Designer Series: Arne Jacobsen

When we think of furniture; those esteemed designers must also be included in our thoughts. To look at their careers, contributions and the way they mentored the past goes hand in hand. Who should we start with? Of all those people a few have had lasting affect, Arne Jacobsen is with whom I start my look. His contributions had been great and many, in fact I could not imagine excluding a Seven Series chair from the list of items to stock in our store!

Arne Emil Jacobsen (February, 11, 1902-March 24, 1971) has been called the “Father of Danish Modern Design”. His contributions to the modern movement has been widespread and legendary. He is best known for his chair designs, simple, creative and effective. Most are still in production to this day.

Arne Jacobsen was born to an upper-middle class family in Copenhagen. He had originally aspired to become a painter, his father was concerned about a future in this field and suggested he study architecture. In 1924, after a short stint as an apprentice mason, he was accepted to the Architecture School at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts studying under the esteemed Kay Fisker and Kaj Gottlob. During his scholastic time, Jacobson entered a chair design in the 1925 Paris Art Deco fair, Exposition Internationale des Arts Decoratifs et Industriels Modernes, winning a silver medal. Le Corbusier's L'Esprit Nouveau pavilion had caused a stir at the exposition and had struck the young Jacobsen. Upon one of the worst building sites the Pavillon de L'Esprit Nouveau was erected. This modern and stark structure would inspire many of the future designers and architect's, boxy furnishings, paintings of Juan Gris and Jacques Lipchitz sculptures created an environment that was unique, original and functioned.

House of the Future 1929

A trip to Germany would introduce the architecture of Mies Van der Rohe and Walter Gropius to the young architectural student. Jacobsen would draw on their influences through his early career and to create his graduation project, an art gallery, for which he won a gold medal. After graduating he worked with Poul Holsoe at his Copenhagen office for three years. Jacobsen and Flemming Lassen collaborated on the design for a “House of the Future” in 1929. Their design won the competition and was constructed for an exhibition in the Copenhagen Forum. A glass and concrete spiral design house with a flat roof that featured a private garage, helicopter landing pad and boat house. Other features of the house included: windows rolled down like car windows, automated vacuumed doormat to remove dust and dirt as you walked across it, a tube to transport mail and a kitchen stocked with ready-made meals. To finish off the project a Dodge Cabriolet Coupe was parked in the garage, Chris-Craft speed boat for the boathouse and a Auto gyro on the roof. Ultra-modern was the resulting reputation that the men enjoyed and launched Jacobsen to prominence.

Jacobsen in one of his Egg Chairs

Shortly after winning the competition Arne Jacobsen formed his own practice, one that would continue until his death in 1971. Architectural design was the focus, however he liked to design all elements and his works touched as much of an interior as it did the exterior even to the gardens. In 1932 the Bellevue Sea Bath, opened. For the first time a large public project had been completed. He designed everything, from the blue-striped lifeguard towers, kiosks and changing cabins to the tickets and even the uniforms worn by the staff. Later a residential development and the Bellevue Theater. Concrete, glass and open floor plans are to be found. The theater features a retractable roof. All void of ornament, straightforward clean design that establishes Jacobsen as a leader in the International Modern movement. As the 1930's came to a close the practice began to slow, raw material shortages and the concern for the future began to affect the Danish economy.

The Ant Chair 1951

Germany attacked Denmark on April 9, 1940 and quickly overran their forces. At first the occupation was cooperative, allowing the Danish government to remain in power and prevent, German Military Court jurisdiction over Danish citizens, the transfer of Danish troupes to the German military and the persecution of the Jewish population. However in the summer of 1943 the government is dissolved and a rumored planned deportation of Danish Jews becomes known. Due to Jacobsen's Jewish heritage he must go into exile along with nearly all of Denmark's 8,000 Jews. In a small row boat he made the journey across Oresund to Sweden and spent the next two years in exile completing a summer home for two doctors and designed fabric and wall paper.

Lobby of the SAS Royal Hotel taken after 1960.

After the war, Denmark was in ruin. Mass destruction had occurred and public and private structures needed to be built quickly. The simple and spartan designs that Jacobsen had been known for before the war could be quickly built. Slowly his career got back on track and by the early 1950's interesting commissions are landed.

The Series Seven Chair 1955

Swan Chair and Sofa Created for the SAS Royal 1958

The 3-legged narrow backed Ant chair is created from a bent plywood sheet for the Novo pharmaceutical factory expansion in 1951. Several other chairs evolve into the the Seven Series chair of 1955. Inspired by the work of Charles and Ray Emes with their clever use of plywood. The chairs met the demands of modern life, light, stack able and could be produced cheaply.
In 1956 the SAS Royal Hotel project allowed Jacobsen to again design everything, the building, furniture, even the ashtrays and shuttle buses. From this project came the Egg and Swan designs. Throughout his career a collaborative effort was made with manufactures to create, first a lighting line in 1934 with Louis Poulsen, then the furniture production.

Egg Chair 1958

Today we can enjoy the works of not only Arne Jacobsen but those he inspired. He died unexpectedly in 1971 with several large projects in the works. His architecture, for the most part, still stands. His furniture has remained in production. A true designer legend.