Making Space for Entrepreneurs
Our cities are undergoing major changes. New ways of living and working challenge traditional systems and urban dynamics. How do cities remain relevant? And how do they reinvent themselves? One answer to these questions lies only a few blocks from Copenhagen’s central station. We visited the Copenhagen Meatpacking District with Thomas Jensen, co-founder and CEO of KIND Design Agency. Thomas and KIND have played an important role in the rejuvenation of the former industrial and run-down neighborhood which today stands as a creative cluster with restaurants, galleries, and nightlife.
We were greeted by Mia Maja Hansson, self-described “food pirate”, entrepreneur, and founder of Kitchen Collective – an incubator and shared kitchen for food start-ups. KIND Design Agency has designed the Kitchen Collective deep in the listed and tightly monitored Meatpacking District. It was no easy task, Mia Maja told us, but worth the effort as Kitchen Collective stands as a modern and multi-functional space for food entrepreneurs and start-ups. It shows how an area can reinvent itself while respecting history.
The collective was at work as we entered. A deep and satisfying aroma of food filled the air. A young Indian woman explored her culinary roots at one stand while at another stand a Copenhagen gourmet restaurant had found a temporary home for its laboratory. Mia Maja and Thomas walked the space with care and familiarity; they had discussed every detail and seemed to feel a sense of relief and joy at the sight of a living, working, and – not least - shared kitchen.
Foto: Agnes Saaby Thomsen for Kitchen Collective
KIND: The Magazine
Thank you for meeting us, Mia Maja. Now we finally get to ask you: What’s a food pirate?
Mia Maja Hansson
Thank you for visiting us and thank you for the question. A food pirate is someone who looks for ways to merge agendas. It’s someone who shows the potential of cooperation and shared strengths. A food pirate is prepared to take risks, values action, and remains inviting and generous. The bounty waiting for all food pirates is a sustainable food culture nourished by fair and generous companies.
KIND: The Magazine
It sounds as if not two days are alike.
Mia Maja Hansson
Kitchen Collective is a laboratory. We’re challenging stale models of operating and thinking, and we’re inviting our participants to make use of the space and transform it to their needs. We do our best to be excellent hosts and hope for our participants to reflect a culture of generosity and learning.
Foto: Agnes Saaby Thomsen for Kitchen Collective
KIND: The Magazine
What were your spatial needs? How were you able to transform your concepts and ideas into physical solutions?
Mia Maja Hansson
We needed a highly flexible solution with a remarkable character. We needed test kitchens, a chef’s table, an auditorium, storage room and much more. We needed something which would not break under the daily wear and tear. We needed something which could be reconfigured and support the dreams and ambitions of our partners. And then we needed a distinctive design which would make this place stand out.
KIND: The Magazine
How did you approach this challenge, Thomas?
Thomas Jensen
With a combination of respect and bold solutions. We needed to come up with a design which would not steal the spotlight. Kitchen Collective investigates the power of a shared economy and new sustainable models for driving a food business. The design should be a showcase of this approach. We went for a simple – maybe even spare – configuration with an extremely high attention to detail and overall mood. We used sturdy materials which are nice to the touch. There’s a clear division between the test kitchens and the main space which is used for education, meetings, lectures, and dinners. The test kitchens don’t change much, but the main space is constantly evolving.
Foto: Agnes Saaby Thomsen for Kitchen Collective
KIND: The Magazine
Is this simply a place for a food pirate?
Mia Maja Hansson
It is. We can go from a meeting with a political delegation over a class with 30 happy school kids to an intense and focused dinner at the chef’s table all in one day. There’s an entrepreneurial spirit to optimizing the space which is highly satisfactory.
Thomas Jensen
I’m very energized by Kitchen Collective and the food pirate ethos. In many ways, this is an excellent example of a complete rethinking of a workplace which embraces the unknown without compromising on aesthetics and design.
Mia Maja Hansson
That’s the spirit of Kitchen Collective. We keep exploring and asking questions, and we won’t settle for second best. We’re on a mission to create deep and lasting change.
Graphic Design by KIND Design Agency
Kitchen Collective is celebrating 10 years of promoting a diverse food scene and democratized entrepreneurship. For 10 years, through hosting, knowledge, inspiration and community, they have researched and tasted tomorrow's food scene. They have done this by offering a practical, culinary incubator for food entrepreneurs, where healthy and sustainable food ideas can be developed, produced and tested by a few before they can be spread to the joy and benefit of many.
KIND Design Agency has designed Kitchen Collective's visual identity and developed their website.