Arne Jacobsen
Modernism with aesthetic finesse.
Arne Jacobsen is a world-renowned architect who managed to create a completely new design idiom in architecture and design.
As one of Denmark's best-known and most respected architects, Arne Jacobsen (1902-1971) has become synonymous with modernism both in Denmark and internationally. With his ability to balance stringency and expressiveness, his furniture designs – often created as part of his overall design for buildings – has become known throughout the world.
Jacobsen considered himself first and foremost as an architect. His functionalist buildings range from summer houses to large Gesamtkunstwerk (total work of art), where everything – right down to the cutlery and door handles – bears his mark. One of the most well-known examples is SAS Royal Hotel in Copenhagen, which Jacobsen not only designed, but for which he also created all the interiors.
Whether he was working on building architecture, lighting, textiles, furniture or industrial design, Jacobsen always approached his work with the same uncompromising perfectionism.
His design idiom is functionalist, but with a refined organic aesthetic. He was fascinated by nature, whose organic forms and elements have influenced several of his furniture pieces. But Jacobsen was also modern for his time in his choice of materials, which included steel, moulded plywood and aluminium – always with great respect for the character of the material.
Jacobsen was born in Copenhagen in 1902 and showed an early interest in art and design. He trained as a bricklayer in 1924 and in the same year enrolled at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, School of Architecture, where teachers such as Kaare Klint and Kay Fisker would later influence Arne Jacobsen with their stringent design approach.
Already in his early years at the Academy of Fine Arts, Jacobsen made his mark with designs and ideas that were new and modern and divided opinion. He really made a name of himself when he, together with his friend and fellow student Flemming Lassen, won a competition to design the House of the Future in 1929.
walnut, oil, stainless steel, 160x70 cm, H72 cm
9,931 €
From then on, Arne Jacobsen's career gathered momentum with large buildings and later with furniture and interior design. Over six decades, he made his mark on architecture, furniture design and industrial design, with many of his creations achieving iconic status. These include Nationalbanken, the Bellavista housing estate, Bellevue Theatre and Aarhus City Hall, to name but a few.
Arne Jacobsen also gave high priority to teaching and education. For several years (1956-1965), he was a professor at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen and subsequently became an honorary doctor at University of Oxford and the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow.
As the architect who brought modernism to Denmark and made his own mark on the new movement, he received several Danish and international awards for his work throughout his career, including the RIBA Bronze Medal in 1963 and the Médaille d'Or from the Académie d'Architecture de France in 1971.
"If I get a new life, I want to be a gardener."
- Arne Jacobsen on his lifelong passion for botany.
Our designers
Hans J. Wegner
Danish furniture designer Hans J. Wegner (1914-2007) is considered one of the most creative, innovative, and prolific designers of all times, renowned for his precision, great insight into craftsmanship and uncompromising approach to design.
Anker Bak
Designer and cabinetmaker Anker Bak (b. 1983) is known for his problem-solving and human-centric design approach.
Bodil Kjær
Danish professor and architect Bodil Kjær has significantly contributed to the spread of Danish Modern design principles through her travels, knowledge gathering and promotion of the relationship between design and architecture.
Bonderup & Thorup
Claus Bonderup (1943–2022) and Torsten Thorup (b.1944) are regarded as some of the most prolific post-modern designers, leaving their mark on everything from architecture and international design projects to industrial design.
Brad Ascalon
Brad Ascalon is an American designer born in 1977. He entered the art and design world at a young age. His grandfather, a sculptor and industrial designer, and his father, a renowned artist, encouraged a passion for design, craftsmanship and materials that would last.
Børge Mogensen
Cabinetmaker and designer Børge Mogensen (1914-1972) created durable and simple furniture with a focus on people and is today regarded as one of the most influential representatives of Danish Modern.
EOOS
The design studio EOOS, founded by Martin Bergmann (b. 1963), Gernot Bohmann (b. 1968) and Harald Gründl (b. 1967), enjoys a reputation for its poetic approach to design.
