Scan Magazine | Issue 48 | January 2013

JANUARY 2013 ISSUE 48 PROMOTING BRAND SCANDINAVIA

FREDRIK SKAVLAN – SCANDINAVIA’S TALK SHOW KING FESTIVALS IN NORWAY 2013 SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN DENMARK SWEDISH TRADE

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Scan Magazine | Contents

Contents 10 20

COVER FEATURE 10

Fredrik Skavlan He is known as Scandinavia’s talk show king: Fredrik Skavlan has spent the last couple of months commuting between Scandinavia and London to record his popular talk show Skavlan.

The TV hit is broadcast every Friday night to three million viewers in Norway and Sweden.

31

Sustainable Development in Denmark In the Danish Business Council for Sustainable Development’s network of Danish companies and organizations some 35 members work to incorporate sustainable development as a significant aspect of their businesses.

FOOD FEATURE DESIGN FEATURE 17

53

Aase Rose Flower Creative Design Believing that surroundings can influence one’s health and mind, physiotherapist and painter Aase Birkhaug has combined her two passions by painting roses for a soothing effect.

SPECIAL THEMES 18

Author event at Scandi Kitchen Scandinavian Kitchen recently invited culinary writers Trine Hahnemann and Signe Johansen, as well as the Guardian journalist Patrick Kingsley, author of the book How to be Danish, and British novelist and actress Emma Kennedy, author of The Killing Handbook, to join them for an evening of book signing and mulled wine.

Festivals in Norway 2013 Norway has a lot to offer throughout the year with its ever-changing scenery and landscape.

Either you love winter and snow or summer fun; Norway’s diversity makes most dreams come true. But did you also know that there is a multitude of festivals and events taking place in Norway throughout the year?

REGULARS & COLUMNS

40

14

We Love This | 16 Fashion Diary | 42 Hotels of the Month | 46 Attractions of the Month

52

Humour | 54 Restaurants of the Month | 66 Music & Culture | 70 Culture Calendar

Scan Business THEME

42 57

Swedish Trade Sweden is today known among the world’s richest and most technologically advanced nations.

The country has an impact on global business and industry far beyond its size, and companies with Swedish roots, such as IKEA, H&M and Volvo, are household names from Boston to Beijing.

REGULARS & COLUMNS 56

Business Columns & News Key note, columns and news stories on Scandinavian businesses and business events.

62

Conferences of the Month The best conference venues of the month.

66

Scandinavian Business Calendar Highlights of Scandinavian business events.

Issue 48 | January 2013 | 3

Scan Magazine | Editor’s Note

Dear Reader, Welcome to two thousand and thirteen, or twenty thirteen if you so prefer. “New year, new tricks” – as we would say back home in Finland. While I’m sure there are plenty of “old tricks” that will be revisited throughout 2013, I look forward to an exciting year, full of new opportunities.

In the first cover feature of the year, we introduce our readers to Scandinavia’s talk show king, Norwegian journalist and awardwinning host Fredrik Skavlan. His Friday night talk show Skavlan airs on Norwegian and Swedish television, and since September 2012, several episodes are being recorded at the BBC studios in London. From Richard Dawkins to Eddie Izzard, Skavlan has interviewed them all.

What better way to start off than having a peek at some upcoming festivals in 2013; Norwegians and those travelling to the region this year definitely have plenty to look forward to, ranging from jazz and chamber music to salmon fishing events. Turn to our Festivals in Norway 2013 theme for more information.

I hope you enjoy the first issue of 2013!

In this issue, we also take a look at sustainable business development in Denmark and trade in Sweden, and don’t forget to check out our regular humour, business and culture columns and selections of the month.

Nia Kajastie Editor

Turn to our food section to read about a recent event at the Scandinavian Kitchen in London, where four authors, who have written about Scandinavian food, culture and a certain popular TV show (I wonder if you can guess which one), joined patrons for a book signing event spiced up with mulled wine.

Scan Magazine

Copy-editor

Ulrika Osterlund

Issue 48 | January 2013

Mark Rogers

Mette Lisby

Published 03.01.2013

Contributors

ISSN 1757-9589

Emelie Krugly Hill

SCAN M A G A Z I N E

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4 | Issue 48 | January 2013

DID YOU KNOW YOU CAN HAVE THE SAME BANK IN THE UK AS IN SCANDINAVIA?

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EXECUTIVE EXECUTIV VE MBA The programme progrramme focuses focuses on change management nagement and leadlead ership in a global perspective. perspective. It containss two two international study tripss – one to to Fudan Fudan Univerity Univerity in Shanghai Sha anghai and one to to Stanford Stanford University, U University y, California.

California.

7KH SURJUDP SURJUUDP LV RſHUHG RſHUHG DV D SDUWQHUVKLS SDUUWWQHUVKLS EHWZHHQ E EHWZHHQ $DUKXV $DUKXV 8QL8QLversity, versity y, School School of of Business and Social Sciences ences and University University of of Southern Southern Denmark.

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Scan Magazine | Contributors

Regular Contributors Nia Kajastie (Editor) was born and raised in Helsinki, Finland, and moved to London in 2005 to study writing.

With a BA in Journalism & Creative Writing, she now describes herself as a fulltime writer and grammar stickler.

Mette Lisby is Denmark’s leading female comedian.

She invites you to laugh along with her monthly humour columns. Since her stand-up debut in 1992, Mette has hosted the Danish versions of “Have I Got News For You” and “Room 101”.

Julie Guldbrandsen is Scan Magazine’s fashion and design expert; she has worked in the fashion industry for more than 10 years, and advised various Scandinavian design and fashion companies. Besides, Julie has a BA in business and philosophy and has lived in Copenhagen, Singapore and Beijing before settling down in London.

Swedish Sara Schedin is a freelance writer with a degree in journalism from City University London. She moved here in 2006 and is currently covering Scandinavian culture in the UK. Anette Berve is a Norwegian freelance journalist based in London. She has previously worked in Buenos Aires for a cultural newspaper and is currently finishing her degree in journalism and Spanish.

Norwegian Didrik Ottesen is back living in London after a carefree time travelling around the world. He is currently doing his MA Journalism degree while also working as a freelance journalist and trying to play as much football as possible.

8 | Issue 48 | January 2013

Maria Smedstad moved to the UK from Sweden in 1994.

She received a degree in Illustration in 2001, before settling in the capital as a freelance cartoonist, creating the autobiographical cartoon Em. She writes a column on the trials and tribulations of life as a Swede in the UK. Karl Batterbee is devoted to Scandinavian music and knows exactly what is coming up in the UK. Apart from writing a monthly music update for Scan Magazine Karl has also started the Scandipop Club Night and its corresponding website: www.scandipop.co.uk.

Having travelled much of the world, Signe Hansen, MA graduate in Journalism and previous editor at Scan Magazine, is now back freelancing in London, where she writes on everything Scandinavian and her main passions: culture, travel and health.

Lars Tharp is the BBC Antiques Roadshow’s only Dane. Lars was born in Copenhagen and educated in England. Emulating his Danish grandfather (Nordic Bronze Age Lur specialist H C Broholm), he studied the Old Stone Age at Cambridge University. But jobs for Palaeolithic archaeologists are scarce, so he joined Sotheby’s as a specialist in Chinese works of art, becoming a director and auctioneer with the firm and joining the Roadshow in 1986. Today, as well as broadcasting (and writing the occasional column for Scan Magazine), he runs his own art consultancy business (www.tharp.co.uk).

Magnus Nygren Syversen is a Norwegian freelance journalist and feature writer, who graduated from Middlesex University with a BA in Journalism & Communication in 2010. Having left London and relocated to the other side of the world, he is currently doing his MA at Deakin University in Melbourne, Australia.

Emelie Krugly Hill has worked on a number of Swedish newspapers. After travelling extensively, she has been based in London since 2006. Her particular interests are news and current affairs within Sweden and the export of Scandinavian culture to the UK. Ulrika Osterlund spent most of her life in London, but recently returned to Stockholm, where she is working as a journalist. She studied international business in Paris and journalism in London.

She is also a budding novelist.

Rikke Oberlin Flarup is a Danish freelance writer and publisher with a passion for thick novels and DIY zines.

Still a newcomer to London, she spends her free time exploring the city's hidden gems.

Thomas Bech Hansen has moved between England and Denmark, with London, the North East, Aarhus and now Copenhagen among the places called home. As well as covering everything Scandinavian from architecture to aquavit, he is mad about English music and football, works fulltime in PR and Communication, and studies journalism.

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10 | Issue 48 | January 2013

Scan Magazine | Cover Feature | Fredrik Skavlan

Scandinavia’s talk show king at the BBC studios He is known as Scandinavia’s talk show king: Fredrik Skavlan has spent the last couple of months commuting between Scandinavia and London to record his popular talk show Skavlan. The TV hit is broadcast every Friday night to three million viewers in Norway and Sweden.

By Emelie Krugly Hill | Photos: Bjorn Opsahl, Monkberry AS

It is strange to interview another journalist, especially when they are a Scandinavian household name. This award-winning host began in the mid-90s with the shows Absolutt and Først og sist. Fredrik Skavlan, 46, is a good-natured Norwegian who sets challenging questions and has the ability to listen and encourage his guests to open up. An array of famous and lesser-known interviewees are seated in a semi-circular format, each joining the discussion as they are introduced, resulting in some compelling viewing. A simple recipe with some magic ingredients which will continue to be recorded at the BBC studios in White City over the next season.

Recording in a cultural hub “London is the main centre of global cultural life; it’s all happening there,” Skavlan says over the phone from Oslo. “It’s difficult to get certain guests over to Scandinavia, but all are happy to come to London, so recording there made sense.”

This season viewers have been introduced to stars such as Richard Dawkins, Robbie Williams, Taylor Swift and Fredrik Ljung-

berg. Skavlan will carry on recording in London for at least another six months.

Skavlan reflects on why his show has become such a popular concept: “Talk shows are often based on politics, stars or entertainment, but there are few who mix these together, letting different people meet.

“The less I’m involved, the better it gets.

My job is to carefully take a step back and let things naturally progress. Many talk shows focus on the host and his or her celebrity status and not the guests. Our show is the opposite; I take more of a laidback role, which is why the guests feel comfortable and the discussions in the studio are so natural.”

Like an overexcitable child Skavlan still feels nervous before a recording and reveals that he eats sweets beforehand as an energy boost, joking how it is a little bit like becoming an overexcitable child. He thrives on the unexpected, embracing surprises and the twists and turns of debate, but he never

feels one hundred per cent satisfied with the interviews. “I am always left with the feeling that I could have done better.”

Skavlan once dreamt of becoming an artist. In fact, he applied to Central Saint Martins in his youth to study illustration but was turned down. After working as a cartoonist and reporter for various Norwegian newspapers, his destiny would ultimately turn out to be in broadcasting.

“If I had not become a journalist, I would have probably been a half-successful artist in Norway today and would have still been happy with my life,” Skavlan explains.

In 2007, he took a break from the TV carousel, returning in 2009 to take Skavlan in a new direction with the unique co-production between public service broadcasters in Norway and Sweden.

“The proudest moment in my career so far was probably when we had finished our first recording in Stockholm in 2009, starting our co-operation with Swedish Na-

Issue 48 | January 2013 | 11

Scan Magazine | Cover Feature | Fredrik Skavlan

Fredrik Skavlan in the studio with British actor and comedian Eddie Izzard.

tional Television. When I realized it was going to work and that we had found a new way of communicating with the Scandinavian audience, it was a great feeling,” Skavlan says.

A romance with the UK Skavlan is excited about working in the UK and admits that he has had a romance with the UK for as long as he can remember.

“It’s fascinating how this small island can produce such great things. My parents used to visit England as often as they could to go to the theatre. Since I was a child, British culture and music have been important to me.”

12 | Issue 48 | January 2013

Several people from his production team have worked with Skavlan for many years, including Ole Jørgen Grönlund, who has been responsible for maintaining the characteristic look of Skavlan, creating an intimate atmosphere with plenty of close-ups.

“The idea has always been for the viewer to feel like he’s a part of the debate, that he or she is sitting on a sixth invisible chair,” Skavlan explains. “I’m working with a fantastic team of journalists in two countries; it’s very stimulating and challenging to work with a team who are like a family. We dare to be ourselves when we work and often argue; it makes me grow as a presenter.”

Skavlan recently became a father for the fourth time. His partner, Swedish-Norwegian actress Maria Bonnevie, gave birth to a baby girl a few months ago.

“It’s obviously a great feeling – a miracle.

I’ve witnessed it four times now; in fact, my 18-year-old flew the nest recently taking a plane to the UK to begin his studies in Oxford. It feels great to have this new little baby in my life; it will help me get to know new sides of myself.”

For more information, please visit: www.skavlan.com

Explore Norway -

Explore Norway -

the easy easy way! way! the Book tours, hotels and

Geiranger & Norway in a nutshellÂŽ

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Book tours, hotels and activities all in one package activities all in one package.

Sognefjord in a nutshell

Norway in a nutshellÂŽ Ă…LESUND Ă…NDALSNES

DOMBĂ…S GEIRANGER

- A taste of world heritage!

This tour takes you to the Geirangerfjord and NÌrøyfjord, two of Norway’s most beautiful fjords that both feature on UNESCO’s World Heritage List.

Other highlights include the Raumabanen railway and a beautiful sea voyage on the Hurtigruten coastal express. Relax and enjoy the experience, visit the Art Nouveau Centre in Ă…lesund, stroll along Bryggen wharf in Bergen or walk in the FlĂĽmsdalen valley.

- Huge fjord, huge experience!

Combine a beautiful boat trip on the Sognefjord – Norway’s longest and deepest fjord – with a spectacular train ride on the Flüm Railway, a masterpiece of engineering! We recommend an overnight stay en route in order to fully experience the breathtaking scenery of the Sognefjord.

– Norway’s most popular round trip!

This tour includes the spectacular Flüm Railway, the unbelievably narrow NÌrøyfjord and the steep hairpin bends of Stalheimskleiva (May – September). Combine an overnight stay in Flüm with a fjord safari, kayaking or a walk along the NÌrøyfjord.

FOR BOOKING AND MORE INFORMATION: Visit www.fjordtours.com or call Fjord Tours Customer phone: +47 815 68 222.

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Geiranger & Norway in a nutshellÂŽ Sognefjord in a nutshell Norway in a nutshellÂŽ

OSLO

Scan Magazine | Design | We Love This

We love this...

By Julie Guldbrandsen | Email: julie@scanmagazine.co.uk

We love it when we come across new design pieces that offer something fresh and vibrant to our homes. But we also love our classics – the familiar pieces that we never grow tired of and know we will cherish forever. This month we have combined our love of the innovative and the classic. We think they complement each other quite well.

The timeless Alvar Aalto vase unveiled in 1937 is still one of the most elegant glass pieces. Plus, it comes in a wide variety of radiant colours, like this spring inspiring apple green. App. £84. royaldesign.co.uk

The Sunday Lamp, a design collaboration between Norwegian Frost Produkt and Northern Lighting, combines two light sources and a shelf.

If the power goes out, you can unscrew the wing nut and rotate the lamp armature to reveal a candleholder. £147.00. www.madeindesign.co.uk

The Elbow chair designed by Hans Wegner in 1956 is a beautiful classic dining chair, which was only put into production in 2005.

The seat is available upholstered in fabric or leather and it is stackable. From £460.00. www.aram.co.uk

'About A Stool' is a simple, sleek new bar chair, available in three different colours. A collaboration between Hee Welling and HAY, the stool is a highly comfortable, functional and aesthetically pleasing piece of furniture. £181. www.madeindesign.co.uk

The PK31 leather sofa by Poul Kjærholm, with its clean lines and perfect balance between masculinity and lightness, is a beloved design object. From app. £16,000. www.fritzhansen.com Bunad Blankets (Bunadspledd) is a series of wool throws launched in 2012. The patterns are inspired by Norwegian folk costumes and reflect motifs from five different regions. Designed by Andreas Engesvik and produced in collaboration with Mandal Veveri. £170. www.andreasengesvik.no

14 | Issue 48 | January 2013

Your Shortcut to Scandinavia Bergen

NORWAY

Oslo Stockholm Bromma

SWEDEN Aalborg

Gothenburg

Aarhus

DENMARK

UNITED KINGDOM

Billund

Manchester

London City

GERMANY Brussels

Düsseldorf

BELGIUM

Munich

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S nacks

Me als

Drinks

ba.com

Pap ers

Lounges

Smiles

Scan Magazine | Design | Fashion Diary

Fashion Diary... Are you suffering from January blues?

Are you suffering from the January blues? If you haven’t already sought consolation in the many sales, now is the time to pick up a good bargain. We suggest looking for classics that you know you will be wearing next year as well and items that you can see yourself sporting as spring approaches.

