The Arne Jacobsen Egg Chair: The Danish Design Icon

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The egg chair, also known as Egg Chair, was designed nearly sixty years ago by the inimitable designer and architect Arne Jacobsen. Its design has undergone many different transformations.

This armchair is a true icon of Scandinavian design and contemporary design.

Jacobsen Egg Chair: Danish design icon

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The sculpted design of Arne Jacobsen’s Egg Chair is an icon of functional Danish design and an eternal classic. Adored by design lovers, old and new, this chair has never been out of production and remains a recognizable symbol of modernism. Jacobsen created the Egg armchair in 1958 as a modern version of the winged shepherdess. Some believe it’s the chair Womb from Finnish architect Eero Saarinen, founded in 1948, which influenced Jacobsen’s design for the Egg Chair.

Arne Jacobsen and the Egg Chair

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Responsible for designing all the elements of the former SAS Royal Hotel in Copenhagen (1958-1960) – from the high-rise facade to its interior and furnishings – Jacobsen has been able to successfully apply his theories on the architecture and integrate them into practice. The Egg Chair is an important component of the architectural ensemble of the Royal Hotel. It has been designed to sit in the lobby and social areas of the hotel.

Historical photograph of SAS Royal Hotel in Copenhagen

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The armchair was presented for the first time during the exhibition Scandinavian forms at the Museum of Decorative Arts in Paris in November 1958, as part of the furniture project of SAS Royal Hotel. Currently, the hotel is named Radisson Blu Royal. Today, Jacobsen’s modernist masterpiece is present in the interiors of many contemporary hotels. The armchair has been synonymous with constant successful design and good taste.

Historical photograph of the SAS Royal Hotel lobby in Copenhagen

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A technological innovation, the chair has an ovoid shape. When placed in the Royal Hotel, it contrasted marvelously with the architecture of the building composed mainly of vertical and horizontal lines. The pure and organic design of the chair brought a modernist and elegant touch into the rather classic interior of the hotel. At that time, Jacobsen was one of the few designers who created furniture of organic design. His humanistic approach has no doubt contributed to his popularity.

Armchair symbol of organic modernism, source Pamono

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Jacobsen initially designed the base of the Egg Chair in his garage, where he worked with clay to shape and perfect his form. In the realization of the chair, he was the first designer to make use of a strong foam inner shell under the upholstery. Today, the armchair is made of polyurethane foam with fiberglass reinforcement. It is then completed with a cold foam and covered with fabric or leather – there are 1200 stitches hand-stitched in the making of each chair.

The chair shell has a tilt fitting that is adjustable to the weight of the user and stands on a polished satin star-shaped swivel base. As a finished product, Egg chair is a fervently designed armchair, made to adapt to life and make it more comfortable.

Photo collage with Jacobson sitting in the egg chair

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Arne Jacobsen, architect and designer, was also an artist, which influenced his work and his vision on the use of color. Many of Jacobsen’s furniture designs have brilliant hues. Finally the egg chair is perfect for colored fabrics and leathers. Below, a special edition of the Egg Upholstered with Dark Fabric of Blue Canvas – inspired by Arne Jacobsen’s enthusiasm for bluish tones.

Armchair upholstered with dark blue cloth fabric

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With its distinctive shape, the Jacobsen armchair has an imposing, elegant presence and invites you to settle into its comfortable seat. Once seated, the chair offers a minimum of privacy, a feature that is particularly useful in public spaces or when you want to be alone at home. With its swivel base, one can choose to open up to the conversation or on the contrary, stay in his little isolated cocoon. Reading or socializing depends on the mood of the user. The chair is often sold with footrest. In 1958, Jacobsen also designed the Egg Stool. The chair and stool are made by Fritz Hansen. Almost sixty years later, the egg chair remains a representative icon of Danish design.

The armchair with footrest in red

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The iconic egg armchair in white

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Egg chair with fabric by the Japanese designer Minagawa

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Organic design

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The dark baked armchair

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The vintage leather armchair

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Contemporary version with footrest

View in galleryThe Arne Jacobsen Egg Chair: The Danish Design Icon | 15/36Contemporary version by Racing and Emotion View in galleryThe Arne Jacobsen Egg Chair: The Danish Design Icon | 16/36The armchair in pastel blue

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The interior of the Tower in Great Britain

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