2. Arne Jacobsen
Enter Arne Jacobsen (1902-1971), probably the most internationally recognized Danish designer of them all, and the father of world design icons like The Egg, The Swan, The Spanish Chair, The 7 Chair, and many more. Jacobsen is often referred to as the ‘king of functionalism’ and his designs are still in production and in strong demand even today.
Apart from his hugely popular and timeless furniture designs, Jacobsen also created the world’s first design hotel – and Copenhagen downtown’s first skyscraper - then named the SAS Royal Hotel and built by SAS - Scandinavian Airlines System in 1960. It featured a wealth of Jacobsen’s most famous designs in its restaurant, rooms, bars, and lounge areas all of which were designed by Jacobsen; from the main structure to the lamps, the window frames, and the door handles, to world-famous chairs like The Egg, The Swan, and The Drop. The hugely popular 5-star hotel is still in operation today and its original room no. 606 available for viewings on request.
Jacobsen contributions to the functionalist movement were vital, and amongst his most noted architectural works are the Bellavista Housing Estate, the Bellevue Theatre, and the Bellevue Lido (1936-37) in Klampenborg and the nearby petrol station in Skovshoved. Abroad Jacobsen is known for e.g., creating St. Catherine’s College at Oxford University (UK), where he too chose to design all furnishings, lamps, China, door handles, and more.