Flemming Laasen’s (1902-1984) ‘Tired Man’ chair, originally designed for the Joiners Guild Exhibition in 1936 is intriguing. The curved forms can be interpreted as the designer’s individual response to the austere internationalism prevailing in the pre-WWII years of the 1930s. The sheepskin upholstery renders the design even more organic and unashamedly luxurious.  Laasen wrote that he wanted the person sitting in it to feel “like a polar bear cub held by its mother in the middle of the ice cap feeling safe and warm”. This idea of creating a dialogue and encapsulating emotive feelings of maternal reassurance in an object interests us. The chair has soul and purpose and to our mind it is this which renders its appeal still strong today.

It achieved a record price at auction (191,000€ which was nearly three times the estimate) earlier this year, suggesting that the desire for organic design and comfort in our furniture transcends time. What do you think ? Should design fulfill the human need for comfort as well as utility ? Is comfort essential in design?   An ongoing discussion…..

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Wishing you all a very happy holiday season!