Danish design
Encyclopedia
Danish Design is a term often used to describe a style of functionalistic
design and architecture that was developed in mid-20th century. Influenced by the German Bauhaus
school, many Danish designers used the new industrial technologies, combined with ideas of simplicity and functionalism to design buildings, furniture and household objects, many of which have become iconic and are still in use and production. Prominent examples are the egg chair, PH lamp and the Sydney Opera House
.
(1912–1989), Hans Wegner
(1914–2007), Arne Jacobsen
(1902–1971), Poul Kjærholm (1929–1980), Poul Henningsen
(1894–1967) and Verner Panton
(1926–1998).
Other designers of note include Kristian Solmer Vedel
(1923–2003) in the area of industrial design, Jens Harald Quistgaard (1919–2008) for kitchen furniture and implements and Ole Wanscher
(1903–1985) who had a classical approach to furniture design.
In the late 1940s, shortly after the end of the Second World War, conditions in Denmark were ideally suited to success in design. The emphasis was on furniture
but architecture
, silver
, ceramics, glass
and textiles also benefitted from the trend. Denmark's late industrialisation
combined with a tradition of high-quality craftsmanship formed the basis of gradual progress towards industrial production. After the end of the war, Europeans were keen to find novel approaches such as the light wood furniture from Denmark. Last but not least, support in Denmark for freedom of individual expression assisted the cause.
The newly established Furniture School at the Royal Danish Academy of Art
played a considerable part in the development of furniture design. Kaare Klint taught functionalism
based on the size and proportions of objects, wielding considerable influence. Hans J. Wegner, who had been trained as a cabinetmaker, contributed with a unique sense of form, especially in designing chairs.
As head of the cooperative FDB furniture design studio, Børge Mogensen designed simple and robust objects of furniture for the average Danish family. Finn Juhl
demonstrated an individualistic approach in designing chairs with an appealing but functional look.
In the early 1950s, the American Charles Eames designed and manufactured chairs of moulded wood and steel pipes. These encouraged Arne Jacobsen
to design his worldfamous Ant Chair, Denmark's first industrially manufactured chair.
Poul Kjærholm, Verner Panton
and Nanna Ditzel
followed a few years later, continuing the successful story of Danish design. Kjærholm worked mainly in steel and leather, Panton left Denmark during the 1960s to continue designing imaginative but highly unconventional plastic chairs while Nanna Ditzel, who also had a strongly individualistic approach, was successful in helping to renew Danish furniture design in the 1980s.
Danish furniture design failed to make any new important contributions in the 1970s and 1980s. By contrast, industrial designers began to prosper, making use of the basic principles of focus on the user, respect for materials and attention to detail.
The Bernadotte & Bjørn studio, established in 1950, was the first to specialise in industrial design, with an emphasis on office machines, domestic appliances and functional articles such as the thermos jug. The electronics manufacturer Bang & Olufsen
, in collaboration with Bernadotte & Bjørn and later with Jacob Jensen
and David Lewis
, went on to excel in modern design work. Around the same time, the Stelton company collaborated with Arne Jacobsen
and Erik Magnussen to produce their iconic vacuum jug, a huge international success.
Another successful design field is medical technology. Danish design companies like 3PART, Designit
and CBD have worked in this area with individual designers such as Steve McGugan and Anders Smith.
In 2002 the Danish Government and the City of Copenhagen launched an effort to establish a world event for design in Copenhagen.
Originally understood as a tool for branding traditional Danish design the non-profit organization INDEX: shifted focus after worldwide research and coined the concept of Design to Improve Life, which rapidly became celebrated in Denmark and around the world. The organization now hands out the biggest design award in the world biannual in Copenhagen, tours large scale outdoor exhibition around the world, run educational program as well as design labs and hosts a global network.
Today, there is strong focus on design in Denmark as industry increasingly appreciates the importance of design in the business environment. In addition, as part of its trade and industry policy, the Danish government has launched the DesignDenmark initiative which aims to restore Denmark to the international design elite.
