Preben Fabricius & Jørgen Kastholm
The design duo specialised in furniture design and single-family houses, and their designs were characterised by minimalism, sophistication, functionality, quality and their eye for detail.
Preben Fabricius (1931–1984)
Preben Fabricius trained as a cabinetmaker in 1952 with Niels Vodder, one of the most prominent cabinetmakers of the time, and he continued to work for Niels Vodder for a couple of years before deciding to continue his studies at the School of Interior Design (now the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts Schools of Architecture, Design and Conservation). Here, Preben Fabricius studied under Finn Juhl, and it was also here that he first met Jørgen Kastholm. In 1957, Preben Fabricius was employed at Ole Hagen’s design studio, where he again met Jørgen Kastholm, and the two quickly realised that they shared an interest in elegant and refined design with a focus on functionality and minimalism. In 1961, Fabricius and Kastholm established their own design studio.
Together, they designed furniture in wood, and later also in steel and leather, taking advantage of Jørgen Kastholm’s experience and background as a smith. They drew their inspiration from luminaries of Danish design such as Hans J. Wegner and Arne Jacobsen, but also international names such as Charles and Ray Eames and Mies van der Rohe.
During the design process, drawings were passed back and forth across the table between Fabricius and Kastholm until it was no longer possible to say who had drawn what, but the result was a joint effort.
The design duo specialised in furniture design and single-family houses, and their designs were characterised by minimalism, sophistication, functionality, quality and their eye for detail.
After working with various Danish furniture manufacturers, Fabricius and Kastholm started collaborating with German furniture manufacturer Alfred Kill. In the end of 1968 they parted ways, and Preben Fabricius started his own design studio, designing furniture for, among others, the German furniture manufacturer Walter Knoll. In 1978, Preben Fabricius became a teacher at the School of Interior Design, where he had studied himself, and here he remained until his death in 1984.
Preben Fabricius won several awards, both together with Jørgen Kastholm and in his own name, including the first German Gute Form (Good Design) prize in 1969 and the Illum Prize in the same year. Preben Fabricius and Jørgen Kastholm’s designs can be found in museums and design centres around the world, including at MoMA in New York and at the Louvre Museum in Paris.
Jørgen Kastholm (1931–2007)
Jørgen Kastholm was born in 1931 and, as a young man, travelled to the USA to study at high school. This came to mark the start of a long life visiting and living in different parts of the world, and which created a world view that was unusual at the time. At the age of 19, Jørgen Kastholm returned to Denmark to train as a smith in his father’s company, and in 1955 he started his studies at the School of Interior Design (now the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts Schools of Architecture, Design and Conservation) where he met Preben Fabricius for the first time. He graduated in 1958 with distinction.
Jørgen Kastholm then continued his studies at Den Grafiske Højskole (now the Danish School of Media and Journalism), while also working for Arne Jacobsen, who would become a major source of inspiration for Jørgen Kastholm in his work as a furniture designer. In 1959, Jørgen Kastholm moved to Beirut, Lebanon, to work in a design studio, where he was involved in designing SAS lounges and palaces for the Saudi king, after which he returned to Denmark and got a job at Ole Hagen’s design studio. Here, Jørgen Kastholm once again met Preben Fabricius, and the two quickly found out that they wanted to form a partnership.
In 1961, Jørgen Kastholm and Preben Fabricius founded a design studio in their own name. In the early years of their partnership, the duo worked on furniture designs in wood, but later steel became their focus area as a result of Jørgen Kastholm’s metalworking background, but also their shared fascination with renowned international designers such as Charles and Ray Eames and Mies van der Rohe.
During their seven-year partnership, Preben Fabricius and Jørgen Kastholm designed a large collection of minimalist and functionalist designs in wood, steel, leather and glass which achieved widespread recognition and established their names internationally.
In 1968, the design duo went their separate ways, and Jørgen Kastholm opened a design studio in his own name, where he continued to design furniture for large furniture manufacturers. At the same time, he also worked as an editor and writer. In 1971, Jørgen Kastholm moved to Düsseldorf in Germany and opened his own design studio, and where he designed furniture for large international furniture manufacturers until his death in 2007. In addition, from 1975 to 1996, Jørgen Kastholm was a professor at the University of Wuppertal (BUW) within the field of furniture design and product development.
Jørgen Kastholm’s designs include furniture, vases and lamps as well as curtain rods, wall tiles and car seats. In his own name and together with his colleague Preben Fabricius, Jørgen Kastholm won several international awards, including the first German Gute Form (Good Design) prize in 1969, the Illum Prize the same year, and the Red Dot Award in 1995. Preben Fabricius and Jørgen Kastholm’s designs can be found in museums and design centres around the world, including at MoMA in New York and at the Louvre Museum in Paris.
Our designers
Hans J. Wegner
Among Danish furniture designers, Hans J. Wegner is considered one of the most creative, innovative and prolific. Often referred to as the master of the chair, Wegner designed more than 500 chairs in his lifetime – many of them considered masterpieces.
Anker Bak
With an unconventional background and personal design approach, Anker Bak pushes conceptual and physical boundaries via quality materials, sublime craftsmanship and functionality. His designs make a difference in people’s lives and meet real needs.