Frits Henningsen
Frits Henningsen was an uncompromising designer known for his perfectionism and vibrant personality. He gave new expression to traditional designs and viewed quality craftsmanship as essential. Unlike most cabinetmakers, he always designed his own furniture pieces.
Kaare Klint
Architect Kaare Klint (1888–1954) was a beacon of Danish design and, with his unique understanding of proportions, he laid the groundwork for the Danish Modern concept.
Larsen & Bender Madsen
Ejner Larsen and Aksel Bender Madsen designed around 300 works, including the Metropolitan Chair. While the chair was their favorite object, they also made other pieces from bedroom suites to bookshelves. The results were always simple and timeless.
Linie Design
Linie Design, a Danish design company, was founded in 1980 and since then has specialized in the development of handmade rugs in elegant designs and of the highest quality materials.
Mads Odgård
The Danish industrial designer Mads Odgård (b. 1960) is known for his minimalist design approach with straight lines, geometric shapes and rationalism.
Mogens Lassen
Architect Mogens Lassen created works rooted in cubist architectural ideals inspired by Le Corbusier. Considered a pioneer of functionalism in Denmark, Lassen’s designs showcased his ability to express ideas through diverse materials.
Morten Gøttler
Morten Gøttler (b.1944) is a Danish designer with a unique appreciation of materials, form and functionality.
Nanna Ditzel & Jørgen Ditzel
Her desire to explore spaces and experiment with techniques on the edge of what is possible led Nanna Ditzel – one of Danish design’s most distinctive personalities – to become acquainted with the entire design universe.
Ole Wanscher
Ole Wanscher was integral to the aesthetic and functionality of modern Danish design. Having studied under Kaare Klint, he helped shape Danish furniture design as a designer and as an educator when he took over Klint’s professorship at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts.
Poul Kjærholm
Poul Kjærholm (1929–1980) was an influential Danish designer known for his functionalist, uncompromising approach, his use of innovative materials and his international outlook rooted in the Danish craftmanship tradition.
Fabricius & Kastholm
Function and minimalism were the watchwords for Danish designers Preben Fabricius (1931–1984) and Jørgen Kastholm (1931–2007), when this design duo created a wide collection of design-led furniture and lighting of international renown.
Rikke Frost
Rikke Frost (b.1973) is recognised for her profound knowledge of materials and for how she combines different craft traditions. This is clearly reflected in her portfolio of designs, where contemporary and traditional design axioms and materials converge in organically styled furniture and lighting.
Strand & Hvass
The Strand + Hvass duo is part of a new breed of Danish designers whose work continues in a direct line from their celebrated predecessors. With the Extend Table design, they infused the modern Danish furniture tradition with a bold new expression.
Tadao Ando
Japanese architect Tadao Ando bases his work on a design philosophy that unites Japanese design traditions with modern Western expression. Inspired by Le Corbusier, Ando’s style is minimalistic and innovative, with a focus on functionality.
Thomas Bo Kastholm
Thomas Bo Kastholm creates designs that unite diverse materials into compelling compositions with clear purpose. The TK8 Daybed, with its close ties to the core principles of classic, modern Danish design, exemplifies Kastholm’s ideals.
When you choose a product from Carl Hansen & Søn, you get more than just a piece of furniture. You will become part of a long and proud tradition of beautiful and distinctive craftsmanship where nothing is left to chance. We are the world’s largest manufacturer of furniture designed by Hans J. Wegner, and we also produce furniture created by renowned furniture designers such as Arne Jacobsen, Børge Mogensen, Ole Wanscher, Kaare Klint, Poul Kjærholm, Bodil Kjær and Tadao Ando. Carl Hansen & Søn represents more than 100 years of Danish design history, and our furniture is sold worldwide.
* Five-year warranty on indoor furniture. Two-year warranty on outdoor furniture
