Furnishing the Future Home of
Sino-Danish Center
Onecollection, the company behind House of Finn Juhl, received one of the largest orders in the company’s history – the furnishing of a Danish/Chinese university located in Beijing. Lundgaard and Tranberg Architects have designed the university that now stands complete.
Danish Design on Every Floor
Seven forty ft containers of furniture have been shipped from the Western Coast of Denmark to Beijing. Because the building itself portrays Danish architecture it is only natural that the furniture portrays Danish design as well. The Danish Industry Foundation has supported the establishment of the Chinese building, which will serve as home to a research and educational collaboration between all eight Danish universities and the Chinese Academy of Science. The university is part of the government’s strategy to foster knowledge sharing between Denmark and China. The project is the largest Danish commitment within the area of research and education ever to take place outside of Denmark.
Henrik Sørensen, founder of Onecollection and House of Finn Juhl, on the furnishing of the project:
“This is something we have been working towards for a very long time, and it is certainly an honor to be able to put our mark on a building that will mean this much to Denmark.”
The building’s interior is planned by the Danish designer Henrik Tengler. It is furnished using Onecollection’s furniture, which includes Finn Juhl’s organic furniture that the company has the sole legal rights to manufacture. The interior design has been carried out in close cooperation with Sino Danish Center.
“This has been a very special task for us, as we have had to cover all the functions of such a complex building from a furnishing standpoint. We have attempted to envision the nature and structure of the building as well as incorporate design and materials into a single context allowing us to unify our design with the architecture of the building. At the same time, it has been of the utmost importance that this building in its entirety expresses and represents both Danish design and Danish values.” as Henrik Sørensen puts it.
Finn Juhl’s Organic Furniture Sets the Mood
Finn Juhl’s furniture is recurring in conference rooms, lounge areas, apartments and open areas, in which Pelican chairs are clustered together. The apartments located on the top floor of the building are made available to lecturers and researchers. In here one will find, among others, the famous Poet sofa, designed by Finn Juhl in 1941.
It has been crucial that the lightness of the furnishing compliments the openness and transparency of the building. The rings of wood adorning the ceilings stand nicely in contrast to the abundant use of stone and glass, while the use of natural materials and colors add warmth to the building.
From the UN to Festive Dots
Apart from Finn Juhl, the complex, as mentioned earlier, also represents furniture designs from a series of other Danish designers such as Kasper Salto and Thomas Sigsgaard, Henrik Tengler, Søren Ulrik Petersen, Nanna Ditzel, Søren Holst, Lars Frank Nielsen and Erla Oskarsdottir.
Henrik Sørensen especially highlights the “Council Chair” which is used in multiple conference rooms. This chair was designed by Kasper Salto and Thomas Sigsgaard as part of the winning bid for the renovation of the Finn Juhl chamber in the headquarters of the UN in New York City.
To accompany the amoeba shaped desks located in the open areas both on the first and second floor, Henrik Tengler has created the TIME stool. This piece is an adjustable stool on wheels with a red/orange seat. These chairs are meant to be scattered across the floor in an informal manner resembling festive dots. The stools can be easily moved and used wherever there is room at a table.
