Expertly produced, the VLA76 Foyer Lounge Chair stands as a testament to the exceptionally talented craftspeople at Carl Hansen & Son, working to Vilhelm Lauritzen’s original design from 1945. The Foyer series was originally designed for use in Radiohuset, Lauritzen’s seminal example of Functionalism, with every element of the building from the door handles to the furniture and facade working harmoniously to create a cohesive design. The chair combines a solid oak frame with sumptuous leather upholstery, meticulously stitched with hand-made buttons. The armrests and legs are constructed from three parts, expertly hand-polished to avoid the appearance of transitions between the different parts.
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.
