Getting Inspired: Hans Wegner
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If you’re a long-time fan of our work, you know how much we value and find continual inspiration in the work of mid-century modern designers. We’ve investigated the work of Børge Mogensen and George Nakashima, both of whom have greatly influenced our work and today we’ll be exploring the life and work of Hans Wegner, also known as the “king of chairs.”
With an unwavering commitment to simplicity, craftsmanship, functionality, and comfort (all hallmark characteristics of the MCM movement), the Danish furniture maker left behind an iconic portfolio of furniture designs, mainly chairs, many of which are on display in the Museum of Modern Art. His works, often fabricated in warm blonde wood evoked a warm elegance that was in stark contrast to the shiny chrome, metal furniture pieces that were popular at the time as well.
Wegner's innovative designs helped to revolutionize the concept of modern furniture, blending elegance with practicality and prioritizing function over form, something you’ll also see in the pieces coming out of our studio. His iconic creations continue to grace homes, offices, public spaces worldwide and provide endless inspiration for creatives and designers everywhere.
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The "Wishbone Chair," one of Wegner's most celebrated designs, epitomizes his design ethos. Its graceful curves, inspired by traditional Chinese Ming chairs, combine with a Y-shaped back splat to create a masterpiece of form and comfort. As his moniker may lead you to believe, the “king of chairs'' designed many chairs over the course of his career but the “Wishbone Chair” and the “Round Chair” were the two that epitomize his career and style. The “Round Chair,” sometimes more simply referred to as the Chair is a “strikingly modern design with a caned seat and the back and armrests made from a continuous semicircle of wood.” It also earned a footnote in political history as these were the chairs that Vice President Richard M. Nixon and Senator John F. Kennedy sat on during the first televised presidential debate in 1960.
Another noteworthy design is the "Shell Chair," which showcases Wegner's experimentation with materials and ergonomic design principles. Crafted from molded plywood, the Shell Chair represents his ability to harmonize organic shapes with functional considerations. This fundamental principle of Wegner’s design work is one that also resonates with the pieces we fabricate in the studio. Considering the intended functionality of the piece, along with creating an aesthetically pleasing designed piece of furniture that incorporates the beauty of natural materials is at the core of design values and principles.
Wegner also designed a wide range of other furniture, including tables, sofa and cabinets. His work was ultimately characterized by its simplicity, comfort and functionality; always striving to be both practical and beautiful, aesthetically pleasing and comfortable to use. While we love Wegner’s work for its design sensibility and find ourselves constantly inspired by and incorporating these design characteristics into our work in the studio, it’s also easy to see why it has become popular again: pieces that prioritize function while taking into consideration it’s form and aesthetic always stand the test of time.