FÖLD
Our 4 favourite lamps Introducing Scandinavia Looking back: Verner Panton Wood & Steel; The new norsemen
£ 18
FÖLD YOUR CHAIR DOWN When you love design, it’s not about producing. It’s about creating what you feel is right, and making someone want it in a way that isn’t neither logic nor understandable. Giving the audience a feeling of wanting something so bad, that you will do anything to get the hold of it. Our homes are our sanctuaries, and we tend to fill them up with ourselves; our personalities, our families and our dreams. The choises you make while moulding your rooms, tend to have an impact on how your personality develops, and how your friends and family sees you. Scandinavian furniture design focuses on function in an exiting way, and usually finds the most beautiful ways to present it. That is why it has become popular all over the world, and stayed modern for years and years. Sit back, and enjoy your minutes of reading about the scandinavian approach to the everyday life. Maybe you’ll discover a new favourite.
Astri Riedl Smeplass EDITOR
Astri Riedl Smeplass
Graphic Design: Riedl Design Trondheim, norway
2013
IllusTRATIONS: Riedl Design
FONTS: LETTER GOTHIC GOTHAM KOZUKA
14/15
Editor:
16-19
6-13 4/5
3:12 2014
OLD IDEAS / NEW BRAINS
LIGHT - Two classic lamps meets todays design
NEW MINDED SPACING - 30 years of design
INTRODUCING SCANDINAVIA
FÖLD MAGAZINE
THE
VERNER PANTON - Still a classic
GOOD SEATING
IMEÜBLE - Amazing norwegian design
WOOD & STEEL; THE NEW NORSEMEN
30/31
20-25
29 26-27
INSIDE
Thanks to:
HAY.DK
THENORDICMOVEMENT.com
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
BJØRN JØRUND BLIKSTAD
WIKIPEDIA
Danmark.dk
The world's largest population of arctic reindeer herders can be found in Norway
Denmark doesn't do mountains. The tallest hill is a mere 170 meters high. It's called mollehoj. In Sweden, there are more than 300 000 people, having the surname Karlsson.
Now known world-wide, the inventors of LEGO toys got started in Billund, Denmark in 1932 manufacturing not LEGO blocks but stepladders! Billund is now the home of Legoland Theme Park
F
It is a common misunderstanding to believe that Finland and iceland are Scandinavian coutries, even though they're not. They are nordic countries.
A T S
In Norway's dark winter during the Polar Nights, the sun is up for only 3 hours a day in some parts (and in others, doesn't come up at all), a phenomena which is said to affect and slow pregnancies of Norwegian women. On the other hand, the NRK reports that there are more births in Norway in April than in any other month - apart from the town of Bod, where the majority of births are in October and November!
C
Sweden is known for innovation and inventions. It is the country that first offered the perfected zipper, the marine propeller, the fridge, the heart pace maker and even created your computer mouse. Not to forget the much-loved discount furniture retailer IKEA and fashion from H&M.
The cities in Scandinavia are wonderful travel destinations for every visitor in the mood for interesting Scandinavian city life and modern urban atmosphere. The capitals of the Scandinavian countries are Stockholm (Sweden), Oslo (Norway) and Copenhagen (Denmark). Other great city destinations include the Norwegian city of Bergen, and Malo and Gothenburg in Sweden.
The coldest hotel in the world - Ice Hotel - is located in the village Jukkasj채rvi in northern Sweden. It is rebuilt each year.
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SCANDINAVIAN DESIGN Scandinavian design emerged in the 1950s in the three cold, old traditionned countries Denmark, Norway and
Scandinavian design. The ideological background was
Sweden. It is a design movement, that is character-
availability of new low-cost materials and methods for
ized by simplicity, minimalism and last but not least
mass production. Scandinavian design often makes
the functionality.
