ARCHITECTMADE - Peter Karpf
DISCARDING EXPERIMENTS
Through his career, Peter Karpf has been known for his work with furniture bent from one single piece of wood, giving them a unique sculptural appearance. His work is also characterized by its simplicity and personal expression. Functionality is as important as the design of the product to Karpf.
Based on his belief that we live in an age of noise and stress, he designs furniture that brings us down to earth and helps us relax. This becomes clear when looking at the simplicity and calmness of the Gemini candleholder.
As an apprentice of the reknown furniture maker Fritz Hansen, he turned to architecture in 1961 at the Copenhagen School of arts and Crafts. This robust training in both product and place lays a foundation for his belief that design is a process of discarding experiments. One by one, his projects embrace both beauty and use, making innovative use of materials. His furniture bent from one single piece of wood, monolithic molded plywood chairs and light fixtures have all become modern Danish classics, the collection of which, alongside his architecture, which led to his award in 2002 of the Bruno Mathsson Prize – the most prestigious design award in Scandinavia.
The jury commented, “His strong sense of form in combination with a deep understanding of materials and manufacturing techniques make him one of the greatest contemporary Nordic designers.” Karpf was a man ahead of his time, paving the way for the architects of today.
Karpf’s designs are represented at numerous museums worldwide including Museum of Modern Art, New York, the Victoria & Albert Museum, London, and the Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris
Born: 1940
Education: Copenhagen School of Arts, Crafts and Design
Awards: Bruno Mathsson Prize (2002)
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