grown larger every year, and among the guests you will find both tourists coming from afar as well as locals. On top of this all age groups are represented.

Whether you are a complete jazz beginner or a more experienced listener, Valby Summer Jazz has something for everyone. The Friday night concert welcomed both newcomers and long-time jazz lovers. For true aficionados, one of the highlights of the festival must have been the Mezzo Sax concert with legendary saxophonist Joe Lovano and Benjamin Koppel. The concert was a world premiere of the musical meeting between the mezzo saxophones and their owners, and combined the American jazz tradition with the Scandinavian sound, represented by Benjamin Koppel and the Swede Palle Danielsson.

Something for everyone Early Friday night, the Betty Nansen Theatre quickly filled up with people clad in their summer clothes who were there to enjoy a glamorous jazz evening in the company of four of Denmark’s greatest pop, soul and jazz singers: Maria Montell, Erann DD, Bobo Moreno and Marie Carmen Koppel. Accompanied by one of the country’s best jazz quartets, they performed well-known evergreens such as Que Sera Sera, When I Fall in Love and

Big Band and Choir This year the festival had an underlying theme besides Werner and Koppel’s as-

sembling of different orchestras. The theme was called Big Band and Choir, and the idea was to put on a number of concerts performed by a big band and a choir together on stage. One of these was a concert with Danish choir Ars Nova Copenhagen, John Blake Jr. and Jonathan Blake, along with Benjamin Koppel and his father Anders Koppel. John Blake Jr. is a pioneer in the world of jazz violinists, and his son Jonathan Blake is one of America’s best jazz drummers. The concert combined American jazz music and Danish modern choral music with lyrical content addressing the history of both countries. This particular concert came about after the two sons, Jonathan Blake and Benjamin Koppel, who are long-time friends, discovered that their fathers had both composed works to be performed by a choir and jazz ensemble together.

For more information, please visit: valbysummerjazz.dk

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Scandinavian Music dent disco number. Piano house churning out electro glam. And with Annie’s sweetas-ever vocal almost apologetically delivering a commanding topline. Precisely the sort of thing you wanted from both of them.

Linnea Dale may be familiar to some of you as the voice of Norwegian group Donkeyboy on their monster hit Ambitions. A Room In A City is a new solo outing from her. A slow burner with a rousing chorus and a dreamy post-chorus. Delivered to perfection by Linnea’s purposefully detached and nonchalant vocal. Different to her Donkeyboy days, but an equally jolly good listening experience.

Norwegian singer Annie has once again paired up with producer Richard X. The pair have created a new 5 track EP, which will be released next month and titled The A&R EP (Annie & Richard, ja?). Lead track Back Together is a shimmering 90s stu-

Alina Devecerski was the sound of the Swedish summer last year (along with Icona Pop), thanks to her memorable and enduring hit single Flytta På Dig. New track Gå För Långt doesn’t stray too far away from the sound that we all remember from last summer. This one's got more of a melody going on in it though, in

By Karl Batterbee

both the tune and the production. And a rave set to a military beat as a post-chorus.

A stunner of a song appeared online a few weeks back. Atlantis by Swedish and Norwegian outfit Postiljonen. It’s the sound of the most serene of dreams within a deep sleep, being soundtracked by a saxophone solo. It’s a beautiful song, and there’s a lot to love about the vocals and production.

But let’s face it – it’s all about the sax really. And it’s the perfect time to release it too, as that sax sounds sublime on a summer’s day in weather like this. Gorgeous.

Finally, the Danes have delivered THE summer novelty hit of the year. French Maid with Föck Me If I'm Rong. There are no words to describe this. Just look it up on YouTube if you don't mind getting Danish bubblegum melodies stuck in your head for weeks. www.scandipop.co.uk scandipop@googlemail.com

Scandinavian Culture Calendar – Where to go, what to see? It’s all happening here!

Gunnar Smoliansky (Until 31 Aug) Swedish photographer Gunnar Smoliansky’s work is almost exclusively influenced by his homeland, and he has a way of finding the extraordinary within the ordinary of daily life.

Mon-Fri 10.30am-6pm, Sat 10.30am-5pm.