use of form-pressed wood, plastics, anodized or
the emergence of a particular Scandinavian form of social democracy in the 1950s, as well as the increased
enameled aluminum or pressed steel. THE LUNNING PRIZE, awarded to the outstanding Scandinavian designers between 1951 and 1970, was
THE CONCEPT OF Scandinavian design has been the
instrumental in both making Scandinavian design a
subject of many scholarly debates, exhibitions and
recognized commodity, and in defining the profile
marketing agendas during the last fifty years, but
of Scandinavian design. Since 2006, the tradition of
many of the democratic design ideals that were the
a pan-Nordic design award has been resumed with
central theme of the movement have survived and can
the Forum AID Award. The idea that beautiful and
be found resonant in contemporary design work by
functional everyday objects not only should only be
Scandinavian and international designers.
affordable to the wealthy, but to all, is a core theme in the development of modernism and functionalism, but is probably most completely realised in post-WWI
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New minded
S P AC I N G Scandinavian furniture has reached new hights. Instead of letting the room define the furniture, the furniture
thenordicmovement.com
by Laura Stadler-Jensen
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MARCH MARCH2013 2013
defines the guide lines of the entire space.
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HAY SHOP The Danish design company HAY became famous at the IMM Cologne 2003. Instead of copying the masters do they want to develop their works further in modern, contemporary context.
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MARCH 2013
Around the 80s it became clear that Scandinavian design lost ground.
HEE DINING CHAIR Hee Welling’s designs are deeply rooted in the Scandinavian design tradition, which is evident in his simple, functional and refined designs. Form and function are the two important guidelines in his works.
JUDITH GURA has followed the Scandinavian furniture industry for
more interest in using plastics and metals and experimenting with off-
Scandinavians have never had the craving for
almost 30 years. After realizing a book had not been written about the
beat forms that are very obviously coming out of the machine. The other
new things that Americans have ‒ where the
industry since the 80s and taking note of the growing number of new
major change is that the entire market, and the designers themselves,
idea of “planned obsolescence” meant we
designs introduced since the classics, she knew it was time for a Scan-
are very international. There is no such thing as “typical Scandinavian
always wanted the newest thing. In the late
dinavian revival. The result was the creation of the recently published,
design” any more. At one time, I could walk into a room and identify
60s and 70s, the Italians became much more
“Sourcebook of Scandinavian Furniture.” I had the opportunity to discuss
a piece of Scandinavian furniture. I can’t do that anymore, and that’s
experimental. They were more open to new
the book with Judith and explore what she sees as the driving forces
really a good thing.
ideas and the market responded to this, and
behind today’s Scandinavian furniture designs, how designers are being influenced by the classics, which innovations are breaking new ground and what she sees for the future.
What are the latest directions in Scandinavian furniture design?
turned away from the Scandinavians. Whatʼs happened since the classics? Nothing really happened for almost two decades. To a large degree,
What traditions are being kept in the design
the designers were intimidated by the greats. They may have thought,
styles of today?
“What can I do after Hans Wegner or Alvar Aalto?” Either they chose not
The traditions are not as visual so much as
The new developments are mostly in terms of new materials and
to do anything or to do something that followed in the same tradition.
cultural. Much of the design coming from the
technology. The original tradition of respect for craft, ecological design
The other thing that hampered Scandinavian design, particular Danish
Nordic countries has always been socially re-
and love for natural materials and handwork still remains. Now there is
furniture, was that it was good, well made and served its purpose. The
sponsible with a concern for ergonomics and universal design. In general, social concerns and humanism have had priority over novelty and design. For example, back to the 60s there
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What about the future? Where do you see
was good looking Scandinavian furniture for
the designers today recognize they cannot
children and they have also designed fur-
count on the success of their predecessors
things going from here?
niture for the elderly and the disabled. This
to be successful.
There will be more diversity overall. We’re
tradition still informs their design today. They
Which designers and pieces best illustrate
already seeing it. Some of the new designs
are as concerned with whether the chair is
this new movement?
are crossing the boundaries between furni-
comfortable than they are whether it’s really
Design firms like Norway Says (Norway),
ture and art. What’s being called, “design art”
good looking.
CKR (Sweden) and Komplot Design (Denmark)
in the U.S. or limited edition pieces, is now
Are the new designers resting on the success
are working in interesting new directions.
of interest to Scandinavian designers as well.
of the 50s?
