Danish design is a design that was influenced by the German Bauhaus school and developed in mid 20th century. The characteristic of the danish design is functionality and simplicity, and it has been achieved by using new industrial technologies and applied through different aspects like architecture, furniture, and household objects.
In this blog, the most well-known Danish Designers and their designs will be highlighted.
PH 5 Pendant Light White Matte
Designed in 1958PH Artichoke Pendant Light White 72cm
Designed in 19583.5/2.5 Table Lamb
Designed in 1925
Bio:
Poul Henningsen Born on 9 September 1894 – Died on 31 January 1967
Danish author, critic, architect, and designer
Career: Associated the most with his design of the PH-Lam series of glare-free, shaded lamps. It was used to analyze the reflection and baffling of the light rays from the bulb to achieve illumination that was not harsh and glaring but shed warm, soft light.
Significant Works:
Gyldenholm Allé 18, Gentofte, Copenhagen (1933–34)
Henne Mølle Å Badehotel in Henne Strand, Varde Municipality, Denmark (1936)
NL Dehn’s Steam Laundry in Søborg, Denmark (1936)
Brogårdsvej 72 “PH’s House” in Gentofte, Denmark (1937)
Glass Hall (Danish: Glassalen), Tivoli, Copenhagen, Denmark (1956)
Coffee Table
Desined in 1937Charlottenborg Sofa
Desined in 1937Paris Lounge Chair
Designed in 1929
Some of Arne Jacobsen
Designs
Bio:
Born on 11 February 1902 – Died on 24 March 1971
Danish architect and furniture designer
Career: Known for his contribution to architectural functionalism and his worldwide success of simple well-designed chairs.
Significant Works:
Bellevue Beach, Klampenborg, Denmark (1932)
Bellavista residential complex, Klampenborg, Copenhagen (1931–34)
SAS Royal Hotel, Copenhagen (1958–60)
St Catherine’s College, Oxford, UK (1964–66)
Royal Danish Embassy, London, UK (1976–77)
FH419 Heritage Chair
Designed in 1930FH429 Signature Chair
Designed in 1954Mid Century Danish Rosewood Coffee Table
Designed in 1970-1979
Bio:
Born in 1889– Died in 1965
Danish furniture designer and cabinet maker
Career:
Achieved high standards of high quality with exclusively handmade furniture pieces
Significant Works:
In 1911, He completed his cabinetmaker apprenticeship with I.P. Mørck, who was the most recognized cabinetmakers
A Danish midcentury modern teak surfboard coffee table designed by Grete Jalk for Poul Jeppesen. Solid teak construction with curved sides that curl up in the classic Jalk style. The chair feature the typical clear, comfortable lines in design Jalk has become famous for, solid teak frame and wool threaded Teak-veneered, molded plywood piece features a distinct origami-like shape achieved through an intricate bending and laminating process.
Bio:
Recognized as an important Danish modernist designer—working at a time when women were a rarity in the design world. Inspired by the Eameses’ and Aaltos’ organic, molded furniture, Jalk continuously experimented with new materials and production techniques. Jalk is known for her thoughtful designs that are well adapted to users’ needs and that embrace societal and technological progress.
Significant Works:
•Grete Jalk’s GJ Chair, a.k.a. the Shell Chair, originally designed in 1963
•Coffee Table for Poul Jeppesen
•Model 118 Easy Chairs for France & Søn
Finn Juhl dreamt of studying art history and his deep understanding of international contemporary art is abundantly clear in the bold 45 Chair. With its curved backrest and organic shape this chair cemented Finn Juhl as one of the leading designers of the 20th century. The chair appeals to all senses and pleases the eye and body alike. This small two-seater was first shown at the Copenhagen Cabinetmakers’ Guild Exhibition in 1941 and should be seen as a natural progression from the Pelican Chair from the previous year. The upholstery is very slim compared to what was the norm at the time and the result of Juhl’s ambition to create functional furniture for smaller apartments. The Chieftain Chair is one of Finn Juhl’s absolute masterpieces, representing the peak of his career as a furniture designer. At its introduction in 1949, the chair marked a renewal of the Danish furniture design tradition and today it is seen as one of the most important exponents of the Danish Modern movement in the USA in the 1950’s
Bio:
Finn Juhl began his studies in the 1930s, which was an important period in furniture design when modern design started to emerge. He designed by measuring his own body and analyzing how the individual components of the chair should carry the human body. But contrary to his modernist contemporaries, with their streamlined, scaffolding-like structures, Juhl aimed at a more organic, natural form.
Significant Works:
•45 CHAIR
•PELICAN CHAIR
•CHIEFTAIN CHAIR
Widely considered a design classic, the Risom Lounge Chair by Jens Risom was one of the first original design models commissioned by Knoll. The Risom Lounge Chair features a stylish maple hardwood frame, angled attractively and wrapped with woven strips of cotton webbing. The pattern of the chair is a combination of gentle curves and geometric angles. Fantastic angular profile is sleek and modern. Wedge-shaped top exhibits beautiful walnut wood grain. Functionality added with a magazine rack. Exemplary construction, with a nice lip detail.
