Creative Denmark

New edition of The Creative Denmark Dispatch is out now 📬💜 Dive into our newsletter if you want to learn more about: 🟣 How creativity and design thinking drive innovative solutions at the Danish Design Award, transforming challenges into opportunities and creating a real impact for people, planet, and business. 🟣 The importance of innovative urban design and collaboration in creating inclusive, sustainable cities where community involvement, urban mobility, and quality of life take centre stage. 🟣 Effective communication and campaigns that drives measurable impact, inspire change, and address critical challenges across sustainability, wellbeing, and societal issues. 🟣 How Danish design philosophy came to life at Downtown Design Dubai, showcasing innovation and timeless craftsmanship in a fresh cohesive narrative that redefines modern living. 🟣 Citizen-driven design and creative funding as key factors when building resilient, liveable cities for the future, benefiting people, planet, and profit Press subscribe to receive The Creative Denmark Dispatch directly in your inbox 📧 #Newsletter #CreativeIndustries #Creativity #CreativeDenmark #LetCreativityDrive Creative Denmark is supported by a strong group of public and private partners: Ministry of Industry, Business and Financial Affairs l Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark l Kulturministeriet l Danish Industry / DI Kreative Erhverv l Dansk Erhverv l Realdania l VOLA A/S l SYBO l Danish Fashion & Textile l BLOXHUB, DDC – Danish Design Center l Danske Arkitektvirksomheder 💜

Tonight, Effie Awards Denmark® celebrates the impactful campaigns that have played an important role in inspiring meaningful change and nudging behaviour through creative, strategic, and effective communication initiatives. The Effie Awards are among the most renowned in the communications- and marketing industry, recognising creative ideas and campaigns delivering measurable and documented impact. This year, the 32 shortlisted finalists exemplified the power of Danish creativity in driving meaningful change and creating value for businesses and organisations. From advancing the green transition to enhancing quality of life, these campaigns highlight how innovative communication can address global challenges while delivering real-world results. ♻️With a focus on Denmark’s green transition, Andel’s ‘Windy Retreats’ campaign by Robert/Boisen & Like-minded aimed to shift public perceptions and reduce resistance to wind farms by inviting 16 families to experience a ‘windy retreat’. The campaign successfully addressed common misconceptions, showing that 93% of all wind turbine neighbours experience few, if any, inconveniences. In addition, ‘The Dead Sea’ campaign by Greenpeace and Danmarks Sportsfiskerforbund, developed by &Co. / NoA, created an immersive funeral event for Vejle Fjord to make marine pollution an issue everyone could relate to and engage with. The campaign led to a 314% increase in press coverage on oxygen depletion and highlighted the urgency of protecting Danish waters. 🧡Campaigns centred on wellbeing and quality of life also made a strong impact. With ‘FOMO FOREVER’ from Kræftens Bekæmpelse (Danish Cancer Society) and TrygFonden, Robert/Boisen & Like-minded creatively reimagined the concept of “FOMO” (Fear Of Missing Out) to encourage young people to reflect on their unhealthy drinking habits and as a result made 57% reflect on their alcohol consumption. Meanwhile, TrygFonden’s ‘Defibrillator App’ campaign by &Co. / NoA used humour to convey a serious message about stroke awareness in a relatable way, resulting in over 72,000 downloads of the life-saving app. Thank you KreaKom - Kreativitet & Kommunikation for a great event 💜 And a huge congratulations to the winners and all the shortlisted nominees at this year’s Effie Awards for pushing boundaries and driving measurable change👏 Nørgård Mikkelsen, OMD Danmark, NORD DDB CPH, Hearts & Science Denmark, Marketsquare, Dentsu X Danmark, Uncle Grey, Carat Denmark, PONG, Nordlid, Help, Accenture Song, Robert/Boisen & Like-minded, and &Co. / NoA. #CreativeDenmark #LetCreativityDrive #effieawards2024 Kulturministeriet l Ministry of Industry, Business and Financial Affairs l Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark l Danish Industry / DI Kreative Erhverv l Dansk Erhverv l Realdania