Komplot, a team of two designers, have been
Kallemo in Sweden for instance has done
Not any more. But it took about two genera-
experimenting with new materials, form and
some limited editions by designers like
tions. This book couldn’t have been written in
technology including rigid felt infused with
Jonas Bohlin that are as much about
the 90s. Designers had to get far enough away
a kind of fiber glass or resin and a chair made
art as they are furniture. If you look at
from the burden of the tradition to feel free
with laminated, heavy rubber. The firm Front,
Christian Flindt’s rainbow colored Lucite
to experiment and explore. Around the 80s it
a team of four Swedish women, is using com-
stacked chairs called “Parts of a Rainbow,”
became clear that Scandinavian design lost
puter imaging to create pieces literally out of
that’s also a good example. All of this is
ground. When increasing promotion wasn’t
thin air using something called Rapid Proto-
going to make the market more exciting, but
enough, fundamental change in the design
typing. Some of the other designers to men-
we’re not going to go back to the time of
was necessary. There was an awareness that
tion include Louise Campbell and Kasper Salto
classic Scandinavian furniture because that
selling it as “Scandinavian design” was selling
(DK), Stefan Lindfors and Sari Anttonen in
belonged when it was.
the same old image. There is no doubt that
(FIN), Thomas Sandell and Anki Gnieb (SE), Johan Verde (NO) and Sigurdur Gustafsson (IS).
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MARCH 2013
AMAZING DIVERSITY The stores of today offers an extremely wide range of products. And if that wasn’t enough, you can also often choose between colors, materials and even sizes. All you need is a place to put it and the wallet to fit.
SCANDINAVIAN MODERN
Designers and architects are less concerned with design
A spare and stripped down appearance defines the style,
theory than practical and social humanitarian matters.
although classical ordering and some classical elements,
Common to Scandinavian design are simplicity, human
such as columns, may appear.
scale, modesty, practicality, elegance, and excellent crafts-
Common attributes to look for: a copper, brick facade and
manship. They carry traditions of the environment or land-
irregular grouping.
scape, respect for materials, and natural materials.
Common building types include railway terminals,
National Romanticism and Neoclassicism dominates.
churches, libraries, town halls, houses, and public housing. Plans may be simple or interlocking rectangles.
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FLOWER POT (1968)
Werner Panton The lamp consists of two semi-circular spheres facing each other. The diameter of the upper sphere is twice as large as the lower one. The lower sphere hides the
UNFOLD PENDANT (2005)
bulb, while its interior serves as a colourful reflecting
MUUTO NEW NORDIC
surface.
The industry lamp is a classic, and sought-after design MATERIAL: ENAMELLED INDUSTRIAL METAL
that is exiting to provide a new perspective on. The interpretation of the industrial design classic comes in a refined material that gives the lamp a modern and warm appearance. The soft silicone rubber gives Unfold a modern and warm personality. It also enables the lamp to be folded into a neat package by a slight push on the top.
MATERIAL: SILICONE RUBBER
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MARCH 2013
PH5 (1958)
POUL HENNINGSEN The PH5 lamp provides a glare free illumination. The design of the visible reflectors ensures that light is directed both vertically and horizontally. Light is diffused through a sandblasted glass shield located in the lower shade. The inside cone is painted red, and together with the small blue reflector creates a warmer tone of light. The Louis Poulsen PH5 pendant lamp was designed to hang low above a table while at the same time giving a moderate light to the surroundings.
MATERIAL: ALUMINUM WITH MATTE FINISH
E27 (2011)
matthias stühlbom E27 departs from the essence of a lamp; the socket – creating a simple yet strong object that celebrates the potential beauty in simplicity. The simplicity of the naked bulb is hard to compete with. It represents something that feels romantic and contemporary at the same time.
MATERIAL: SILICONE RUBBER
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OLD IDEAS/ NEW BRAINS
A new Scandinavian Modern revival is under way, but it’s not quite with the high technology spark innovation in form and function. While retaining the deep traditions of the past, it took the basic concept of modernism and fused it with the traditional materials. The result is beautifully made furniture in organic shapes chiefly fashioned from wood, which is in abundance in Scandinavia. It´s basic philosophy ‘beauty for all’ has arguably been continued into the present day with the Swedish phenomenon of IKEA.