By Julie Guldbrandsen | Email: julie@scanmagazine.co.uk

Wool bouclé jacket with cool leather details by Gestuz. Go urban and style with jeans and a T-shirt, or embrace your sassy ladylike mood and wear with a matching skirt. App. £132.00. www.gestuz.com

A classic shirt – slightly A-shaped – in a vibrant burnt orange colour. For an effortless on-trend look button the shirt all the way up and layer with a sweater. App. £130.00. www.whyred.com

Add a splash of colour with this slim pony skin cuff by InWear. Even a little bit of accessorising can do a lot to an outfit! £11.95. www.inwear.com

A pair of cool boots will serve you well almost year round. Put an edgy spin on your outfit and invest in this delicious pair by Filippa-K. £310.00. nelly.com/uk

This cross-body bag with a golden patina finish by Ganni is a super versatile and decadent leather accessory which will add a bit of energy to any outfit. App. £108. www.ganni.com

16 | Issue 48 | January 2013

Crepe wool dress by Filippa-K in a contemporary abstract print, which we will be seeing a lot of in the spring collections.

A fitted jacket will pull the look together. £175.00. www.atterleyroad.com

Scan Magazine | Design | Aase Rose Flower Creative Design

Rose paintings with a soothing effect Believing that surroundings can influence one’s health and mind, physiotherapist and painter Aase Birkhaug has combined her two passions by painting roses for a soothing effect.

By Didrik Ottesen | Photo: Aase Rose Flower Creative Design

for the motifs to be used on napkins, tissues and cards from her company Aase Rose Flower Creative Design.

“My work is regularly described as very soft and mild. The colour combinations I use are tastefully and delicately fused to make a motif that can be described as very soothing to the eye.

Having fallen in love with flowers, nature and painting from an early age, it was only natural to merge these factors together at some point, and by combining the aesthetic beauty of botany with her skills as a painter, Birkhaug’s paintings have been told to have a soothing effect.

“It is documented that colours have an effect on the sensory system, and some years ago I made the waiting room of my physiotherapy office into an exhibition for my paintings, and I discovered that it influenced the patients’ mental state,” says Birkhaug.

“I discovered some time ago that roses have a positive effect on me, almost like healing, and that the combination of the smell and sight feels like meditation, bringing about a certain calmness; this is something I try to reflect in my paintings,” Birkhaug explains.

Blanche de Belgique

cent one named Healing by Design – Birkhaug also emphasises that she can sell her rose paintings to commercial printing bureaus and design companies

Having sold many pictures from various galleries and exhibitions – including a re-

For more information, please visit: www.aase-rose-flower-creativedesign.no

Oslo

Frederikshavn

Gothenburg Varberg

Grenaa Belfast Dublin Dun Laoghaire

Karlskrona

Cairnryan

Holyhead

Liverpool

Kiel

Gdynia

Rosslare Fishguard

Harwich Hook of Holland

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Northern lights over Svolvaer in Lofoten, northern Norway. Photo: Bård Løken/visitnorway.com

Welcome to festival fun in Norway The magical northern lights. The dazzling midnight sun. The world’s most beautiful fjords. Norway is unique in many ways and never fails to fascinate.

By Per-Arne Tuftin, Director of Tourism, Visitnorway.com

Add a wide array of exciting activities to this backdrop of beautiful nature, and you are up for a real treat. Norway has a lot to offer throughout the year with its everchanging scenery and landscape. Either you love winter and snow or summer fun; Norway’s diversity makes most dreams come true.

But did you also know that there is a multitude of festivals and events taking place in Norway throughout the year? Why not try out something different this year and join the northernmost snowball fight during Yukigassen in Vadsø, or listen to magical ice music at the Ice Music Festival in

18 | Issue 48 | January 2013

Geilo, or test your own limits during the Extreme Sports Week in Voss?

From Fredrikstad in the south to Svalbard in the north, Norway is renowned for all its music festivals taking place throughout the year. All the festivals in Norway offer a great variety of activities and add an extra dimension to your holiday experience, whether you are after nature, culture, food or music. Festivals offer a great way to explore both culture and traditions, and best of all - many of the festivals are free.

This edition of Scan Magazine gives an excellent insight into this year’s festivals in Norway. So all you have to do now is add a few to your to-do list for 2013. I have already noted down mine. Have a thrilling festival year!

For more information, please visit: www.visitnorway.com

Per-Arne Tuftin, Director of Tourism

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Festivals in Norway 2013

Festival fun on an idyllic island Every summer in the first week of July, the idyllic little island of Risøya off the southern coast of Noway is turned into a musical haven.

By Magnus Nygren Syversen

Around 5,000 people flock to Risøya every summer to take part in the Skjærgårds Music & Mission Festival. “And there is always room for more people,” says programme manager Line Kittelsen.

Bands from all over the world gather on the island to play on one of the nine festival stages. “We have got a good mix of bands. We have a lot of bands from the United States, some from Norway, some from other Scandinavian countries and some from the United Kingdom,” says Kittelsen.

The six-day festival is built on Christian values and promotes itself as an alcoholfree and drug-free music festival. “This is a place to show off a lot of good music,

and we are proof that it's possible to have a great festival without alcohol and drugs,” says Kittelsen.

Photo: Haakon Sundbø

The Skjærgårds Music & Mission Festival started out in a small town called Kragerø in 1981. Since then both management and location have been renewed, but the people in charge stay true to their roots and work closely with the festival's original creators.

True to tradition, festival-goers can expect a varied programme when the festival kicks off on 2 July this year. “We have got everything from heavy metal to acoustic music,” ensures the programme manager.

Photo: Henrik K. Assman

For more information, please visit: www.sginfo.no

Music begins where words end Vivaldi and exhibitions In March, choirs, ensembles and orchestras will gather in Oslo to showcase old and modern church music. In 2013, passion is the key.

By Anette Berve | Photo: Lasse Berre

Oslo International Church Music Festival opens for the 13th time at the beginning of March, and for 10 days churches around Oslo will function as stages to showcase a wide variety of talent from around the world, including Accademia Bizantina from Italy, Ensemble Pygmalion from France and Norway’s own Oslo Philharmonic. Invited to open the festival is the Tallis Scholars conducted by Peter Phillips, one of England’s premier vocal ensembles referred to as the rock stars of Renaissance vocal music.

Passion and music The theme of this year’s festival is Passion, opening the door to a musical journey between genres and time periods,

The Nidarosdomen boys’ choir known as the Silver Boys will sing on 2nd of March.

from the Renaissance up to the present.

The festival even presents four premieres of commissioned works from Henrik Ødegaard, Magnar Åm, Madeleine Isaksson and Nils Økland. All have, in different ways, passion as their theme.

The festival is a family event and offers activities for all ages. Musician and director Karoline Rising Næss has, in collaboration with Bragernes Church Youth Choir and Barratt Due’s Junior Ensemble, produced a musical theatre piece based on Vivaldi’s work in Venice, for and with children. Around Oslo visitors can also enjoy exhibitions, High Masses, interviews with worldrenowned musicians and go on a tour to see Oslo’s hidden organ treasures.

The festival concludes with the concert A Song of Farewell - music for mourning and consolation performed

by Gabrieli Consort and world-famous conductor Paul McCreesh in the beautiful Oslo Cathedral.

For more information and a full schedule, please visit: www.oicmf.no

Issue 48 | January 2013 | 19

Harald Haugaard Trio. Photo: © David Zadig

The world comes to Førde 361 days out of the year Førde is a quiet little town on the west coast of Norway. But for four days at the beginning of July each year, the city explodes with life when artists from all over the world come to town for the Førde Traditional and World Music Festival.

By Magnus Nygren Syversen

Looking out the window as your plane makes its descent towards Bringeland Airport, you might think you are looking at an old painting, or a picture from a travel brochure. This is Norway the way you pictured it. This is where towering mountains crash into the deep blue fjords, surrounded by refreshing waterfalls and majestic glaciers.

At the centre of this picturesque landscape lies Førde, a small, traditional Norwegian town with around 12,500 inhabitants. It is a calm and quiet place, the kind of place you would go to in order to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life and just relax with your thoughts. Un-

20 | Issue 48 | January 2013

less, of course, you fly into Førde during the first week of July.

If you do come to Førde at the beginning of July, you will find yourself in a town in which the streets are filled with music. A town where every seaside fishing hut, every town square, every hotel, every museum, every public space, and every surrounding mountain top is a possible concert venue.

Scandinavia's largest world music festival Held for the first time in 1990, the Førde Traditional and World Festival is marching into its 24th consecutive year this sum-

mer. So far around 4,500 artists from over 120 countries have performed at the festival. With around 27,000 visits in 2012, it is the largest traditional and world music festival in Scandinavia, and for the last three years, the festival has been included in renowned world music magazine Songlines' annual list of the 25 best festivals in the world.

This year festival director Hilde Bjørkum expects around 300 artists from 25 countries to appear at the festival. In just four days over 100 events will take place, spread out over nearly 30 different venues in and around Førde. “We have got a wide variety of arenas, from large concert halls to small, intimate fishing huts. We have got everything from club events to church concerts,” says Bjørkum. “You might even find yourself enjoying the sounds of a new band on top of a mountain.”

Although the events are spread across venues, the festival is centred around the town's cultural centre Førdehuset (The

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Festivals in Norway 2013

Førde House) and its four concert halls.

And there is no need to worry about getting around, as the festival has its own buses to transport festival-goers from one event to another.

Discover a new favourite The Førde Traditional and World Music Festival is above all a family festival, with only a minute fraction of the events having age restrictions. “This is a festival where everyone can have their own favourites, or find new ones,” says Bjørkum. Prices are family-friendly, with significant concessions for children in addition to plenty of free events. “We want to serve people a lot of teasers, music they did not know they loved and that makes them go 'Wow, this is awesome!’” says the festival's director.

music programmes from previous years.

Featured are a plethora of genres from every continent in the world. Everything from American gospel to traditional Mongolian folk songs to hot African rhythms has found its place in little old Førde. “We have got the whole world at our disposal, and that is very exciting,” say Bjørkum.

The festival is a social happening in which the entire town is included. In addition to the vast music programme, festival-goers can enjoy art exhibits, attend courses or learn a new dance. Three hundred volunteers contribute to the happening, most of them natives of Førde. “But we do have volunteers coming from other parts of the country, and even other countries, to contribute to the festival,” says Bjørkum.

Professional production

Discovering a love for new music seems practically inevitable when looking at the

Starting with a small, but enthusiastic, group of six volunteers 23 years ago, the

Førde Traditional and World Music Festival has grown to become a large, professional organisation, and a well-oiled machine. “Today we have state-of-the-art production, more than good enough to be broadcast live on television,” says the director.

Although the festival in July is the Førde Festival's flagship, Bjørkum and her team host events all through the year. Other large events are Bornas Verdsdagar, a one-day children's festival promoting multicultural values, and the FolkJazzScena, a music venue with concerts running all year.

For more information, please visit: www.fordefestival.no

Clockwise from top left: Tashi Lhunpo Monastery on Hafstadfjellet, 2009. Photo: Feberfilm; Susana Baca from Peru. Photo: Heidi Hattestein; Deba at Huldefossen. Photo: Oddleiv Apneseth; The Mahotella Queens. Photo: Arve Ullebø; Sidi Goma in the festival parade. Photo: Arve Ullebø

Issue 48 | January 2013 | 21

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Festivals in Norway 2013 From top to bottom: Swedish Veronica Maggio was one of the pop artists performing in August 2012.

Photo: Sofie Breivik; Nyholms Skandse is one of the beautiful outdoor venues used for the summer festival. Photo: Arctic; Bodø Cathedral is one of the venues that will be used for the upcoming winter festival.

Photo: Sofie Breivik; Keiservarden is one of the venues that shows off the spectacular nature of Bodø during the summer festival. Photo: Henrik Dvergsdal

Where nature meets music One of National Geographic’s 20 places to visit in 2013 offers more than just spectacular nature and incredible surroundings: Bodø is the home to Nordland Music Festival that attracts thousands every year.

By Line Elise Svanevik

The birth of the festival can be traced back to 1980 when it was launched as a classical church music festival. Although narrowly focused in its early years, the festival now features a wide range of music with a major emphasis on classical and jazz, in addition to a yearly two or three pop acts and folk music. Today it even includes art exhibitions.

The festival has been held every summer for the past 32 years, and this year, a new addition will be the launch of the winter festival. Nordland Music Festival is hosting a three-day festival on 19-21 March. It will be significantly smaller but a great addition to the main summer festival, which will be held 2-11 August.

The largest venue for the August festival has a capacity of 3,000, whereas the winter festival’s largest venue will be Bodø cathedral, hosting a maximum of 800 people. The choice of venues may be better in the summer as many concerts can be held outdoors – and some even on mountains 366 metres above sea level; however, Bodø can be equally beautiful in the winter with the cold weather and a different light. The festival will also be more compact, with concerts held within churches, clubs and local cafés.

22 | Issue 48 | January 2013

“It is where nature meets culture,” says director of the festival André W. Larsen.

“Being able to combine a holiday with such amazing surroundings and music at the same time is an incredibly unique opportunity.”

Last year 23,500 people arrived to enjoy the nature and music at the summer festival, with pop acts including Norwegian Susanne Sundfør and Swedish Veronica Maggio.

The programme for the winter festival will focus mainly on classical music. Swedish bassist and cellist Svante Henryson will take to the stage with fellow musician Ketil Bjørnstad. They are both performing at the winter and summer festivals alike.

Another ensemble that will appear at the winter festival is Barokksolistene, led by Bjarte Eike.

Although only in its early stages, preparing for its debut in March, the new festival addition’s prospects are good. “We are aware that it will attract a significantly smaller audience, but we would love to make it a part of the festival,” says Larsen.

For more information, please visit: www.musikkfestuka.no

Clockwise from the left: Arkhangelsk State Chamber Orchestra in the Arctic Cathedral. Photo: Marius Fiskum; Outdoor opening show 2009.

Photo: Arthur Arnesen; Mariinsky Opera - Il Viaggio a Reims. Photo: Marius Fiskum.

Festivities in the High North With a brand new Norwegian opera, Tine Thing Helseth and the World Percussion Ensemble part of its line-up, the Northern Lights Festival in Tromsø invites all generations to enjoy the very best quality in music and art.

By Anette Berve

For the 26th consecutive year, the Northern Lights Festival will bring music and art to Tromsø during the last weekend of January. In 2013, the festival opens with a new Norwegian opera, the Witch Hammer, composed by Ragnar Rasmussen.

Based on real historical events and persons, the opera tells the story of the witch hunt in the north. So far, the opera has had a small-scale pre-premiere to brilliant reviews, and Ulf Jensen, director and creative leader of the festival, is more than excited to see the opera debut in full scale.

“There are not many operas that have originated in northern Norway, so this is something that we are proud to showcase,” Jensen says.

Art music festival “Although some might see us as a festival of classical music, one can see from our opening night that we have a varied repertoire,” explains Jensen. “We started with

classical acts, but we realised early on that we had to expand.” The festival offers spectacular outdoor events, lectures and exhibitions. “It is more correct to label us an art music festival,” he adds.

Look East Norway is a country where the music and entertainment scene has a strong AngloAmerican dominance. The Northern Lights Festival decided four years ago to focus specifically on Norway’s eastern neighbours to invite artists from more alternative countries. “Russia and Norway have an interesting historical and geographical relationship, and we decided to take advantage of that.” The festival created the slogan “Look East” to expand its musical horizon and booked top Russian ballet dancers accompanied by a large orchestra for the first collaboration. “The Mariinsky Opera and Ballet added a whole new dimension to the festival,” Jensen

states. “Our mission to look east has given us exciting acts to collaborate with.”

Bringing life to the dark months Ulf Jensen explains that the festival has two goals: to present music of high quality to the people of Norway but also to make Tromsø known to the world. When the festival first started, northern Norway was not as desirable as a holiday destination as it is today. Yet, the date of the festival was chosen with care, and although it is a dark and cold month, it is also the time when the northern lights are most visible. “Now January is one of the busiest months due to the festival. Tromsø is full of life!”

Northern Lights Festival 2013: • Arctic Philharmonic Orchestra • Emigrant Blues • Ensemble Allegria and Tine Thing Helseth • Gothenburg Combo • World Percussion Ensemble and many more. . .

For more information, please visit: nordlysfestivalen.no

Issue 48 | January 2013 | 23

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Festivals in Norway 2013

From left to right: Audience of 120,000 at Manu Chao performance. Photo: Lars Gartå; Ravi Shankar. Photo: Nasibu Mwanukuzi; “Mama Africa” Miriam Makeba

When people meet From humble beginnings twelve years ago, the Mela Festival has grown to become one of Europe's largest festivals of its kind, with 300,000 visits in just three days.

By Magnus Nygren Syversen | Photos: Courtesy of Mela Festival

Abida Parveen

“Mela has developed into one of the largest yearly events in our capital, but it has taken a long while for people to realise that this is not just a festival for immigrants,” says artistic director Khalid Salimi, who says the location at Rådhusplassen, in the very centre of the city, is in itself a symbol that

24 | Issue 48 | January 2013

Mela is a festival for everyone, regardless of culture and ethnicity.

