New Danish Design Furniture for the UN Headquarters in New York

New D a n is h d esig n fu r n it ur e fo r t he UN h e ad qua rt er s in N ew Yo r k J u d ge s ’ D elib er at io n s 20 1 1

N ew Danis h desig n fur ni t u re for t h e U N h eadq uart e rs i n New Yo rk

In December 2010 the Danish Arts Foundation Committee for Crafts and Design invited entries for a competition to provide new Danish design furniture for the Trusteeship Council Chamber – the Finn Juhl Chamber – at the UN headquarters in New York.

The competition was inspired by the fact that the UN complex is to undergo a comprehensive programme of restoration and modernisation, bringing it back to its original form and appearance, but using materials and techniques that can meet the challenges of the 21st century. In 1950–52 funds from Denmark helped make the building of the Trusteeship Council Chamber possible and now, again, it is making its contribution to this major project to restore the Chamber. The Chamber was originally designed by the Danish architect Finn Juhl (1912–1989). The Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Danish Ministry of Culture, together with the Realdania Foundation, have raised the necessary funds for the restoration.

In connection with this restoration five Danish designers were invited to compete to create a new chair and new conference tables for the Trusteeship Council Chamber.

Besides organising the design competition, Denmark has also undertaken to have the chamber’s original sunken floor restored, to produce 260 new copies of the original Finn Juhl chair, FJ51, as well as a new curtain produced in line with Finn Juhl’s original design. As its contribution to the restoration the UN will provide the wall panelling, carpeting, ceiling, lamps, decorations and up-to-date technical equipment.

Finn Juhl’s original design for the Trusteeship Council Chamber from 1950–1952 was a comprehensive design that would have to be described as being in all ways a high point in

Foto: UN Photo/YN

Finn Juhl’s work. The Chamber was conceived as a complete package: Finn Juhl designed everything in it – furniture, carpeting, wall-panelling, ceiling light-fittings, installations, drapery, and the overall colour scheme.

Finn Juhl achieved the effect he wanted with such features as the panelled walls and the design of the architecturally innovative ceiling. The ceiling colours were echoed in the carpet’s pattern of slender stripes against a light background and in the large curtain over the windows behind the council table. All of Finn Juhl’s finest qualities as a furniture designer and interior designer have been brought to bear in the design and layout of the Trusteeship Council Chamber.

At the beginning of the 1950s, the UN consisted of 60 member states, in 2006 the number had risen to 192. This increase in the number of member states led to greater pressure on the facilities of the entire UN complex – including the Trusteeship Council Chamber.

At the same time as the Chamber was being required to accommodate more delegates its function was also changing.

Its original purpose became redundant as colonies gained independence and it was used for other UN meetings which demanded the presence of delegates from all member states.

Today the chamber is an open hall that can be booked for meetings. Approximately 400 meetings are held there every year. At the same time approximately 400,000 people visit the UN complex every year and all of them pass through the Trusteeship Council Chamber. On guided tours mention is always made of the fact that the Chamber was a gift from Denmark, designed by the Danish architect Finn Juhl.

General comme n t s fr om t h e pan e l o f jud ge s

The Danish Arts Foundation’s design competition for a new chair and new conference tables for the Trusteeship Council Chamber has given five young Danish designers a unique opportunity to put their personal stamp on the world-famous conference hall and to bring contemporary Danish design into the UN complex. For them this has been an extraordinary challenge: to draw inspiration from Finn Juhl, one of very greatest names in Danish design, and have the chance to add pieces of new, modern Danish design furniture to his Gesamtkunstwerk in New York.

The five designers have themselves had the opportunity to present their competition proposals to the panel of judges.

It has been a rare and exciting experience to attend the five presentations and to enter into a dialogue on the proposals and the designers’ visions for the Chamber.

The judges wish to express their tremendous satisfaction with the range and diversity of the proposals, which are testimony to the breadth and potential of contemporary Danish furniture design. This diversity is evident, inter alia, in the central concepts of the different proposals. In Christian Flindt’s it is seen in his experiment with and use of untraditional materials; in Hans Sandgren Jakobsen’s, the common bond that draws together the room and its occupants; in Kasper Salto’s & Thomas Sigsgaard’s, the organic forms and their correspondence with the chamber’s form and character; in Mia Gammelgaard’s, her interpretation of the Finn Juhl Chamber’s colours and wood panelling; and, in Søren Ulrik Petersen’s, the interpretation of the hall’s rhythm and the use of classic materials.

