Shaping the Future with Carl Hansen & Søn

A Carl Hansen & Søn showroom is always an inspirational space to visit, so when I headed to the capital for London Design Festival this week, a stop off at their home in Clerkenwell was certainly at the top of my must-see list.

Titled ‘Shaping the Future,’ this year’s exhibition was first shown at 3 Days of Design back in June and packed with so many incredible relaunches, I thought I’d share more about my experience with you.

Honouring over 100 years of craftsmanship and considered design as soon as you step through the front door, the ground floor was filled with Carl Hansen & Søn favourites cleverly displayed within cube frames fashioned from woven paper cord.

Up on the first floor meanwhile the 110th birthday of Hans J. Wegner was being celebrated. Considered one of the most creative, innovative, and prolific Danish furniture designers, and often referred to as the master of the chair, Wegner created almost 500 in his lifetime. And while his instantly recognisable CH24 Wishbone Chair is probably the most well-known, the showroom was filled with an array of his classic dining and lounge chairs too.

When it comes to this season’s relaunches however, I had two firm furniture favourites. The BM0057 Sideboard designed by Børge Mogensen from 1957, with its meticulously crafted double-bracket doors, concealed drawers and adjustable shelves, and the stunning VLA62 Radio House Mirror. This piece, created by Vilhelm Lauritzen for the Royal Retiring Room at The Radio House in Copenhagen, dates back a staggering eighty years yet looks just as relevant today.

Alongside furniture though Carl Hansen & Søn are also this season relaunching a number of lighting ranges too, including one from, yes, you’ve guessed it, Hans J. Wegner. Called ‘Opala,’ and first created in 1973 for the Hotel Scandinavia in Copenhagen, I loved this futuristic looking table lamp, floor lamp and pendant which showcased Wegner’s sense of fun with their circular opal acrylic lampshades sat playfully on top of their offset stems.

I also fell instantly in love with the elegant HK20 Bubi lamp designed by sculptor and artist Henning Koppel too. Dating back to 1972, this design takes its inspiration from when Koppel saw his grandson wearing his summer hat. What I also adored about this lamp, with its soft organic shape and metallic finish, is how it can be suspended from the ceiling as well as placed on a shelf, tabletop or floor adding an atmospheric glow to the cosiest of corners.

My final favourite however has to be the BT Lighting Series by Danish architects Claus Bonderup & Torsten Thorup, whom you might recognise for their Semi Pendant Light by Gubi. Designed around the same time, the late 1960s and early 1970s, both the ‘Confetti’ and ‘Calot’ pendants feature a striking half-mirrored light bulb visible beneath the shade, further demonstrating the interplay between light and dark, as well as the classic and the contemporary.

With so much to see, learn about, and try out for myself; safe to say I’d recommend a visit the next time you’re in town.