The word “mela” is Sanskrit for “to meet”, or “when people meet”, and the festival's main mission is to convey art and culture from every corner of the world. “This is the place where you find meetings between different people, different smells and different tastes. The fact that it is a free festival means that you are welcome to choose for yourself what you wish to experience,” says Salimi, who is quick to point out that Mela is a family-friendly festival.

The Mela Festival, which takes places 1618 August this year, transcends genres,

Nawal El Saadawi

When Manu Chao performed at the Mela Festival in August 2012 more than 120,000 people had gathered in front of the stage at Rådhusplassen (The City Hall Square) in Oslo. Impressive for any event, this sizeable audience exemplifies the magnitude of the Mela Festival, especially considering the fact that the Norwegian capital is home to no more than 600,000 people.

offering a variety of art forms such as dance, theatre, literature and music. Aiming to mix what is Norwegian with what is not, much of what can be witnessed on stage are collaborations between Norwegian artists and artists from other parts of the world.

No festival would be anything without its artists, and Mela has featured many exciting names in previous years. In addition to Manu Chao, artists like Norwegian rap duo Karpe Diem, reggae artist Ky-Mani Marley, “Mama Africa” Miriam Makeba, Pakistani singer Abida Parveen, calypso legend Harry Belafonte and the late Ravi Shankar have all performed at the festival.

For more information, please visit: www.melafestivalen.no

Harry Belafonte Photo: Anna Wiercioch;

Manu Chao Photo: Anette Marie Reite

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Festivals in Norway 2013

Forty years of love for jazz, folk and world music On the weekend of Palm Sunday 2013, Vossa Jazz festival celebrates its 40th anniversary by putting on yet another intimate music festival in the small village of Voss in western Norway. This year the theme is love - love for the music and love for the people.

By Kjersti Westeng

With 5,000 visitors in 2012, it is safe to say that Vossa Jazz is a success, with exciting and talented musicians on stage every year. According to festival director Trude Storheim, this year's festival will be no different to the tradition. Storheim says: “Vossa Jazz is known for being an innovative festival, and this year there will be even more going on, both on and off stage.

We want to give everyone an opportunity to experience non-commercial music.” Between 22 and 24 March 2013, visitors will get to see big international stars such as Brad Mehldau, Mark Guiliana, Nasheet Waits and Cristina Branco, as well as Norwegian musicians Kari Bremnes and Ketil Bjørnstad, among many other great acts.

But Vossa Jazz is about so much more than the artists on stage. Storheim says:

“One of our main priorities is to get people involved.

Vossa Jazz offers something for everyone, and we try to include the audience in as many ways as possible.” With Badnajazz for the kids, UNGjaJAZZja for the Ekstremjazz is a free outdoor youths and El- concert. Photo: Jan Granlie drejazz for the elderly, the festival offers workshops and opportunities to perform on stage for all age groups. The festival is also known for Ekstremjazz, a cross between extreme

Test your salmon fishing skills There might not be a better way to experience Norwegian culture and nature. Surrounded by majestic fjords and mountainous scenery, over ten thousand people are expected to take over the lakes and streets of Surnadal during the annual Norwegian Salmon Festival. Join the fun and become the ‘salmon king’ of south-west Norway.

By Ingvild Larsen Vetrhus | Photos: Norsk Laksefestival

Norway has one of the largest salmon industries in the world, which plays an important role in its culture. Every year since 2000, tourists and fishermen have joined locals, competing with children, youths and adults, trying to catch the biggest salmon of Glønavatnet lake, located in the heart of Møre og Romsdal county.

Taking place on 20-23 June, the familyfriendly festival offers a variety of exciting outdoor activities for people of all age groups, ranging from salmon fishing competitions to funfairs and concerts, turning the rural village of Skei into a hub of cul-

sports and music. The collaboration results in an unusual free outdoor concert that combines music with an impressive display by extreme athletes.

Marc Ribot at Vossa Jazz 2012. Photo: Ådne Dyresli

For more information and information on how to buy tickets, please visit: vossajazz.no

Have you never been salmon fishing before? Not to worry, there will be a junior competition held for the inexperienced. If you do not believe you have what it takes to win the grand prize of 30,000 Norwegian Kroner, perhaps the popular and unusual rubber ducky race down the river of Surna is something to consider taking part in.

The festival, which is held in association with Surnadal’s hunting and fishing organisations, is the highlight of June for many locals.

Ragna Marie Mauset, head organiser of the Norwegian Salmon Festival, says: “We are happy that people have a pleasant experience and that they keep coming back every year.”

tural events. Food stalls with delicious Norwegian cuisine produced by local farmers will adorn the streets of Skei, and a conference will also be held for those who wish to learn more about the salmon industry.

For more information, please visit: www.norsklaksefestival.no

Issue 48 | January 2013 | 25

Expect the unexpected – a music festival made exclusively of ice The musical equivalent of the Ice Age, Ice Music Festival in Geilo, Norway, is the only music festival in the world where everything is made solely from ice and snow.

By Didrik Ottesen | Photos: Ice Music Festival

Controlled by nature, the festival takes place during the first full moon of every year, which in 2013 is from January 24 to 27, and due to the festival’s unique approach to music even the instruments are made of ice. “The instruments are cut out from ice and subsequently made adaptable to play on and create sound; it’s a type of music very close to improvisation as the air, temperature and surroundings will affect the sound created by the instrument,” says Tove Sletto Medhus, managing director of Ice Music Festival Geilo.

“With a string instrument there would be strings attached to the ice, but it’s the shape and form of the instrument that create the sound,” she explains. This factor makes it a demanding yet enjoyable experience for the artists invited to play at the festival. “Part of the magic of the fes-

26 | Issue 48 | January 2013

tival is that the audience will never experience that exact sound or song again as the instrument changes accordingly as it’s being played; that is one way in which we are very innovative,” Sletto Medhus says.

The festival is set amongst the nature and the grandiose mountain landscape of Hallingskarvet, and its surroundings assist in creating a phenomenal atmosphere as the distinctive ice instruments are being played.“We try out new instruments every year to maintain the variation of the programme and to keep challenging ourselves; the new instrument of 2013 is an ice tuba which we are terribly excited to experience,” Sletto Medhus says.

Somewhat extraordinarily the music created and played at the Ice Music Festival is decided by the weather, and when the

full moon rises in January 2013, the weather is expected to be tractable. “Normally it is more than cold enough; albeit it was about five or six degrees a few years ago, consequently creating some unforeseen challenges playing on a melting instrument, and as rare as this is, that made the experience even more exceptional,” Sletto Medhus explains.

The organisers have witnessed significant growth since the festival opened in 2006, with people from all over the world travelling to Geilo to experience the sound of ice instruments at one of the world’s most environmentally friendly festivals.“The profile is very compatible with the current climate situation as everything we use is made of ice, which in the eternal circle eventually melts and is therefore given back to nature,” Sletto Medhus says.

For more information, please visit: www.icemusicfestival.com

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Festivals in Norway 2013 Agata & Mostar Sevdah Reunion. Photo: Grzegorz Śledź

A festival packed with tradition and inspiration Being held for the 49th consecutive year, the Arts Festival of North Norway is built upon strong traditions and values as its programme aims to inspire and enlighten its visitors.

Knut Erik Sundquist. Photo: Øivind Arvola/Kultur i Trom

By Didrik Ottesen

The festival acts as host to a variety of different entertainments: theatre, visual arts and music are performed by artists who travel to Harstad in northern Norway from all over the world to partake in a festival which aims to challenge and change its visitors. “One of the most sublime and unique aspects of the Arts Festival of North Norway is that it’s tailored to change the people visiting it and to create new experiences for them, whether this is to enlighten, engage, provoke or increase happiness.”

When the long-lasting festival opens yet again, taking place on 22-29 June 2013, the organisers are delighted to introduce this year’s theme, or a golden thread, which will be represented throughout the festival programme. “Homo Ludens is the 2013 theme. This is Latin for ‘Man the Player’ or ‘The Playing Man’, and we aim to emphasise playfulness, creativity and humour, as well as the seriousness and gravity that is displayed and provoked by playing in the arts,” says festival director Tone Winje.

A highlight will also be the Arts Festival’s headliner for 2013: Knut Erik Sundquist is an artist of substantial international class who is famous for his playful connection with the audience.“There’s a significant amount of playfulness within the arts, and when we dare to play we also have a large possibility of developing. Sundquist repre-

sents this with his playful audience interaction, and his presence will increase the emphasis around the topic,” says Winje.

Winje is also very satisfied with the high quality of the other artists appearing in this year’s programme."The main parts of our programme are released in April, but we're very excited to reveal that we have booked names such as the Hilliard Ensemble, and Agata and Mostar Sevdah Reunion," she says.

Photo: Inga Helene Juul

The festival highlights the importance of providing young artists with the possibility of presenting their work and is effectively operating as a platform for young artists by helping to inspire and promote the careers of aspiring artists. Two young artists, Emilija Skarnulyte and Tanya Busse, noted and renowned within the fields of sculpture, photography and video, will certainly attract attention with their project on the effects of oil and gas drilling on the northern landscape and scenery.

“This will be truly remarkable, and we believe this project will be noticed far beyond our region and beyond the span of the Arts Festival of North Norway,” Winje says, and welcomes visitors to the festival on 22-29 June 2013.

For more information, please visit: www.festspillnn.no Photo: Knut Utler

Issue 48 | January 2013 | 27

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Festivals in Norway 2013

Over twenty years of country music fun One of the most exciting music festivals in Norway, the Country Music Festival Vinstra has for twenty years managed what very few other festivals have done – by ending the year with a profit.

downloads worldwide. Rascal Flatts has also won over 40 country music awards – a true headliner in every sense of the word.

By Didrik Ottesen | Photos: Country Music Festival Vinstra

A very loyal crowd and an enthusiastic management have established the Country Music Festival Vinstra as somewhat of a national institution as far as live country music is concerned.

The festival’s good reputation has moved well outside Norwegian borders as proved by last year’s headliner John Fogerty, one of several great performers who show just how popular and large the festival has become.

Musicians such as Dwight Yoakam, Marty Stuart, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Carlene Carter, Tanya Tucker and Lee Ann Womack have also attended the festival, which presents over 70 hours of live music from three stages over the course of four days.

Last year, the Country Music Festival Vinstra celebrated an impressive twenty-year

28 | Issue 48 | January 2013

anniversary with approximately 14,500 people visiting the festival and about 4,000 people enjoying the camping facilities.

The festival, which will be held from 3 to 6 July this year, has already managed to book some impressive names for the summer, including Randy Thompson, and one of the biggest names on the world country music scene – Rascal Flatts.

The latter band has sold an astounding 21 million albums and over 25 million digital

The Country Music Festival Vinstra is also proudly displaying some Norwegian talent, with Steinar Albrigsten topping the list of famous musicians who have announced their attendance this summer.

With such high-calibre performers announced this early in the year, the festival looks to match the success of previous years. Their facilities naturally match the quality of the acts, as both the camping and concert area amenities are of the highest standard.

Located in the classic picturesque Norwegian village of Vinstra in Oppland County, the festival is idyllically placed by a river of the same name, providing an ideal setting for festival fun.

For more information, please visit: www.festivaldrift.no

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Festivals in Norway 2013

The extraordinary pioneers of Norwegian chamber music Founded in 1989 with Norwegian violinist Arve Tellefsen as the creative leader and initiator, Oslo Chamber Music Festival was the first of its kind in Norway, and going from strength to strength, in August 2013, it can proudly present some outstanding talent.

By Didrik Ottesen | Photos: Oslo Chamber Music Festival

Scheduled to play at one of the many staggeringly beautiful locations this year are the star pianist Vladimir Ashkenazy, British violist Lawrence Power, Norwegian cellist Truls Mørk, and three worldclass string quartets, the Vertavo String Quartet, the Faust String Quartet from Germany and Oslo String Quartet. English violinist Charlie Siem and composer Sasha Siem, as well as Arve Tellefsen himself and pianist Håvard Gimse will also perform, among many others.

“We have a brilliant line-up this year with several world-renowned artists, and we’re blessed with outstanding venues all over Oslo. We’re also very serious about being a platform for young musicians. The youngest one this year is a 12-year-old violinist.”

“The Norwegian Youth Symphony Or-

chestra with more than one hundred youths from all over the country arrives here in Oslo to perform at Oslo Concert Hall every year,” Tellefsen elaborates.

Her Majesty Queen Sonja has been the patron of the festival for many years, and the royal family have opened both the Royal Chapel at the Palace as well as Oscarshall Castle for live performances.

“The opening concert will be spectacular as well, taking place in the University Hall, which is covered with famous paintings by Edvard Munch and has wonderful acoustics,” Tellefsen says.

Being the only chamber music festival when starting 24 years ago, it is now one of twenty in Norway. “We are very proud that the interest for chamber music in Norway started with us,” Tellefsen says.

One of Oslo Chamber Music Festival’s premier venues - Akershus Fortress

Actress Liv Ullmann in the University Hall, 2011

For more information, please visit: oslokammermusikkfestival.no

The ultimate window display for performing arts Since 1996, the Market for Performing Arts in Sandefjord (MfS) has acted as an exclusive national showcase for sales, presentation and purchase of performing arts for children and youths.

By Didrik Ottesen

tries as well for exchange and development purposes. We offer a great opportunity for people to come and watch live per-

Presenting a wide display of high standard professional performances, MfS provides a specialised platform and meeting place for producers, buyers and artists of performing arts.

“It’s arranged on four days every year, and we aim to spread inspiration and insight, and to demonstrate the standard of competence for both proAbove left: Om bare Rosa kunne trylle. Photo: KBL production. Middle: Herr Molsk. Photo: Carla Cogelman. ducers and artists.

Right: Centralia. Photo: Superbolt Theatre “Being the only showcase for this formances of plays, and organisers get a for quality-ensured performing arts proin Norway, we offer an exclusive market better idea of what they want their productions for children and youths, MfS displace for festivals and other cultural duction to be the coming year,” Strand plays between 20 and 30 shows during four arrangements to come here and experiEliassen elaborates. days in April, and, in the last few years, they ence the shows for themselves before dehave had an increasing number of people ciding what to pursue further,” says Gunn coming from abroad to visit or perform.

Strand Eliassen, project manager for the For more information, please visit: “We hope to develop a close connection Market of Performing Arts in Sandefjord. www.markedet.org to similar arrangements in other counExperiencing an explosion in demand

Issue 48 | January 2013 | 29

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Festivals in Norway 2013

Experience a historical Norwegian opera in magical summer surroundings How would you like to experience an opera telling the story of Olav Engelbrektsson, which forms an essential part of Norway’s medieval history, close to midnight on a sunny summer’s evening in August in magical surroundings? If you are one of the many, please look to Steinvikholm Musikkteater.

By Stian Sangvig | Photos: Steinvikholm Musikkteater

This wonderful midnight summer opera is performed by the country’s finest opera singers. A 16th-century castle reflects the story of the opera. The castle lies some 15 minutes by car from Trondheim Airport (adjacent to Norway’s third largest city by the same name) and can be reached by daily direct flights from London and several European cities, and also from all over Norway.

The annual opera season lasts from 8 to 16 August, and in 2013, it will celebrate its 20th anniversary. The opera Olav Engelbrektsson recreates the dramatic 16thcentury event which stands out as one of the most important episodes in Nordic history: the Danish assumption of power

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and the beginning of the Reformation.

Archbishop Olav Engelbrektsson built his defence and magnificent residence at Steinvikholmen, which became the centre for a ruthless struggle for power and love.

The theatre has 850 numbered seats close to the castle’s 40-metre-long stage.

The show involves approximately 150 people on stage, including 50 choir singers, and starts at 10pm, close to a spellbinding sunset.

For more information, please visit: www.steinvikopera.no

SU ST SPE AIN CI AB AL IN LE D THE DE EV ME NM EL : AR OPM K EN T

Participants at a members’ meeting held at the Carlsberg Academy.

World Business Council for Sustainable Development for a Better World The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) is a CEO-led, global association of some 200 international companies dealing exclusively with business and sustainable development. The WBCSD represents all business sectors, all continents and a combined revenue of over $US 7 trillion.

the network of Danish companies and organizations some 35 members work to incorporate sustainable development as a significant aspect of their businesses.

By DK-BCSD

The DK-BCSD organizes meetings for discussions and conferences presenting new knowledge. Events are used to support the development of innovative tools. The aim is to support the practical work, enter members into partnerships and thus provide an efficient forum for the companies’ sustainability-related activities. Among other things, the DK-BCSD draws on the tools, policy papers and reports from the WBCSD.

The WBCSD is the world's largest sustainable development network, represented in more than 60 countries worldwide, and the network plays the leading advocacy role for business, helping drive debate and policy change in favour of sustainable development solutions.

The WBCSD provides a platform for companies to explore sustainable development, share knowledge, experiences and best practices, and to advocate business positions on these issues in a variety of forums, working with governments, nongovernmental and intergovernmental organizations.

