Global warming has become an increasingly important issue and a real concern for cities worldwide. No country is more aware of this than Denmark. Be it at the leadership or individual level, the Danes are at the forefront when it comes to both the practice and promotion of sustainable living.

To commemorate Earth Day on 22 April, SPACE, in collaboration with Cubes Indesign and with the support of the Danish Embassy, has invited five Singaporean designers and design firms to re-contextualise five aspects of Denmark’s ecological efforts that have the potential to be applied to Singapore.

Green Transport

Copenhagen’s urban infrastructure makes cycling a safe and attractive choice of transportation; every day, close to 40 per cent of the city’s inhabitants cycle to work or school, which not only contributes to lower levels of noise and air pollution on the roads, but also makes for healthier citizens and a people-friendly city. Alternative modes of green transport include a new, electrically powered light rail track and the promotion of the use of electrical cars.

WOW Architects explores the question: How can transportation and its accompanying infrastructure be sustainable?

Green Fabric

Part of Denmark’s target to have Copenhagen be the first carbon neutral capital by 2025 involves greening the city. Currently, each citizen in Copenhagen has approximately 42.4m² of green area at his or her disposal. The objective is to maintain this level or, better yet, provide citizens even easier access to green areas.

Lekker Design explores the question: How can green spaces be incorporated into mass housing (HDB)?

Use of Water

Copenhagen’s harbours boast of waters clean enough to swim in after the municipality invested in the modernisation of its sewer system and cleaned up its water. Public harbour baths are now popular gathering spaces and cleaner waters strengthen biodiversity, and nurture plants and wildlife. Meanwhile, research is being conducted into ways to improve water reuse so that wastewater from the cities can be used in agriculture, for example.

Adib Jalal (fivefootway) and Ng Ting Yu of Temasek Polytechnic’s School of Design explore the question: How can Singapore’s waterways be put to more sustainable use?

Building Renewal

Energy efficiency plays a big part in Copenhagen’s plan to be the first carbon neutral capital by 2025. With buildings being one of the biggest energy users, one solution is to look at renovating existing buildings to prevent unnecessary energy waste. Taking the lead, the city of Copenhagen has allocated EUR 38 million for this purpose, with energy-reduction retrofitting to be carried out on more than 100 buildings. There are other measures, such as renovating buildings using ecologically manufactured products, and making it easier for citizens to install photovoltaic cells on buildings.

Park + Associates explores the question: How can the design of new buildings be adaptable for the future?

CH24 by Carl Hansen & Søn

The Sustainable Household

In Copenhagen almost 60 per cent of household waste is recycled, and the government facilitates the process by providing amenities and incentives such as the easy collection of separate refuse. Research is also underway into reformed energy tax systems to make renewable energy more attractive. In addition, the international Active House vision promotes the design and construction of buildings ’that give more than they take’ by considering energy efficiency, good indoor climates and healthy architectural quality.

Formwerkz Architects explores the question: What might the design of the sustainable home of the future be like?

PP Møbler

In addition to the five localised proposals, visitors to the exhibition get to experience designs from Carl Hansen & Søn, Fritz Hansen, Louis Poulsen and PP Møbler in a typical Danish household setting. The latest Bang & Olufsen and B&O PLAY audio and video collection will also be on show to complete the Danish lifestyle experience.

PH glass pendant by Louis Poulsen

About Green Space

Space Furniture launched the initiative ’Green Space’ in 2011 to raise awareness of the environmental impact of furniture manufacturing, and to develop public awareness on three areas that form Space’s philosophy in sustainability – namely quality of materials, standards of manufacture and durability of design. Read our story on last year’s Green Space Heroes programme here.

The Danish Green Ways of Life exhibition will be held at the Space Asia Hub, 77 Bencoolen Street, from 10 – 23 April. Opening hours: 10.30am – 8 pm.

Space Furniture 
spacefurniture.com.sg