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ARNE JACOBSEN
SVEN IVAR DYSTHE
CARL MALMSTEN Furniture designer, architect, and educator
He is remembered for his contribution to
who was known for his devotion to traditional
architectural Functionalism as well as
Swedish craftmanship and his opposition to functionalism. He considered rationalization of the home according to some functionalist principles a debasement of its traditional role as an intimate place for gathering and repose.
NO
1931-
for the worldwide success he enjoyed with simple but effective chair designs. In spite of his success with his chair at the Paris Exhibition in 1925, it was during the 1950s that his interest in furniture design peaked.
SE
DK
1888-1972
1902-1971
Industrial designer, who is especially known for his furniture. He studied in Britain, where in 1953 he graduated in industrial design at the Royal College of Art in London. In 1958 he started his own practice in Oslo and quickly won recognition internationally for his work. The Royal Court announced 13 January 2010 that the king has appointed Dysthe Knight of the 1st of St. Olav for his efforts as an industrial designer.
ANKI GNEIB
TORBJĂ˜RN ANDERSSEN
HEE WELLING He has mostly drawn furniture, but also glass, textiles and lamps. Throughout Norway Says
DK
1972-
he has developed and enhanced relationship between Norwegian industry and designers, working for Norwegian design internationally. In 2004, members of Norway Says became the first Norwegian design group being hired
SE 1965-
by the IKEA corporation.
NO
1976-
Hee Welling is a young Danish designer who
Anki today works as an independent
graduated as a designer from the Danish
architect and designer and runs her own
Design School in Copenhagen in 2003,
studio in Stockholm. The studio works on a
specialising in product and furniture design.
wide range of projects, such as total interior
Hee Welling’s designs are deeply rooted in
design solutions for residential homes and
the Scandinavian design tradition, which is
public spaces as well as furniture, lighting as
evident in his simple, functional and refined
well as product design. She typically runs
designs. Form and function are the two
projects from an early stage to the final result
important guidelines in his works.
with a big amount of creative thinking and focus on facility branding. MARCH 2013
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FACING NEW CONTRASTS WITHIN NORDIC CULTURE
MARCH 2013
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LOUNGE SEATING BY WERNER
SCANDINAVIAN DESIGN = GOOD STORAGING
A GOOD WORKING SPACE NEEDS LOTS OF WOOD
HAY DESIGNHOUSE USES CONTRAST COLOURS
Text: The Wall Street Journal by J. S. MARCUS
TWELVE YEARS AGO THIS WEEK,
Eliasson, Danish chef René Redzepi and
tor, speaking about the whole of the
Denmark's Queen Margrethe II and
Oslo architecture firm Snøhetta have
Nordic region. Functionalism may be
five sovereign countries—Denmark,
Sweden's King Carl XVI Gustaf offi-
risen to top of their fields.
a mere style elsewhere; in the Nordic
Sweden, Norway, Finland and Iceland.
countries, where a culture was built
These countries participate in political
cially dedicated the eight-kilometer Øresund Bridge, formally linking the
Last weekend, Denmark's Louisi-
category to a specific description of
up in response to harsh natural condi-
organizations, such as the Nordic Coun-
tions, "we want to use what we have
cil of Ministers, and share an embassy
Danish capital with southern Sweden.
ana Museum of Modern Art opened a
No one realized it at the time, but that
comprehensive exhibition called "New
around us in a very honest way," he
complex in Berlin. Still, Nordic isn't al-
event turned out to be the firing of a
Nordic," which explores the state of
says. Simplicity, he believes, is what
ways easy to define, and may include
starter pistol, ushering in a new era
pan-Nordic identity. Although primar-
connects the culinary innovations of
Greenland, an autonomous part of
of cultural prowess and exchange
ily an architecture exhibition, the show
Mr. Redzepi's Noma, the Copenhagen
the Kingdom of Denmark, and even
among Europe's Nordic peoples, who,
includes everyone from an Icelandic
restaurant often cited as the best in the
Estonia, whose language is related to
in growing closer to each other, have
photographer and a Danish restau-
world, with "the way we make design
Finnish.
also brought the world closer to them.
rateur to a Norwegian novelist and a
and buildings," as well as the several
Finnish textile designer.