The WBCSD works on a variety of issues related to sustainable development. While its focus is on the overarching areas Energy & Climate, Development, Ecosystems and the Role of Business in Society, it also executes sector-specific projects on, for example, urban infrastructure initiative, corporate reporting, water, forest solutions, cement and electricity utilities.

In Denmark, the DK-BCSD is the Danish regional partner of the WBCSD. At the Danish Business Council for Sustainable Development (DK-BCSD), the global inspiration is being made available for use in the everyday workings of industry. In

Learn more about The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) at www.wbcsd.com and the Danish Business Council for Sustainable Development (DK-BCSD) at www.dk-bcsd.dk.

Issue 48 | January 2013 | 31

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Sustainable Development in Denmark

Top and above left: Brønderslev Secure Institution. Middle and right: The natural cemetery preserve in Silkeborg.

Connecting landscapes and buildings Wad Landskabsarkitekter specialize in landscape and garden art, and develop their creations through analysing the character of a place and its unique opportunities. By always basing their work on nature’s own designs and diversity, they create sustainable and organic solutions.

By Rikke Oberlin Flarup | Photos: Wad Landskabsarkitekter

Inspired by Danish and Nordic nature and culture, and through dialogue, Wad Landskabsarkitekter focus on developing beautiful and atmospheric facilities that allow the users to express themselves.

“We seek to create a certain connection between buildings and landscapes, and want to add something extra that will give the users an experience and a sense of being truly present in their surroundings,” Eivind Wad explains.

A good example of one such facility is the secure institution for young offenders between the ages of 14 and 17 in Brønderslev, in the northern part of Jutland. When building an institution, Wad Landskab-

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sarkitekter spend a lot of time analysing the needs of the people who will be using the institution. In Brønderslev the idea was to integrate the institution itself into the surrounding forest reserve. This way the building becomes part of nature, and the people living there will be able to enjoy the view and the peace and quiet of living in the woods. The creation of Brønderslev Secure Institution is a collaboration between Wad Landskabsarkitekter, Østergaard Arkitekter Aps and Brix & Kamp A/S. Currently, Wad Landskabsarkitekter are also involved in another big project. During the last few decades, the interest in

sustainability in general has increased, meaning that we are also becoming more aware of our choices when it comes to how we wish to be buried. Natural cemetery preserves have existed in Denmark throughout most of the 20th century but have not received much attention until recently. In connection with and as an extension of the already existing cemetery in the town of Silkeborg, Wad Landskabsarkitekter are establishing a natural burial preserve where people can choose to get buried in urns in the forest. Once again the idea is to become part of nature. In natural burial preserves, there are no gravestones or any other markers that let you know where your loved ones lie. “But a memorial naming the people buried in the preserve will be raised by the entrance,” Eivind Wad concludes.

For more information, please visit: www.wadlandskab.dk

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Sustainable Development in Denmark

Above: Odin’s Pocket, Copenhagen Left: Helsingborg’s boardwalk

“The end users’ verdict is the real test of whether we are doing our job well. That sort of recognition does give us a sense of pride and humbleness,” says Kathrine Brandt.

The “unavoidable” nature of landscape architecture, she explains, underlines the importance of leaving behind a space that works in practice and has aesthetic qualities.

Inspiring landscapes for everyone

“It makes you feel humble to create something that has a profound effect on people’s lives. We feel obliged to do everything we can to make something really good.”

Thing & Brandt’s 10 tips for landscape architecture projects

Landscape architects Thing & Brandt set out to challenge and push boundaries. They want people from all walks of life to enjoy being around their “unavoidable” creations.

By Thomas Bech Hansen | Photos: Thing & Brandt

When Thing & Brandt begin working on a project, they always ask one question: How can we create the best solutions for the end users?

process, the more people are likely to enjoy what we come up with,” adds Kathrine Brandt.

“The nature of being a landscape architect means that a lot of people will be looking at your work day in, day out, for many years, whether they like it or not. It becomes unavoidable. We have to keep this in mind, both from a practical and aesthetic viewpoint,” says Marie Thing.

Copenhagen’s Odin’s Pocket and Helsingborg’s boardwalk are Thing & Brandt’s favourite examples from their portfolio of user-oriented projects. The former has become a success as a leafy urban area that enables people from all social strata to roam naturally alongside each other, while the latter was voted “Best dating place in town” by readers of Helsingborg’s local paper. Such accolades make Kathrine Brandt and Marie Thing feel gratified.

Best place for a date

“Our ethos is to have fun, be challenging and always approach a project with great enthusiasm. The more we enjoy the

1. Everybody involved must have a sense of ownership 2. The simpler a concept, the stronger 3. Kill your darlings but hold on to initial vision 4. Functional requirements are opportunities, not obstacles 5. Plan projects for use 24 hours a day, 365 days a year 6. Think big on a small scale 7. Think small on a big scale 8. Be careful using artificial light 9. Be brave, challenging and enthusiastic 10. Great landscapes can be beautiful without people and when crowded with people

For more information, please visit: www.thing-brandt.dk

Issue 48 | January 2013 | 33

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Sustainable Development in Denmark

The Knudmose Lake at Herning with delicate curves and shapes. Photo: Barker & Bark

Shaping the landscape of gardens, cities and highways During more than two decades, the architectural landscape firm Vibeke Rønnow Landscape has designed various major prizewinning projects, such as Aalborg’s new waterfront as well as a string of private gardens. Vibeke Rønnow gains her inspiration from equally diverse sources, including her mother’s flower garden on Funen and Brasilia’s futuristic landscapes.

By Signe Hansen | Photos: Vibeke Rønnow

Founded in Aarhus in 1987, extensive growth led Vibeke Rønnow Landscape to join C.F. Møller Architects in 2008. However, after five years as head of C.F. Møller’s landscape department, Vibeke Rønnow has decided to return to her own office to realise her ideas about landscaping her way. “For me it is very life-affirming to create surroundings which give people joy, make them go outside and

34 | Issue 48 | January 2013

meet each other – that’s what matters to me,” stresses Rønnow.

Natural sustainability Environmental sustainability has, in recent years, become one of the hottest buzzwords in all fields from cookery to architecture. However, when talking about landscape architecture, the phrase is actually, explains Rønnow, rather superflu-

ous as it is an inherent part of designing gardens or urban spaces. “It is impossible to create a well-functioning environmentally sustainable outdoor space without including the social and economic dimensions, concepts that have not always been associated with landscaping in Denmark,” explains Rønnow. “In Brazil, even though it is a developing country, landscape has always been included when planning new cities like Brasilia, but in Denmark, for a long time, landscaping has been considered more of a luxury something you associated with manor houses - or it has been an appendix to other projects, a way of using excess materials and space; that’s why we’ve gained so much experience in financially sustainable solutions.”

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Sustainable Development in Denmark

A great example of how these economic solutions are, through inventive landscaping, turned into social and environmental benefit is the creation of three major lakes around Herning city in Jutland. The lakes were created because the construction of new motorways required gravel and sand to be dug out from the neighbouring areas which had subsoil water very close to the surface. “We designed these areas into lakes with curved lines which complimented the shapes made by the interchange of the roads,” explains Rønnow.

The biggest lake, the Knudmose Lake, which has a depth of seven metres and covers an area of 37 hectares, is used as a leisure landscape with beaches and water-skiing.

Changing the cities As increased traffic and population density have, in recent years, highlighted the need for sustainable outdoor areas within cities, architects like Vibeke Rønnow, who have the right experience, have become more and more in demand. “More and more municipalities are realising that if they want to attract a well-educated workforce, they need to create a pleasant city scene,” explains Rønnow.

A remarkable example of an ambitious investment in the creation of attractive

city spaces is the transformation of Aalborg’s old harbour. The new Aalborg waterfront links the city’s medieval centre with the adjacent fjord, which earlier was difficult to access for citizens due to the industrial harbour and heavy traffic. In the process, Aalborg has received a harbour promenade with steps, recessed terraces, a floating harbour bath and various kinds of urban gardens, which facilitate activities such as markets, ball games, sunbathing and swimming. “Earlier, when you went to the old waterfront, it was a completely desolate industrial area – nobody came there except a couple of old anglers.

Seeing how it is today is a great pleasure; the waterfront is buzzing with people young and old - and the old anglers are still there too. It is a fantastic feeling when something gets off the paper and succeeds in reality like that.”

The materials of the waterfront are chosen to match the rawness of the fjord while at the same time containing subtle references to the sea.

Digging in Even though Rønnow prefers to keep her business at a scale where she can be creatively involved in all projects, she does not have any hesitation in taking on major projects. “I still want to do the large projects – just one at a time,” she stresses.

The architect, however, also maintains her dedication to the kind of private garden projects which were among her first inspirations. “When I grew up, my mother had this huge flower garden on Funen and that was one of my first sources of inspiration,” Rønnow reveals. “The work with private gardens is a bit like a hobby – when we do a garden, it is always for someone who loves gardens, and we design in close cooperation with the client so we know that the final result will be appreciated by its user.”

Facts about Aalborg’s new waterfront: Size: 170,000 m2 Construction period: 2005-2012 Landscape designed by: Vibeke Rønnow Landscape in collaboration with C. F. Møller Architects Engineer: COWI A/S Prizes: 1st prize in architectural competition, 2004; 1st Architectural prize Aalborg Community 2011; Urban light of the year prize; Best Road prize 2011

For more information contact: vr@vibekeroennow.dk or visit: www.vibekeroennow.dk

Top left: The waterfront at Aalborg is still a perfect place for aged anglers. Below: Young women enjoy the new sport areas at Aalborg waterfront. Middle: The colorful flower garden of Aalborg waterfront is a popular place for spring romance. Top right: Her mother’s garden on Funen, in which flowers are an important element, was Vibeke Rønnow's first source of inspiration. Below: Private garden in Aalborg with a reflecting pool as the primary attraction.

Issue 48 | January 2013 | 35

© Martin Dam Kristensen

© Martin Dam Kristensen

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Sustainable Development in Denmark

For the Aarhus festival in 2010, Schonherr transformed one of the city’s central squares into a stunning 1500-square-metre forest scenery.

Blue and green city spaces lift cities into the future Experimental city forests, the revivification of a medieval cathedral and Denmark’s largest climate adaptation development are just a few of the remarkable landscape projects with Schonherr A/S’s name on them. While continuously pushing the limits of landscape design, the firm’s projects tell a clear story emphasising the history and use of the space while balancing classic longevity and modern utility.

wanted to change that attitude,” she stresses. “It is about changing the common spaces in small and major ways, from urban planning to small details like furniture in public spaces and incorporating water in urban scenery.”

By Signe Hansen | Photos: Schonherr

Founded in 1984 by Landscape Architect Torben Schønherr, Schonherr today employs approximately 50 people divided between two offices in Aarhus and Copenhagen. Ever since the firm’s founding, the focus has been to search for and enhance the unexpected in everyday places, explains partner Rikke Juul Gram. “We

36 | Issue 48 | January 2013

would like to think that we have contributed to changing the view of the importance of landscape architecture’s influence. There was a period when landscape architecture went from being an art to being just something which you would use to finish off what building architects had done – just plant some trees; we

Gram runs the day-to-day operation of the Aarhus office, while the firm’s third partner Nina Jensen runs the division in Copenhagen.

Telling a story With its many years of experience, Schonherr has been behind a long string of diverse projects all over Denmark. But

© Martin Dam Kristensen

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Sustainable Development in Denmark

Above: With experimental projects like the temporary city park in Aarhus, Schonherr attempts to challenge the ordinary hierarchy between city elements like parks and traffic.

In an on-going major recreation project in Herning, Schonherr is reviving numerous city spaces to attract life back into the centre, using the city’s past and present history as inspiration. © Carsten Ingemann

whether it is office parks, private gardens, church grounds, city spaces or traffic systems, there is a common denominator in a Schonherr project: the focus on the story of the place.

interpretation of the cathedral floor, which is extended out of the church to meet the scale of the street and the city’s cobblestones; this way we have merged them into each other – city and church. It is our way of telling their story through the paving.”

A telling example of this is found in the restructuring of the space surrounding Ribe Cathedral, Denmark’s oldest cathedral built in the 12th century. Because of the church’s ancient origin, the town of Ribe had overgrown it, meaning that the church was set at a lower level than the rest of the city. To bring the church back into the city, the terrain around it was excavated so that it is now placed in a bowl-like setting.

The bowl and the surrounding landscape act, explains Gram, as tools to understand and convey the history of the city of Ribe and the situation of the church. “We have attempted to convey the intertwined history of the church and the city through an

While the story is always at the heart of Schonherr’s projects, there are, of course, many other aspects to take into consideration, and no two solutions are the same.

One of the often occurring dilemmas in landscape architecture is finding the right balance between facilitating the current use of space and enhancing its long-term and intrinsic aesthetic value. “In some cities in Denmark, the designers have tried too hard to draw life and activity into the spaces, meaning that they are created to function splendidly during a busy Saturday market but might end up looking like a desolated, leftover playground on a

rainy Tuesday,” explains Gram. “We want to create more open spaces; spaces that are timeless in their essence and can also contain rainy Tuesdays, but it is a balancing act. Spaces should not be boring, but the architectural discussion is very interesting and that’s why we experiment a lot.”

Pushing boundaries When Gram says that Schonherr experiments a lot, it is not just empty talk. In 2010, the firm shipped in hundreds of trees, tons of earth, grass and moss to create a temporary 1500-square-metre forest scenery in the heart of Aarhus. “The most important thing for us is to create permanent green landscapes within cities, but in this particular place and occasion our ambition was to create a discussion on how to incorporate the forest into a city.”

This year another giant project of Schonherr’s saw one of the city’s main entrance

Issue 48 | January 2013 | 37

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Sustainable Development in Denmark

One of Schonherr’s most recently won assignments is a 118 million DKKR development of Kokkedal in North Zealand. When finished, the project will cover a 69-hectare part of the city and be Denmark’s largest climate-adaptive development. Photos: Schonherr/Rambøll/BIG

roads transformed into a giant park by connecting two smaller parks by building a green pyramid with cascading water, hills and even an artificial volcano over the street. “On a very local scale it is our way of questioning some of the bigger issues like does the traffic really need to dictate the quality of our spaces or could we change the hierarchy within the city.

For us it is important that cities are made for people, and that changes like that are in everyone’s interest, also the drivers’ because when they leave the car they are not drivers anymore,” Gram points out. “We would like to balance the cities and the

way we live. We are very dependent on landscape; it is the foundation on which we build our culture, and the environment is also an important player. In the future we will be more and more dependent on attaining a balance with nature, and that’s why we try to be part of the discussion of how to programme our common spaces.”

Denmark’s largest climate adaptation project One of Schonherr’s most ambitious projects to date might be the newly-won The Blue-Green Garden City in Kokkedal. The 118 million DKKR project in North Zealand

will cover a 69-hectare part of the city, including its river valley, school, care home, sports hall, city centre and residential area, and will, with local use of rainwater, combined with biodiversity and recreational spaces around the riverside, be Denmark’s largest climate-adaptive development.

“This project really shows a great example of high ambitions which will lead to the creation of a green city where green and blue elements lift the quality of city living on all solutions and spaces in the city,” says Gram. “It shows that if we want to, we can make radical changes!” The project’s realisation will commence in August 2013.

Contact: Schonherr, Aarhus: Klosterport 4A, 1st floor 8000 Aarhus C Phone: +45 86186900 Email: rjg@schonherr.dk

Schonherr’s restructuring of the surroundings of Ribe Cathedral has brought the cathedral back to prominence and has, by interweaving the cathedral floor and the street pavement, visualised the entwined history of the church and the town.

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For more information, please visit: www.schonherr.dk

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Sustainable Development in Denmark

Tegnestuen LBB3's designs include everything from hotels to day-care centres and villas.

Transforming architectural ambitions into a productive business A lot has happened since Hanne and Peter Lind-Bonderup founded the architecture studio LBB3 in the northern part of Jutland just five years ago. What started out as a two-person business in a barn in rural Denmark has now developed into a fullgrown business offering its expertise on more and larger projects. LBB3 Architecture Studio transforms architectural ambitions into a productive business without compromising on passion and personal touch.

small-sized studio located in an old barn, by utilizing digital models as a tool for communication as well as design. Clients are introduced to a 3D model from the beginning of the process for a more constructive dialogue.

By Rikke Oberlin Flarup | Photos: Tegnestuen LBB3

Less is more

Hanne and Peter both had several years of experience working for larger design studios before they decided to uproot and start their own business based on a desire to create something more personal with focus on nature, time and man. Regardless of scale, LBB3 seeks to find the soul of each project based on client and context. The goal is not just to find a solution, but the solution; something that makes it unique. Not all projects have to be experimental, however, as architecture also gets its strength through subtlety, focusing on intimate experiences, surprising elements or careful choice of materials.

From x-small to small Being a small architecture studio has many advantages: personal involvement,

close dialogue with the clients, local affiliation, deeper immersion in projects and so forth. But the Danish construction industry has high standards when it comes to control, quality and time framing. Meeting the demands can be contradictory, but at LBB3 they have found a way of doing so without compromising on innovation and contemplation. By using the contradictions and differences in their projects, they have turned the difficulties into challenges and advantages.