Bio:
Creating his own distinct brand, Jens pioneered a unique blend of Danish minimalism with American style that is still perennially popular. The function is a theme that Risom repeatedly turns to in discussing his design philosophy. Design is not just visual. The design needs to be used by people and the different conditions of use determine a lot of the design.’ Throughout his life, Risom stayed true to the fundamental Danish approach to modernism, with its emphasis on traditional values and the human need for warmth, beauty, and simplicity.
Significant Works:
•Jens Risom Lounge Chair
•Risom’s ’T-539’ oak magazine table (front), from Rocket Gallery. Classic Risom bench with grey u pholstery (back),
Club Chair, 1963 Wing Chair, 1963 Set of2 Shell Chairs, 1950 Spanish Chair, 1959
Bio:
13 April 1914 – 5 October 1972
Important Danish furniture designer, helped to make the concept of ‘Danish Modern’ known throughout the world, Created international respect for Danish furniture design, His simple and functional designs have for more than half a century enjoyed worldwide demand Studied furniture design at the Danish School of Arts and Crafts in Copenhagen from 1936 to 1938.
Significant Works:
•His furniture was strongly representative of his training as a traditional craftsman •Created classical designs, while subtly incorporating new ideas into his revisitation of traditional forms
Teak Easy Chair, 1951 Colonial Sofa, 1964 Scandinavian Armchair, 1940 “Egyptian” Stool, 1957
Bio:
16 September 1903 – 27 December 1985
Danish furniture designer, and one of the leading figures in the Scandinavian Design movement when Scandinavian Design achieved worldwide popularity
Throughout the 1930s and 1940s, Wanscher, working with master joiner A. J. Iversen, produced dozens of designs that are now seen as modern classics. Influenced by a variety of sources, from 18th-century British design through the furniture design of Ancient Egypt
Significant Works:
One of Wanscher’s most famous pieces was his so-called “Egyptian Stool” of 1960. He was also influenced by Greek and Chinese design
Bio:
•Born in 1914- Died in 2007
•A pioneering furniture designer of the 20th century.
•He has created more than 500 different chair designs and many became some of the most influential chairs of design history.
•Wegner wants to depict the inner soul and structure of furniture through a simple design.
Significant Works:
•Craftsmanship- deep respect for wood and its qualities.
•One of this most popular pieces was ‘CH24 Wishbone Chair’.
•Designs are organic, minimalistic and have a natural softness.
Bio:
•Born in 1926-Died in 1998
•Since 1955 Verner Panton has been creating his own designs
•Verne’s success came to a rise after his architectural proposals such as the ‘Cardboard House’ (1957) and ‘Plastic House’ (1960)
•Verner was also a successful furniture designer and has created many inspirational lamps and chairs throughout his career
Significant Works:
•An important lamp to note is ‘Panto Lamp’ (1975)
•An important chair to note is ‘Art Chairs Chair Art series’ (1981)
Bio:
Born in 1923 – Died in 2005
Significant works:
o Hanging Egg Chair
o Trinidad chair oLulu cradle
o Nanny Rocking Chair
o Bench for two
o Butterfly chair
o Toad stool and table
Bagsvaerd Church 1968 Utzon Center in Aalborg 2008 Sydney Opera House 1959
Bio:
• Born in 1918 – Died in 2008
He was a Pritzker Prize winner and one of the most famous Danish architects of the 20th century
Significant Works:
•Designed the Sydney Opera House in 1959
• Designed Bagsvaerd Church in 1968
• Landed Utzon Center in Aalborg in 2008
KK9662 Faaborg
The chair is an icon of Danish design for its perfect unity of structure, material, and function, and is widely considered to be the first classic of Danish modern design, ushering in a new era of DanishKK9662 Faaborg
This modern, foldable chair, with its sophisticated construction and pure craftsmanship, is also a true classic.Safari Chair
Klint’s inspiration was quite varied and in 1933, after seeing a picture of a British officer’s chair in a book on guided tours of Africa, he designed the famous ‘Safari Chair’, which could be taken apart and stored in a cardboard box and was arguably one of the first pieces of DIY furniture.
Bio:
• Born in 1888- Died in 1954
•Kaare Klint is recognized as the father of modern Danish design, insisting on clean lines, the best materials, and superb craftsmanship in furniture design.
Significant Works:
• He has left his mark on the history of design with a number of exquisite pieces.
PK 22
His best-known chair, named PK-22, is full of structural beauty, with a wicker or leather seat, and is modularized to make it less challenging to produce, reflecting a fully component-based design mindset.ishPK 24 LOUNGE CHAIR
The PK 24 LOUNGE CHAIR is inspired by the French recliners of the Rococo era, which have the same curves and dimensions. The chair is a prime example, almost an extreme example, of Kjærholm’s design principle of having separate elements.PK 9(1960): produced by Kold Christensen, it is made of leather and steel.
Poul Kierholm’s design style is understated and elegant, with a gentle approach to clean lines and refined design details. He was awarded two prizes for industrial design and graphic design at the Milan Art Fair in 1957 and 1960, respectively.
Bio:
•Born in 1929 – Died in 1980
• One of Denmark’s most famous designers. 1952 saw Paul graduate from the Copenhagen Academy of Arts and Crafts to study furniture making, and he taught from 1952 to 1956. Designers often chose wood as their design material in those days, but Paul preferred stainless steel. He saw stainless steel as a promising structural material for his furniture designs. He also tried to use it in combination with many other materials such as leather, canvas, rope, and rattan. And he always used his initials plus a number to name his designs.