knoll.comImage source: Jens Risom
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Designer
Jens Risom
Jens Risom (1916–2016) was born in Copenhagen, Denmark, the son of the architect Sven Risom. He trained at the Kunsthåndværkerskolen in Copenhagen, studying under Ole Wanscher and Kaare Klint, and worked in Stockholm before leaving Denmark…
Biography
Background
Jens Risom (1916–2016) was born in Copenhagen, Denmark, the son of the architect Sven Risom. He trained at the Kunsthåndværkerskolen in Copenhagen, studying under Ole Wanscher and Kaare Klint, and worked in Stockholm before leaving Denmark for the United States in the late 1930s. In New York he took textile and interior work with Dan Cooper before meeting Hans Knoll.
Signature Style
Risom designed plain, modern furniture that could be made locally and from whatever materials the war left available. Knoll says he worked within wartime shortages, using scraps of wood and rejected nylon straps from parachute production. Wikipedia calls him one of the first designers to introduce Scandinavian design to the United States.
Notable Works
- The 600 Series for Hans Knoll, including the Lounge Chair, side chair and stool
- Fifteen pieces in the first Knoll catalogue of 1942
- Designs for Jens Risom Design, his own firm from 1946, including office and hospital furniture
Legacy
Knoll calls him its first true designer. He founded his own company after the Second World War, received the Danish Knight's Cross in 1996, and his furniture is held in museums including the Museum of Modern Art and the Brooklyn Museum.
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Collections
Products
Risom Dining Table
Jens Risom's 42-inch round dining table in maple or walnut, with angled solid-wood legs
Risom Outdoor Lounge Chair
Jens Risom's armless lounge chair, re-engineered for outdoor use in oiled teak and Sunbrella webbing
Risom Outdoor Side Table Round
Jens Risom's 18-inch round side table in solid oiled teak, for outdoor use
Magazine Table
Jens Risom's 1949 Magazine Table (6500): a plywood side table with an inbuilt shelf.
A-Chair
Jens Risom's 1961 A-Chair Wood Base (6540): solid wood legs and a frame that cradles the back.
Risom Barstool
Jens Risom's webbed seating line raised to bar and counter height, with a wood or webbed back
Risom Lounge Chair
Jens Risom's 1943 webbed lounge chair of hardwood and woven straps, with or without arms
Risom Amoeba Coffee Table
Jens Risom's amoeba-shaped coffee table, with a flowing veneered top and beveled edges
Risom Outdoor Barstool
Jens Risom's bar and counter height stools in oiled teak with Sunbrella webbing, for outdoor use
Risom Outdoor Side Table Square
Jens Risom's 14-inch square side table in solid oiled teak, for outdoor use
Risom Ottoman
A low webbed ottoman inspired by Jens Risom's original line, a stool alone or with the lounge chair
Risom Outdoor Side Chair
Jens Risom's side chair with a webbed seat and back, in oiled teak for outdoor use