An example of this is the architecture studio’s focus on employing state-of-the-art technology in the creation of their projects as well as more traditional methods such as sketching and modelling. LBB3 challenges the client’s expectations of a

LBB3 combines great knowledge and experience with a wide variety of skills by employing a team of diverse professionals, including architects, spatial designers, engineers and constructors. This way the otherwise small business can handle a wide variety of projects, be highly flexible and create sustainable architecture of high quality.

For more information, please visit: www.lbb3.com

Issue 48 | January 2013 | 39

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Sustainable Development in Denmark

mindfulness and in that respect outdoor spaces can play a huge role – watching the leaves drop from the trees is something that everyone can enjoy, whether you are three or 90 years old.”

When working with trees and plants, results are, for obvious reasons, not always immediate and never static. Trees can take up to 20 or even 100 years to grow to their full potential, and it is necessary to think long-term when it comes to their nourishment and care. “One of the challenges is finding the right surface for the trees. In long term the roots need to be able to grow in proportion to the crown, and if the underground is too compressed or filled with wires or other building materials, it won’t work,” stresses Moos.

“But it is worth it: trees create structure in the city, create shade and cover, and with their lush beauty simply just make it an enjoyable place to be.”

Above left and middle: One of the main specialities of moos+loft is transforming previously unused small spaces into lush green experiences. Right: Old trees’ ability to provide shade, cover from wind and ambiance to cities has earned them a special place in the heart and work of moos+loft.

Turning forgotten city spaces into lush oases Lush green city spaces that materialize in the most unexpected places, draw in passers-by and provide a minute of joy or contemplation are at the essence of moos+loft landscape architects.

By Signe Hansen | Photos: Signe Moos

moos+loft was created by Signe Moos and Henning Looft in 2008, as the two landscape architects, both well-known from their appearances on Danish television, realised they shared a green vision. “The key word in our work has always been lushness. No matter what scale we are working on, we want to bring plants and trees into the spaces,” explains Moos. moos+loft’s characteristically green fingerprints have, since its founding, left their mark and transformed a string of small and large spaces in Denmark. From

40 | Issue 48 | January 2013

the reshaping of major landscapes to the creation of small green oases in “forgotten” city spaces, it is always about conveying the lushness and joy of nature to passers-by. “With the small spaces especially, it is important to create architecture at eye level; by doing that we can transform spaces that at first glance seem unimportant into a central part of the city structure. Where people just used to pass by, a well-structured green space can make them slow down, maybe even sit down and enjoy it for a little while,” explains Moos. “We talk so much about

For more information, please visit: www.moos-looft.dk

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Sustainable Development in Denmark

Above left: Outline of the new outdoor areas around the waste-to-energy plant in Roskilde, Denmark. Top right: Functionality and aesthetics combined with sustainable solutions in a proposal for the Nordic House in Reykjavik, Iceland.Below: Anne Stausholm and her colleagues are specialists in water solutions – in this case a small natural swimming lake in a private garden.

Sustainability and aesthetics outdoors Whether designing private gardens or larger outdoor areas for companies, the landscape architects at Anne Stausholm find sustainable solutions that showcase both the green profile and beautiful scenery.

By Julie Bauer Larsen | Photos: Anne Stausholm

When the new waste-to-energy plant KARA/NOVEREN in Roskilde, Denmark, needed an outdoor area to fit the sustainable profile of the company, they got their design from a local landscape architect.

Anne Stausholm has years of experience creating stunning outdoor areas with a strong sustainable profile.

“In the case of this waste-to-energy plant, the very core of the business is sustainability and naturally the surroundings should mirror this. We are creating an outdoor area within 20,000 square metres that helps communicate this – for instance there will be a show of steam running over rocks to illustrate that what comes from the chimney is in fact just steam,” she explains.

Combining fun and function Using landscape architecture, you can create solutions that support the story of

the business and are equally sustainable and easy on the eyes. Another example is found at a large housing association in Copenhagen, where Anne Stausholm and her colleagues have created a system for draining excess rainwater and using it for decoration.

“The weather is becoming more extreme in Denmark with heavy rain and subsequent floods. These can be reduced by using drains in your outdoor areas. For the housing association we created a system of drains that at the same time served as decorations, including water streams, fountains and small ponds,” says Anne Stausholm of the project.

The perfect first impression Having a well-planned outdoor area can both help you avoid floods and create positive impressions for people passing by or visiting. This should be essential to com-

panies and also a thing to consider for your home, says Anne Stausholm.

“First impressions usually last, and the first impression any visitor gets is the surroundings of your company or the front yard of your house. Therefore, I find it natural to consider the image you portray with your outdoor areas – and if you have a strong focus on sustainability, why not showcase it in a beautiful manner.”

Another project combining function and aesthetics is her winning proposal for the Nordic House in Reykjavik, Iceland. Here a range of environmental actions are taken to ensure drainage of rainwater from the area surrounding the building into areas on the ground, where it strengthens nature and adds a distinct visual character to the park. The jury commented that the collection and cleaning of rainwater in the proposal shows several good ideas and adds quality to the area adjacent to the wetland.

For more information, please visit: www.annestausholm.dk

Issue 48 | January 2013 | 41

Scan Magazine | Hotel of the Month | Sweden

Hotel of the Month, Sweden

Expect to be dazzled

by Gothenburg’s new hotspot Dorsia Hotel & Restaurant stands out like a sparkling ruby on the otherwise rather plain street Trädgårdsgatan in Gothenburg, Sweden. But even the bright red façade does not prepare its visitors for what awaits inside. When you enter through the doors, you will step into another world where the vibrant colours of Marrakech meet the elegant and extravagant décor of La Belle Époque. Whether it is for business or pleasure – this is the place to be in Gothenburg right now.

Thomas returned her greeting, poured himself some cereal and knew that he would remember that morning for the rest of his life. Having a musical icon in the house was of course an experience out of the ordinary, but in a way it still made sense in Thomas’s life.

By Sara Schedin | Photos: Dorsia Hotel & Restaurant

The hotel did not make a lot of fuss when it opened a few months back, and it did not have an opening party where the hotel director, Thomas Petersen, made a grand speech. Thomas is indeed a very devoted man, but in a different way. Just like his Danish grandfather Sofus Petersen, his devotion lies with his guests. To understand more about Thomas and the

42 | Issue 48 | January 2013

legacy that his grandfather left him, we have to go back in time to his childhood.

The year was 1955 and Thomas Petersen was eight years old. When he woke up at the apartment at Berzeliigatan and went down to the kitchen to eat breakfast, Josephine Baker was sitting there. She smiled at him and said: “Bonjour!”

The famous singer was part of the big world which every so often nestled itself into the small world that was the Petersen household at Berzeliigatan in Gothenburg.

Sophus Petersen had been running the renowned restaurant Lorensberg in the park nearby for a long time. Entering the restaurant was like travelling to another world. A bigger, more beautiful, funnier

Scan Magazine | Hotel of the Month | Sweden

and slightly surreal world. The Lorensberg Theatre, where stars like Louis Armstrong and Benny Goodman had mesmerized audiences, was situated just next door.

some surprising and pleasurable taste experiences. The same goes for the champagne menu. As for the bar, its selection of gin has already impressed more than one Brit.

One of Thomas and his older brother’s favourite pastimes was to sit on the dance floor, just by the stage, sipping on a soft drink and watching the stars perform. One could say that Thomas’s childhood was rather different.

A place to do business

In addition to meeting celebrities, he learned a lot from his grandfather Sophus, who valued hospitality more than anything and who made every guest feel like royalty. His love for food and his sense of style were also something that was passed down to Thomas.

thoughts travel to Morocco and Paris a hundred years ago. After a thorough inspection, Hermès gave its blessing to placing their little bottles of shampoo in the exquisite bathrooms. The size of the bedrooms varies slightly and they come in Small, Medium, Large and Premium Large.

Sleep and dine like a king

If it was not for the hotel’s generous breakfast, guests would struggle to leave their comfortable and colourful havens.

Every guest that enters the doors of Dorsia will get royal treatment. Each room is unique except for the divine deluxe beds, with Mulberry silk quilts and bed linen made from combed Egyptian cotton. It is like sleeping on clouds. All other textiles are from Designers Guild and make your

Only the best chefs work at Dorsia’s restaurant, and they create nothing but top-notch beautiful food. It is French classic dining at its best. The wines in the hotel’s deep wine cellar are selected by Dorsia’s sommelier, who will treat you to

“Work” might not be the first word that springs to mind when you enter the glamorous rooms of Dorsia, but the hotel is in some ways just like any other business hotel. It has the latest IT technology and a functional meeting room.

And, of course, Dorsia has an environmentally sustainable approach, which, for example, is visible in its floors, which are made of fast-growing bamboo, and in its energy smart showers. Dorsia has everything you would expect from a business hotel. The hotel director is not very keen on the word “expect” though. A first-class hotel should surprise its guests and give them more than they expect.

For more information, please visit: www.dorsia.se

Issue 48 | January 2013 | 43

Scan Magazine | Hotel of the Month | Denmark

Hotel of the Month, Denmark

A historic stay close to the sea, culture and shopping Located in beautiful natural surroundings, just four miles from Copenhagen, Skovshoved Hotel is the perfect place to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. At this “home away from home”, everyone is warmly welcomed to enjoy a Bib Gourmand-winning meal, a family vacation, romantic weekend or a business meeting.

By Signe Hansen | Photos: Skovshoved Hotel & Historic Hotels Denmark

“Big enough to serve you - Small enough to know you.” This is the slogan of the four star-rated Skovshoved Hotel. The hotel, which is located in the charming former fishing village of Skovshoved, offers personal service in intimate settings and an authentic Danish atmosphere.

Schunck. “It is run with a big heart, and we aim to serve our guests with a smile 24/7. Most of the rooms have a balcony with a lovely sea view. And, as we are not far from Copenhagen, you can experience the big city, the outskirts of the city as well as the wonderful nature.”

“There are many things that make our hotel special,” says hotel manager Ann D.

If you fancy visiting the Danish capital, busses that can take you to the City Hall

44 | Issue 48 | January 2013

Square in just 30 minutes stop right outside the hotel every 20 minutes.

A Michelin favourite In 2004, Skovshoved Hotel was rated as one of the world’s Top 50 Hottest Hotels by Condé Nast. More recently, the hotel’s restaurant has been regularly recommended by the Michelin Guide, which has for the last two years granted it its prestigious Bib Gourmand for high-quality food at moderate prices.

Run by chef Frank Svärd Pedersen, the hotel’s well-known à la carte restaurant serves delicious food made from fresh and locally produced ingredients. Whether for a business or private event, a delicious lunch

Scan Magazine | Hotel of the Month | Denmark

experience is always on offer in the restaurant; for a different kind of experience, you can order a picnic basket and have lunch by the sea or on the Royal Hunting Grounds.

The atmospheric hotel’s first floor event hall, which has a private bar and an amazing terrace overlooking the historical village and the sea, also makes a fantastic venue for weddings, business meetings and conferences.

Explore the beautiful surroundings Skovshoved Hotel was established back in 1660 as a pub and accommodation for local fishermen. Today, the hotel has been decorated in a light and simple Scandinavian style with dozens of candles and fresh flowers dotted around the hotel to create a homely feel. The original pub, which serves traditional Danish meals and drinks, is located next to the hotel, so a game of pool and a taste of schnapps are never more than a minute away.

Rungsted clubs. The world’s oldest amusement park Bakken, the Experimentarium, and the famous art gallery Louisiana are also all located near the hotel.

Historic hotels

For those who prefer a bit of fresh air, the Royal Hunting Grounds with forests and open fields can be accessed easily on foot or bicycle. “One can be picked up by horse carriage or rent one of the hotel's manual or electric bicycles for a cycling trip in order to explore the area,” says Ann Schunck.

The hotel is also set close to one of Denmark’s oldest golf clubs, the Copenhagen Golf Club, as well as the Søllerrød and

Skovshoved Hotel is a part of the esteemed Historic Hotels of Europe and Historic Hotels Denmark, which includes eight Danish hotels with a unique history, authenticity and high levels of gastronomy. Whether you choose to stay at a romantic city hotel, an old ferry inn or a cosy seaside hotel, the presence of history is felt everywhere in the old buildings and the authentically decorated settings. Like Skovshoved, all hotels are independently

managed, and the buildings have been restored with the guests’ comfort at heart.

“The common objective is for you to feel welcome and to turn your stay into an experience. The minute you set foot in one of the hotels, you will encounter ‘the good hostmanship’, the attentive and personal service, the heartfelt and warm welcome,” explains Ann Schunck. “Running a hotel in buildings worthy of preservation is an added challenge. It requires fiery souls who passionately strive to provide the guests with the best possible settings and conditions for a fantastic holiday – an experience.”

Like at Skovshoved, you will get a special culinary experience in all the historic hotels; the chefs only use the best products, which they, with passion and professional expertise, transform into new taste experiences every day.

Skovshoved Hotel is open all year around including the festive seasons and provides an ideal home away from home for Danes living abroad and everyone else.

Historic hotels: left: Hotel Plesner, top right: Ballebro Færgekro, below: Gilleleje Badehotel

For more information, please visit: www.skovshovedhotel.com or www.historichotels.dk

Issue 48 | January 2013 | 45

Scan Magazine | Attraction of the Month | Norway

Attraction of the Month, Norway

Close encounters of the furred kind at Polar Zoo Visiting Arctic northern Norway for many can be a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Imagine getting away from the everyday hustle and bustle to enjoy pure nature in all its splendour. You are guaranteed an easy journey as congested motorways do not exist here. You are actually more likely to meet a reindeer or moose than another car when out and about in rural northern Norway.

Text and photos by Nicola Mulryan

Sometimes we all need to take a step back and take time out to do something different. This is certainly the place to be if you just want to chill out or get inspired.

Throughout the year in northern Norway, the seasons change dramatically and no two days are the same. The winter season is amazing and magical, with pure,

46 | Issue 48 | January 2013

crisp, unspoilt snow, the amazing colours in icefalls that look as if time had stopped, and the spectacular northern lights dancing across the winter skies on most clear nights here above the Arctic Circle. So what can you do when you are not chasing the northern lights or gasping with joy at the amazing scenery?

Highly recommended is a visit to Polar

Zoo and a close encounter of the furred kind at Wolf Camp.

Polar Zoo The Polar Zoo is situated in the heart of Salangsdal, in the municipality of Bardu.

Polar Zoo is not really a zoo but a large park that stretches over 285 acres of natural land. You will not see metal bars or cages but extremely large enclosures that are home to some of the Arctic's most famous animals. Unlike some parks where you drive through by car, at Polar Zoo you can walk freely along paths throughout the park; this gives you much closer contact and a personal experience. The welfare of the animals at Polar Zoo is very

Scan Magazine | Attraction of the Month | Norway

important so plenty of space and natural surroundings that resemble the animals’ own natural habitat are a high priority.

You will not find any typical fast-food or fairground amenities at Polar Zoo, just pure nature, but there are some facilities to make your visit more enjoyable. These include a playground for children, a cafe and a gift shop.

Come face-to-face with the wolves at Wolf Camp

tography. The Arctic fox is also a favourite among visitors, and you can also get up close to these intriguing animals and enter their enclosure. Besides the wolves, you can also see moose, brown bears, lynx and many other animals typical of the Arctic region.

So, get up close to the wildlife at Polar Zoo for a once-in-a-lifetime experience for any traveller or keen wildlife or landscape photographer, whether visiting alone or in a group. Plus, weather permitting, you

may even be able to see the magnificent northern lights – “a true wonder of the world”. The scenery surrounding Polar Zoo is also incredible for anyone who wants to try their hand at landscape photography.

How to get to Polar Zoo Travel from Oslo Gardemoen Airport to Evenes, Bardufoss or Tromsø airport, from where Polar Zoo is able to arrange transport.

Meeting the wolves face-to-face will certainly get your adrenalin going and give you goose bumps. The wolves at Wolf Camp have been socialised from birth and are used to human contact. Safety precautions are taken very seriously at Polar Zoo, and everyone who enters the wolves’ enclosure is under the watchful eyes of Polar Zoo's keepers. After your briefing, you will enter the wolves’ enclosure and get close to these incredible animals.

Where to stay Close by is Lapphaugen Camping, selfcatering cabins located in stunning surroundings and a great place to chase the northern lights. They also serve excellent homemade food. Fjellkysten is also near offering basic accommodation with amazing views. The closest towns to Polar Zoo are Narvik and Tromsø.

As soon as you have entered their enclosure, they come to greet you, and you notice straight away that their eyes are watching every move you make. It is quite hair-raising at first, but after the initial introduction, you settle down and start to enjoy this amazing meeting with these animals.

