At first glance, tending the legacy of midcentury Danish modernism seems like a cakewalk. After all, the work of Kaare Klint, Arne Jacobsen, Poul Kjærholm, and Hans Wegner requires no introduction. Yet these designers’ achievements are imprinted so firmly on the popular imagination, that little room remains to acknowledge contemporary triumphs. Recently, Architizer posed this double take to Henrik Hjorth. After working in the advertising industry — where “I have seen the importance great design has in the lives of people and corporations,” as he puts it — Hjorth has spent the last five years bringing Danish design to the American marketplace. As vice president of Fritz Hansen North America, Hjorth must carry the nuanced mantle of stewardship, in particular. Here, he describes the balancing act. Name: Henrik Hjorth Title: Vice President of Fritz Hansen North America Location: New York Egg Chair How do Americans perceive Danish design, correctly or otherwise? We still often meet with people who feel that Jacobsen’s Egg Chair is “too modern” for their taste or brand, even though it was designed in 1958. I think a lot of new designs coming out of Denmark are based on ...
At first glance, tending the legacy of midcentury Danish modernism seems like a cakewalk. After all, the work of Kaare Klint, Arne Jacobsen, Poul Kjærholm, and Hans Wegner requires no introduction. Yet these designers’ achievements are imprinted so firmly on the popular imagination, that little room remains to acknowledge contemporary triumphs. Recently, Architizer posed this double take to Henrik Hjorth. After working in the advertising industry — where “I have seen the importance great design has in the lives of people and corporations,” as he puts it — Hjorth has spent the last five years bringing Danish design to the American marketplace. As vice president of Fritz Hansen North America, Hjorth must carry the nuanced mantle of stewardship, in particular. Here, he describes the balancing act. Name: Henrik Hjorth Title: Vice President of Fritz Hansen North America Location: New York Egg Chair How do Americans perceive Danish design, correctly or otherwise? We still often meet with people who feel that Jacobsen’s Egg Chair is “too modern” for their taste or brand, even though it was designed in 1958. I think a lot of new designs coming out of Denmark are based on ...