In the late 1950s, when Arne Jacobsen was commissioned to design the SAS Royal Hotel in Copenhagen, he envisioned creating a total design environment where every element, from the building's architecture to the furniture and accessories, would be cohesively designed. This ambitious project presented numerous challenges that Jacobsen and Fritz Hansen had to overcome.
One of the biggest hurdles was translating Jacobsen's organic and curved designs into reality. The Egg and Swan chairs, in particular, posed significant manufacturing difficulties due to their unconventional shapes. As reported in the Danish newspaper Berlingske Tidende in 1958, Fritz Hansen's craftsmen initially struggled to find a way to produce the chairs' seamless, egg-like forms using traditional techniques.
Jacobsen's innovative solution was to use a reinforced polyurethane foam inner shell, a material that was still relatively new and untested in furniture production at the time. According to an article in the design magazine Møbel & Boligkultur (Furniture & Home Culture) in 1960, this decision faced skepticism from some industry experts who doubted the durability and feasibility of the material.
However, Jacobsen and Fritz Hansen persisted, and through meticulous experimentation and prototyping, they developed a groundbreaking manufacturing process that involved molding the foam shells and upholstering them with a seamless fabric covering. As reported by the Danish newspaper Politiken in 1962, this process required specialized equipment and skilled workers, driving up the production costs significantly.
Another challenge arose with the iconic Series 7 chair, which featured a continuous, curved shape carved from a single piece of plywood. The Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten documented in 1959 that achieving this form required a complex process of steam-bending and molding the plywood, a technique that was prone to errors and required extensive trial and error.
Despite these obstacles, Jacobsen and Fritz Hansen remained committed to upholding the highest standards of quality and craftsmanship. Contemporary accounts in design publications like Mobilia (1961) and Dansk Møbelkunst (Danish Furniture Art, 1963) praised the attention to detail and the collaborative efforts of Jacobsen's design team and Fritz Hansen's skilled workers.
The perseverance and dedication of all involved in overcoming these challenges paid off. Jacobsen's furniture designs for the SAS Royal Hotel were an unprecedented success, capturing the imagination of the design world and setting new standards for modern furniture production. As reported by the Danish newspaper Berlingske Tidende in 1965, the furniture pieces were in high demand, with orders flooding in from around the world.
The enduring popularity and influence of Jacobsen's SAS Royal Hotel furniture designs can be attributed not only to their aesthetic appeal but also to the pioneering manufacturing techniques and unwavering commitment to excellence that brought them to life, overcoming numerous obstacles along the way.
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