For more information about prices of transport to and from Polar Zoo, Wolf Camp, where to stay and other activities in the area, telephone: +47 77186630, or send an e-mail to: polarzoo@online.no.

www.lapphaugen.no www.fjellkysten.no www.visittromso.no

You can also visit Polar Zoo’s website: www.polarzoo.no

We humans tend to think of wolves as dogs, but this idea quickly dissolves once you start to get close to them. Their coats are not silky and fine, as most of us would imagine, but wiry, robust and very thick so they can cope with the harsh Arctic winters. It is a strange feeling at first but once you get used to being among them, you soon realise they are not like our domestic dogs that you can play fetch with; even though they were born into captivity and socialised, they are still wild animals, and you soon gain enormous respect for them.

Wildlife photography Whether you are a professional or amateur wildlife photographer, this is certainly the place to be. For those who want to get up close and personal with the animals, Polar Zoo is perfect for wildlife pho-

Issue 48 | January 2013 | 47

Scan Magazine | Attraction of the Month | Denmark

Attraction of the Month, Denmark

Explore the challenges and developments of the present and future If you are looking for a chance for you and your kids to gain knowledge about the challenges and developments of our time through exciting experiences, Økolariet in Vejle is the place to go. Opened in 2003, the hands-on science centre has become a recognized informal learning centre, popular with schools, locals and tourists alike.

By Signe Hansen | Photos: Økolariet

Økolariet’s string of permanent and changing exhibitions invite children and adults to explore subjects such as nature, climate change, sustainable energy and space travel through sensory impressions and adventures. The unique hands-on approach gives visitors an insight into the way in which our consumption affects nature and our environment and how re-

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search in the fields of biology and technology might affect your future.

and the future and at what the different developments and changes can mean for the everyday life of our visitors.”

The 2500-square-metre experience centre is located in the centre of Vejle, close to the bus terminal and train station, and entrance is free of charge.

A walk among rats, fish and worms

Director and creator of the centre Ole Due explains: “The themes we work with are all related to our society and the way we live today. In contrast to most ordinary museums, which look backwards and tell us about the past, we look at the present

In Økolariet’s seven permanent exhibitions, visitors have the chance to get up close to subjects such as wastewater, the forest, climate and resources. Not only can you get close to the subjects, you can actually get inside, under and around

Scan Magazine | Attraction of the Month | Denmark

them in different imaginative ways. You can go for a walk on the bottom of the bay and see how sea animals live, experience what it is like to be flushed out of the toilet, dive into the sewage system, or discover the part of the forest which is usually unseen, the one under the surface between the roots of the trees. “A lot of our guests tell us how happy they are to come here because it is a rare chance for the entire family to acquire knowledge through exciting experiences; it is something which they can benefit from after they have left as well – there is nothing better than being able to discuss an experience and the things you discovered together over dinner,” says Due. The permanent exhibitions also cover the themes of business and their sustainable initiatives, drinking water and small rivers; all come alive through exciting interactive displays, films, dynamic info screens, workshop experiments and live research.

Up into the sky and down under the ice

sions quite quickly ensuring that our exhibitions are up to date - it can hardly get more current than the discussion on Greenland’s resources.”

Økolariet’s flexible structure enables the centre to ensure its changing exhibitions reflect some of the most current major controversies. A great example of is this is the exhibition The fight for raw materials – Greenland’s treasures, which details the increased intensification in the hunt for new resources, such as minerals used in electronics and energy production. “Our force is our relatively small size, which means that we can take and enact deci-

The flexibility, on the other hand, also means that the centre can and does keep exhibitions which turn out to be continuously popular for longer periods than planned. One of last year’s exhibitions, which will make a reappearance this year, is the dazzling exploration of space travel and the many effects it has had on everyday life. “We try to make sure that our exhibitions have something for everyone,

and the exhibition on space travel has been very popular with both boys and girls as well as men and women. The technology behind these fantastic adventures is something which interests everyone, and what we have tried to do is show how that technology has also affected everyday life in the shape of a string of spin-off products which are the result of space technology,” explains Due. The changing exhibitions at Økolariet are created in collaboration with Danish businesses and universities to ensure the highest level of relevance.

Important Facts: Økolariet is located in Dæmningen 11 in Vejle close to the bus terminal and train station.

Entrance is free of charge Økolariet is one of 14 knowledge-based activity centres recognised by the Danish Ministry of Education and one of five regional centres dedicated to heightening the quality of educational efforts within nature, technology and health.

For more information, please visit: www.okolariet.dk

Issue 48 | January 2013 | 49

Attraction of the Month, Sweden

One show for all In January a new show is coming to town: Stockholm will be the host city of the country’s first Lifestyle Motor Show. It will be a spectacle not to be missed. Along with the annual motorcycle exhibition, MC-Mässan, it will have something for everyone, whether you are looking for a family car, a sports car, a trendy new motorbike or a fantastic indoor freestyle motocross show. Your ticket to either of the parallel events will allow you to enjoy all these experiences.

By Therese Wallin | Photos: Courtesy of Stockholm Lifestyle Motor Show

Peter Näsman, the project manager for Stockholm Lifestyle Motor Show, is looking forward to welcoming back the visitors from previous shows and to seeing many new faces. “The motorcycle exhibition is one of our most popular events of the year, and for January, we have put a new touch to it, namely the brand new auto show. Visitors only

50 | Issue 48 | January 2013

need to buy one ticket to have access to both events.”

This is no ordinary weekend; lasting from Thursday, 24 January, to Sunday, 27 January 2013, Stockholm Lifestyle Motor Show and MC-Mässan at Stockholmsmässan (The Stockholm Exhibition Centre) offer visitors the opportunity not only

to browse through all types of models of cars and motorcycles, but also a one-ofa-kind motorcycle show with top performers running several times a day.

Design and fashion elements Näsman has ensured that Stockholm Lifestyle Motor Show will provide its visitors with both the latest from the industry as well as traditional items.

“We welcome visitors to Stockholm Lifestyle Motor Show’s unique Trend Show. How are car designers influenced by trends outside of the motor industry?

What feelings are played on when styling the interior and exterior of the car? We are partnering with the Swedish Fashion

Scan Magazine | Attraction of the Month | Sweden

Council to launch an exciting and innovative trend and design show, with the focus, of course, on cars,” adds Näsman.

Four days offering something for everyone “The two motoring shows have something for everyone. Whether you are looking for a car for private or business use, or a motorcycle for everyday commuting use or riding around the countryside, you will find what you are looking for at Stockholmsmässan,” says Näsman. The latest in design, environmental development and technology will be within easy reach.

Importers and retailers from all over the country will be present during the four days, and there will be two different shows running several times every day. “We really want to offer our visitors something out of the ordinary; we want to give them an experience that they can’t get anywhere else. As such, we are thrilled to offer our visitors the opportunity to see an indoor motorcycle stunt show as well as a show about trends in the auto market,” says Näsman.

The venue itself is well equipped to ensure that you can spend a full day there and have access to everything you need. There is a range of different restaurants to suit everyone’s taste. Take this in addition to the presence of all the different retailers and brands, there is no doubt that you will have a fun-filled day without a boring moment.

ers to show their new products and connect with customers that they may not have come across otherwise.

A visit to Stockholm Lifestyle Motor Show will give you more than an ordinary day out.

Give yourself the opportunity to succumb to the wide variety of products on display and the daily shows. Whether you are a regular

visitor or you are planning your first visit to Stockholmsmässan, you will have an unforgettable day at Stockholm Lifestyle Motor Show and MC-Mässan.

For more information, please visit: www.lifestylemotorshow.se www.mcmassan.se

The secret ingredient “In order to make certain that our visitors enjoy their time and will come back, we make sure to always display what is the latest on the market. We also put emphasis on ensuring that the exhibition is underpinned by variety and quality. There is a large variety in motorists and bikers, so we offer something for every person interested in life on the roads,” says Näsman.

The success of both exhibitions is largely thanks to their ability to cater to all. For those who work within the motor industry, attending the fair and being represented is a necessity. It is an opportunity for retail-

Issue 48 | January 2013 | 51

Scan Magazine | Columns | Humour

IS IT JUST ME...

By Mette Lisby

Who has always wondered what exact age people are referring to when they look enthusiastically at parents and comment on the age of the children in question with a fervent “Oh, that’s SUCH a wonderful age”?

They usually follow that statement up with an informed: “It’s SOOO much fun. The things they say! It’s hilarious!”

I’ve heard these comments in relation to a lot of different ages, ranging from 1 through 11, thus I am largely bewildered as to which specific time in one’s childhood people are referring to.

The only thing I do know for certain is that whatever age it is, it stops abruptly and definitely at one point. For instance, are the words “I have a teenage daughter” ever met with an acknowledging “Oh, that’s such a wonderful age”? Quite the contrary.

If that is your opening line, you are more likely to be met with a sympathetic “Oh. That’s rough”, a consoling “Have a drink”, and “Do you want the number of my support group?”.

Skijoring Today I learnt a new word! I was browsing through my English/ Swedish dictionary, looking for a translation for the Swedish word ‘tolka’, not feeling very hopeful that there would be one. Why would the English have a word for putting on a pair of small, plastic skis, tying a rope to a horse and hoping for the best? But there it was – an actual word – skijoring. As children in Sweden, we were big fans of skijoring. It was of course a great way to get yourself injured. The horses that we tied the rope to were two retired harness racers, one of whom was laid off on the grounds of being completely insane, and the roads where we engaged in this reckless activity were icy, pitch black and frequented by huge timber lorries.

We painted the horses’ feet with cooking oil to help prevent snow from getting packed into them. This wasn’t a foolproof way of stopping the snow from sticking. It

52 | Issue 48 | January 2013

And just like that the days of the “wonderful age” are gone and no one ever claims that your children are at a “wonderful age” again.

Nobody says to the mother of a 30year-old that it is “a wonderful age”, even though I have plenty of friends in their forties who insist that 30 really IS a wonderful age. However, not wonderful enough for strangers to point out during casual conversations. That means it is only children who have “wonderful ages”, which seems neither true nor fair.

It’s common knowledge that life is circular, meaning that at some point we should again reach an age that is generally regarded as “wonderful”.

Let’s agree on a number. How about 92?

I’m just throwing it out there, but go with

me on this one. The age 92 now officially marks the return of the “wonderful age”.

It totally works! Check it out: “Grandpa is 92. It’s SUCH a wonderful age! Of course his teeth are nagging him sometimes. But he speaks – it’s so much fun! He even almost walks! 92 My! What a wonderful age.....AGAIN!!”

Mette Lisby is Denmark’s leading female comedian. She invites you to laugh along with her monthly humour columns. Since her stand-up debut in 1992, Mette has hosted the Danish versions of “Have I Got News For You” and “Room 101”.

By Maria Smedstad

just meant that when enough snow and grit was pounded into a solid stilt within the hoof, it was likely to loosen and shoot out like an anvil at us tiny kamikaze pilots behind the galloping rump. If I ever have children, I would like them to find a British equivalent to skijoring. I strongly believe that children need to be exposed to a certain amount of risk in order to grow up as well-balanced adults. However, I would

also like my hypothetical children to enjoy their hypothetical skijoring whilst keeping it a secret from their parents, much as we did. I think this is an essential part of making sure that dangerous, characterbuilding activities can occur in the first place, no matter which country you’re in.

Maria Smedstad moved to the UK from Sweden in 1994. She received a degree in Illustration in 2001, before settling in the capital as a freelance cartoonist, creating the autobiographical cartoon Em. She writes a column on the trials and tribulations of life as a Swede in the UK.

Scan Magazine | Food | Author event at Scandi Kitchen

Left to right: Patrick Kingsley, Trine Hahnemann, Signe Johansen and Emma Kennedy

Four exciting authors visit Scandi Kitchen Four authors recently attended the popular and crammed Scandi Kitchen for a book signing event in central London.

many guests we had as it was an open event, but we got through a lot of mulled wine and biscuits,” says Bronte.

By Emelie Krugly Hill | Photos: Sanna Halmekoski Scandinavian Kitchen recently invited recognized culinary writers Trine Hahnemann and Signe Johansen, as well as the Guardian journalist Patrick Kingsley, author of the book How to be Danish, and famous British novelist and actress Emma Kennedy, author of The Killing Handbook, to join them for an evening of book signing and mulled wine.

“We wanted to have an event where people could ask Trine and Signe about the recipes in their books. Both Patrick Kingsley and Emma Kennedy were also publishing their books at the same time and were able to attend. This provided the great opportunity for acclaimed writers to meet and greet their readers over mulled wine,” co-founder of Scandinavian Kitchen Bronte Aurell explains.

Trine Hahnemann is the celebrated Danish cookery writer of The Scandinavian Cookbook, Nordic Diet and Scandinavian Christmas. She is hugely popular in the UK, Scandinavia and the US, featuring regularly in cookery magazines

across the globe. London-based Norwegian author Signe Johansen, also known as the blogger behind Scandilicious, introduced her second cookbook, Scandilicious Baking, the follow-up to Secrets of Scandinavian Cooking… Scandilicious.

Her recipes are traditional and have proven a huge hit with the public. Signe features regularly in the media doing TV appearances and publishing recipes in major food magazines.

Guardian journalist and the debut author of How to Be Danish, Patrick Kingsley has created a unique book about modern Danish life; he also reveals that he already has plans for more guides to different countries. Emma Kennedy, a British novelist, actress and TV host, is the creator of a handbook for the Danish TV hit The Killing. It includes knitting patterns for Sarah Lund's jumpers, and details on the plot and cast members; it is a must-have if you are a fan of the popular Danish crime series.

“Many satisfied customers returned home with signed copies of the books. I'm not sure how

“We are hoping to organize similar events and launches with interesting guests next year, but our main focus for the immediate future is bringing our food to the rest of the UK via our web shop and the national retailers with whom we now work on a wholesale basis. We're also fine-tuning stuff at the cafe to ensure we deliver excellence.

“Scandinavia in general, not just the food, is attracting more attention. We've had an influx of amazing Scandi crime dramas on TV and some great movies. Fashion is extremely popular too… I simply think it is the time for Scandinavia in general to enjoy its moment in the sun. It's wonderful that we're part of this wave and we're very proud.”

For more information, please visit: www.scandikitchen.co.uk www.signejohansen.com www.trinehahnemann.com www.patrickkingsley.co.uk www.emmakennedy.net

Issue 48 | January 2013 | 53

Scan Magazine | Restaurant of the Month | Denmark

Restaurant of the Month, Denmark

Seafood aficionados finally get a place of their own in Copenhagen After years without an informal seafood restaurant in Copenhagen, Fishmarket, a high-quality, low-fuss bistro, has, with seafood-loaded platters, caviar at prices which make you marvel and a buzzing, casual atmosphere, finally given the Danish capital a counterpart to France’s laidback seafood hubs.

By Signe Hansen | Photos: Fishmarket

It seems ironic, but before 2010, when Fishmarket opened in Hovedvagtsgade 2 (just off Kongens Nytorv), the Danish seaside capital essentially did not have any casual choices for seafood aficionados. Fortunately, the duo behind Copenhagen’s most popular bistro, Bistro Pastis (selected as the city’s best bistro in 2009), Chef Mikkel Egelund and Henrik Laszlo had their heart set on changing this.

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“I’ve been to southern France quite a lot, and I love the way they serve fish there; it is very laidback, and you have this great buzzing atmosphere with big plates of seafood being juggled around. It’s just like any other restaurant, whereas in Copenhagen, as soon as you have an oyster or langoustine on the menu, it all of a sudden becomes very expensive and stiff.

That’s why we wanted to create a seafood bistro in Copenhagen, to break that trend

and create a unique identity for our restaurant,” Egelund explains. “Besides, working with seafood has been a dream of mine since I was a boy – for me it’s the diversity and the many possibilities of fish compared to meat.”

Since opening, Fishmarket has received several five- and six-starred reviews from enthusiastic food critics from national newspapers as well as online review sites.

Fish, fish and more fish Having already created a solid name for themselves with Bistro Pastis, it would have been easy for Egelund and Laszlo to have made Fishmarket into a fish-orientated version of their popular bistro, but

Scan Magazine | Restaurant of the Month | Denmark

that was not the dream. “The reception of our restaurant has been incredible, but of course we have placed ourselves in a niche market – it’s for people who enjoy going out for a seafood-based dinner or lunch,” Egelund says. “We did it like this because we wanted to create a restaurant which could become a classic in Copenhagen. We could have just opened up a mini Pastis with a bit more fish, then we would have been sold out from day one, but we wanted to create an independent identity and a clear brand, and by being a restaurant that only makes fish we have done that.”

The bistro’s continually changing menu contains a broad variety of traditional French dishes such as lobster bisque, steamed mussels and bouillabaisse, as well as a selection of the kitchen’s own, unfussy variations of grilled, fried, baked, steamed and boiled fish and seafood.

Most of the fish is sourced in Denmark, but “indispensables” from abroad like tuna, Fine de Claire oysters and caviar also make it onto the menu. “Apart from some of the traditional French dishes, which are quite heavy on ingredients, our menu is very much just based on fish and vegetables. We don’t mess around with the ingredients, our food is very simple.

We use the time on the preparation instead of making a lot of fancy combinations and frippery,” explains Egelund who is in charge of the kitchen and menu, while his partner Laszlo runs the service and administrative side of the business.

