Fritz Hansen Celebrates its First Anniversary in San Francisco
Jaime Derringer, founder and executive editor of Design Milk, leads a panel on Danish design and California modernism.
Founded in 1872, Danish furniture maker Fritz Hansen has given us such iconic designs as Arne Jacobsen's Egg, Swan, and Series 7 chairs, and Poul Kjærholm’s PK22 chair and PK80 daybed. The international leader in Scandinavian design and craftsmanship opened its San Francisco concept store last year, just a short stroll away from our offices in the Jackson Square neighborhood.
Courtesy of Fritz Hansen
To celebrate the one-year anniversary, Fritz Hansen is hosting a special panel discussion on the intersection of Danish design and California modernism, led by Jaime Derringer of Design Milk. The other guests will include Rob Forbes, founder of Studio Forbes, Public Bikes, and Design Within Reach; Yves Behar, founder and CEO of fuseproject and co-founder of August and Canopy; and Alison Carr, design director of Gensler.
We're excited to attend—and we're bringing you to the party! Check out our Instagram on Thursday, December 7 for the story.
Fritz Hansen Egg Chair
Along with the birth of the Swan chair, Swan sofa, and Series 3300, Arne Jacobsen also created the Egg chair for the Royal Hotel in Copenhagen. When he was commissioned to design and furnish the entire project in 1958, he pulled out all the stops in order to create integrated and forward-thinking results. As one of the project’s most innovative designs, the Egg chair and foot stool was unexpected in a space that was filled with vertical and horizontal surfaces. The sculptural shape was first imagined in Jacobsen’s garage near Copenhagen, where he also designed the Swan for the lobby and reception areas of the hotel. The reclining and rotatable chair is made of a strong polyurethane foam inner shell that’s upholstered and reinforced with glass fibre. The tilt mechanism is made of steel sheet, steel tubing, and spring steel. Like Jacobsen's other designs, it's available in a wide range of fabrics and leathers.
ShopFritz Hansen Swan Chair
Designed for the SAS Royal Hotel in Copenhagen, for which designer Arne Jacobsen was the architect, the Swan Chair (1958) permitted guests to spin on its swivel base, thus becoming active participants in the busy hotel atmosphere. Now made of polyurethane foam, it’s marked by its flowing organic shape. A single upholsterer hand-sews the fabric onto the frame. Original design and licensed manufacture by Republic of Fritz Hansen. Made in Poland.
ShopFritz Hansen Drop Chair
When the legendary Danish designer Arne Jacobsen was commissioned to develop the SAS Royal Hotel in Copenhagen in 1958, he ended up designing almost every aspect of the hotel. Along with creating textiles, accessories, and custom built-in elements, he also designed a few new furniture pieces specifically for the project. As a result, he designed the Drop Chair and created a limited number of them for the hotel. After production ceased, the design was forgotten for more than 50 years, but was revived by Fritz Hansen in 2014. The teardrop-shaped shell comes in six colored plastic options, as well as upholstery in fabric or leather. Made of ABS plastic, its internal structure is reinforced with nylon, while the upholstered version is formed with cold-cured foam. Additionally, you can choose to have the tube legs in chromed or powder-coated steel.
ShopFritz Hansen Series 7 Chair
Though Fritz Hansen has produced multiple memorable designs over the years, the Arne Jacobsen-designed Series 7 is one that’s gained iconic status since it's birth in 1955. Also known as "3107," the seat is constructed of pressure-moulded veneer while the base is made up of chromed steel tubes. The lamination technique that Fritz Hansen developed for this chair made history, and is still being used in their factory just north of Copenhagen. Today, you can choose from four different bases, 10 veneers, and two finishes—either coloured ash or a choice of 12 lacquers. Additionally, you can opt to have it upholstered in a range of fabrics and leathers.
ShopPublished
Topics
Design News