Ahead of the festival’s opening, ICON sits down with CEO Signe Byrdal Terenziani to discuss purpose, impact and making this moment matter
Photography by Davy Denke, Rytter and Denke featuring Signe Byrdal Terenziani
Words by Jessica-Christin Hametner
Few cities integrate good design into everyday life as well as Copenhagen. Walk down almost any street and a glimpse through a window is enough to understand the city’s deep-seated relationship with design. Through uncurtained windows, Poul Henningsen’s Artichoke lamps hover above wooden dining tables, while Hans J. Wegner’s classic Wishbone chairs are pulled up for daily use.
Little surprise, then, that Copenhagen’s city-wide 3daysofdesign has become a fixture on the international design calendar since its launch in 2013. Its appeal is not solely down to the quality of the work on show, impressive though that is, but also to the festival’s intimate scale and unpretentious character, which sets it apart from many of its larger counterparts.
This ethos carries through to this year’s edition. Returning from 10-12 June, 3daysofdesign does so with a timely call to action. Its theme, Make This Moment Matter, invites the design industry to reflect on what it produces and why, and the impact those decisions leave behind.
Ahead of the opening, ICON speaks to CEO Signe Byrdal Terenziani about responsibility, honesty and why success may be measured less by growth than by how people feel. From mindful living and community to curiosity and helping designers define their purpose, she explains why meaningful moments matter more than ever.
Video courtesy of 3daysofdesign featuring this year’s artwork designed by On Display
Jessica-Christin Hametner: This year’s theme, Make This Moment Matter, speaks about moving from “more” to “meaningful”. In a design culture still driven by novelty, what does “meaningful” design look like to you?
Signe Byrdal Terenziani: The idea, as you correctly mention, is for our design industry – designers and the industry at large – to reflect on what really matters. To stop for a moment and consider what we are producing and why. Perhaps that sense of purpose is the most important factor.
While we’re doing what we’re doing, while we’re buying what we’re buying, we should ask ourselves: does it make sense for us to have yet another object? So it’s not only a reminder to, or reflection for, producers and designers themselves, but also for the end user.
And rather than being driven by resources or economic growth as a measure of success, why not think of success in different terms? Why not define it because you actually made some people feel good? That’s the purpose of this theme for our festival.
Photography by Davy Denke, Rytter and Denke featuring Signe Byrdal Terenziani
JCH: What kind of reflection do you hope the festival will encourage among both designers and visitors this year?
SBT: Hopefully, we’ll make people reflect on the different aspects of Make This Moment Matter.
It’s not only about slowing down and thinking about how we can be more present, rather than constantly being online or distracted. It’s also about recognising that what we do can have an effect on other people. What kind of moments might you pass on to others, both in the short and long term?
Then there’s the issue of waste: what kind of materials do you want to produce and leave for future generations?
And ultimately, it’s about asking yourself: why do I keep this item? What makes an object special? For example, I have a box of stones and shells I’ve collected from places I’ve visited. It’s full of memories, yet it has no material value at all.
Photography by Stefania Zanetti
JCH: Why does the theme feel especially relevant now and could you walk us through your creative process in developing it?
SBT: It’s one of my favourite times of the year. Of course, I love the festival, but also the opportunity it creates to think more deeply about how we can use our voice or impact and, as an industry, reflect on something that feels relevant at that moment in time.
Make This Moment Matter will still hold relevance in 10 years. However, it feels particularly timely now, when so many people are asking what the future holds. Those are things we can’t control. What we can control is how we respond and choose to act in the present. I’ve also been inspired by more philosophical ideas around mindful living.
These themes come together through reflection, reading and conversations with a lot of different people. Sometimes I end up with notes scattered all over my summer house, where the ideas usually begin to take shape. More often than not, the theme is built around something I think people can relate to in different ways.
Photography by Stefania Zanetti, featuring Openhouse at 3daysofdesign 2025
JCH: How do you hope exhibitors will translate Make This Moment Matter into memorable experiences across Copenhagen during this year’s festival?
SBT: The theme is a bit like a conversation starter and a good way of connecting with people. But I also think each exhibitor will interpret it in their own way. For example, some are using yoga to start the day in a calmer way. That’s one interpretation. Others might take the idea of waste and reflect on what we’re leaving to future generations.
JCH: The theme feels almost like a call to action. Do you think design festivals now carry a different responsibility than they did even five years ago, particularly around sustainability, wellbeing and community?
SBT: I definitely think we have a responsibility. Our festival is not about judging or declaring that something is good or bad, or insisting it should be done in a particular way. Nothing is inherently right or wrong; there are simply differences. But we need to reflect on why we choose to do things differently.
Why, for instance, do you want to pursue something if you know it’s damaging to the planet or to people? These are the kinds of questions we should be asking. It’s not about hiding behind a marketing narrative, but about looking inward and being accountable for one’s actions.
And I think when we make people reflect on their actions and their purpose, it naturally leads to greater responsibility for what they do. It’s not something dictated by the market or imposed by others. You’re in control of what you do. The point is to be honest with yourself, rather than putting on a mask.
Photography courtesy of 3daysofdesign featuring a preview of the Symposium
JCH: You often return to the importance of finding a designer’s “why”. In a moment when AI, mass production and trend cycles are accelerating creative output, how can designers protect intention and emotional resonance in their work?
SBT: If you stay true to what you believe, while remaining open to new ways of thinking, you will succeed. Designers should think outside the box, stay curious about the world around them, and consider how to add that extra touch of magic to what they do.
I value that approach, because if you’re curious about what design can offer its users, you can help create environments where people connect with each other and it becomes enjoyable not to be constantly absorbed by your phone.
Video courtesy of 3daysofdesign featuring a preview of the festival’s new Long Table Dinners
JCH: 3daysofdesign has grown rapidly from a Scandinavian design event into a globally influential and much-loved design festival. What conversations within the international design community are you most excited to spotlight in Copenhagen this year? What can visitors expect to see?
SBT: There are many beautiful, up-and-coming designers alongside, of course, the more established names. We cover a wide spectrum of materials and present fresh reflections on what design can be, plus we will have some spectacular installations.
Even now, as you cycle through the city in the lead-up to 3daysofdesign and see the festival posters appearing, it’s very touching the way things begin to take shape before your eyes. It feels like a gift from the creatives to us.
This year, we will also introduce our new Long Table Dinners, conceived with solo travellers in mind. Everybody is welcome. It’s an inclusive format designed to bring people together, with different price levels and eight distinct venues. Each setting has been given an extra touch of magic, offering something to carry with you afterwards.
And finally, to return to the theme at the heart of the festival: people often ask how big we can become. As long as we keep being present and continue to be 3daysofdesign – where you can meet us, join us for a walk or share a dinner with the team – that essence will always be there. We may grow, but the aim is to always hold on to that core feeling. Those are the moments that matter most.
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