The Work, Philosophy, and Legacy of Poul Kjærholm
Poul Kjærholm—known internationally as one of Denmark’s most influential furniture designers—referred to himself not as a designer but as a “furniture architect.” This book focuses on that distinction. It examines his conviction that furniture does not merely occupy space but intervenes decisively within it, transforming a location into a place where human relationships become visible and clearly defined. For Kjærholm, each piece was not an isolated object but an active participant in a concentrated dialogue with its surroundings, a dialogue expressed through form, material, and surface treatment.
Kjærholm believed that furniture, when executed with clarity and integrity, possesses the power to shape space itself. His approach was grounded in an unwavering commitment to materials and to simple, comprehensible construction. His aesthetic—perceptive, restrained, profoundly architectural—was always linked to the context of people and society. He viewed the classics of furniture design as independent of style or era, capable of inhabiting any environment with dignity and coherence.
His philosophy was deeply influenced by his training as a cabinetmaker and later his studies at the School of Arts and Crafts and the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts. From this background he absorbed the essential truth of craft: “If the material is poor, the finished work cannot be good.” Precision in selecting material, understanding tools, and determining proportions was essential to achieving the purity of form he sought. He valued structural honesty and durability more highly than decorative originality, considering refinement and longevity to be the true markers of good design.
Kjærholm produced a remarkably diverse body of work: chairs, tables, daybeds, stools, screens, sofas, and modular furniture. His experimentation spanned wood, steel, leather, cane, canvas, plywood, aluminum, fiberglass, marble, cork, and concrete. He maintained that an object’s form should reveal the nature of its material, allowing the material to speak for itself. Steel, in particular, fascinated him; he described the soft reflection of light on a matte steel surface as a vital component of his aesthetic.
The book explores Kjærholm’s belief that furniture defines and forms space, revealing how his installations, exhibitions, and collaborations demonstrated the spatial impact of arrangement and composition. It also examines his partnerships with cabinetmakers and manufacturers, and the artistic and architectural influences that shaped his work—ultimately showing how he extended Danish design tradition into a new, rigorously modern direction. As a whole, the volume offers a specialist introduction to Kjærholm’s identity as a furniture architect, the integrity of his materials and structures, and the profound role of furniture in shaping human environments.
About
Author
Michael Sheridan, Poul Erik Tøjner
Publisher
Louisiana Museum of Modern Art
Size
24.6 × 29.5 cm (220 pages)
Content
PREFACE — p.6
THE KJÆRHOLM CULT — p.8
THE WORKSHOP — p.16
THE FACTORY — p.38
ASSEMBLY — p.68
CRAFT — p.98
ELEMENTS — p.130
SPACE — p.168
BIOGRAPHY — p.216
BIBLIOGRAPHY — p.218
LIST OF WORKS — p.220
Furniture
This book includes a broad selection of furniture designed by Poul Kjærholm as a “furniture architect,” emphasizing his belief that furniture is not merely functional but a defining element of space itself. His philosophy was rooted in structural clarity, material honesty, and an understanding that furniture creates “places.”
Models appearing in the referenced material include:
PK-series models:
PK0
PK1 – Steel frame with flagline
PK2 – Welded steel frame with woven cane
PK9 – Dining chair with distinctive diagonal legs
PK11 – Chair with leather or parchment seat
PK12 – Chair
PK20 – Lounge chair with steel frame and leather upholstery
PK22 – Lounge chair with canvas or leather upholstery
PK25 – Molded aluminum chair
PK26 – Hanging wall sofa
PK31 – Modular sofa/chair system
PK33 – Stool
PK50 – Conference table
PK54 – Dining table
PK54A – Leaf extension for PK54
PK61 – Table
PK62 – Table
PK63 – Table
PK65 – Table with flint-rolled marble top
PK80 – Daybed
PK91 – Folding stool
PK111 – Freestanding room divider
Named furniture designs:
Aluminium chair – Experimental aluminum seating, including PK25
Østre Gasværk Theatre chair – Designed for Østre Gasværk Theatre
Louisiana chair – Designed for the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art
Modular bookcase – Modular shelving system
Review
This volume presents a comprehensive and scholarly examination of Poul Kjærholm, a designer who transcended conventional titles and articulated a unique identity as a furniture architect. His work is driven by the conviction that furniture is an integral, transformative element within space—a determinant of how people encounter one another and how environments acquire meaning.
The book highlights Kjærholm’s rigorous approach to materials, his disciplined pursuit of structural simplicity, and his belief that an object’s form must express the essence of its material. His training as a craftsman instilled a respect for precision and the timeless rule that poor material yields a poor result. He favored refinement and durability over decorative originality, creating furniture that is quiet yet undeniably authoritative.
Through chapters exploring the workshop, factory, assembly, craft, elements, and space, the book demonstrates Kjærholm’s methodical process and his sensitivity to material, proportion, and spatial impact. Extensive sketches, drawings, and archival material offer insight into his evolving ideas and the architectural clarity that defines his work.
For readers interested in furniture design, architecture, or spatial theory, this book provides a richly informative perspective on one of the most disciplined and influential figures in modern Danish design.