The panel of judges sees the competition as a particularly positive initiative and its result proof of the versatility and wealth of ideas found in Danish furniture design today.

The judges note that all five designers have fulfilled the requirements laid down in the competition programme.

For the judges, the most decisive point, in assessing the different proposals, is how each proposal fits with, and functions in relation to, the original spatial concept of the Trustee Council Chamber.

Having evaluated all of the proposals, the panel of judges has unanimously declared Salto and Sigsgaard’s proposal the winner of the competition. Generally, and in its details, this proposal is the one deemed best able to enter into a dialogue with Finn Juhl’s spatial concept and design while contributing something new to the Chamber.

The aim of the competition was to contribute to the restoration of the Finn Juhl Chamber by providing it with new Danish design furniture which respects Finn Juhl’s interior design and spatial concept. This aim, in the opinion of the judges, has most definitely been achieved.

Panel of Judges 9 June 2011 Niels Hvass Erik Krogh Bodil Busk Laursen Mogens A. Morgen (chairperson) Hans Henrik Sørensen

Christian Flindt

Mia Gammelgaard

Kasper Salto & Thomas Sigsgaard

Søren Ulrik Petersen

Hans Sandgren Jakobsen

Christian Flindt

Mia Gammelgaard

Hans Sandgren Jakobsen

Kasper Salto & Thomas Sigsgaard

Søren Ulrik Petersen

Mia Gammelgaard

Kasper Salto & Thomas Sigsgaard

Christian Flindt

Hans Sandgren Jakobsen

Søren Ulrik Petersen

Winner Kaspe r Sa lto & Thomas Sig sg aard

This proposal takes its outset in the spatial concept of the Trusteeship Council Chamber. It conforms to the Chamber’s overall context while at the same time adding something new to the room. The designs are inspired by the space and by the body-hugging lines of Finn Juhl’s own designs. The organic forms of the chairs and tables underline this. With their exquisite, inviting appearance these designs are very much in keeping with the original style and mood of the chamber.

The Secretariat chair is a sturdy chair with its own personality. The chair’s veneer framework is upholstered with leather. Although fixed to the floor, the chair still provides the user with the possibility of turning and moving. The Secretariat table has a thin, light table top with a large span and central columns that will provide good freedom of movement. This proposal provides an elegant and visually simple solution to the task of building technical installations into the Secretariat table and the Delegate table.

The curvature of the ribs and the carved form of the blue ceiling are the inspiration for the curves of the Delegate table and a point of reference within the overall concept of Salto and Sigsgaard’s proposal. In their design, the horizontal expanse of the Delegate table is related to the surface of the floor and to the horizontal expanse of the hall.

Kasper Salto’s and Thomas Sigsgaard’s designs are qualified, modern and forward-thinking in style, with an international touch. Their proposal is suitably well-conceived and designed.

It works well in conjunction with the room while at the same time creating a contrast to it, thus emphasising how the space and the spirit of the room are preserved.

Their proposal emphasises, among other things, the strong affinity between the Secretariat chair, the Secretariat table, and the Delegate table. The primary concept is clear and simple.

The panel of judges attaches particular weight to the spatial

look and the relationship to the Trusteeship Council Chamber’s original configuration. At the same time, the proposal succeeds in presenting an original new interpretation of Danish design.

In the opinion of the judges, when fully developed this project will bring to the Chamber new qualities which will underpin Finn Juhl’s original concept and, at the same time, meet the functional requirements laid down by the UN. The panel of judges recommends further adaptation and development of the chair’s proportions to make it more roomy, though without compromising its form and character. In addition, any further adaptation must take account of weight and stability requirements.

The panel of judges finds a lack of detail in the Delegate table and recommends that work be done to add lightness to the table and give it a more articulated independent character. The necessary partition of the veneer should be considered carefully.

Finally, with respect to the Secretariat table, the judges recommend that additional work be done on devising a simpler solution for the assembly and disassembly of the table.

Sekretariatsstol

Delegeretbord, Formandsbord og Observersbord

- Sæde og rygskal: 9 mm. REHOLZ 3D Finér.

- Polster: Formstøbt Pur betrukket med læder.

- Beslag: 6 mm laserskåret rustfrit stål.

- Returdrej: Schultz - Ben: 8 mm laserskåret og børstet rustfrit stål med støbte polyamid ’Sko’.