A huge congratulations to the winners of the Danish Design Award 🎉 Last night, we celebrated the creativity and innovation that define the power of design. Out of 25 shortlisted nominees, 7 solutions were awarded as winners – one Best of Best, one Young Idea, and five main Danish Design Awards. From solutions in healthcare and circular design to energy innovation and sustainable housing, each showed how design can create meaningful differences for people and the planet. 🔶 The Best of the Best Award went to Mary Elizabeths Hospital - Riget for børn, unge og gravide, a well-thought-out design concept that beautifully combines the five values of the Danish Design Award with a human-centred focus. 🔶 The five main Danish Design Awards showcase the scope of design and its ability to create positive change in the world while impacting our everyday lives. caramma bottle stimulates the bond between parent and child with a thoughtfully designed, recyclable bottle that reduces colic. Luja from Coloplast improves healthcare with a catheter featuring micro-hole technology, enhancing comfort and reducing the risk of infection. Molten Salt designed by KIRT x THOMSEN and developed by Hyme offers technology to efficiently store renewable energy, offering a reliable source of green power in all weather conditions, while Gabriel Loop has a take-back system that recycles fabric waste and plastic bottles into new high-quality materials. Finally, Living Places Copenhagen by EFFEKT and VELUX inspires sustainable urban living by demonstrating low-CO2 housing is not just possible but achievable today. 🔶 The Young Ideas Award celebrating future-oriented design was won by VisiBIT from Visibuilt. VisiBIT aims to revolutionise the asphalt industry by using data to make maintenance more efficient and sustainable. Together these seven winners reflect the power of Danish design to drive meaningful change, experiment, and place design at the forefront of progress. A huge congratulations to all the winners and nominees for placing design at the forefront and driving meaningful change, reflecting the power of Danish design. From November 20 – March 9 the Danish Design Award will present a mini exhibition of the Danish Design Award 2024 winners at Danish Architecture Center (Dansk Arkitektur Center)’s entrance hall and is open to the public. 🔗 Read more about the Danish design DNA and the Danish Design Awards in our latest InFocus article. Find the link in the comments. The Danish Design Award is a collaboration between DDC – Danish Design Center and Design denmark. Creative Denmark is branding partner 2024. #LetCreativityDrive #DanishDesignAward #DanishDesignAward24 #DanishDesign Ministry of Industry, Business and Financial Affairs l Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark l Kulturministeriet l Danish Industry / DI Kreative Erhverv l Dansk Erhverv and Realdania 🧡

✨ “The Danish Design Award 2024 celebrates design as a powerful force shaping our daily lives, businesses, and society. By addressing relevant challenges and creating meaningful solutions, this year’s nominees exemplify how design can drive positive change and foster a more sustainable world with a high quality of life” says Martin Delfer, Chief Executive Officer at DDC – Danish Design Center. Design has the power to enrich daily lives and improve our wellbeing. From architecture that nurtures comfort to products that empower independence, human-centred design enhances quality of life by solving real needs. 🔗Read more about innovative design in our latest InFocus article. Find link in the comments. Some of this year’s shortlisted Danish Design Award nominees that place quality of life at their core are: 🏥 Mary Elizabeths Hospital - Riget for børn, unge og gravide is a design concept developed through a collaboration between Region Hovedstaden, Rigshospitalet and Ole Kirk's Fond. This visionary project reimagines hospital care for children, young people, and pregnant women in a holistic, human-centred environment. With a focus on comfort, wellbeing, and patient experience, Mary Elizabeth’s Hospital sets a new standard for healthcare design. It’s a strong example of how thoughtful design can transform spaces and people’s experience care. 🍼 From environments that support health and family connection to designs like caramma support bottle that secure the bond between baby and parent. The support bottle is the first air-free bottle designed to allow everyone to feed their baby in natural feeding positions, reducing the risk of colic. Built with circular principles, caramma support bottle disassembles easily for cleaning and recycling, to minimize waste and exemplifies a design that prioritises quality of life and comfort for both parent and child. 🐤 Birdie🐤 is designed to create healthier indoor environments by improving air quality in shared spaces. Just as mine workers once used canaries to detect toxic air, Birdie uses a CO2 sensor to monitor air quality in real time. When levels drop, Birdie “faints”, reminding users to open a window or a door. This user-focused design integrates wellbeing into everyday spaces by reducing pollutants and supporting natural ventilation. These projects are a few of the nominees that illustrate how design catalyse positive change – improving wellbeing and quality of life. We look forward to celebrating all the Danish design solutions on November 19th in Copenhagen. The Danish Design Award is a collaboration between DDC – Danish Design Center and Design denmark. Creative Denmark is branding partner 2024. #LetCreativityDrive #DanishDesignAward #DanishDesignAward24 #DanishDesign Ministry of Industry, Business and Financial Affairs l Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark  l Kulturministeriet l Danish Industry / DI Kreative Erhverv l Dansk Erhverv and Realdania 💛

