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If your home is anything like mine then every piece that surrounds you tells a story. A unique story that reflects who you are, where your passions lie and the journey you’ve taken. Individual pieces of design lovingly collected together, reflecting a particular place in time.
I’ve never really thought of myself as a ‘collector’ before, but in the Nordic countries, investing in good design that lasts a lifetime is nothing new.
Classic Alvar Aalto glassware, fine Royal Copenhagen porcelain, or wooden figurines from ArchitectMade can all be found in typical family homes, pieces lovingly passed between generations or given as gifts to mark important occasions.
A very special centenary
This week ArchitectMade themselves celebrated a very special centenary; the birthday of Danish craftsman, Hans Bunde.
A hundred years since his birth, and 65 years since he originally created his now famous wooden ‘Penguin’ figures, they were and still remain a timeless design.
Originally made for each of his sisters, birds fascinated Bunde and by contrasting the hand painted plumage with the natural qualities of the beech wood these thoughtful pieces capture the character of these magnificent creatures perfectly.
A significant birthday
This year also marks a significant birthday for ArchitectMade‘s adorable ‘Duck and Duckling’ figurines too.
It was in the Copenhagen neighbourhood of Frederiksberg in 1959, during rush hour, that a family of ducks waddled into traffic, prompting a policeman to immediately stop all cars and pedestrians so the ducks could cross un-harmed. This charming moment made national headlines and melted the hearts of the Danes, specifically architect Hans Bølling who was so taken by the story that he created the Duck family.
Continuing to grow
ArchitectMade’s collection of charming birds, animals and other wooden figures still continues to grow.
Following on from the success of the ‘Jul’ collection launched last Christmas, they have recently joined forces again with renowned craftsman Nikolaj Klitgaard on ‘Bubo’ the owl.
Also to mark the very special arrival of two giant pandas at Copenhagen Zoo, (and believe me, it was love at first sight when I saw them), they partnered with super star Danish architect, Bjarke Ingels to create two beautiful walnut and maple ‘Panda’ figures that actually rotate and move.
Traditional craftsmanship and timeless products
For me, ArchitectMade with their traditional craftsmanship and timeless products epitomises everything I love about Danish design, especially after visiting their headquarters last year and seeing for myself their production teams incredible expertise and attention to detail up close.
With just the tilt of head, these collectable pieces of design, can tell so many personal stories.
Visit the ArchitectMade website to find out more about their wooden figurines.
ArchitectMade kindly gifted the products featured in this post, but as ever all words and opinions are my own.
All images by Nicola Capper.
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