STRINGENT Playfulness
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STRINGENT PLAYFULNESS

The works of the two Lassen brothers is a lighthouse in the Danish design tradition.

IT’S ALL ABOUT THE FEELING The works of the two Lassen brothers is a lighthouse in the Danish design tradition and their innovative og playful approach to design and architecture is what many following architects and designers stand on the shoulders of. Their free upbringing in the home of their grandmother enriched the brothers with an open mind and a liberal and almost anarchistic perspective of working with functionality, materials and shapes. Their choice of materials and the stringent shaping wasn´t always appreciated and valued as part of the Danish culture at their time, as...

Architect Flemming Lassen (1902–1984) was a modernist and part of the movement to bring functionalism to Denmark. He is particularly renowned for his overstuffed furniture, receiving major international recognition in the design world for his armchairs, referred to today as ‘the Flemming Lassen style’. Like his brother Mogens Lassen, Flemming knew from a very young age that he wanted to become an architect. He was born into an artistic family with a father who was a decorative painter and a mother who was also a painter. As a child, he and his brother spent all of their savings on...

Architect Flemming Lassen (1902-1984).

Architect Mogens Lassen (1901-1987).

Even as a child, Mogens Lassen (1901–1987) knew that he would one day become an architect. He spent his pocket money on books about architecture, and surveying and sketching buildings was his hobby. As he was dyslexic and funds were limited, Mogens entered the world of architecture by undertaking an apprenticeship. However, he was also involved in the academic world and turned his skills to assisting with the projects awarded to his friends and colleagues Ole Wanscher, Arne Jacobsen and Finn Juhl. Around this time, Mogens was asked to join the renowned studio of architect Tyge Hvass,...

HALF OF HIS HOME AS PAYMENT When Mogens Lassen designed a number of private buildings outside Copenhagen – collectively called Christiansholmsfortet (the Christiansholm fortress) – the developer paid half the cost of Lassen’s own home as part of his f

That house is laid out as a simpler version of Le Corbusier’s ‘Citrohan-series’. It has the entrance, hallway and staircase of a multi storey building, with the three outer walls functioning as load-bearing walls. On top of the house is a roof terrace that is an ideal location for experimenting with colours, furniture styles and planting. In other words: the rooftop terrace is designed not to let in the view, or the wind, but as an oasis. This conscious choice is a clear manifestation of the inspiration that Lassen drew from Southern Europe and his desire to create a fluid transition...

Flemming Lassen’s padded sofa from 1935 is named after his father, the sign painter Hans Vilhelm Lassen. The beautiful Vilhelm sofa, launched in 2020, is a padded three-seater created originally for the Copenhagen Cabinetmakers’ Guild Exhibition in 1936. The sofa’s soft curves and taut expression are characteristic of Flemming Lassen’s style. The Danish architect was able to balance the minimalist with the voluminous in designs that challenged the ind

Original drawing by Flemming Lassen. A visionary modernist, Lassen created architecture & furniture designs that were ahead of his time. Vilhelm does not take up much room, but it still fits three people comfortably. The rounded corners frame the sofa perfectly and make it well suited to stand in the middle of the room, away from the wall. The shape invites flow and life to unfold around the sofa; Vilhelm even strikes a handsome figure when seen from the back. Thanks to the firm padding, Vilhelm always looks sharp and presentable. Not only that, but the back and armrest are tufted with 24...

When the visionary architect-cum-designer Mogens Lassen designed the Saxe folding chair for the Copenhagen Cabinetmakers’ Guild Competition in 1955, it was considered a bit too modern and audacious. Today, more than 60 years later, Saxe’s minimalistic and distinctive lines and the perfect combination of leather, oak wood and brass detailing are regarded just as modern – a true prime example of function uniting with aesthetics and quali

Original drawing by Mogens Lassen. When Mogens Lassen designed the foldable Saxe chair in 1955, it was thought to be a bit too bold. Its light and slender frame seemed a little provocative to the establishment, which preferred furniture with a heavier expression. Mogens Lassen was perceived as ‘the naughty boy in class’, but he aimed for perfection in each design project. His eye for detail, leaving nothing unnoticed, and his will to try out new methods are clearly seen in this characteristic and timeless chair. It is contemporary proof of his habit of pushing the boundaries of materials...

INGEBORG The charming, little easy chair is named after Flemming and Mogens Lassen’s mother, the painter Ingeborg Winding. An original design by Flemming Lassen from 1940, Ingeborg is an attractive, smaller easy chair. With its elegant, sculptural armrests, Ingeborg welcomes the sitter with open arms and an irresistibly charming expression.

Despite the chair’s petite stature, Ingeborg makes a strong statement in any room. Original sketch by Flemming Lassen. Ingeborg is a beautiful, little easy chair, which, like The Tired Man, offers a warm embrace. The sculpted armrests make Ingeborg exquisitely comfortable and its slightly laid-back posture lends perfect balance to its design expression and makes it very comfortable.

When architects Flemming and Mogens Lassen were designing houses or public buildings, it was normal for them to include matching furniture designs. Ingeborg was exclusively produced for these types of project and is thus a rare item at auctions.