VELUX window frames reborn as innovative design solutions at Roskilde Festival's Sustainability Challenge 2024
After three days of innovation and hard work, the winning group of this year's Sustainability Challenge was announced on July 3 at Roskilde Festival. The Sustainability Challenge encourages students to create furniture for the music festival in a sustainable and circular way. This year, participants used window frames from VELUX to demonstrate how to reduce the carbon footprint of their furniture designs.
In collaboration with VELUX and IDA, Roskilde Festival challenged students to build elements for a lounge area for festival guests using VELUX window frames. Since the start of the competition in March, 50 groups participated in the challenge. Of these, 11 groups were selected to present their furniture concepts to a jury of experts in innovation, design, and sustainability at Roskilde Festival.
Focus on circularity
The competition is about rethinking building methods. The construction industry is a significant CO2 emitter, therefore we need to change our mindset when building by reusing and selecting more sustainable materials. The Sustainability Challenge at Roskilde Festival aims to test the next generation's creativity and their ability to think in a more circular way.
Sustainability Challenge is about inspiring and being inspired by the younger generation, who will design, calculate, build, and live in future homes. Although we test with furniture for festivals, we need to build more sustainably and think more circularly, which we highlight through this partnership, says Bo Astrup Kristensen, Programme Coordinator at The Circular Lab at Roskilde Festival and a jury member.
Unlike previous years, where the focus was on building solutions from various recyclable materials, this year's participants were required to construct their furniture using window frames made out of scrap wood from VELUX window production. The materials were provided to the finalists two days before the finale.
By using window frames in this year's competition, we focus on the increasing need for circularity, which concerns both us and the construction industry in general. We all need to be better at utilising materials we've already used once. With the Sustainability Challenge, we give the younger generation the opportunity to show how this can be done, says Lone Feifer, Director of Sustainable Buildings at VELUX Group.
FRAME wins Sustainability Challenge 2024
The project ‘FRAME’ won the competition. The four winners behind it are Maria Lykke, Emilie Funderud, Anders Nielsen, and Caroline Brarup Schäfer, all study Furniture Design at VIA Design & Business in Herning. They used plexiglass and nine VELUX window frames to create an installation at Roskilde Festival. ‘FRAME’ focused on community and interaction by providing spaces to sit, relax, and share festival experiences by writing on the plexiglass panels. The project also emphasised sustainability, since the solution could be easily packed up, and reused after the festival.
We wanted to create a space for many people while clearly referencing the origin of the materials. It was also crucial for us that the installation could be reused year after year, extending its lifespan and creating more memories, says Maria Lykke, a member of the winning group.
Impressed jury members
The projects were built and came to life in just 48 hours after being initially conceived and developed in March, when the competition began. The ideas were refined to the last minute detail and selected to be built and ready for the finale within two days and it was this level of dedication that impressed the jury.
We are impressed by the high level of innovation and creative solutions shown by all participants. This year's winning project is not only a testament to technical skill but also a deep understanding of sustainability, an understanding that should inspire all of us in construction, says Rasmus Grønbæk Hansen, Head of Education at Aarhus School of Architecture.
The winning group received DKK 10,000, and their solution will be exhibited near the Orange Stage at Roskilde Festival so guests can use it for the rest of the festival. Selected projects will also have the opportunity to collaborate with the Circular Laboratory at Roskilde Festival to further develop their ideas.
Read more about this year's competition here.
About the VELUX Group
VELUX roof windows have been bringing daylight and fresh air into peoples’ homes around the world for more than 80 years, creating better living environments. We offer a range of products including roof windows and modular skylights, decorative blinds, sun screening products, and roller shutters, as well as installation and smart home solutions. They help create bright, healthy, and energy-efficient places for people who live, work, learn, and play under the roof. We work globally – with sales and manufacturing operations in 37 countries and around 11,700 employees worldwide. The VELUX Group is owned by VKR Holding A/S, a limited company owned by the Villum Foundation and the Kann Rasmussen family. In 2023, the VELUX Group had a total revenue of EUR 2.91 billion while VKR Holding had a total revenue of EUR 3.97 billion. The same year, the Villum Foundation and the VELUX FOUNDATION donated a total of EUR 184.6 million in charitable grants.
For more information about the VELUX Group, visit velux.com