Financing the transition to net-zero cities and resilient communities 🏙️💙 With COP29’s focus on funding climate solutions, we spotlight how investment, collaboration, and community involvement can drive urban resilience and transform neighbourhoods to meet environmental and social needs. By aligning financial resources with community-driven initiatives, this approach enhances resilience and creates attractive opportunities for investors, ensuring that sustainability becomes the irresistible choice and is a shared benefit for all. 🔗 Explore our new collaborative article with Urban Partners, featuring insights from C40 Cities, ambitious policymakers and private investors, discussing how creative funding and citizen-driven design are building resilient, liveable cities for the future. At COP29 Azerbaijan you can visit the Danish Pavillion, organised by State of Green Denmark to learn more about financing the urban transition and decarbonising cities for greener societies. #LetCreativityDrive #QualityOfLife #SustainableCities #ClimateAction #COP29Azerbaijan #COP29 Creative Denmark is a not-for-profit organisation funded by Ministry of Industry, Business and Financial Affairs l Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark l Kulturministeriet l Danish Industry / DI Kreative Erhverv l Dansk Erhverv and Realdania💛

The exhibition ‘The Danish Frame’ unfolds the essence of Danish design by showcasing a seamless blend of aesthetics, craftsmanship, and innovation✨ Presented this week at Downtown Design Dubai, the leading design fair in the Middle East, the exhibition was organised by Danish Industry, The Trade Council of Denmark in MENA, and Creative Denmark and curated by creative consultant and designer Yvonne Koné. The exhibition showcases the work of leading Danish design brands Hübsch A/S and Nordlux, complemented by collaborations with Kvadrat, massimo copenhagen, and Artcoustic Loudspeakers - Official. Visitors were invited to explore how form and function unite within the ‘frame’ of modern living. The exhibition exhibits Denmark’s design philosophy in a fresh and cohesive narrative, presenting contemporary solutions in lighting, furniture, and interior design, each piece reflecting the Danish commitment to sustainability, functionality, and minimalism. The creative process behind ‘The Danish Frame’ has an architectural approach bringing Danish minimalism and craftsmanship to the forefront. Every detail, from the materials to the spatial design, has been carefully curated the use of natural colours, sustainable materials, and modular structures bring the best of Danish design to life. The exhibition reflects the interplay of form, function, and sustainability, defining modern Danish interior design. Today, the organisers of the Danish exhibition, together with ikonhouse, hosted a creative networking reception for buyers, press, designers, diplomats, and Dubai Design Week delegates to connect and gain inspiration. Here, Joakim Larsen, General Counsel & Head of Mission at The Trade Council of Denmark in MENA and Dorian Pauwels, CEO and Founder at ikonhouse welcomed the guests and Harald Lauritzen, Sales Manager DACH & Middle East from CARL HANSEN & SØN held an inspirational talk and organised an engaging Mini Workshop. A big thank you to the organisors and the participating brands. Emil Stub l Lise Thomsen l Hanane El Ghiouane l Astrid Svitzer Ching Nielsen l Mette Degn-Christensen l Lukas Eedes l Majken Kalhave #LetCreativityDrive #DanishDesign #InteriorDesign #DowntownDesignDubai Ministry of Industry, Business and Financial Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark, Kulturministeriet, Danish Industry / DI Kreative Erhverv, Dansk Erhverv and Realdania 💛

