Just hung around the hostel last night and had a few beers in the lobby with Ken and most of the group. This morning we forgot to set an alarm and slept through breakfast, and had to go right to a tour with Onesto Mong + Partners.
We didn’t know exactly where we were supposed to go so once we reached the general area we just walked into this awesome little shop and someone greeted us saying that we were early for our 2 o’clock meeting! So we found the place by accident and got to hang out with some cool designers for an extra half hour. The design group basically markets cool ideas to help improve the city, hiring freelance designers to execute the actual project. They came up with an idea to change “no’s” (no parking, no dogs, no walking on the grass, etc.) into positive signs, i.e. something like “you can dance here,” and posted these signs around the city. We didn’t get the exact slogans, but the aim was to provide the same necessary message of not being allowed to do something, but presenting a positive alternative. They invent a bicycle that could hold turntables and speakers and would ride around the city starting spontaneous parties. They also built a 30 square meter raft that they sail around the harbor with a dj and barbeque. They once hosted a 1 minute rave on their boat as they passed under one of the city’s drawbridges. Really awesome guys. So after they were done showing us around, they told us they had planned a surprise– and took us out on their raft and actually gave us a tour around the city while bumping some music. They dropped us off at the hostel and then I headed to the lab! Tonight there is a music festival in Christiania, and one of the people from the company is playing a dj set there which we’ll have to check out. We also found out that one of the guys was at the same bonfire under the bridge on midsummer with us. Small world.
Check out the photos, and more tomorrow.
-Thomas
