This summer, NAU students from multiple disciplines embarked on a journey to learn how Scandinavian design is shaping more equitable, sustainable and collaborative societies. The NAU in Denmark: Hygge to Hashtags: Culture, Communication, and Social Design in Scandinavia course led by Michelle B. Carpenter, executive director of the School of Communication, showed students how designs rooted in cultural values can be more than just aesthetics.
“The program teaches students to look at how Scandinavian design has historically addressed human needs through participatory and collaborative models,” Carpenter said. “It also examines collaboration in Denmark and how the design methodology in Scandinavia invites designers, architects, scientists, businesses, governments and communities to co-create solutions. Danish design has evolved over the years, and the collaborative model extends into digital culture, where design and social media play a decisive role in shaping design discourse, user participation, branding and global visibility.”
For three weeks, students from majors such as communication studies, creative media and film, education, sports journalism, photography and strategic communication, including PR and advertising, participated in interdisciplinary projects, lectures, studio visits and immersive travel experiences. They saw examples of sustainable design, like Copenhill, a waste-to-energy plant people can ski and climb, and had the opportunity to use Denmark’s sustainable transportation system that includes buses, trains and streets designed to allow up to 47,000 bikes a day.
“Denmark is an incredible country that focuses on the ‘we,’ not the ‘me’,” Carpenter said. “They are concerned with the quality of life and consider how they can be good citizens and create a sustainable lifestyle and environment. Danish design focuses on democratizing design and creating beautiful, practical items for the people, not just the elite. Copenhagen is actively engaged in sustainable design and is dedicated to climate action and a high quality of life.”
The group also visited various businesses for students to take a closer look at how Scandinavian designs work with multidisciplinary teams. Some students, like Olivia Kripal, a sophomore studying strategic communication with an emphasis in advertising and a minor in international communication, took this opportunity to another level.
“We visited many Danish companies,” Kripal said. “Each of them provides their own insight and examples into the communication industry. On these visits, some classmates and I made it our mission to approach the company leaders after the presentations to practice our professional communication skills. By the end of the trip, I felt like I had made much improvement in the area and garnered some wonderful connections with people in Denmark. I learned so much about Danish culture and their way of life that surprised me in ways I could have never imagined.”
The group visited places like the Danish Design Museum, Frederiksborg Slot, Kronborg Slot (Hamlet’s Castle), Rosenborg Slot and the Viking Museum, as well as the fishing villages of Gillejele and the Danish coastline known as the Danish Riviera. They also participated in the 3 Days of Design event in Copenhagen, which examines the evolution of Danish design.
Carpenter said the experience not only helped students see design, spaces and sustainability through another lens, but also helped them discover how the fields they are studying can be applied internationally, allowing them to see career opportunities across different industries. Kripal agreed.
“Visiting so many wonderful companies helped me understand my career aspirations for the future,” Kripal said. “I learned a lot about communications and have a new sense of understanding within myself. This experience helped me learn that both independence and community lead to individual growth. I would recommend this course to anyone who wants to feel more connected to themselves and the people around them.”
For more information about the NAU in Denmark: Hygge to Hashtags: Culture, Communication, and Social Design in Scandinavia faculty-led summer course and other similar courses, visit the NAU-led study abroad website.
Mariana Laas | NAU Communications
(928) 523-5050 | mariana.laas@nau.edu