Finn Juhl

Copenhagen, Denmark

As one of the many Danish architects in the 1950’s, Finn Juhl stands out as one of the most successful international breakthroughs. To date he is one of Denmark’s most famous architects, known for his bold, sculptural forms and ultra-refined detailing. Surprisingly, unlike his fellow classmates, Juhl entered the Royal Academy of Fine Arts, Architecture in Copenhagen in 1930 without any experience as a craftsman.

What he lacked in structural experience, he made up for in vision, crafting his designs from an artist’s mindset. Juhl’s forms balance sculptural and elegant expression with functionality. This combination energised traditional Danish Design, exemplifying the quality, craftsmanship and beauty that helped the country become a leader in modern home furnishings in the 1940-50’s.

Juhl’s work had a great influence on the following generations of Scandinavian design. He went on to design the Trusteeship Council Chamber in the United Nations Headquarters in New York as a gift from Denmark to the UN and is renowned for stating, “One cannot create happiness with beautiful objects, but one can ruin quite a lot of happiness with bad ones.”