Scandinavian Design.

Scandinavian design emerged in the 1950’s in countries like Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Norway and Iceland. Scandinavian design is known for its use of wood, light colours, soft curves which in some products resemble the famous fjords and it’s also known for minimalism and functionality. Scandinavian design consists of designers like Arne Jacobsen, Eero Saarinen and Paul Hennigsen. 

The Fjords.

Arne Jacobsen was a Danish designer and was among the first designers to launch modern design in his home country. He was originally influenced and inspired by Le Corbusier, Mies Van Der Rohe and the modern Movement Designers.  Jacobsen produced furniture designs for fritz Hansen a decade before he produced his famous Egg and Swan chairs which he produced in the years 1957-1958. To produce the egg chair, Jacobsen used a new technique which consisted of polyurethane foam upholstery supported by a fibreglass body. This was done to create the chairs rounded shell.  Jacobsen wanted to produce a chair that looked and felt comfortable. The bright red colour attracts attention and the sides of the chair give the person who is sitting on the chair a sense of privacy due to the fact that they sides and “wings” of the chair are curved inwards. Even though the structural appearance of the chair was much admired, it was only made in limited numbers at first. Jacobsen is also known for his Ant chair which he produced in 1951.

Egg chair.

Paul Hennigsen was a Danish designer and approached his designs with a utilitarian approach. Hennigsen brought good design to the masses and appreciated the traditional forms of design. Unfortunately many of his designs were produced after his death. Hennigsen is known for his Ph Artichoke lamp which he produced in 1958. Paul Hennigsen studied the reduction of glare and the use of soft and warm lighting systems to help improve his design. The artichoke lamp is made out of copper and steel. The metal leaves that are found on the lamp are angled downwards. This is done so that they reflect the light and spread illumination across the room without producing glare. Another interesting factor about this lamp is that it is impossible to see the central bulb due to the arrangements of the metal leaves and the steel cylinder. Hennigsen’s Artichoke lamps popularity grew due as people discovered that it would suit both traditional and modern interiors.  

Artichoke Lamp.

 Eero Saarinen was a Finnish designer and used organic forms in architecture. He is famously known for his designs like the: TWA terminal in the Kennedy airport in New York and also for his tulip chair and Table. Saarinen’s Tulip Table is made out of a cast aluminium base and a wood top. The tulip Table was produced in 1956. Saarinen wanted to clear up the “slum of legs” that most tables consisted of.  So he designed a single trumpet shaped base that gradually gets wider until it forms an almost flat disc at the base.

Tulip Table.

References:

Pash. 2015. Tulip Table inspired by Eero Saarinen. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.pash-living.co.uk/tulip-table-inspired-by-eero-saarinen.html. [Accessed 25 January 15]

moderndallas. 2010. 

Vintage Artichoke Ceiling Lamp designed in 1958 by Poul Henningsen. [ONLINE] Available at: https://moderndallas.wordpress.com/2010/02/08/vintage-artichoke-ceiling-lamp-designed-in-1958-by-poul-henningsen/. [Accessed 25 January 15].

eameschair. 2015. Arne Jacobsen Inspired Egg Chair in Red cashmere. [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.eameschair.org.uk/buy/arne-jacobsen-inspired-egg-chair-in-red-cashmere/. [Accessed 25 January 15].

Worldguide. 2014. Scandinavian Design. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.worldguide.eu/wg/index.php?StoryID=148&ArticleID=23189&ChapterID=2. [Accessed 25 January 15].