schools of Nordic film, like Denmark's
The Louisiana exhibition features a
Dogme 95 movement, which sought
number of "theaters," or installations, in which practitioners from various
In detective fiction and cooking, in art, architecture and design, the new
What unites the vast expanse of Eu-
to radically simplify the technology of
Nordic way has won over fans and fol-
rope's northern edge in such a wide
making movies.
lowers everywhere, as figures such as
range of disciplines? "I think we have
disciplines are meant to answer the question: "What does Nordic mean to
the late Swedish crime novelist Stieg
a special way of looking at things,"
In recent decades, "Nordic" has gone
you?" For many, the key to this new
Larsson, Icelandic-Danish artist Olafur
says Kjeld Kjeldsen, the show's cura-
from a loose geographic or linguistic
Nordic identity is the shared political
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MARCH 2013
THE LIVINGROOM BECAME A PERSONAL ZONE IN THE 50S
60S CHIC S-CHAIR CAMPAIGN
THE FLOWERPOT LAMPS
LOUNGE ENTIRELLY DECORATED BY PANTON
vision of the social-welfare state and its
Miracle," when the international art
1960s with their series of detective
emphasis on the collective rather than
world discovered a number of new
stories, featuring a Swedish policeman
published cartoons that Danish Muslims and many in the international
individual endeavors.
talents from the region. Mr. Eliasson,
named Martin Beck. "I read them when
community found offensive. Elsewhere,
now 45 years old, recalls that he didn't
I was in school," says Danish television
crime novelists have used the genre to
"The sense of collectivity" is so strong
like being pushed into the Nordic cat-
writer Søren Sveistrup. Mr. Sveistrup is
report on sex trafficking and overseas
in Nordic countries, says artist Olafur
egory at the time, but more recently,
the creator of "Forbrydelsen," known
use of child labor.
Eliasson, "that it's almost instinctive."
he says, he has embraced it. "I have
in English as "The Killing," a Danish
Mr. Eliasson, whose sculptures and
come to appreciate the culture I carry."
crime series, now filming its third sea-
The outsider status of Scandinavia's
installations are often developed in a
He also says he feels a strong affinity
son, which has become a hit around
new immigrants is a theme in the
the world.
Berlin studio with a large staff, says that
with fellow Nordic superstars, such as
the belief in a collective whole doesn't
Mr. Redzepi, who has cooked for his
work of 41-year-old Swedish artist Sir-
mean a uniformity of opinion. What is
studio, and Snøhetta, with whom he
The Martin Beck character is the
at 15 and has come to prominence
"unique" about the Nordic idea of a col-
collaborated on the firm's 2007 Oslo
forefather of Henning Mankell's Kurt
in the period following the art-world
lective, he says, "is the high degree of
Opera House, one of Europe's most
Wallander, Stieg Larsson's muckraking
buzz about the Nordic Miracle. Unlike
diversity."
admired new buildings.
journalist Mikael Blomkvist, and, most
many Nordic artists, Mr. Namazi is less
recently, Harry Hole, a tough Oslo de-
inspired by the natural world than by
ous Namazi, who emigrated from Iran
Mr. Eliasson, born in Denmark to Ice-
The social-welfare state, particularly
tective created by Jo Nesbø. The Nordic
what the Stockholm-based artist calls
landic parents and strongly marked
in its Swedish incarnation, has had a
countries "are cozy," Mr. Sveistrup says,
"the urban landscape" of Scandinavia,
by his encounters with the Icelandic
strong Utopian component. A con-
"but there are a lot of problems beneath
visible in the menacing suburban
landscape, says that he tried to avoid
trary need to find what was lurking
the surface." He cites Denmark's diffi-
balcony and satellite dish of his 2002
the Nordic label for much of his career.
underneath the egalitarian prosper-
culties in assimilating its new Muslim
sculpture "Periphery."