Danish Design Award’s 25 shortlisted nominees highlight a focus on solutions that can drive significant global change. As we increasingly face environmental challenges, innovative design is crucial in creating solutions that make a real difference. From waste reduction to ecosystem restoration, design has the power to rethink how we interact with the planet, promoting sustainable practices that benefit the environment and society, paving the way for a greener and more resilient future 💚 In our newest InFocus article, we take a closer look at Danish design solutions and explore Danish Design Award’s impact on innovative and creative solutions for global challenges. 🔗 Link to article: https://bit.ly/DDAFocus This year some of the nominees that showcase the impact of sustainable and environmentally focused design are: 🥖 Eat Wasted by Wasted ApS challenges the food waste cycle by transforming leftover bread into nutritious pasta. Sustainability is a key element at Eat Wasted, as they minimise the environmental impact at every step of the production from sourcing and collection to production. By embracing circularity in food, Eat Wasted showcases how upcycling can reduce food waste and inspire conscious consumption. 🪸 Another approach to upcycling comes from ReefTile. They transform shell waste into structures that support marine life with ReefCircular ApS,  a modular 3D-printed brick, designed to boost marine biodiversity in harbours. Installed along harbour walls, its coral-inspired structure provides habitats for species like algae and mussels, helping restore ecosystems and promote healthier marine environments. ReefTile is an excellent example of how design can intersect with environmental restoration, making a meaningful impact on our planet. ♻️ In a similar effort to repurpose waste materials for environmental benefit, HAVN x SMALL tackles plastic pollution in urban spaces. HAVN x SMALL – The Plastic Upcycle Project is a collaboration between SMALLrevolution and ZESO Architects that turns plastic waste into modular, stackable seats for public spaces. Made from 100% recycled plastic, each module is crafted to be durable and flexible, adapting easily to urban settings. This project showcases how upcycled design can enhance city environments while tackling plastic pollution. These projects are just a few of the nominees that demonstrate how design can address environmental challenges and inspire sustainable change. We look forward to celebrating all the innovative and forward-thinking Danish design solutions on November 19th in Copenhagen. The Danish Design Award is a collaboration between DDC – Danish Design Center and Design denmark. Creative Denmark is branding partner 2024. #LetCreativityDrive #DanishDesignAward #DanishDesignAward24 #DanishDesign #Sustainability #Innovation

🏙️This week, we were in Scotland for “The Liveable City” conference - a celebration of architecture, urban planning, and a vision to shape cities that are inclusive, green, and built to enhance quality of life. As cities worldwide continue to grow, thoughtful design is more essential than ever for creating spaces where people can sustainably live, work, and play. Over two days, representatives from the cities of Glasgow, Stirling, and Edinburgh as well as architects, property developers, architects, and urban planners came together to address pressing urban challenges: from creating inclusive public spaces for all and advancing urban mobility through master planning to building healthier buildings and environments. Together they shared insights and inspired each other on innovative approaches and solutions for cities that are people-centred, resilient, and attractive. A few key takeaways from the discussions: 🔷 Bridging sustainability with quality of life is more relevant than ever 🔷 Architecture and mobility solutions are much more than buildings – it minimises barriers and connect citizens, creating happiness amongst the people 🔷 Designing an irresistible circular society where beauty and aesthetics also focus on human needs is very much desired These insights remind us of the transformative power of intentional design and architecture to turn urban challenges into opportunities, fostering social connection, promoting environmental responsibility, and boosting economic vitality. Both also the great possibilities international collaboration and partnership can play in solving global challenges together. The event is organised by Denmark in the UK together with partners Glasgow City Council, Stirling Council, Scottish Cities Alliance, State of Green Denmark, and Creative Denmark #LetCreativityDrive #QualityOfLife #Architecture René Dinesen, Rasmus Leth Traberg, Jacob Kvetny, Caroline Thomsen, Jakob Werner, Gry Klitmose Holm, Tamsie Thomson Hon FRIBA, The Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland, Sarah Shaw, Etive Currie, Jacqueline Mclaren, Mairi Laverty, Collective Architecture, Becca Thomas, New Practice, Jennifer O'Donnell, O'DonnellBrown, Emma Fyvie, Siobhain Forde, Stallan-Brand The City of Edinburgh Council, Fife Hyland, Drum Property Group, Susan Aitken, Kristin Holme, Michael Ward, Chris Burrows, David Hopper, and Cameron Baillie 💙