Modern architecture
has also contributed to the concept of Danish design.
Arne Jacobsen
was not just a furniture designer but one of the leading architects of his times. Among his achievements are the Bellevue Theater and restaurant, Klampenborg, (1936), the City Hall, Århus
(with Erik Møller
) (1939–42) and the SAS Royal Hotel
(1958–60).
Jørn Utzon
(1918–2008), Denmark's most widely recognized architect, is remembered for his modernistic Sydney Opera House
(1966) and the later Bagsværd Church
(1976) with its wavy concrete roof.
Henning Larsen
(b. 1925) is the architect who designed the boldly modern Copenhagen Opera House on the island of Holmen
which was completed in 2005.
Functionalism (architecture)
Functionalism, in architecture, is the principle that architects should design a building based on the purpose of that building. This statement is less self-evident than it first appears, and is a matter of confusion and controversy within the profession, particularly in regard to modern...
design and architecture that was developed in mid-20th century. Influenced by the German Bauhaus
Bauhaus
', commonly known simply as Bauhaus, was a school in Germany that combined crafts and the fine arts, and was famous for the approach to design that it publicized and taught. It operated from 1919 to 1933. At that time the German term stood for "School of Building".The Bauhaus school was founded by...
school, many Danish designers used the new industrial technologies, combined with ideas of simplicity and functionalism to design buildings, furniture and household objects, many of which have become iconic and are still in use and production. Prominent examples are the egg chair, PH lamp and the Sydney Opera House
Sydney Opera House
The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue performing arts centre in the Australian city of Sydney. It was conceived and largely built by Danish architect Jørn Utzon, finally opening in 1973 after a long gestation starting with his competition-winning design in 1957...
.
Designers
Among the most successful designers associated with the concept are Børge Mogensen (1914–1972), Finn JuhlFinn Juhl
Finn Juhl was a Danish architect, interior and industrial designer, most known for his furniture design. He was one of the leading figures in the creation of "Danish design" in the 1940s and he was the designer who introduced Danish Modern to America.-Early life and education:Finn Juhl was born on...
(1912–1989), Hans Wegner
Hans Wegner
Hans Jørgen Wegner, , was a successful Danish furniture designer who contributed to the international popularity of mid-century Danish design. His work belongs to a modernist school with emphasis on functionality. He is probably best known for his chairs.-Early years:Born to cobbler Peter M...
(1914–2007), Arne Jacobsen
Arne Jacobsen
Arne Emil Jacobsen, usually known as Arne Jacobsen, was a Danish architect and designer. He is remembered for contributing so much to architectural Functionalism as well as for the worldwide success he enjoyed with simple but effective chair designs.-Early life and education:Arne Jacobsen was born...
(1902–1971), Poul Kjærholm (1929–1980), Poul Henningsen
Poul Henningsen
Poul Henningsen , Danish author, architect and critic, was one of the leading figures of the cultural life of Denmark between the World Wars. In Denmark, he is often referred to as PH.-Early life and education:...
(1894–1967) and Verner Panton
Verner Panton
Verner Panton is considered one of Denmark's most influential 20th-century furniture and interior designers. During his career, he created innovative and futuristic designs in a variety of materials, especially plastics, and in vibrant and exotic colors...
(1926–1998).
Other designers of note include Kristian Solmer Vedel
Kristian Solmer Vedel
Kristian Solmer Vedel was a Danish industrial designer and part of the Scandinavian Design movement.He completed his apprenticeship as cabinetmaker in 1942. From 1944-45 he was visiting student under professor Kaare Klint at the Department of Furniture at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen...
(1923–2003) in the area of industrial design, Jens Harald Quistgaard (1919–2008) for kitchen furniture and implements and Ole Wanscher
Ole Wanscher
Ole Wanscher was a Danish furniture designer. He was one of the leading figures in the Scandinavian Design movement , at a time when Scandinavian Design achieved worldwide popularity....