An early sign of the Nordic countries'
ity of Swedish society inspired the
minority. Denmark's domestic troubles
current cultural flowering came in the
couple Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö to
made headlines around the world in
While Nordic societies have grown
early 2000s with the so-called "Nordic
pioneer the Nordic crime novel in the
2005 when a Copenhagen newspaper
more cosmopolitan over the past
MARCH 2013
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decade, the countries have maintained
Storåkers says that being part of the
There are major differences in
spring, Esben Holmboe Bang, a
taste inside the Nordic region, says
30-year-old Danish-born chef, saw his
an independent spirit in the wider
Nordic region is "like having brothers
world. Norway and Iceland remain out-
and sisters." You might say, "my brother
Mirkku Kullberg, chief executive of
1.5-year-old Oslo restaurant, Maaemo,
side the European Union; Denmark and
and sister don't really look like me, but
Artek, the Helsinki furniture company
receive two Michelin stars in its debut
Sweden have stayed clear of the euro.
when you meet other people they look
co-founded by architect Alvar Aalto,
ranking. In fashion, Sweden's market-
like family."
whose application of Modernism to
ing-savvy, casual-wear labels have
Nordic materials still stands as a foun-
countered the "nice and cute" image
This separate sensibility has promoted a thriving regional art market, says Michael Storåkers, chief executive and
Marius Holst—a Norwegian film direc-
dation of Scandinavian architecture
with sleek and snappy exports. Jeans
head of the Bukowskis Group, Scan-
tor who often uses Danish and Swed-
and design. After Finland and Japan,
labels like Nudie and Cheap Monday
dinavia's biggest auction house, with
ish talent in his movies—says, "If I go
Sweden is Artek's most important
have turned the skinny-jeans trend
offices in Sweden and Helsinki.
to Los Angeles, I feel very Nordic." Al-
market, but "Swedes take an easier ap-
into high-volume sales, while Acne,
though he is keenly aware of linguistic
proach" to home furnishings, she says,
long transcending its denim origins,
differences between the three Scan-
than the Finns, whose general serious-
has become a label of first resort
ness she describes as "fundamentalist."
around the world. Meanwhile, WeSC,
Bukowskis has proved a prime seller of sculpture by Mr. Eliasson, and Bu-
dinavian countries, on one hand, and
kowskis' Swedish competitor, Stock-
Finland and Iceland, on the other, he
holms Auktionsverk, holds the record
concedes there is a "common state of
for a Swedish painting. Anders Zorn's
mind." There is "some sort of reserve in
"Summer Delight" (1886) sold in 2010
Nordic culture," he says.
for 26 million Swedish kronor. Mr.
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The New Nordic cuisine wave, ushered in by Mr. Redzepi and a small
a Stockholm-based fashion label with a skateboard appeal, has helped to turn headphones into fashion accessories.
group of Swedish chefs, has reached
European runways are also feeling
the outer rungs of Scandinavia. This
the heat of Nordic creativity. Henrik
MARCH 2013
Vibskov, a Danish designer who shows in Paris, has a playful fashion sense that
Nordic materials still stands as a foundation of
steers clear of Scandinavian minimal-
Scandinavian architecture and design
ism, emphasizing instead the eclectic sensibility of multicultural Copenhagen.
Mirkku Kullberg
One of the more compelling panNordic creations this past year is the
neo-Functionalist silver bar set created
for the Danish label Georg Jensen by Finnish-born Swedish architect and designer Thomas Sandell. Simple but elegant, the set, including silver coasters and sculptural bottle stops, is about as close to luxury as Nordic design gets. Mr. Sandell says the emphasis on the collective has created a fear of the luxurious, in fashion as well as design. "You can spend a lot of money to look poor," he says of high-end, ready-towear Scandinavian fashion labels. In our tradition," he says. "You should never show off." During a recent conversation at his Stockholm studio, Mr. Sandell offered up a custom-made solution to the problem—his Rolex watch, from which he had carefully removed the bling-laden bracelet, replacing it with a humble leather band. "I'm not trying to be Nordic," he says. But admits, "I know I am."
THE CULTURAL PRIDE Louisiana Museum og modern art just outside of Copenhagen, Denmark puts nordic and scandinavian design back on the agenda. Here you can explore art, as well as furniture and architecture in the eyes of the modern scandinavian society.
