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MOGENS KOCH
1898 — 1992
FRITS HENNINGSEN
1889 — 1965
POUL KJÆRHOLM
1929 — 1980
EJNER LARSEN
1917 — 1987
AKSEL BENDER MADSEN
1916 — 2000
Mogens Koch’s designs reveal some of the most elegant
and important solutions to the requirements of function,
comfort and aesthetics. His works – which included homes,
monuments, building extensions, graphic design, and objects
for the home and, of course, furniture – stand out as original
examples of universal utility.
From 1925 to 1932, Koch experienced the principles of
Danish functionalism in a number of design studios – including
Kaare Klint’s. Koch’s patient study, analytical mind and
creative spirit resulted in functional solutions, showing a
clear simplicity of form that respected and built on the work
of previous generations. A focus on essential structural
components and mathematics also played key roles in Koch’s
process. Traditional ornamentation and decoration for its
own sake were not part of Koch’s vernacular – an object’s
purpose led the way.
In his search for meaning and mathematical order, Koch
developed the modular concept for one of his major design
successes: his Bookcase System, with dimensions based on
the most common book heights. His Folding Series is similarly
renowned for its versatility, detail, and functionality based on
everyday needs and the space constraints of modern living.
The Bookcase System design – initially developed for Koch’s
own home – offered a highly flexible, practical storage solution.
In 1928, he drew the first sketches for the core square
module, offering a minimalist aesthetic and intelligent,
varied storage. Following Klint’s ideologies, Koch’s Bookcase
System has succeeded in bringing everyday home objects
into graphic order for over 80 years. Koch was an influential
professor at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Copen-
hagen from 1950 until 1968. His numerous awards include
the Eckersberg Medal in 1938, the C. F. Hansen Medal in 1963,
and the ID Prize in 1992.
Renowned as an uncompromising designer, Frits Henningsen
viewed quality craftsmanship as essential, and unlike most
cabinetmakers, always designed his own furniture pieces.
In 1911, at age 22, Henningsen completed his cabinetmaker
apprenticeship with one of the most recognized cabinetmakers
of his day, I.P. Mørck. He then traveled around Europe to
gather experience and inspiration, working in Germany,
France and Great Britain before returning to Copenhagen
in 1915. He opened his own furniture shop, drawing on
customer input to better understand demand and improve
production processes.
As a member of the Copenhagen Cabinetmakers Guild,
Henningsen became a major driver of the furniture exhibitions
of the period, gaining recognition for his perfectionist style
and vibrant personality. His designs reinterpreted traditional
expressions from other style periods with a modern and
organic flavor. He drew inspiration from the French Empire,
rococo, and British 17th-century furniture. Henningsen was
greatly influenced by Kaare Klint, one of his teachers at
technical college. The competition that arose between them
led to a constant renewal and reinterpretation of furniture
craftsmanship on both sides.
For Henningsen, it was the furniture item – not its creator –
that deserved center stage. This was one of the main reasons
his designs never achieved the same popularity as those of
some of his contemporaries. Henningsen’s more functional
design style developed from historically inspired to simpler,
timeless work that remains relevant today. Like the work of
Kaare Klint and Ole Wanscher, Henningsen’s oeuvre is rooted
in classic craftsmanship with a design expression that has
broad appeal – a combination embodied in his Heritage Chair
and his final design, the Signature Chair.
Through his influential work as an architect and a teacher,
Poul Kjærholm became an international design figure and
key representative of modernism. He combined his strict,
modern idiom with an uncompromising approach to quality
and materials rooted in Danish craftsmanship traditions.
Despite his short career as a furniture designer, Kjærholm’s
exquisite craftsmanship and clear expression resulted in
timeless designs whose influence extended globally and well
beyond his own lifetime.
Kjærholm became known for his functionalist steel, leather
and glass furniture. After training as a cabinetmaker, he studied
furniture design at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in
Copenhagen, graduating in 1952. He returned as a lecturer in
1955, succeeding Ole Wanscher as professor in 1976. He stayed
at the Academy until his death in 1980, influencing through
his work and teaching both within and outside the Academy.
Just like Kaare Klint, Kjærholm removed superfluous
ornamentation in favor of clarity and function – the
hallmarks in his work as both an educator and a designer.
He avoided easy solutions and fads in his search for each
material’s own language. Kjærholm’s linear aesthetic and
expression were influenced by global pioneers such as Gerrit
Rietveld, Mies van der Rohe and Charles Eames.
In the post-war, industrial years, Kjærholm distanced himself
from the rounded, organic shapes of contemporary Danish
design. He felt that Denmark could only industrialize production
if its products were technically superior to their traditionally
crafted counterparts – he sought new ways to unite tradition
and innovation. Kjærholm’s furniture is represented in many
international museums, including the Museum of Modern Art
in New York. His awards include the Lunning Award in 1958,
the Eckersberg Medal in 1960, and multiple ID Prizes.
Ejner Larsen and Aksel Bender Madsen, trained as furniture
upholsterer and cabinetmaker, respectively, met while studying
under leading Danish designer Kaare Klint at the Royal Danish
Academy of Fine Arts.
Their acquaintance developed into a lifelong friendship, and
in 1947 they began designing together in their spare time.
They jointly exhibited furniture every year thereafter at the
Copenhagen Cabinetmakers’ Guild Exhibition.
While the chair was the duo’s favorite furniture piece, they
also designed complete lounge sets, bedroom suites,
bookshelves, dining tables and office furniture. The resulting
work was always simple and timeless. Together, Larsen and
Bender Madsen designed approximately 300 works, of which
the Metropolitan Chair is considered the most significant.
The duo’s work has been exhibited within Denmark and
internationally, including at La Triennale in Milan, Italy, at the
“Design in Scandinavia” and “The Arts of Denmark” exhibits
in the USA, and at the Gewerbemuseum (Museum of Applied
Arts and Design) in Bern, Switzerland.
Several of their works have also been purchased by museums
around the world, including the Louisiana Museum of Modern
Art in Denmark, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York,
the Busch-Reisinger Museum of the Harvard Art Museums
in Boston, and several museums in Japan. Bender Madsen
and Larsen were awarded the Copenhagen Cabinetmakers’
Guild annual prizes in 1956 and 1961, as well as several other
awards in furniture and art competitions.
