The Architect Finn Juhl

Finn Juhl was first and foremost famous for his furniture. In the 1940s, he broke with the established furniture tradition and designed a number of creations that regenerated Danish furniture design. At the Milan Triennials in the 1950’s he was awarded no fewer than five gold medals and won international acclaim for his furniture. But Finn Juhl was not only an excellent furniture designer; he worked with all aspects of the architect’s profession. He gained international renown as an interior designer for his work on the Trusteeship Council Chamber at United Nations Headquarters in New York. As an exhibition architect, he was the man behind the major showings of Danish applied art abroad which created the concept ”Danish design” and paved the way for the Danish furniture industry’s export triumphs in the 1960’s. This book presents a ”full-length portrait” of Finn Juhl as an artist and cultural figure.

About the author

Esbjørn Hiort (b. 1912-1992) was an architect like Finn Juhl. They were peers, attended the Royal Academy of Fine Arts’ School of Architecture at the same time, and later worked together on some of the large exhibitions abroad. The author had a first-hand knowledge of the period during which Finn Juhl played a key role in Danish applied art. Hiort was secretary general of the Federation of Danish Architects for a number of years, and later director of the Permanent Exhibition of Danish Arts and Crafts and Industrial Design. He has written several books on architecture and applied art, along with numerous articles on these subjects.