Greater Than the Sum
Swiss design icon USM presents its installation GREATER THAN THE SUM as part of 3daysofdesign in the heart of Copenhagen.
House of Design, Frederiksgade 1, Copenhagen
Wednesday, June 10 until Friday, June 12, 2026, 10 am-6 pm
The project is a tribute to the essence of the iconic USM Haller furniture – a design that has remained unmistakable for over 60 years, yet continues to reinvent itself. USM enthusiasts and visitors new to the brand will be offered an unusual perspective on this design classic. Disassembled into its components and suspended sculpturally in the space, the furniture reveals the simplicity and ingenuity of USM.
Protagonists of Infinite Possibilities
In a world of mass production and fast-moving trends, the longing for permanence and quality is growing. The festival's theme, "Make This Moment Matter," captures this cultural zeitgeist and reflects a reorientation in society, away from "more" and toward "meaningful." Inspired by this idea, USM looks to the origin of its uniqueness and puts the true protagonists in the spotlight: modular components designed not for one specific end product, but for timeless adaptability. Here, the whole is not only more than the sum of its parts, but also different every time.
Choreography in Three Dimensions
These components are at the centre of the installation GREATER THAN THE SUM. Inspired by exploded-view drawings, as seen in architecture or mechanical engineering, the installation brings the principle of disassembly to life. USM furniture is presented in its individual parts, suspended in space. Spheres, tubes, and panels stand on their own, yet together foreshadow the whole. This choreography reveals what otherwise remains hidden: the beauty of precision. Each piece is crafted to fit the other perfectly – with an infinite amount of possible combinations. The clean-lined aesthetic and highly functional design highlight the origins of a design that evolved from architecture and remains true to its principles and values.
The Two Sides of the Classic
The installation thus highlights the contrasts that define the brand’s essence. On the one hand, the spatial "explosions" reveal the wealth of detail and technical sophistication necessary for the modular system to function in all its possibilities. On the other hand, the installation's clean lines and simple forms convey the simplicity and tranquillity of the minimalist design. Appropriate to the historic exhibition space at Frederiksgade, Scandinavian interior design served as inspiration for the colour scheme. Earthy tones were chosen to convey warmth and underscore the toned-down aesthetic. The result is an atmosphere reminiscent of the serene paintings of the renowned Danish artist Vilhelm Hammershøi (1864-1916), whose muted palette evokes the same sense of calm.
USM at other circle
Applying the same concept, USM presents an installation at other circle, a cross-disciplinary design exhibition that explores and redefines contemporary design culture. Bringing together art, design, fashion, food, and music in a curated setting the initiative responds to the growing need for formats with real cultural presence.
The Lab, Vermundsgade 40, Copenhagen
Wednesday, June 10 until Saturday, June 13, 2026, 10 am-7 pm
Art Direction by gallerists Quy Nguyen and Avril Nolan of FORM Atelier in New York. Known for their in-depth research and unexpected pairings of historical design and art references, FORM Atelier looks for the connections between art, objects and furniture, and how they contribute to a larger narrative.
Visual Design by creative studio NR2154 based in New York, Paris, and Copenhagen.