- Bordplade: 19 mm. Møbelplade finéret med 1,5 mm træ på hver side.

- Bag/Front-plade: 12 mm. opslidset MDF formspændt med finér (1 mm.)

- Runding og Frontliste: massivt træ, kopifræset.

- Beslag ved gulv/Montering: stål-beslag / M16 Bolte.

Præfabrikeret ’Højtaler enhed’ - Skal: 4 mm. REHOLZ 3D Finér.

- Mikrofon, Højtaler, stik, volumekontrol og udtag: Som DPA Microphones.

Detalje A Salto & Sigsgaard

Delegeretbord, Formandsbord og Observersbord

Sekretariatsstol

- Bordplade: 19 mm. Møbelplade finéret med 1,5 mm træ på hver side.

- Bag/Front-plade: 12 mm. opslidset MDF formspændt med finér (1 mm.)

- Runding og Frontliste: massivt træ, kopifræset.

- Beslag ved gulv/Montering: stål-beslag / M16 Bolte.

- Sæde og rygskal: 9 mm. REHOLZ 3D Finér.

- Polster: Formstøbt Pur betrukket med læder.

- Beslag: 6 mm laserskåret rustfrit stål.

- Returdrej: Schultz - Ben: 8 mm laserskåret og børstet rustfrit stål med støbte polyamid ’Sko’.

Præfabrikeret ’Højtaler enhed’ - Skal: 4 mm. REHOLZ 3D Finér.

- Mikrofon, Højtaler, stik, volumekontrol og udtag: Som DPA Microphones.

Detalje A Salto & Sigsgaard

Detalje B

Detalje A

Sekretariatsstol - Sæde og rygskal: 9 mm. REHOLZ 3D Finér.

- Polster: Formstøbt Pur betrukket med læder.

- Beslag: 6 mm laserskåret rustfrit stål.

- Returdrej: Schultz - Ben: 8 mm laserskåret og børstet rustfrit stål med støbte polyamid ’Sko’.

Delegeretbord, Formandsbord og Observersbord

Sekretariatsbord

- Bordplade: 19 mm. Møbelplade finéret med 1,5 mm træ på hver side.

- Bag/Front-plade: 12 mm. opslidset MDF formspændt med finér (1 mm.)

- Runding og Frontliste: massivt træ, kopifræset.

- Beslag ved gulv/Montering: stål-beslag / M16 Bolte.

Bordplade: - Finéret (4 mm.) 20 mm alu-honeycomp plade med kantliste i massivt træ.

- Indlagte kabler til mikrofoner, højtalere, div. knapper, etc. fræst ind fra underside.

Bordben: - Ø120/2 mm. rustfri stålrør med påsvejste ’Flanger’ i 8 mm rustfrit stål.

- CNC fræst ’Styre-konus’.

- Div. el og IT kabler i hvert ben, samlet i ét ’Multi-stik’ v. bord og ved gulvmontering.

Præfabrikeret ’Højtaler enhed’

Gulvmontering: - Maskindrejet rustfrit stål ’indsats’ m. gevind, til indstøbning i betondæk.

- Dæksel i rustfrit stål (maskindrejet).

- Skal: 4 mm. REHOLZ 3D Finér.

- Mikrofon, Højtaler, stik, volumekontrol og udtag: Som DPA Microphones.

Detalje A Salto & Sigsgaard

Detalje B

Salto & Sigsgaard

Designkonkurrence

NY DANSK MØBELKUNST TIL FN I NEW YORK

c hr is t ia n flindt

Program for indbudt konkurrence om ny dansk møbelkunst (stol og mødeborde) til Formynderskabs-rådssalen (Finn juhl-salen) i FN-bygningen i New York.

Deltager

CHRISTIAN FLINDT

Sekretaraitsstol Træstel med sæde og ryg i fiberbeton. Betræk i Hallingdal, designet af Nanna Ditzel.

Med farvevalg og formsprog underordner stolen sig de delegeredes lavere og mere tilbagelænede konferencestol. En ergonomisk arbejdsstol med et ryglæn, der giver flere komfortable sidde/arbejdspositioner. I sit materialevalg med beton og det lyse træ lægger den sig i forlængelse af de to nye borde.

Christian Flindt’s proposal is quite impressive in its overall approach to the Finn Juhl Chamber’s spatial concept and in its adaptation of the form of the tables.

The Secretariat table is executed as a thin sandwich construction in ash wood and fibre concrete; the Delegate table consists of battenboard on a concrete base.

