3 DAYS OF DESIGN 2025 INSIGHTS

Copenhagen’s 3 Days of Design 2025, held from June 18–20, once again turned the city into a dynamic platform for global design. Under the theme Keep It Real, the festival placed authenticity, material awareness and adaptability at the forefront—spotlighting tactile finishes, modular systems, and playful silhouettes that respond to how we live now. Read on for the themes and highlights that stood out to us.

T877 Side Table — Gubi

A quiet standout from the fair, the T877 by Gubi revives Paulin’s 1970s vision with sculptural ease. Originally designed to pair with his F300 lounge chair, it captures the decade’s fascination with fluid form and futuristic materials. Now reissued in HiREK® —a polymer made from recycled plastic waste, and finished in softly nostalgic tones, it brings retro elegance into sharp, contemporary focus.

Hi Lo — &tradition

Referencing the sunken lounges of the 1970s, Hi Lo by &tradition is all about softness and sociability. Low, sculptural forms are paired with velour and bouclé upholstery, creating an inviting sense of ease. It’s a contemporary take on communal lounging—designed for slower moments and shared spaces.

Toe Chair, Temple Table and Foku Lounge Chair – 101 Copenhagen

Designers Kristian Sofus Hansen and Tommy Hyldahl showed a range of pieces for Danish brand 101 Copenhagen, offering furniture that drew on references as diverse as 70s Space Age to Japanese zen gardens. Although their inspirations may have been diffuse, Hansen and Hyldahl’s approach was consistent, luxuriating in high-quality materials and beautiful sculptural forms that will endure through time: their Toe chair is voluminous and beckoning, pairing well with the more geometric, mysterious forms of the Foku seating range. The Temple coffee table, meanwhile, is a simple play between two limestone blocks, but one that draws interest through its contrasting polished and rough textures – an enduring celebration of material.