from seesaws to origami boats, discover ten danish innovations at the mindcraft project

discover the mindcraft project 2023

The annual Mindcraft Project 2023 has just started with a one-day exhibition in Copenhagen, featuring innovative projects from ten creative designers and makers in Denmark. This year’s edition, curated by Danish designer Sara Martinsen, introduces a fusion of digital and real-world exhibitions for the first time since the pandemic. The in-person display, scheduled only for October 5th presents an array of unique creations, ranging from furniture and seesaws to sound-absorbing panels made from mushrooms and oversized origami boats. Despite their diversity, these works share a common thread: a profound connection with nature. They serve as a reminder of the importance of preserving and passing knowledge about materials and craftsmanship in our ever-changing world.

designboom is invited to Copenhagen to explore the exhibition, examine the artworks, and engage in discussions with the designers to gain deeper insights into their creative processes. The participating designers and studios, including Anna Søgaard, Christian & Jade, Henrik Tjærby, Jonas Edvard, Marianne Eriksen Scott Hansen, Mia Lisa Spon & Nadine Burkhardt, Natural Material Studio, Sia Hurtigkarl, Wang & Söderström and Yukari Hotta, come from diverse creative backgrounds. They explore various approaches, with some of them reimagining traditional materials and techniques, while others boldly introduce new materials into both the physical and digital realms.

all images by Anders Sune Berg

a Fusion of Digital and Physical Exhibitions

Over the past three years, the Mindcraft Project (see more here), led by the Copenhagen Design Agency (more here)  has found success with its digital focus, reaching a wider global audience and providing opportunities for designers and makers. In 2023, Sara Martinsen and the Copenhagen Design Agency decided to combine the digital format with a physical showcase in Copenhagen, with a one-day exhibition, allowing visitors to meet the designers and experience the objects in person.

The project’s name, a fusion of ‘Mind’ and ‘Craft,’ captures its essence. It encompasses the realm of craftsmanship where Danish designers and makers address future challenges and opportunities, inspiring fresh perspectives on thinking, creating, and living. ‘All the participants touch on themes of nature and our relationship to nature as humans, in a way where you can understand that all objects were made by a skilled and experienced pair of hands. I believe it is important to keep knowledge of materials alive. Our species needs to adapt now and into the future, possibly faster than we can imagine. This is where an experienced set of hands becomes most relevant,’ describes Sara Martinsen, curator of the Mindcraft Project 2023.

the Mindcraft Project 2023 bridges the digital and physical design worlds

‘With several years of experience within the Danish design industry, alongside an intimate knowledge
of materials and processes, craft traditions and innovations, we see Sara Martinsen as a very relevant
custodian for a new generation of Danish designers and makers who have our natural environment
front of mind’, explain Anders Kongskov and Kristian Kastoft, founders of Copenhagen Design Agency
and co-directors of the Mindcraft Project.

Christian and Jade – Weight of Wood

Marianne Eriksen Scott-Hansen – Pollination Plant Shelter System

designing for the future with sustainability and tradition

Yukari Hotta – IKIMONO

in this year’s edition, visitors have the opportunity to meet the designers and interact with the objects in person

Natural Material Studio – Lighting Works, LW-B004-1-3

Sia Hurtigkarl – Plain Weave

project info:

name: The Mindcraft Project | @mindcraftproject led by the Copenhagen Design Agency (CDA) | @

cphdesignagency

curator: Sara Martinsen | @frk_vinthermartinsen

designers: Anna Søgaard, Christian & Jade, Henrik Tjærby, Jonas Edvard, Marianne Eriksen Scott Hansen, Mia Lisa Spon & Nadine Burkhardt, Natural Material Studio, Sia Hurtigkarl, Wang & Söderström and Yukari Hotta

online exhibition: view from 5th October on mindcraftproject.com
on-site one-day exhibition: 5th October 2023 at Otto Mønsteds Gade 5, 1571 Copenhagen