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Danish design brand Brdr Krüger unveils a previously unreleased piece by Nanna Ditzel. Launched this month, the Arkade chair completes the company’s heritage offering, joining a curated collection of historical pieces by Hans Bølling, and contemporary designs by the likes of David Thulstrup and OEO Studio.
Originally conceived in 1983, this new addition to Brdr Krüger’s collection was part of a collaboration with Ditzel led by Niels Krüger – fourth generation master craftsman in the Danish family company. The result of this decade-long partnership was a body of work that explored a new spirit in design combined with traditional craftsmanship. Many of Ditzel’s design ideas were developed at the company’s wood workshop – such as her iconic children’s furniture – pieces that have maintained their contemporary feel until the present day.
The Arkade chair features some of Ditzel’s most distinctive design traits: her fondness for soft shapes and repetition of circular forms and arches (that give the piece its name), and her signature postmodern, elegant geometries. The combination of materials and techniques in the chair — from woodturning to steam-bent wood, metal and upholstery — articulate the designer’s love for decoration and colours.
The materials can be modified with different finishes to allow for customisation, and the chair is also available in Ditzel’s Hallingdal textile from Kvadrat. A fabric designed in 1965, and continuously produced since then, the two-tone weave was recently relaunched by Kvadrat, and restored to Ditzel’s original palette – it is the perfect wrap to the subtle angles of the chair.
Since its founding in 1886, as a wood-turning workshop, Brdr Krüger has evolved into a fully-fledged furniture brand that celebrates classic Danish design values whilst embracing modernity. Nanna Ditzel’s commitment to excellence in craftsmanship, using new materials and techniques, aligns with the company’s devotion to utilising mid century Danish aesthetics, reinterpreted for a contemporary audience.
A version of this article originally featured in the April 2020 issue of Wallpaper* (W*253)
INFORMATION
‘Arkade’ chair, price on request, by Nanna Ditzel, for Brdr Krüger