Cliff eroding into a pebble beach with calm sea under overcast sky.

The Nordic Principle Of Friluftsliv

Back to Basic

Costal living

The Danes love being and living close to the water. The culture of owning a second home near the sea boomed during the 1960s’ post-war economic expansion when it became a realistic possibility for the vast middle class to own a holiday home. Modest, classic, black-painted wooden cabins with a flat roof nestled in the dunes and the pine trees along the coast. Simple dwellings, yet considered a great luxury. And the tradition lives on; nowadays, architects are drawing up summerhouses suitable for contemporary living standards. Life by the sea, no matter the size of house, remains highly valued in Denmark.

Woman in a grey outfit seated backwards on a Hamilton chair by a rocky shore, looking out to sea.

Fun fact:

Denmark has more than 8,500 kilometres of coastline; it’s longer than the coast of Italy. For such a small country, it seems almost unreal yet it’s true. Thanks to the strong presence of the coast and the sea, the Danes consider both as something very precious and worth protecting. Fortunately, since the 1990s, the Danish Nature Protection Act prohibits any new constructions closer than 300 metres to the coast, making the coastline into one long stretch of (almost) unspoilt nature.

A woman standing on the Cancún dining chair in the shallow waves of the ocean.

Reaching out

Where does the fascination of living by the sea derive from, and more generally, what drives people towards the outdoors to spend more time in nature? Well, in Denmark the coastline is one of the rare places where wild and untamed nature can be enjoyed fully. It reminds us of our biological origins, it boldly impresses us with the various seasons, and calls to mind the richness of flora and fauna. In short, we’re taken back to basics, which is a soothing, peaceful and enriching exercise that people are increasingly longing for. Due to our busy lives stimulated by a fast-paced culture and an intrusive information flow, we’re reaching out for quiet, down-to-earth breaks.

Woman in a yellow dress leaning on a Santiago table against a red clay cliff background.

With the SS24 collection, BoConcept invites you on a Danish summerhouse experience close to the sea. Post-pandemic, people across the globe are spending more time than ever in the open air. Our 360 campaign for SS24 celebrates the elemental need to be close to nature and gives a respectful nod to the Nordic principle of “friluftsliv”; to appreciate a simple life outdoors without disturbing nature.

Our assets bring to life the elemental concept behind the campaign by emphasising our new-season fabrics and line extensions in a wild, distinctly Danish setting. Zoomed-in crops bring the refined detail of the pieces to the forefront, while wide-angle shots firmly root our campaign outdoors.

Additionally, we demonstrate some of the decisions we have made so that we can offer more durable materials and products. It is our utmost priority to design furniture which will stand the test of time and use, and that they will last a lifetime; preferably several.