Originally designed in 1945 for the Royal Retiring Room in the Radio House, the VLA62 Mirror is a striking piece of Danish modernism. The Radio House was designed top to bottom by Vilhelm Lauritzen, whose meticulousness permeates every layer of the building, from the bannisters and door handles to the furniture and lighting. The mirror exemplifies this totality of design, with a solid oak frame that embraces the organic concept found elsewhere within the building.
Made available to the general public for the first time by Carl Hansen & Son, the VLA62 is a full-length wall mirror that exemplifies the care and attention to detail that characterises Lauritzen’s work. The solid oak beautifully frames the reflective surface, the minimalist piece suited to private homes and public spaces.
Vilhelm Lauritzen (1894–1984) was one of the most significant architects in the history of Denmark; he was the trail-blazing figurehead of Danish functionalism. A number of his buildings – Nørrebro Theatre, Daells Varehus department store, Radiohuset and the first airport built in Kastrup – represented the concentrated essence of contemporary life. Other significant buildings to stem from Lauritzen’s drawing board include Folkets Hus better known today as the Vega concert venue, the Shellhuset building and the Danish embassy in Washington.
Throughout his life, Vilhelm Lauritzen adhered to the principle that architecture is applied art – with equal emphasis on both ‘art’ and ‘applied’. “No life without aesthetics” was another one of Vilhelm Lauritzen’s firmly held beliefs.