The Secretariat chair is built on a wooden frame with the seat and back made of fibre concrete, upholstered with woven fabric.

Taking inspiration from Finn Juhl’s sense of the interplay between light and dark, the proposal expresses a desire for interaction between the light in the hall from the East River and the surfaces of the Conference tables.

Christian Flindt’s proposal is an advanced and interesting solution to the problem posed. The proposal is down-to-earth and deeply original in its choice of fibre concrete and wood for the Conference tables and the Secretariat chair. The proposal reveals an intuitive feel for the spatial concept of the Trusteeship Council Chamber and an artistic approach to the room and Finn Juhl’s vision of the Chamber. The Delegate table in particular has a strong, organic appearance to it which accords well with Juhl’s original designs for the interior of the Chamber.

This proposal contains many good thoughts and ideas. What it lacks are suggestions for ways of solving the many functional and practical problems involved.

Furthermore, the panel of judges considers the chair to be somewhat heavy in form, rather traditional and not up to the same standard as the two tables. The judges admire Christian Flindt for his courage in experimenting with such a challenging material as concrete in his chairs and tables and for the consistent and enthusiastic manner in which these were executed. However, the judges do not consider the process involved in the production and assembly of his tables to be practicable in this specific context.

1/2

hans s and gre n Ja kobs e n

The primary concept of Hans Sandgren Jakobsen’s proposal is the desire to concretise ‘the common bond’ linking the delegates and the nations of the UN to one another. This he has done by quite literally designing the Delegate table as a connected ‘band’, which becomes a symbolic common denominator for the room and its function.

The tables are covered with light linoleum edged with varnished elm. The Delegate tables stand directly on the floor with front panels of varnished elm, while the Secretariat table is on wheels. The communication equipment is placed on the top of the Delegate table; in the Secretariat table the electronics are concealed in a box underneath. The design of the Secretariat chair draws its inspiration from the existing Advisor chair and – in referring back to this – defers to the FJ51 chair. The chair is mounted on wheels and produced as a solid-cast frame, upholstered in fabric, with armrests of varnished walnut.

The proposal seems functional and robust with good practical solutions and details. The use of elm in the table and chairs is a Nordic touch that suits the Chamber. The symbolism of the Delegate table as a common, unifying link is a fine feature which accords with Finn Juhl’s original approach to the Chamber.

The presentation of the proposal is impressive, both in its text and illustrations and in the large overview images. The judges would, however, have liked to see the inclusion in the proposal of illustrated suggestions for the construction and assembly of the pieces.

The panel of judges is looking for greater distinctiveness in the chair and the Secretariat table and, furthermore, sees a risk that the idea for the Delegate table would be difficult to adapt to the spatial concept of the Trusteeship Council Chamber.

m ia ga mme l gaard

Mia Gammelgaard takes her starting point in details from the Chamber’s original design: the wood panelling in the room and the colours of the three-dimensional ceiling. We find the dark wood repeated in the tables and chairs, while the colours from the ceiling provide inspiration for the Secretariat chair.

Gammelgaard wishes to create a ‘Scandinavian light’ in the space by using white linoleum and a white finish for the tables.

The focus, in the Secretariat chair, is on comfort and userfriendliness. It is a modern, contemporary work chair. With a dark veneer back and a colourful, tripartite upholstered front, there is an emphasis on the fact that the chair can be seen from all sides. The tables, too, are functional in principle, with a design that meets the technical and functional requirements.

The tables are based on a ‘Venetian blind principle’ in which the front panels accommodate in a simple way the various radii of the seating arrangement.

The proposal is congenial and well-conceived in its functional approach. It is an interesting idea to mirror the ceiling in the colours of the chair, but the chair as a whole seems too dominant in relation to its subordinate function in the chamber. The good intention of creating an atmosphere of Scandinavian light in the room with many white surfaces entails a risk that the white will take the upper hand and make the room too light and bland in relation to the hall’s present muted texture.

The proposal is well worked-out; but, despite the good intentions with respect to the interplay of the room’s wood panelling and the ceiling colours, the judges doubt whether this proposal fits with the overall spatial concept of the Trusteeship Council Chamber.