(1903–1985) who had a classical approach to furniture design.
History
Furniture
Furniture is the mass noun for the movable objects intended to support various human activities such as seating and sleeping in beds, to hold objects at a convenient height for work using horizontal surfaces above the ground, or to store things...
but architecture
Architecture
Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...
, silver
Silver
Silver is a metallic chemical element with the chemical symbol Ag and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it has the highest electrical conductivity of any element and the highest thermal conductivity of any metal...
, ceramics, glass
Glass
Glass is an amorphous solid material. Glasses are typically brittle and optically transparent.The most familiar type of glass, used for centuries in windows and drinking vessels, is soda-lime glass, composed of about 75% silica plus Na2O, CaO, and several minor additives...
and textiles also benefitted from the trend. Denmark's late industrialisation
Late Industrialisation
Alice Amsden, building on the insights of Gerschenkron, identifies Late Industrialization as a particular form of industrialisation the study of which is useful for those interested in study of the prospects for material progress in developing countries...
combined with a tradition of high-quality craftsmanship formed the basis of gradual progress towards industrial production. After the end of the war, Europeans were keen to find novel approaches such as the light wood furniture from Denmark. Last but not least, support in Denmark for freedom of individual expression assisted the cause.
The newly established Furniture School at the Royal Danish Academy of Art
Royal Danish Academy of Art
The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts has provided a practice-oriented complement to the scholarly investigation of the arts carried out at Danish universities for more than 250 years, playing a crucial part in the development of the distinctive tradition of the art of Denmark.- History :The Royal...
played a considerable part in the development of furniture design. Kaare Klint taught functionalism
Functionalism (architecture)
Functionalism, in architecture, is the principle that architects should design a building based on the purpose of that building. This statement is less self-evident than it first appears, and is a matter of confusion and controversy within the profession, particularly in regard to modern...
based on the size and proportions of objects, wielding considerable influence. Hans J. Wegner, who had been trained as a cabinetmaker, contributed with a unique sense of form, especially in designing chairs.
As head of the cooperative FDB furniture design studio, Børge Mogensen designed simple and robust objects of furniture for the average Danish family. Finn Juhl
Finn Juhl
Finn Juhl was a Danish architect, interior and industrial designer, most known for his furniture design. He was one of the leading figures in the creation of "Danish design" in the 1940s and he was the designer who introduced Danish Modern to America.-Early life and education:Finn Juhl was born on...
demonstrated an individualistic approach in designing chairs with an appealing but functional look.
In the early 1950s, the American Charles Eames designed and manufactured chairs of moulded wood and steel pipes. These encouraged Arne Jacobsen
Arne Jacobsen
Arne Emil Jacobsen, usually known as Arne Jacobsen, was a Danish architect and designer. He is remembered for contributing so much to architectural Functionalism as well as for the worldwide success he enjoyed with simple but effective chair designs.-Early life and education:Arne Jacobsen was born...
to design his worldfamous Ant Chair, Denmark's first industrially manufactured chair.
Poul Kjærholm, Verner Panton
Verner Panton
Verner Panton is considered one of Denmark's most influential 20th-century furniture and interior designers. During his career, he created innovative and futuristic designs in a variety of materials, especially plastics, and in vibrant and exotic colors...
and Nanna Ditzel
Nanna Ditzel
Nanna Ditzel was a Danish furniture designer.She studied at the Danish School of Arts and Crafts and the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen graduating in 1946. Her works include cabinet-making, jewellery, tableware and textiles...
followed a few years later, continuing the successful story of Danish design. Kjærholm worked mainly in steel and leather, Panton left Denmark during the 1960s to continue designing imaginative but highly unconventional plastic chairs while Nanna Ditzel, who also had a strongly individualistic approach, was successful in helping to renew Danish furniture design in the 1980s.