Together with his business partner, Henrik Laszlo, Mikkel Egelund (top left) has started up two of Copenhagen’s most popular restaurants - Bistro Pastis and Fishmarket.

The relaxed and unpretentious atmosphere is furthered by the management’s effort to keep prices at an accessible level, also when it comes to the items on the menu usually associated with a degree of exclusivity. “Take our caviar, for instance, we don’t make a cent on it, but having it on our menu at this price will give some of our guests a new enjoyable experience; we don’t want it to cost a fortune, and typically it will be a secondary sale anyway,” Egelund explains.

The same goes for the bistro’s impressive wine menu, which mainly consists of wine and champagne from France, which is, says Egelund, probably around 30 per cent cheaper than at other restaurants. “We would rather keep things at a decent price and have a great flow of people and a buzzing atmosphere than make money from exclusivity.”

For more information, please visit: www.fishmarket.dk

For the sake of those who, despite the unequivocal branding, might have ended up in the wrong place, a single meat-based dish has also made it onto the menu.

Keeping the prices down and the flow up Guests at Fishmarket are greeted with a typically relaxed bistro atmosphere created by red vinyl sofas, mosaic floors, cast iron chandeliers and a down-to-earth approach. “We want this to be a place where everyone feels welcome. We have no dress code or rules on what and how you should eat; you can have just a starter or a main course and a beer,” stresses the restaurateur.

Issue 48 | January 2013 | 55

Scan Business | Key Note | Ulla Nilsson

Scan Business Business Theme 57 | Conferences of the Month 62 | Scandinavian Business Calendar 66

60

62

66

Towards Tomorrow’s World: Sweden’s Creative Model

By Ulla Nilsson, Managing Director, Swedish Chamber of Commerce for the United Kingdom The United Kingdom has faced tough economic times in the last few years. An unbalanced economy and the banking crisis have led to increased national debt, financial instability and high unemployment rates. In 2012, Britain suffered the first double-dip recession since 1975 and is enduring its longest economic slump for a century. Sweden, on the other hand, has been more successful in handling its economy through the global crisis and finds itself top of international ranking lists both in terms of economic clout and quality of life.

When most of us in the United Kingdom think about the contribution Sweden makes to today’s world, IKEA, Volvo, Skype and Stieg Larsson’s novels most readily come to mind. Whilst these are household names, business in Sweden is constantly evolving and becoming more competitive. In fact, Sweden is one of the fastest nations in the world at adapting to new trends and ideas. It has deep-rooted principles of innovation and creativity and is constantly on the cusp of groundbreaking innovations.

Just over a century ago, Sweden was among the poorest nations in Europe. It is a small country, home to 0.15 per cent of the global population. Yet today it is a world leader in innovation. A recent study by the US-based think tank Martin Prosperity Institute ranks Sweden as the most creative country in the world. The report is based on the 3 T’s (Technology, Tolerance and Talent) and concludes 56 | Issue 48 | January 2013

that there is a strong correlation between creativity and economic growth, and that technological abilities together with the general ability and skills of the workforce combine effectively to support the country’s openness for innovation. Personally, I believe that these two factors, together with Sweden’s tolerance and compassion, have contributed to a real breeding ground for innovation.

A largely moderate political climate has encouraged and fostered a culture of cooperation between individuals, which has enabled creative industries to thrive. The Swedish Model today is a social and economic mix characterised by increased privatisation, in which taxfinanced public services still play an important role. The Swedish government’s policies are for full employment, equal pay for equal work and the collective welfare of society as a whole.

These policies create the right environment for innovation, allowing entrepreneurship to flourish and establish new markets both at home and overseas.

Today, more than ever before, innovation, enterprise and intellectual assets drive economic growth and increase standards of living.

Innovation is instrumental in creating new jobs, providing higher incomes, offering investment opportunities, solving social problems, safeguarding the environment and protecting our security. It is those who are actively involved in promoting this model who are the stakeholders and ambassadors of the national image of Sweden and who are able to help promote and raise

Ulla Nilsson, Managing Director, Swedish Chamber of Commerce for the United Kingdom

awareness of how business in Sweden is perceived.

Over the last twelve months, the Chamber has promoted businesses from a wide range of sectors, industries and topics, which, amongst others, have included finance, design, fashion, food, social responsibility and trends. As the Managing Director of the Chamber, I look forward to facilitating the exchange of ideas between Swedish and British businesses and promoting all those enterprises, new and old, which embody the special creativity that Sweden can and will continue to contribute to the 21st century. www.scc.org.uk

Scan Business | Mini ScanTheme Magazine | Swedish | Xxx |Trade Xxxx

Swedish Trade Sweden is today known among the world’s richest and most technologically advanced nations. The country has an impact on global business and industry far beyond its size, and companies with Swedish roots, such as IKEA, H&M and Volvo, are household names from Boston to Beijing.

By The Swedish Trade Council | Photo: FIFOTO Photography

The high quality of Swedish products and services is well recognised worldwide, making Sweden a very attractive country to do business with. And this is also where the Swedish Trade Council steps in to make it easier for Swedish companies to grow internationally.

Founded in 1972, The Swedish Trade Council promotes Swedish exports on behalf of the Swedish industry and government. With offices in 60 countries, they work closely with trade associations, embassies, consulates and chambers of commerce around the world.

An innovative nation Sweden’s national knack for creative thinking has helped make it one of Europe’s and the world’s most innovative nations, according to numerous surveys.

Many Swedish (or half-Swedish) companies have grown wealthy from this innovativeness.The future of Swedish business is said to lie primarily in knowledge-intensive industries, where Sweden can take advantage of its advanced technological development, sophisticated infrastructure and high general educational level. Information and communication technologies (ICT) and biomedicine are two such knowl-

Enabling E real

achievement a Man Mannaz is an international frontrunner in leadership development.

Adopting innovative and efficient learning methods and approaches, A do wee empower people development and business success. w

You Y ou can subscribe to our monthly newsletter M Knowledge aand nd learn more at www.mannaz.com/intl

Interior of the H&M flagship store in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

edge-intensive sectors in which Sweden has been among the global leaders for years.

For more information, please visit: www.swedishtrade.se/english

Scan Magazine | Mini Theme | Swedish Trade

Use feedback to gain insight and improve your business It is crucial for every business to receive feedback from its customers, clients and employees in order to know how to satisfy their needs and requirements. The award-winning Swedish company Netigate provides a software solution that helps their customers improve their business by conducting surveys in a very simple way via web or mobile devices.

By Sara Schedin | Photos: Netigate

“Netigate offers a survey platform that allows you to conduct everything from simple polls and web surveys to large, extensive employee or market research surveys.

Netigate is the complete Enterprise Feedback Management solution for all your internal and external feedback needs,� says marketing director Lars Lindberg.

58 | Issue 48 | January 2013

Visualize survey results in real-time The faster you receive feedback from your customers or employees, the quicker you can act upon any problems that might have occurred. In order to help you with this, Netigate recently launched an online survey dashboard which gives you the great advantage of visualizing critical busi-

ness indicators in real-time. This makes it easy for marketing or HR managers to share survey results with top executives or other important stakeholders.

The survey dashboard is constructed to be flexible and to fit your company’s needs, both in terms of interface and content. It helps you gain more insight and makes your decision-making easier. For example, it can visualize key data from several different surveys in the same chart and filter the data for different users with different interests and authorization. It can also present data in real-time on web pages.

Scan Business | Mini Theme | Swedish Trade

“We have built the survey dashboard to make survey data more accessible and interactive. With the release of the new feature, we are integrating survey data into companies’ business intelligence systems,” says Lindberg.

The most common example is to visualize results from a company’s Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI). The CSI dashboard is presented via a link and will update automatically whenever new results arrive.

This gives the company the advantage of immediately seeing indications of changes in the CSI and, based on this, quickly take action on potential critical aspects.

The Netigate Feedback Management solution is compatible to integrate with an organisation’s internal systems, like the CRM, to make feedback a vital part of the business intelligence A multi-marketing tool Netigate can be used to gather feedback in all areas of an organisation, but is especially well suited for marketing purposes, for example to predict market trends and to simplify the everyday life of a marketing department. Market research surveys are an effective activity to improve quality and define the future direction of a company’s products and services. It can be used to predict customers’ preferences or loyalty, product development, and how the company is perceived in relation to competitors.

“If you want to conduct a market research project but don’t have any respondents, we offer you instant access to over 7 million respondents in more than 50 different countries,” says Lindberg.

Netigate can be used to gather feedback from website visitors or Facebook followers, but can also be used to help you organize and plan different events. Use smart built-in solutions to invite guests, activate them during the event and follow up using smart evaluation surveys sent out via SMS. As a PR tool, Netigate is great for conducting opinion polls. A serious poll is often a very powerful way to stand out in the media.

“A good example is MSC Cruises that together with their PR agency conduct a yearly brand tracking barometer in the Nordic region. It’s widely spread in the media and is now known as the MSC yearly cruise barometer,” says Lindberg.

for managing all feedback needs within your organisation. Netigate lets you easily create and distribute online surveys, but it also makes it possible for customers to easily analyse and share the information that they gather from online surveys.

“We have created a truly user-friendly and versatile survey software that really generates great value for our customers. Netigate has won several international and national awards for fast and stable growth and innovative technology, among them the Swedish financial newspaper Dagens Industri’s Gazelle Award five years in a row, which shows that our customers are more than pleased with our services,” says Lindberg.

FACTS • More than 1,500 customers around Europe

A fast-growing company

• More than 32,000 registered users

Since Netigate started in 2005, it has enjoyed strong growth and now has offices in Oslo, Warsaw, Berlin and Wiesbaden, from where Netigate sells its cloud services to businesses around Europe. The head office is situated in Stockholm.

• Has carried out more than 20 million answered surveys

Netigate has taken online research one step further and offers a complete solution

• Head office: Stockholm, Sweden • Over 70 employees

For more information, please visit: www.netigate.se

Issue 48 | January 2013 | 59

Scan Business | Mini Theme | Swedish Trade

A Nordic solution provider with a global vision The PMC Group is the leading Nordic provider of hydraulic solutions to different industries. The company provides solutions and installations to some of the biggest businesses in northern Europe. The PMC Group is currently going through one of its most exciting moments as it is venturing out further onto the global market.

and have now started growing on the global market, with clients in other countries looking for a solution to their hydraulic issues through our products and installations,” says Andersson.

By Therese Wallin | Photos: Juliana Yondt

Companies with a hydraulic problem come to the PMC Group to get the issue solved; the company provides its clients with custom-made designs and subsequently installs the system. “When clients come to us, they are already experiencing a hydraulic issue and are looking to get it solved. This is why they approach us; we listen to their needs and what they are looking to achieve.

After these guidelines, we come up with a solution and install the product in question,” says Mikael Andersson, the CEO and president of the PMC Group.

60 | Issue 48 | January 2013

Expanding with its clients The PMC Group provides hydraulic solutions to companies operating in a range of different sectors and that trade globally. The expansion experienced by the company’s clients has given it the opportunity to follow them beyond the Nordic borders. “Our clients include some of the biggest Nordic companies.

As such, they carry out business in many other countries and need hydraulic solutions in all the countries in which they operate. We have followed them in order to cater to all their needs

The PMC Group has received a warm welcome on the global market thanks to its expertise, which it has built up through the years by working with clients from different industry sectors.

“It is fantastic to discover what opportunities there are beyond the Nordic countries and to apply our expertise to a different type of clientele,” says Andersson.

Three components to the perfect solution In order to create the perfect hydraulic solution, the PMC Group incorporates

Scan Business | Mini Theme | Swedish Trade

we cannot read a client’s mind and that they need to tell us what their problem is and what end result they are after. We then work to deliver this,” says Andersson.

three fundamental elements: they apply their knowledge and expertise within power, motion and control to produce custom-made solutions.

“There is not one key to success: as a company we continuously strive to maintain our position as the market leader within our industry, and this takes time, dedication and work,” says Andersson. “It is thanks to the width of our expertise, our ability to address all the needs of our clients and our friendly approach that we have been able to grow.”

What you can expect from the PMC Group

Hydraulic system

Following clients as well as meeting new faces The PMC Group’s ability to follow its clients has meant that it has now established itself in many other countries, such as the United States, Qatar, India, Poland and China. Their clients’ choice to engage PMC not only to help with their hydraulic solutions in the Nordic countries but also abroad has meant that the word has spread quickly in the countries in which the company operates. “We are a decentralised company

Hydraulic cylinders. Photo: Johan Ödmann

with regional resources for clients, regardless of where they are based,” says Andersson.

There are more than 300 engineers working for the company, and they all have the same goal: to ensure that every client gets the perfect solution for their needs. “The fact that we work so closely with the client is an essential part of how we operate; we know that

Any client of PMC can expect to get the full package; their dedication and expertise runs through all their operations. Whilst many companies are limited to the country in which they are established, geographical barriers do not limit the PMC Group. The company’s dedication to its clients, whether new or long-standing, is a reassuring affirmation that the company’s expansion is consistent with the fundamental principle of providing expertise and dedication to each customer, no matter how small or big the project.

For more information, please visit: www.pmcgroup.se

Worm gear. Photo: Johan Ödmann

Issue 48 | January 2013 | 61

Conference of the Month, Denmark

Aarhus’s new conference centre doubles as a culinary hub and environmental frontrunner The brand new Scandic Aarhus City, which opened half a year ago, has proved to comprise much more than an ordinary four-star hotel and conference centre. Located in the very heart of the city, the hotel has become the scene of weddings, fashion shows, food demonstrations, major conventions and dinner parties, as well as sustainable resourcefulness.

By Signe Hansen | Photos: Scandic Aarhus City

Located in the buzzing Østergade, Scandic Aarhus City is within walking distance of numerous shops and local sights, including the Old Town and Aros Art Museum.

Aarhus Central Station is just 500 metres from the hotel and busses pass by frequently. “We have become very popular with companies hosting different kinds of courses and events spanning several days; firstly, because of our many meeting rooms in various sizes and, secondly, because of our extremely central location,” says Nina Carlslund, general manager at Scandic Aarhus City. “Generally the location really means a lot to the people who take part in these kinds of courses, and here they just have to step outside the

62 | Issue 48 | January 2013

door to take advantage of the city’s many offers.”

Among the major business events to have taken place at the hotel is the yearly Danish stock tradeshow, which has in previous years been held in the capital. The event was visited by around 1,000 people and was so successful that organisers have already booked Scandic Aarhus City for next year’s event.

and 275 participants, as well as the 228 modern rooms with flat-screen TVs and free Internet. The hotel also boasts eight stunning 55-square-metre suites with balconies offering city views. “Scandic Aarhus City is a city hotel with all the conveniences that that includes, but we also have all the facilities you would expect from a large conference centre,” explains Carlslund.

All the meeting rooms, which are located on the ground floor, are stylishly furbished in black and white with a twist of red and are equipped with the latest technology.

Some rooms have beautiful overhead windows, while others have windows facing the street so guests will truly feel in the midst of everything.

For work, fun and everything in between Essential to the hotel’s flexibility is its wide range of meeting facilities, which comprise eight modern conference rooms suitable for meetings with between two

The conference halls have, since the hotel’s opening, been in use for a wide variety of purposes besides meetings and conferences. “We have hosted weddings,

Scan Magazine | Conference of the Month | Denmark

Christmas dinners, a wedding fair, a fashion show and a cooking demonstration with Finnish Michelin chefs,” explains Carlslund.

Surprisingly tasty Another important factor in the hotel and conference centre’s versatility is its kitchen’s innovativeness, which has come as a pleasant surprise to even the hotel manager herself. “Our greatest success has been within the medium and large investor meetings and conventions where people come to listen to a speaker and enjoy a good meal afterwards; people have been really surprised at how delicious our food is. We listen to the different wishes of our guests and that has allowed us to play around a bit. People have so many different requests, but it is actually great fun; we can make delicious culinary treats, and we can do a simple, filling and environmentally sensible meal for in-between meetings.”

The hotel’s restaurant, The Grill, has been equally successful. Serving a selection of high-quality brassiere food as well as, of course, an extensive grill menu prepared in the open kitchen, the restaurant has become a hit with locals and hotel and conference guests alike. “Our executive chef is very dedicated to fresh, homemade food of high quality, which is not exceedingly expensive,” stresses Carlslund. The Grill is also where guests will find the delicious breakfast buffet that is always included in a Scandic stay.

Leading the way With an extensive solar cell panel, which generates approximately 60,000 kilowatts (enough to supply 95% of the energy for the hotel rooms), Scandic Aarhus City has taken a major step in leading the way in environmental thinking, but it is not the only measure. “We have been awarded the Swan Label (the Swan Label is the Nordic eco-label signifying that its carrier is a sound environmental choice) and are very energy conscious,” explains Carlslund.

Apart from serving green and seasonal food, the hotel’s green awareness also

means that the hotel bottles its own water instead of selling transported water.

Furthermore, for each bottle sold one DKKR is donated to sustainability measures.

