Birth name: Poul Kjærholm

Lifespan: January 8, 1929 - April 18, 1980

Nationality: Danish (North Jutland)

Genre: Functionalism

Exhibitions: Museum of Modern Art, Victoria & Albert Museum in London

Known works: PK22, PK91, PK25, PK33, PK91, PK31


About the designer:

It is clear to see in Poul Kjærholm's creations that the goal was, "to make the language of form a part of the function." All the unnecessary was swept away and the pure form of use is retained, making PK designs timeless. The construction of PK's designs was characterized by his natural talent for choosing materials and applying them correctly.

Poul Kjærholm worked as an architect from 1950 to 1980, which was a period when Danish design was at its peak on both an international and national level with other Danish designers such as Hans Wegner, Børge Mogensen, Finn Juhl, Ole Wanscher and Kaare Klint.

In the beginning of his career, Kjærholm experimented with technique, construction and material contrast. It was especially Gerrit Rietveld's and Mies van der Rohe's radical reinterpretations that inspired PK to create masterpieces in furniture art. The original manufacturer was Ejvind Kold Christensen until the 1970s, when Fritz Hansen took over all production of Poul Kjærholm designs.


PK9:

The PK9 is a masterpiece, where the shell is supported by a long unbent tripod that gives the chair elasticity. The organic curves in steel brackets and shell and the crystalline densification in the chair's only visible vertical line form a beautiful contrast.


PK61:

The PK61 is a good example of how Kjærholm could cut down to the architectural essence. With the skewed composition of the square frame of the table, the design is freed from tradition. There is a focus on meals being equal between the seated with four straight sides that provide adequate space.


PK91:

Kjærholm found inspiration from the motifs and statements of older times, such as Egyptian stools and folding chairs. Kjærholm’s goal was to transform the art behind the exciting curvature with the PK91. His stool design rotates the steel frame 180 degrees, which creates a beautiful reflection in the steel's surface.


PK22:

An artistic culmination of Kjærholm's career is his PK22s. Inspired by the Greek Klismos chair and Mies van der Rohe's Barcelona chair, another classic was born. Four carefully shaped steel brackets are clamped together in two parallel planes with double crossbeams below the seat plane. A simple and contrasting curved design.


PK20:

Inspired by Mies van der Rohe's Tugendhat chair from 1929, Kjærholm designed the PK20. Two independent elements that are connected off to load-bearing beams and create a spring force raised from the horizontal plane.


PK33 & PK80:

Ejvind Kold Christensen was not only one of PK's producers, but also a source of inspiration. One of the masterpieces they created together was the PK33 stool/ottoman in 1958. Like the PK9, the PK33 has a three-legged design. The cushion is loose, but with three straps on the back, the cushion can be quickly attached to the steel frame via 3 rubber rings. A similar mechanism is found with the PK80 daybed, where the cushion can also be fixed via some rubber rings.


PK31:

In 1958, the PK31 was designed with a steel base and loose leather cushions. The chair can be assembled for a 2-3-4-5-6 person sofa which is attached with screws.


A large part of this information is from the book, Poul Kjærholm, Arkitektens Forlag 1999.