Arne Jacobsen
One of Denmark's best-known and most respected architects, Arne Jacobsen has become synonymous with modernism throughout the world. His precise yet expressive aesthetic continues to serve as a source of inspiration for contemporary designers.
Bodil Kjær
Danish professor and architect Bodil Kjær has significantly contributed to the spread of Danish Modern design principles through her travels, knowledge gathering and promotion of the relationship between design and architecture.
Bonderup & Thorup
After graduating from the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts’ School of Architecture in Copenhagen in 1969, Claus Bonderup and Torsten Thorup began a collaboration that led them to join forces on design projects across the globe for more than 20 years.
Brad Ascalon
Brad Ascalon is an American designer born in 1977. He entered the art and design world at a young age. His grandfather, a sculptor and industrial designer, and his father, a renowned artist, encouraged a passion for design, craftsmanship and materials that would last.
Børge Mogensen
Børge Mogensen’s creative process produced long-lasting pieces with humans at the center. He worked primarily with wood and pioneered democratic design, becoming a highly-influential, post-war representative of Danish Modern.
EOOS
Austrian collaborative, EOOS, were established in 1995 by Martin Bergmann, Gernot Bohmann, and Harald Gründl. The trio study historical roots in a contemporary context and focus on myths, rituals and intuitive expressions, to create original connections.
Frits Henningsen
Frits Henningsen was an uncompromising designer known for his perfectionism and vibrant personality. He gave new expression to traditional designs and viewed quality craftsmanship as essential. Unlike most cabinetmakers, he always designed his own furniture pieces.
Kaare Klint
Kaare Klint is recognized as the father of modern Danish design and a renowned furniture designer, educator, and visionary. He insisted on clear, logical design, clean lines, the best materials, and superb craftsmanship, as seen in his iconic Safari Chair from 1933.
Larsen & Bender Madsen
Ejner Larsen and Aksel Bender Madsen designed around 300 works, including the Metropolitan Chair. While the chair was their favorite object, they also made other pieces from bedroom suites to bookshelves. The results were always simple and timeless.
Linie Design
Linie Design, a Danish design company, was founded in 1980 and since then has specialized in the development of handmade rugs in elegant designs and of the highest quality materials.
Mads Odgård
The dream of becoming a designer has lived in Mads Odgård for as long as he can remember, so when the time came, he left his birthplace, the Danish town of Kjellerup, and moved to Copenhagen to work in the creative business.
Mogens Lassen
Architect Mogens Lassen created works rooted in cubist architectural ideals inspired by Le Corbusier. Considered a pioneer of functionalism in Denmark, Lassen’s designs showcased his ability to express ideas through diverse materials.
Morten Gøttler
Born in Copenhagen, and originally trained in shipping, Morten Gøttler became a self-taught designer and architect recognized for his exceptional understanding of wood and strong belief that innovation is the foundation for successful design.
Nanna Ditzel
Her desire to explore spaces and experiment with techniques on the edge of what is possible led Nanna Ditzel – one of Danish design’s most distinctive personalities – to become acquainted with the entire design universe.
Ole Wanscher
Ole Wanscher was integral to the aesthetic and functionality of modern Danish design. Having studied under Kaare Klint, he helped shape Danish furniture design as a designer and as an educator when he took over Klint’s professorship at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts.
Poul Kjærholm
Poul Kjærholm mixed his strict, modern idiom with superior quality and materials rooted in Danish craftsmanship traditions. Despite his short career as a furniture designer, Kjærholm’s craftsmanship and clear expression resulted in timeless designs with a global influence.
Rikke Frost
Danish designer Rikke Frost has always been curious about the combination of different craft traditions and types of material, a fact clearly reflected in her design portfolio where traditional and contemporary design is expressed in sofas, tables, chairs and lamps with an organic idiom.
Strand & Hvass
The Strand + Hvass duo is part of a new breed of Danish designers whose work continues in a direct line from their celebrated predecessors. With the Extend Table design, they infused the modern Danish furniture tradition with a bold new expression.
Tadao Ando
Japanese architect Tadao Ando bases his work on a design philosophy that unites Japanese design traditions with modern Western expression. Inspired by Le Corbusier, Ando’s style is minimalistic and innovative, with a focus on functionality.
Thomas Bo Kastholm
Thomas Bo Kastholm creates designs that unite diverse materials into compelling compositions with clear purpose. The TK8 Daybed, with its close ties to the core principles of classic, modern Danish design, exemplifies Kastholm’s ideals.
When you choose a product from Carl Hansen & Søn, you get more than just a piece of furniture. You will become part of a long and proud tradition of beautiful and distinctive craftsmanship where nothing is left to chance. We are the world’s largest manufacturer of furniture designed by Hans J. Wegner, and we also produce furniture created by renowned furniture designers such as Arne Jacobsen, Børge Mogensen, Ole Wanscher, Kaare Klint, Poul Kjærholm, Bodil Kjær and Tadao Ando. Carl Hansen & Søn represents more than 100 years of Danish design history, and our furniture is sold worldwide.
* Five-year warranty on indoor furniture. Two-year warranty on outdoor furniture