So, if you want your next company gathering to be set in high-quality, sustainable and flexible surroundings, boosted with fresh design and a vibrant city vibe, Scandic Aarhus City might be just the right choice for you.

Moesgaard meeting room

For more information, please visit: www.scandichotels.com Riis Skov meeting room

Issue 48 | January 2013 | 63

Scan Magazine | Conference of the Month | Norway

Conference of the Month, Norway

An unusually remarkable venue For a conference out of the ordinary, look no further than Quality Hotel 33, located within easy access of central Oslo and Gardermoen airport, with spectacular views overlooking the city and fjord. This full-service hotel epitomises the slogan of Quality Hotels: “It’s taken care of.”

By Ulrika Osterlund | Photos: Nordic Choice Hotels

“We are an original and unique choice,” says Anne Røsten Mærøe, sales and marketing manager, “with an inspiring design concept in a new up-and-coming district.”

Influences from the Mediterranean and Asia can be seen in the cuisine. The restaurant on the first floor, with 300 covers, serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, whilst Top Floor 33 provides a fine dining à la carte experience. Panoramic windows on all sides make this bar and restaurant a place not to be missed.

The building itself, constructed entirely in natural concrete in 1968 for the Standard Telephone and Cable Factory, has for the past five years proudly housed Quality Hotel 33. The distinctive architecture, teamed with distinguished artwork from Norwegian artists such as Odd Tandberg, creates a seamless blend between the classic and the contemporary. The stylish 1960s slant on design can be felt throughout the 242room hotel. Four types of room are available, from moderate to suites, each tastefully decorated with pieces by international designers such as Philippe Starck.

The conference area with its 10 meeting rooms, 9 boardrooms and vast seminar

64 | Issue 48 | January 2013

and pastries baked by the in-house pastry chef are on offer throughout the day. Popcorn and soft ice cream machines are a much-appreciated specialty. A threecourse exclusive dinner menu is served at conferences.

Quality Hotel 33 is also an excellent choice for kick-offs, banquets and other events.

Specially composed menus and tailormade decorations and activities are sure to suit every taste and need.

space can cater to 980 participants. All technical aspects are taken care of, as are all of the refreshments. Coffee, fruit

For more information, please visit: www.nordicchoicehotels.no/Quality/Qu ality-Hotel-33

circus.no

Green Dot ensures the recycling of all sorted and collected packaging. If you use or produce packaged products without being a member, someone else is paying your bill. Become a member so that we can more fairly distribute recycling costs. Contact us at www.grontpunkt.no or ring 0047 22 12 15 00

Green Dot – for socially responsible businesses

foto: vegard breie

8 OUT OF 10 ARE IN – now we want the rest

Scan Magazine | Scan Business | Scandinavian Business Calendar

Scandinavian Business Calendar – Highlights of Scandinavian business events Twitter can be an effective tool for marketing, PR and customer services functions. But deciding how many @handles to run, who should have access, what constitutes a 'good tweet' and what Simon Rutherford to do in a crisis can be complex. Simon Rutherford from the specialist social media agency cubaka will run through the ways in which your company will benefit from a presence on Twitter, with a focus on best practice.

Venue: Lansons Communications, London Date: 23 January

Lunch with Leif Johansson Leif Johansson is the Chairman of Ericsson and has worked in Swedish industry for most of his professional life. Event details to be confirmed. www.scc.org.uk Date: 28 January

NBCC members’ event at the Ambassador’s Residence We are kicking off the new year with an event at the Ambassador’s Residence for members and potential new members.

Date: 29 January

Breakfast Briefing with ISS The owners of ISS group had been looking to float in London or Copenhagen by mid-2011.

However, ISS pulled out of the float at the last minute in March 2011 due to an “extraordinary period in global markets resulting in high levels of uncertainty and volatility", a statement said at the time. In this Breakfast Briefing, we take a look at the road towards IPO and ISS’s recreation of momentum after a turbulent 2011 with guest speaker Henrik Andersen, Group CFO of ISS. Venue: Grange St. Paul’s Hotel, London Date: 29 January

Nordic Thursday Drinks The Thursday Drinks is a perfect occasion to network with people from the Norwegian, Dan-

Scandinavian Music

2013 has arrived - so let us preview what fresh new talent to look out for in Scandinavian pop music over the coming months.

Daniel Oliver is an Icelandic pop singer, already massive in his homeland and now ready 66 | Issue 48 | January 2013

to repeat that success everywhere else. His first international single, DJ Blow My Speakers, has just been released worldwide. A fresh take on the dance-pop genre, it brings something a lot darker and edgier to the table. The video has just been playlisted on some of the UK's biggest music TV channels.

Sixteen-year-old Zara Larsson is a former winner of Sweden's Got Talent. She was voted to victory when she was only ten but has thankfully waited until she is a little bit more mature to launch her pop career. Her debut EP, Introducing, is released this month, and the first taste of it, Uncover, is reminiscent of Rihanna's hit Diamonds.

Orion looks set to be the next big thing in electro pop. The Swedish producer draws many comparisons to Kleerup with his sound, and he employs a similar strategy of hiring top-notch Scandinavian vocalists to guest on his tracks. It should not be too long before he scores his own With Every Heartbeat. In the meantime, you can check out In The End and Crest Of

Nordic Thursday Drinks

Re-Tweet your Business

ish, Finnish and British business communities in an informal atmosphere. Canapés and welcome drinks are generously sponsored for the "early birds" with their names on the guest list.

The event starts at 6pm.

Venue: Radisson BLU Portman Hotel, London Date: 31 January

Welcome to the UK: “Do’s and Don’ts in the United Kingdom” This event is aimed at all those, individuals and companies alike, who are planning to take the step to move to or to develop business relationships with the UK. The seminar will be held in Stockholm, Sweden.

Date: 6th February

By Karl Batterbee

Waves. Stunning pieces, both of them.

Numera! are a young Swedish male duo, who have just released the catchy Varför Gör Du Det Med Honom as their debut single. So far it's threatening to follow a similar path to Alina Devecerski's monster hit in Sweden last year, Flytta På Dig. And the comparison is also suitable in that their single, like Alina's, is another hyper homage to 90s rave and electro.

Finally, a few more young pop pretenders in waiting who are expected to make it big this year: Anton Ewald (the next Eric Saade), Ida LaFontaine (Sony Music's street dancer turned energetic pop singer), and Kristoffer Rahbek (a Danish cross between Justin Bieber and Bruno Mars).

Scandinavia's pop production line shows no signs of slowing down just yet.

www.scandipop.co.uk scandipop@googlemail.com

THØR: T HØR: LÖVES LÖVES CRISPBREAD C RISP PBREAD HE H E JJUST US T D DÖESN’T ÖESN LIKE L IKE T TØ Ø SH SHØW Ø W IT. Crispbread: o Crispbread: one ne o off over over 600 600 delicious delicious Swedish, S wedish, Danish Danish and and Norwegian Norwegian foods foods aavailable vailable across across the the UK UK from from our our o nline online sshop hop and and in in our our London London store. store.

SCANDIKITCHEN.CO.UK S CANDIKITCHEN.CO.UK GOOD G OOD FOOD FOOD W WITH ITH L LOVE OVE F FROM ROM SCANDINAVIA SCANDINAVIA 2

Scan Magazine seeks Freelance Journalists We are currently looking for qualified journalists on a freelance basis. We are looking for journalists with Danish, Swedish, Norwegian or Finnish background.

You need to be confident in English as well as at least one of the Nordic languages.

To apply, please email your CV to Nia Kajastie at nia@scanmagazine.co.uk

Scan Magazine | Culture | Cultural Two-Way Mirrors

Above left: The English Church and Memorial, Churchill Park, Copenhagen. Top right: The entrance to Kastellet (the Citadel), Copenhagen. Below: Resurrection altarpiece sculpted by George Tinworth (Doulton, Lambeth) in St Alban’s Church, Copenhagen, c 1887.

Cultural two-way mirrors Column by Lars Tharp

It could be Hampshire. A warm summer’s day. Bees buzz lazily to and fro. Here, on the green, teams of men and women natter and joke as they wrestle to unfold trestle tables. Once tamed and upright, the tables are dressed with chequered cloths, their corners pegged against a sudden breeze, and laden with home-made Madeira cakes, Victoria sponges, jars of jam, lemon curd and marmalade. A plate or two of Danish pastries sneak in. A coconut shy, a “guess-the-number-ofsweets” jar. The traditional village fête

68 | Issue 48 | January 2013

unfolds and festoons of red, white and blue bunting flags are hung around the door of St Alban’s Church.

But this isn’t Hampshire. For all this Englishness, this is Copenhagen, and we’ve stumbled into preparations for the annual summer fair at the oh-so English Church in Churchill Park.

“Churchillparken” occupies the southern corner of the moat which surrounds Kastellet, the Citadel. St Alban’s, the Eng-

lish Church, was consecrated in 1887 when “Teddy” – the future Edward VII – and Princess Alexandra, his Danish bride, declared the church open. Before peeping inside let’s look at other nearby attractions…

There’s the Citadel itself. Seen from the air it’s a five-pointed star, a bastion of grasscovered high earthen ramparts breached north-south by two portcullis gateways.

Passing over the plank bridge and under the arch dated “1688”, you emerge into a theatre-set, a fortress almost unaltered

Scan Magazine | Culture | Cultural Two-Way Mirrors

since the 18th century: neat Lego-like buildings in farmhouse yellow and red, including barracks and offices, the Commandant’s headquarters, and, on the other side of a lime tree-lined dressage square, the jewel of a chapel before the bastion windmill. Admiral Lord Nelson must have inspected Kastellet in 1801 after receiving the Danish surrender just down the road at the Royal Palace. Six years later this toyshop fortress (and all its like throughout Europe) was rendered militarily irrelevant when, for the second time in six years, Copenhagen was targeted by English forces, raining down the newly-devised, anti-civilian incendiary mortars. A few years later, Denmark’s power a mere memory, the picturesque angles, corners, windows, bridges and doorways of the old Citadel were brilliantly depicted in paintings by Kastellet’s baker’s son, Christen Købke – paintings today circulated throughout the world in exhibitions of Scandinavian art.

Today, as cruise ships tie up along the nearby “Long Line” (Langelinie), disembarking tourists pass by the Churchill Park on their way from ship to Copenhagen town centre. Few catch the irony of a former enemy’s church sited so close to scenes of earlier battles and surrender.

Many will have come from the nearby Little Mermaid. (“I didn’t realize she was so …small,” disappointed visitors often re-

mark – just how big were they expecting the Little Mermaid to be?) Heading south they may also pause at the magnificent Gefion Fountain – a pagan legend sculpted in bronze and granite, and with plumes of water gushing vigorously next to the serene C of E Church of St Alban’s.

The interior is thoroughly English. And, the dedication to St Alban, England’s very first saint, is doubly apt: Alban was martyred in 303 AD, and in 1086 his remains were disinterred from Ely Cathedral to Danish soil in Odense, Denmark.

Designed by Sir Arthur Blomfield, the church is in the “Early English” style, though mostly Danish flint and granite.

Except for the font, the pulpit, and the altarpiece made of glazed English earth.

Any passing enthusiast for English studio pottery will instantly recognize these as the work of George Tinworth (1843 – 1913). Born into a poor family, Tinworth was “spotted” and trained at Lambeth College of Art, later becoming one of the most celebrated artist/sculptors at the Doulton factory. John Ruskin, England’s foremost art critic, saw Tinworth as one of England’s finest sculptors. With his pious regard for the Bible (the only book he read), many of his religious commissions were for places of worship, including the cathedrals at Truro and Wells. When next

in York – another Danish capital – why not drop in on Tinworth’s altarpiece “The First Hour of the Crucifixion” in St Stephen’s Chapel, York Minster.

Finally, and noted like St Alban’s for its annual fête, Danish-style, we arrive at another park, coming to St Katharine’s, the Danish Church in London. The church, dedicated to Saint Katharine of Alexandria, was offered by Queen Alexandra to the Danish community in 1914. Its clean, whitewashed interior is very Lutheran, a single high nave hung with multi-armed brass chandeliers in line with the traditional model ship. And there, pre-figuring Tinworth’s sculptures in Copenhagen, we find works of the 17th-century Danish sculptor Kai (Caius) Gabriel Cibber (16301700), whose four life-size wood carvings of biblical figures stand at the western end of the church.

At a time when nations throughout Europe and beyond are concerned over how many of their citizens are foreign-born, they should consider the origins and the annual high days of their émigré communities. For hundreds of years cultural patterns and exchanges between nations have enriched, and become embedded in, a Greater Tapestry, a fabric often seen behind even the most modest village fête.

Left: Font sculpted by George Tinworth in St Alban’s Church. Middle: St. John the Baptist by Caius Cibber, late 1600s (from the original Danish church, East London).

Right: St Katharine’s Church, Regent’s Park, London. Photos by Lars Tharp

Scan Magazine | Music & Culture | Culture Calendar

Scandinavian Culture Calendar – Where to go, what to see? It’s all happening here!

Frigg. Photo: Maria Mäkelä

Frigg on UK tour (Jan/Feb) Finnish fiddlers Frigg have developed a musical blend of their own called Nordgrass, which is a combination of their two main influences: Nordic folk and American bluegrass. It is fast, furious and fun.

For more information on venues and tickets visit: frigg.fi

Korpiklaani (Jan/Feb) Finnish folk metal band Korpiklaani are touring the UK this month and next. For more info visit: www.korpiklaani.com Nordic Art 1880-1920 in Groningen (Until 5 May) This exhibition is a tribute to the people and cultures of the Nordic countries, and

provides an overview of 19th and 20th century North European painting. The splendid landscapes, portraits and scenes from everyday rural life display both the similarities and the differences between the Nordic countries. It features work by Vilhelm Hammershøi, Eero Järnefelt, Ernst Josephson, Anders Zorn, Bruno Liljefors, Carl Larsson and P.S. Krøyer, among others. Tue-Sun 10am-5pm. The Groninger Museum, Museumeiland 1, Groningen, Netherlands. www.groningermuseum.nl

70 | Issue 48 | January 2013

Peter Asplund Quintet in Copenhagen (26 Jan) This evening Swedish jazz trumpeter Peter Asplund and his band team up with Danish singer Veronica Mortensen. Jazzhus Montmartre, Store Regnegade 19A, Copenhagen. www.jazzhusmontmartre.dk

Karita Mattila and the London Philharmonic Orchestra (19 Jan) Enjoy ten years in the life of Strauss. This concert features his famous Also sprach Zarathustra and the dying minutes of his opera-shocker Salome. Finnish soprano Karita Mattila sings the deranged princess and Vladimir Jurowski conducts the huge orchestra. Royal Festival Hall, London, SE1. www.southbankcentre.co.uk Oslo Philharmonic: Mozart/Grieg/Rachmaninoff (24 & 25 Jan) The orchestra's own principal flute player and harpist perform one of Mozart's two double concertos. This will be followed by Grieg’s Norske danser, op. 35 and Rachmaninoff's last symphony, which could be called the last monument of the great Russian romantic tradition. Oslo Konserthus, Munkedamsveien 14, Oslo. www.oslokonserthus.no Soile Isokoski and Marita Viitasalo (25 Jan) An evening of music by Wolff, Berlioz, Strauss, Ives and Sallinen, featuring Finnish soprano Soile Isokoski and pianist Marita Viitasalo. Wigmore Hall, London, W1U. www.wigmore-hall.org.uk

L.A. Ring; At the French Windows. The Artists Wife; 1897 Oil on canvas; 191 x 144 cm; National Gallery of Denmark www.smk.dk

By Sara Schedin

Peter Asplund. Photo: the Studio

Esa-Pekka Salonen conducts the Philharmonia Orchestra (30 Jan) Salonen conducts this special Lutoslawski anniversary concert which includes Musique funèbre, the Piano Concerto with soloist Krystian Zimerman and Ravel's Daphnis and Chloé. Royal Festival Hall, London, SE1. www.southbankcentre.co.uk Daniel Simonsen (30 Jan-2 Feb) Last year he won Foster's Edinburgh Comedy Award for Best Newcomer; this year you can see quirky Norwegian comedian Daniel Simonsen do his debut solo show at the Soho Theatre, London, W1D. www.sohotheatre.com

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Nordfyns Museum The history of the town of Bogense and North Funen, in words, artifacts, paintings and pictures.

Nordfyns Museum Vestergade 16, DK-5400 Bogense, Denmark Phone: +45 6481 1884 E-mail: nordmus@mail.tele.dk www.nordfynsmuseum.dk

We are building the future – over and over again Stockholm’s Hötorget skyscrapers in glass and metal reflect the 1950s’ take on the future.

Office workers were destined to sit and work here on newfangled electric typewriters, despatching post to each other through an elaborate pneumatic tube system. That, too, was IT. Then. Now the new generation has taken over those skyscrapers, taking for granted their tablet computers, smartphones and the world as their workplace.

Our needs change. Ideas and materials are renewed. No-one knows what the future holds.

But we do know that it will still require metals.

Ag Zn Cu

Au

Metals for modern life