Will Danish design re-conquer the world?
Think of Denmark and four things spring to mind: Hans Christian Andersen, the melancholy Dane (that would be Hamlet), sugar-coated breakfast pastry and, of course, meticulously crafted teak furniture from the 1940’s and 50’s. Who isn’t familiar with the sleek and sturdy lines of Danish Modern sofas, chairs and dining sets? Anyone growing up in suburban North America in the 1950s and 60s either had at least one piece of Danish Modern somewhere at home or in the office, or knew someone who did.
Back then few people outside the design community thought twice about the furniture’s estimable provenance in the southernmost Nordic nation, even if the Danes dominated much of mid-century Modernism’s design discourse. Their technological innovations, respect for traditional craftsmanship and talent for creating a perfectly pitched harmony of form and function led to a Golden Age of Modernism.
Today’s “style revolution” of design-related magazines, television and websites has reintroduced Danish Modernism to a global audience. The problem with any golden age is that its mythology outlasts its creators. Then a new generation is belaboured with the task of crawling out from under its shadow—while still acknowledging important contributions of the past.
The Danish government is on a mission. The country wants to reclaim its position at the top of the heap of international design. Its domestic industrial design output is worth $40 billion annually. In 2006, the government invested $40 million to promote new Danish design internationally, particularly in the lucrative markets of the U.S. and China. The legacy of Danish Modernism is an impeccable calling card but 21st century Danish design has moved on. Is the world ready to move on too?
When the Museum of Modern Art in New York decided to outfit 95% of its new Yoshio Taniguchi –designed home with vintage Danish Modern pieces, Denmark`s design community got a little nervous. There is a lot of new work by fresh talent that deserves recognition. Fortunately, at the last moment MOMA commissioned an up-and-coming Copenhagen design firm to provide seating for its cafeteria. The resulting Gubi chair went straight from dining room to display when the museum’s curators recognized its design importance and added it to the permanent collection!
The Gubi Chair
Created by Poul Christiansen and Boris Berlin of Komplot Design for the innovative furniture and lighting manufacturer Gubi, the eponymous chair is designed as public seating for meeting rooms, conference rooms, canteens and restaurants. Edges turn away from the human body, creating a soft, organically shaped shell. It is available in beech, maple, oak, and walnut veneer, with optional front padding in fabric or leather. Bases are mat chrome or chrome, stackable or non-stackable. Gubi received a 2003 Best of NeoCon Innovation Award, a 2003 100% Design/Blueprint Award for the Best Product and a 2004 Red Dot Design Award. Its followup, Gubi II, received accolades as well.
The Nobody Chair
In 2007, Komplot’s curvilinear, space-age looking Nobody Chair for Hay really turned heads. Made of 100% recyclable polymer fibre from used beverage containers, frameless Nobody is produced in a single process of thermo-pressing; no additives, glues, resins, screws or other reinforcements. Nobody was honoured with a 2008 Forum AID Award for Best Nordic Product Design. It was recently featured in the London Design Museum’s exhibit, Designs of the Year.
Komplot is just one of many new Danish designers and design firms getting noticed big-time. Like its compatriots, Komplot merges cutting edge technologies and materials, creating items that respond to 21st century needs while retaining the best aspect of the country’s design tradition.
In the 1920’s and 30’s, new post-World War 1 technology inspired simple designs free from the unnecessary adornment of previous eras. In Denmark, bentwood was the material of choice. This was partly due to the fact that tubular steel—the darling of the BauHaus gang—was perceived as too cold for Baltic blood. Besides, wood was much more readily available in wartorn Europe. Developments in synthetic glues and veneering made new forms possible and streamlined the manufacturing process.
Architect Hans J. Wegner (Shell Chair) qualified as a cabinet maker in 1931 and became the most prolific designer associated with Danish Modernism, producing more than 500 designs during his lifetime. Other influential Danish Modern designers include Finn Juhl (Chieftain Chair), Arne Jacobsen (Egg Chair) and Verner Panton (S Chair), among others.
But today’s Danish designers aren’t happy to be carried on the shoulders of giants. They’re making big, bold statements of their own. In fact, the World Economic Forum ranked Denmark #5 for Design Competiveness in 2005, up from 9th place in 2002.
Here are a few designers and firms in addition to Komplot that are putting Denmark back on the design map.
Muuto
OTO 100 Storage System by Pil Bredal
Crushed Bowls by Julien de Smedt
Strand + Hvass
Menuet Dining Set
Black Band Chair
Louise Campbell
Honesty Chair
BlessYou Chair
Refer + Staer
Ice Blue Chandelier
Black Fibre Lighting
To discover more about new Danish Design, visit the Danish Design Centre.
