Knowledge Partners
The industry's needs are identified in collaboration with knowledge and research institutions.
Knowledge Partners, Steering Group, and Profession Groups
Knowledge created for the industry's needs
Lifestyle & Design Cluster works closely with knowledge and research institutions in the fields of furniture and textiles. These institutions and our dialogue businesses are responsible for identifying industry needs. New, useful knowledge is then generated to support and enhance innovation in the businesses.
Steering group
The business cluster’s steering group has the following members:
- Lars Vejen, general manager, Design Studio Lars Vejen
- Mathilde Aggebo, head of profession, Institute of Architecture and Design, Royal Danish Academy
- Lone Dalsgaard André, prorector, Kolding School of Design
- Helle Bjerrum, director, Danish Crafts & Design Association
- Henrik Lübker, CEO, Design Denmark
- Arne Ennegaard Jørgensen, CEO, Danish Union of Architects and Designers (FAOD)
- Anders Bisgaard, director of research, development and innovation, Via University College
- Pil Bredahl, Pilbredahldesign, member of the board of directors of Design Denmark
- Arne Remmen, professor, Aalborg University
- Nikolai Klausen, director of WEAR (industry association under the Danish Chamber of Commerce)
- Jan Damsgaard, professor, CBS
- Peter Hulweg Christiansen, Business Advisor, DENA
- Katja Munch Thorsen, director of education, Copenhagen School of Design and Technology
Profession groups
Profession groups
The knowledge partners’ day-to-day activities consist in project collaboration in three profession groups. Each group is led by a head of profession and is composed of different professionals:
- Furniture
- Clothing and fashion
- New materials
Profession group – Furniture
Innovation and growth in small and medium-sized furniture businesses
The profession group Furniture focuses on creating innovation and growth in small and medium-sized furniture businesses. Transfer of relevant knowledge from the world of science to furniture businesses is one way of doing this. The task is fulfilled in close collaboration with the profession group New materials. The Furniture group places great emphasis on the new generation of furniture designers, who will carry on the Danish furniture and design tradition in a new interpretation, and activities therefore include exhibition of final projects, entrepreneurship, and mentor schemes.
Head of profession group:
Profession group – Clothing and fashion
Innovation and design within fashion and clothing
The profession group Clothing and fashion focuses on innovation and design within fashion and clothing. This includes transfer of research results and new knowledge primarily to the industry’s small and medium-sized businesses to improve their competitiveness nationally and internationally.
Head of profession group:
Profession group – New materials
Development of innovative materials and new applications of well-known materials
The profession group New materials creates innovation and growth by working systematically with new, innovative materials or well-known materials in new applications. The profession group’s work focuses on transferring research results to businesses, on sustainability and on the use of new technologies for producing new material types and products. The activities appeal mainly to interior design and clothing businesses. The secondary target group is students and instructors on higher education programmes.