Danish Design Award celebrates innovative design solutions that have the power to drive meaningful change, transforming both businesses and societies. It showcases designers who dare to experiment and place design at the forefront of positive change and sustainable progress. This year, Danish Design Award is category-free and centred around five values: Do no harm, Pursue beauty, Lead the way, Prove your impact, and Solve problems worth solving – values that highlight how design makes a real difference in creating a better world. The 25 shortlisted are pushing the boundaries of design to address some of today’s most critical challenges. From sustainable development to technological innovation, these forward-thinking solutions demonstrate what design can achieve and how it can inspire change across industries. Some of this year´s shortlisted solutions exemplifying this are: 👕Gabriel LOOP is redefining textile sustainability with its closed-loop system that recycles fabrics into new, high-quality materials. This innovative approach reduces waste, conserves resources, and promotes circularity within the textile industry, making it a game-changer for sustainable design. By redefining how textiles are produced and reused, Gabriel LOOP demonstrates how Innovative solutions can create lasting benefits for the industry and the environment. 🏠 Living Places Copenhagen by VELUX and EFFEKT Architects is a pioneering housing project that tackles global climate and health challenges through innovative construction methods. As part of the larger Living Places concept, these prototypes showcase how to build homes with a significantly lower CO2 footprint and a cost that matches the market price for a single-family or row house at scale. Living Places Copenhagen is an example of sustainable building being possible without waiting for future technologies. ⛵ ZeroNorth Voyage Optimisation leverages advanced technology to help the shipping industry reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. Rather than finding the shortest route, it finds the greenest one by using algorithms that analyses vessel capability, weather, and commercial factors. This innovation has already saved over 2 million tonnes of CO2, making ZeroNorth Voyage Optimisation an example of how technology-driven design can lead the way in creating sustainable solutions for global industries. These projects are just a few of the nominees that illustrate how innovation and forward-thinking design can drive positive change. We look forward to celebrating all the innovative and forward-thinking Danish design solutions on November 19th in Copenhagen. 🔗 Learn more about the 2024 finalists via the link in the comments. The Danish Design Award is a collaboration between DDC – Danish Design Center and Design denmark. Creative Denmark is branding partner 2024. #DanishDesignAward #DanishDesignAward24 #DanishDesign #Sustainability #Innovation #LetCreativityDrive

We are thrilled that Denmark has been ranked as the #1 country for quality of life in 2024 🥇 The internationally acclaimed U.S. News & World Report recently released its ranking of the best countries in the world based on quality of life, surveying nearly 17,000 people worldwide and ranking 89 countries across metrics such as safety, income equality, and level of development of public health and educational system. Denmark rose from the No. 4 spot in 2023 to No. 1 on this year’s ranking, a recognition that underscores the Danish strengths in education, healthcare, and political and economic stability. It is also a reflection of the crucial role that creative and innovative solutions play in shaping daily life and enhancing quality of life on individual, organisational, and societal levels. From reshaping cities and reimagining organisational structures to fostering inclusivity and social cohesion, creative approaches are essential for creating societies where individuals thrive, a theme we explore further in our latest white paper. The white paper examines the synergy between creativity and wellbeing, showcasing inspiring case examples where creative solutions create tangible impact, contributing to life-centred innovation that increases quality of life. 🔗 Find link to our white paper ‘Creativity as a driver for quality of life’ in the comments #LetCreativityDrive #QualityofLife Creative Denmark is funded by Ministry of Industry, Business and Financial Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark, Kulturministeriet, Danish Industry / DI Kreative Erhverv, Dansk Erhverv and Realdania 💛