MARCH 2013
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IMEÜble Imüeble was first discovered in the mind and sketchbook of a young designer from Norway. Bjørn Jørund Blikstad, an avant-garde furniture designer and masters degree graduate from Oslo National Academy of the Arts, was tired of traditional shelving options and wanted to discover what happens when utility and design collide. ‘I was intrigued by the concept of a link between the storage inside and outside
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MARCH 2013
our minds. An idea that our memory functions are spatial, like when you’re reading a book, spatial images occur of scenes and characters. It’s that transition from the two dimensional to a feeling of three dimensions that is very fascinating.’ With Imeüble, Blikstad has achieved an incredible and engaging representation of that transition of memory from 2D to 3D that not only looks beautiful but also works beautifully too.
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Ä Ö Æ Ø Å
28 MARCH / 28/MARCH 20132013
THE EGG (1958) Depth
Width
79 (95) cm
86 cm
Height 74 cm
Depth
Width
50 cm
54,5 cm
Height 83 cm
Depth
Width
61 cm
50 cm
factured by Republic of Fritz
Height 107 cm
hagen, Denmark. It is manu-
Weight 5.5 kg
by Arne Jacobsen for the Radisson SAS hotel in Copen-
Weight 5.9 kg
The Egg is a chair designed
Weight 18.1 kg
ARNE JACOBSEN
Hansen. It was designed in a typical Jacobsen style, using state-of-the-art material. MATERIAL: STEEL FRAME, FABRIC COVER
THE BENTO CHAIR (2012)
PETRUS PALMER The chair is generous in size and has a built-in flex in the backrest ensuring extremely good seating comfort. The broad legs are a wink at the tradition of bending wood, but at the same time it’s a bit bold. “It’s definitely messing with your preconceptions of Nordic design”, MATERIAL: ASH WOOD
THE S-CHAIR (1967)
Verner Panton The world’s first moulded plastic chair, it is considered to be one of the masterpieces of Danish design. Stackable. MATERIAL: PLASTIC
[tʃɛə] MARCH 2013
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Illustration: Astri Riedl Smeplass
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MARCH 2013
AHEAD OF
TIME
Text: denmark.dk by Carl H. Berg
With his provocative choices of material, his playful shapes and his bold use of colour the enfant terrible of Danish design Verner Panton has made some of the most iconic Danish design including the S chair and the flowerpot lamps
BORN IN 1926 Panton began his creative career as a painter before studying architecture at the Royal Danish Academy
The S-chair
During the sixties and seventies Panton experimented with
of Art. After graduating in 1951 he worked for a while at the
designing entire environments, often described as radical,
office of the iconic architect and designer Arne Jacobsen.
psychedelic and suitable for the space age. Among his
Panton got this job with a bit of help from his father in law,
famous works during this period are the Visiona II interior
another Danish architect and design giant Poul Henningsen
at the 1970 Cologne Furniture Fair and his design for the
whose step-daughter Panton had married in 1950.
editorial house of German magazine Der Spiegel.
ALL WAS SET for Panton to pursue a more “conventional”
PANTON CONTINUED his prolific work in the 80s and 90s
career in the Danish design and architecture world. But
renovating and redesigning buildings and constantly
Panton proved to be “stubborn and forever young” as Poul
inventing new furniture. Between ʻ81 and ʻ86 he won the
Henningsen expressed it, and instead of staying on in Arne
German design prize Deutsche Auswahl five times and in
Jacobsen’s studio he went on a three year study tour of
1998 Panton was awarded the Cross of Honour of the Order
Europe in a converted VW van that functioned as his office.
of Dannebrog by the Danish Queen.
Daring furniture design
Verner Panton died on September 5th 1998, just 12 days
Back in Denmark, Panton set up his own none mobile studio
before the inauguration of a major retrospective exhibition
and started transforming the numerous impressions from
of his work.
his travels into some of the most daring furniture design the world had seen. “The principal purpose of my work is to challenge people to use their imagination” he exclaimed. Among his most famous pieces is the S chair, which became the world’s first one-piece moulded plastic chair, the cone chair and the flowerpot lamps.
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Defying gravity
The Heart Cone Chair was both futuristic and shocking. So much so that when it was exhibited in a shop window in New York City police had to order its removal due to the traffic chaos its presence created.
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