Modern trends
The Bernadotte & Bjørn studio, established in 1950, was the first to specialise in industrial design, with an emphasis on office machines, domestic appliances and functional articles such as the thermos jug. The electronics manufacturer Bang & Olufsen
Bang & Olufsen
Bang & Olufsen is a Danish company that designs and manufactures audio products, television sets and telephones. It was founded in 1925 by Peter Bang and Svend Olufsen, whose first significant product was a radio that worked with alternating current, when most radios were run from batteries...
, in collaboration with Bernadotte & Bjørn and later with Jacob Jensen
Jacob Jensen
Jacob Jensen is a Danish industrial designer, best known for his work with Bang and Olufsen.-Life and career:Jensen was born in the Vesterbro area of Copenhagen in 1926. He left school after the seventh grade and completed training as an upholster...
and David Lewis
David Lewis
-Academics:*David Lewis , civil lawyer and first Principal of Jesus College, Oxford*David Lewis , English author and psychologist*David C...
, went on to excel in modern design work. Around the same time, the Stelton company collaborated with Arne Jacobsen
Arne Jacobsen
Arne Emil Jacobsen, usually known as Arne Jacobsen, was a Danish architect and designer. He is remembered for contributing so much to architectural Functionalism as well as for the worldwide success he enjoyed with simple but effective chair designs.-Early life and education:Arne Jacobsen was born...
and Erik Magnussen to produce their iconic vacuum jug, a huge international success.
Another successful design field is medical technology. Danish design companies like 3PART, Designit
Designit
Designit is a international strategic design consultancy founded in 1991, in Aarhus, Denmark.The company helps businesses across all sectors via design driven strategic services. Through collaborative co-creation businesses re-imagine strategies, customer relations and offerings in order to create...
and CBD have worked in this area with individual designers such as Steve McGugan and Anders Smith.
In 2002 the Danish Government and the City of Copenhagen launched an effort to establish a world event for design in Copenhagen.
Originally understood as a tool for branding traditional Danish design the non-profit organization INDEX: shifted focus after worldwide research and coined the concept of Design to Improve Life, which rapidly became celebrated in Denmark and around the world. The organization now hands out the biggest design award in the world biannual in Copenhagen, tours large scale outdoor exhibition around the world, run educational program as well as design labs and hosts a global network.
Today, there is strong focus on design in Denmark as industry increasingly appreciates the importance of design in the business environment. In addition, as part of its trade and industry policy, the Danish government has launched the DesignDenmark initiative which aims to restore Denmark to the international design elite.
Architecture
Architecture of Denmark
The architecture of Denmark has its origins in the Viking period, richly revealed by archaeological finds. It became firmly established in the Middle Ages when first Romanesque, then Gothic churches and cathedrals sprang up throughout the country...
has also contributed to the concept of Danish design.
Arne Jacobsen
Arne Jacobsen
Arne Emil Jacobsen, usually known as Arne Jacobsen, was a Danish architect and designer. He is remembered for contributing so much to architectural Functionalism as well as for the worldwide success he enjoyed with simple but effective chair designs.-Early life and education:Arne Jacobsen was born...
was not just a furniture designer but one of the leading architects of his times. Among his achievements are the Bellevue Theater and restaurant, Klampenborg, (1936), the City Hall, Århus
Århus City Hall
Aarhus City Hall is the city hall of Aarhus, Denmark. It was inaugurated 2 June 1941, and it was drawn by architects Arne Jacobsen and Erik Møller. The decision to build a city hall was taken during a city hall meeting in 1937. As one of just a few Danish city halls it was marked for preservation...
(with Erik Møller
Erik Møller
Svend Erik Møller was a Danish architect.Møller used to work with the famous Danish architect and designer Arne Jacobsen. Together they won the competition to build the new City Hall in Aarhus, which was built from 1938 to 1942. At the same time they built another town hall in Søllerød. From 1955...
