Designed in 1936 for the foyer of Denmark’s Radio House, today the Royal Danish Academy of Music, the Radiohus Sofa is one of the designer’s most important works, lauded for its futuristic expression and soft Nordic functionalism that reflected the modern sensibilities of Lauritzen and Finn Juhl, his employee and collaborator at the time.
Open and inviting in form, the backrest features a classic geometric arrangement of buttons for visual and tactile interest, while sculpted curves at either end serve to embrace the sitter’s body. The fully upholstered seat is supported by a beautiful wooden frame which is available in natural oak or walnut, polished and oiled by hand for a silk-smooth finish. A pioneering design envisioned by one of the Danish masters, this timeless piece will leave a lasting impression in any contemporary space.
A larger version is also available - the Radiohus Sofa P3.
Vilhelm Lauritzen (1894–1984) was one of the most significant architects in the history of Denmark; he was the trail-blazing figurehead of Danish functionalism. A number of his buildings – Nørrebro Theatre, Daells Varehus department store, Radiohuset and the first airport built in Kastrup – represented the concentrated essence of contemporary life. Other significant buildings to stem from Lauritzen’s drawing board include Folkets Hus better known today as the Vega concert venue, the Shellhuset building and the Danish embassy in Washington.
Throughout his life, Vilhelm Lauritzen adhered to the principle that architecture is applied art – with equal emphasis on both ‘art’ and ‘applied’. “No life without aesthetics” was another one of Vilhelm Lauritzen’s firmly held beliefs.