Michael Hoppen Gallery, London, SW3. www.michaelhoppengallery.com Camerata Nordica BBC Prom debut (31 Aug) Sweden’s leading international camerata ensemble, Camerata Nordica, will perform at this year’s BBC Proms classical music festival. True to its distinct camerata feature, Camerata Nordica performs

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without a conductor, directed from the concertmaster position by distinguished Norwegian violinist Terje Tønnesen. In addition to the world première of Elegy, by 14-year-old Benjamin Britten, the programme also includes Britten’s Simple Symphony and Lachrymae, which features British viola soloist Catherine Bullock, as

By Sara Schedin

well as works by two of Britten’s contemporaries: Little Music for Strings by Sir Michael Tippett and Sonata for Strings by William Walton.

Cadogan Hall, London, SW1X. www.camerata.se www.bbc.co.uk/proms The Knife on European tour (Aug/Sept) Swedish electronic duo the Knife are touring Europe with their new album Shaking the Habitual. For more info visit: theknife.net

Camerata. Photo: Jan Nordström

Apulanta on European tour (Aug/Sept) Finnish rock band Apulanta are heading out on a European tour this autumn. For

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Apulanta. Photo: Jarmo Katila

sign icons, including Bruno Mathsson, Josef Frank, Karin Larsson, Eero Saarinen, and Alvar and Aino Aalto (to mention a few), and their stylistic ideals. In an elegant mixture of high and low, affordable and exclusive, the exhibition advocates inspiration rather than consumption, with an eye on a sustainable future.

Tue & Thu 11am-7pm, Wed & Fri-Sun 11am-5pm.

Liljevalchs Konsthall, Djurgårdsvägen 60, Stockholm. www.liljevalchs.se

more info visit: www.apulanta.fi Nordic jewellery exhibition in Copenhagen (Until 15 Sept) The exhibition From the Coolest Corner shows selected jewellery from Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Iceland and Estonia, and you can expect to see anything but traditional jewellery. The artists have in their own way reflected on and challenged the genre as well as stereotypical ideas of Nordic jewellery. The exhibition questions whether it is still possible to talk about a typical Nordic trend, as it had been earlier, or if the international orientation nowadays is so strong that we no longer see any regional characteristics.

Tue-Sun 11am-5pm, Wed 11am-7pm.

Designmuseum Danmark, Bredgade 68, Copenhagen. designmuseum.dk

Kim Buck (DK), Bonsai, 2012, series of five birch trunks ending in a carved ring, H c. 150 mm each

Interior design exhibition in Stockholm (Until 15 Sept) Home Sweet Home is an artistic interpretation of Swedish and international de-

Bathroom Ispiration from Bruno Mathsson and Charlotte Perriand Photo: Jakob Dahlström 2013

Magnus Öström on UK tour (Sept) Magnus Öström, a former member of world renowned Jazz trio e.s.t, is touring the UK with his album Thread of Life this month.

For more info visit: www.magnusostrom.com Marja Kanervo in Helsinki (Until 29 Sept) In Kiasma’s exhibition (Dis)appearing, Maja Kanervo has created a work that incorporates the architecture of the museum. The themes of Kanervo’s art are memory, the body and our relationship to nature. She is totally eclectic about her media, working with equal facility in recycled as well as organic materials, such as hair, feathers or teeth.

Tue & Sun 10am-5pm, Wed-Fri 10am-8.30pm, Sat 10am-6pm.

Kiasma, Mannerheiminaukio 2, Helsinki www.kiasma.fi Under 40. Young Norwegian Architecture 2013 in Oslo (Until 29 Sept) This exhibition's full-scale installations, models, films, photographs and illustrations provide insight into cutting-edge architectural practices and foreshadow future trends in Norwegian architecture.

Tue, Wed & Fri 11am-5pm, Thu 11am7pm, Sat & Sun 12noon-5pm.

The National Museum – Architecture, Bankplassen 3, Oslo. www.nasjonalmuseet.no Mind over Matter – three young Danish artists in the UK (9 Sept - 10 Oct) Mind over Matter is the Danish Cultural Institute’s group exhibition featuring upand-coming artists Asger Harbou Gjerdevik, Elisabeth Molin and Kia Utzon-Frank.

Mon-Thu 10am-4pm. The Danish Cultural Institute, Edinburgh, EH3. www.dancult.co.uk

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