) (1939–42) and the SAS Royal Hotel
Radisson SAS Royal Hotel, Copenhagen
The Radisson Blu Royal Hotel is a hotel in Copenhagen, that was designed by Danish architect and designer Arne Jacobsen for the airline Scandinavian Airlines System between 1956 and 1960. At its completion the hotel was the largest in Denmark, at 69.60 meters in height, the first skyscraper in...
(1958–60).
Jørn Utzon
Jørn Utzon
Jørn Oberg Utzon, , AC was a Danish architect, most notable for designing the Sydney Opera House in Australia. When it was declared a World Heritage Site on 28 June 2007, Utzon became only the second person to have received such recognition for one of his works during his lifetime...
(1918–2008), Denmark's most widely recognized architect, is remembered for his modernistic Sydney Opera House
Sydney Opera House
The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue performing arts centre in the Australian city of Sydney. It was conceived and largely built by Danish architect Jørn Utzon, finally opening in 1973 after a long gestation starting with his competition-winning design in 1957...
(1966) and the later Bagsværd Church
Bagsværd Church
Bagsværd Church is a Lutheran church in Bagsværd on the northern outskirts of Copenhagen, Denmark. Designed in 1968 by Jørn Utzon, it was completed in 1976...
(1976) with its wavy concrete roof.
Henning Larsen
Henning Larsen
Henning Larsen is a Danish architect.He is internationally known for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building in Riyadhand the Copenhagen Opera House...
(b. 1925) is the architect who designed the boldly modern Copenhagen Opera House on the island of Holmen
Holmen naval base
Naval Station Holmen is one of several naval stations of the Royal Danish Navy, supplementing the two Danish naval bases in Frederikshavn and Korsør....
which was completed in 2005.
Recent achievements
Today, the concept of Danish design is thriving in an ever wider number of fields. Among recent highlights are:- The Museum of Modern ArtMuseum of Modern ArtThe Museum of Modern Art is an art museum in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, on 53rd Street, between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. It has been important in developing and collecting modernist art, and is often identified as the most influential museum of modern art in the world...
in New YorkNew YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
has chosen to outfit 95 % of its new Yoshio TaniguchiYoshio TaniguchiYoshio Taniguchi is a Japanese architect best known for his redesign of the Museum of Modern Art in New York which was reopened November 20, 2004.- Biography :...
-designed home with furniture by Danish design company GUBI. - The Danish Zenvo ST1 supercarZenvoZenvo or Zenvo Automotive is a Danish sports car company located near Viby Sjælland on the Danish island of Zealand. It is managed by Jesper Jensen, the founder and financier, and Troels Vollertsen. The name 'Zenvo' is derived from a combination of their names.-History:Zenvo Automotive was founded...
- The Evita Peroni suite of women's accessories which now has some 300 stores in 30 countries.
Museums
- The Danish Museum of Art & Design in CopenhagenCopenhagenCopenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
exhibits many of the artifacts associated with Danish design, especially furniture. - New York's Museum of Modern ArtMuseum of Modern ArtThe Museum of Modern Art is an art museum in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, on 53rd Street, between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. It has been important in developing and collecting modernist art, and is often identified as the most influential museum of modern art in the world...
also has a large Danish design collection. - The Danish Design CentreDanish Design CentreDanish Design Centre is a museum in Copenhagen. It is housed in a new building designed by Henning Larsen in the very centre of the city....
in the centre of Copenhagen has both permanent and special exhibitions promoting Danish design.
See also
- Architecture of DenmarkArchitecture of DenmarkThe architecture of Denmark has its origins in the Viking period, richly revealed by archaeological finds. It became firmly established in the Middle Ages when first Romanesque, then Gothic churches and cathedrals sprang up throughout the country...
- Danish modernDanish modernDanish modern, frequently capitalized as Danish Modern, is a vintage style of minimalist wood furniture from Denmark associated with the Danish design movement...