Explore Danish living at Beijing's 798 art district

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03:13

The Beijing Design Week is in full swing, and this year Denmark has been chosen as the guest of honor with a series of exhibitions and events in place.

Its capital Copenhagen has long been ranked as one of the world's most livable cities. The urban environment invites people to move there. CGTN's Shen Li was there to find out what makes Copenhagen a particularly pleasant city to live in.

The old gas tank in Beijing's art district 798 has been converted into a Danish city, with more than 20 Danish companies exhibiting there and showing why Denmark should be on China's radar.

"Living is Giving" exhibition inside 79 tank in 798 art district, Beijing. /CGTN Photo

Eric Messerschmidt, director of the Danish Culture Center, saw Denmark's participation as a unique opportunity for Copenhagen and Beijing to exchange experiences, challenges and solutions for the benefit of business and cultural life.

He said: "It's a four-year-old dream come true. It actually started when the Beijing Design Week approached us; the Danish culture center asked if we could feature Copenhagen. All the Danish politicians who have never been to China, they actually turned modest because they realized this is not just any other country, this is the big China."

Exhibits that range from a supermarket that has merchandise made of scrap and waste, to a plastic recycling workshop, showcase how targeted design and planning can contribute to the development of future cities and city life.

"Living is Giving" exhibition inside 79 tank in 798 art district, Beijing. /CGTN Photo

Project director of Denmark exhibition at BJDW, Tine Eriksen, shared with CGTN that "Living is giving is the theme and the whole idea is that we should give more than we take from our city and our fellow citizens. The exhibition is centered around our everyday lives. We also bring together livability and sustainability."

A forthcoming market analysis by Wonderful Copenhagen, the city's official tourism bureau, has found that design is an important motivation for Chinese travelers who decide to visit Copenhagen, as 80 percent of tourists from the country visiting the Danish capital report being interested in Danish-designed products.

"Living is Giving" exhibition inside 79 tank in 798 art district, Beijing. /CGTN Photo

Eric Messerschmidt, director of the Danish Culture Center said: "Danish design is no nonsense. You see what you get you and design for the purpose of the interesting thing is of course how can such a functional solution also become beautiful."

Jing W.Ipland, CEO of Design Artem who's participating in the exhibition, told CGTN: "We hope that fast movement in China can be balanced or influenced by the Danish's cozy cool living, slow down way of life. Enjoy life instead of a lot of hard work. I think it would be suitable in a cultural way."

A broad range of other activities will also take place, in and around the 798 District, the Danish Cultural Center, and Qinglong Hutong. Urban developers, architects, artists, heads of public health, chefs and many more, will share and inspire each other in Sino-Danish workshops, conferences and talks.

(Cover: "Living is Giving" exhibition inside 79 tank in 798 art district, Beijing. CGTN Photo)