Project story. From Copenhagen to Riga: design quality in circular ideas

Alīna Beitane is one of the project participants from Riga, who travelled to the design festival 3daysofdesign in Copenhagen as part of a Creative Circular Cities study trip. With a background in architecture and a strong interest in sustainable solutions, she embraced the different parts of the event, turning them into a fulfilling experience – from the scale of product design to the capital city’s rhythm of life. 

Alīna had identified exhibitions, workshops and studios that matched her interests in circular materials in advance. “My itinerary was carefully planned, but some of the most memorable moments turned out to be the experiences and conversations I hadn’t anticipated,” she reveals. Whether exploring the studios and showrooms of Danish brands such as MOEBE, Carl Hansen & Søn and Ferm Living, or exchanging ideas with fellow participants during evening walks through Copenhagen, each day offered a new perspective on how circular principles can shape the way we design and experience our surroundings.

As one of Scandinavia’s leading design festivals, 3daysofdesign brings together designers, architects, manufacturers and creative businesses from around the world to showcase innovative approaches to design, sustainability and material innovation. Together with creative professionals from Denmark, Finland, Estonia, Germany and Poland, Alīna explored how the sector is responding to today’s environmental challenges. Alongside visits to exhibitions and showrooms, the programme encouraged exchanges among the study visit participants working across architecture, ceramics, fashion, textiles and other creative disciplines.

The visit built on work Alīna had already been doing in Riga. With a strong interest in sustainable and human-centred design, she contributed to the development of “Sadarbnīca” – a community repair and reuse space created in cooperation with the Riga Energy Agency. Copenhagen offered fresh perspectives on how these ideas can be applied both in buildings and in community spaces. “I aim to use an architect’s tools and systemic thinking in every project I work on, to be well informed about the features of the materials I work with: this helps to notice possibilities for process circularity and find more sustainable ways to get things done. There isn’t a static answer as to which material or approach is the best or worst to use, so each design and brand story is a witty answer to the challenges that the industry faces.”

Across the 3daysofdesign exhibitions, several themes stood out. Recycled materials were supported by carefully considered craftsmanship, while products were designed to last, to be repaired and adapted rather than replaced. Temporary installations transformed streets and courtyards into places where people stopped, talked and interacted with their surroundings in new, easy-going ways. Design was celebrated by making the moment matter, which was this year’s festival motto. The city itself became part of the learning experience. “Moving around by metro, bicycle and on foot, I observed how mobility solutions, public spaces and architecture work together to support everyday life. The city’s intuitive transport system, welcoming public spaces and human-scale urban environment supported the intention to discover more ideas presented during the festival,” recalls Alīna.

A visit to the Danish Architecture Center offered perspectives on architecture, climate and changing patterns of living, while a discussion at Designmuseum Danmark with renowned Danish architect and urbanist Jan Gehl explored the role of design thinking in the relationship between cities and the people who inhabit them – an approach that has long influenced Alīna’s own professional thinking. Another highlight was meeting representatives from the Creative Circular Cities partner organisation Lifestyle & Design Cluster, where the group learned how businesses, researchers, educational institutions and public authorities work together to strengthen Denmark’s design ecosystem and accelerate sustainable innovation.

The conversations proved just as valuable as the exhibitions themselves. Discussions throughout the programme revealed that, while local contexts differ, many of the questions surrounding the circular transition are shared across the Baltic Sea Region. “Meeting architects, designers and makers from different countries showed me that although we work in different circumstances, we are considering similar aspects when it comes to achieving sustainability and circularity. Hearing those different perspectives gave me plenty of ideas to take home,” says Alīna.

“Looking back, what has stayed with me the most is the way of thinking about design as part of everyday life, the feeling of shared ownership of the moment and the co-creation of the experience by understanding and using design. I came home to Riga with a renewed appreciation for balance in architecture and design, which is one of the core principles in my work, as well as the idea that sustainability is shaped through everyday decisions. Just as importantly, the study visit reminded me how much we can learn by staying curious and by exchanging perspectives with people from different disciplines and countries.”

The study visit formed part of the “Creative Circular Cities” project, which connects creative professionals, municipalities and organisations across the Baltic Sea Region to explore the role of culture and creativity in the circular transition. By creating opportunities for international exchange, the project helps new ideas travel back to the cities where they can be tested, adapted and put into practice.

The project “Creative Circular Cities” is co-funded by the EU’s Interreg Baltic Sea Region Programme. Find out more at: www.creativecircularcities.com.

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