Amerikansk valnød, oliebehandlet

s ør en u lr ik p et er s en Plat læder, sort

Bogbinderlærred, Bamberger / Kaliko 101/856 gelbgraui

SEKRETARIATSSTOLEN Linoleum, grå – Forbo no. 4175 delegeret bord, 2mm

Forbo no. 4132 observersbord

620

760

Søren Ulrik Petersen

no. 4155 formandsbord

Designingeniør: Claus Mølgaard Designassistent: Sophie Alexandrine Kjærgaard Designkonsulent: Tine Brodersen Renderinger: LKE Design

April 2011

450

Søren Ulrik Petersen’s proposal is a congenial and practical one which focuses on the hall as the special workplace that it is. Petersen’s designs involve the consistent use of walnut in both tables and chairs: an allusion to the FJ51 chair, which is to be reproduced for the Chamber. This proposal also includes an original combination of classic materials such as leather, linoleum, and canvas. The proposal takes its outset in the rhythm of the chamber which, in the Delegate table, is reflected in a faceted indication of the individual user’s place.

The Delegate table is constructed of front panels of solid Søren Ulrik Petersen Ny dansk møbelkunst til FN i New York 1 walnut in two thicknesses and a number of panels attached to a steel, floor-mounted base. The design involves the faceting of the front panels on both vertical and horizontal lines. The Delegate table is designed to provide an easy and manageable way of concealing the technical equipment.

The Secretariat chair is of walnut and steam-bent wood and is easy to move around. The black leather back is a good and innovative solution which lends character to this style of chair.

The Secretariat table, also of walnut veneer, is constructed out of five tables. This division of the table into smaller units makes it mobile and easy to move around. Wires and cables for the technical equipment are fed through a ’butterfly’ notch in the top of the table, but no description of the connection to the floor is given.

This proposal has lots of character, and classic qualities which complement the design and the fixtures and fittings of 3 the Trusteeship Council Chamber. But the panel of judges notes that the proposal does not show how these designs relate as a whole to the overall style and spatial concept of the Chamber.

The chair and tables give the impression of being separate elements with no convincing link between them, and this makes it difficult to gauge any sense of continuity between Finn Juhl’s designs and the new Danish designs.

Ny dansk møbelkunst til FN i New York

April 2011

Materiale: Amerikansk valnød og plat læder

Alle mål i millimeter

Målestok 1:1 og 1:5

compe t i t i o n d e ta ils Organiser of the competition and form of the competition The Danish Arts Foundation Committee for Crafts and Design.

Design competition by invitation.

Competition announced on 15th December 2010.

Competition programme prepared by The Danish Arts Foundation Competition assignment The assignment involved the creation of a new Secretariat chair and four new Conference tables for use in the renovated Trusteeship Council Chamber in the UN headquarters in New York. The chair and tables had to be distinguishable from the Chamber’s original tables and chairs. It was vital that the proposal took account of the overall form, style and spatial concept of the Chamber in order to preserve the comprehensive design of the Chamber - a high point in Finn Juhl’s work as a designer.

Time-frame for the competition 11th January – 4th April 2011

Advisor to the panel of judges Michael Adlerstein, Director of the Capital Master Plan at Assistant Secretary-General level at the UN Competition secretary Design consultant Birgitta Capetillo Evaluation criteria The proposals were assessed on a number of general and specific criteria for the chair and the tables. The general criteria included the proposal’s artistic form and how, as an extension of Finn Juhl’s design, this would contribute to the spatial concept and stylistic coherence of the Chamber. Proposals had to be spatially innovative and form a contrast to the Chamber’s original design. At the same time, the chair and tables had to stand as clear contemporary examples of Danish furniture design. Other parameters included design quality, aesthetic appearance, function, comfort, production-friendliness, sound ergonomics, sustainability, and economic viability.

Judging time-frame: 5th – 26th April 2011

Number of proposals accepted for evaluation 5

Evaluation of the proposals The panel of judges held a total of five evaluation meetings.

Designers invited (in alphabetical order) Christian Flindt Hans Sandgren Jakobsen Kasper Salto and Thomas Sigsgaard Mia Gammelgaard Søren Ulrik Petersen

Further development of the winning proposal Further development will occur in close dialogue with the producer, the project group (the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Danish Ministry of Culture, the Danish Arts Agency, the Heritage Agency of Denmark, the Danish Museum of Art and Design) and the UN and its architects.

Panel of judges Chairperson Mogens A. Morgen, architect, head of department with the Heritage Agency of Denmark Niels Hvass, furniture designer Erik Krogh, architect Bodil Busk Laursen, director, Danish Museum of Art and Design Henrik Sørensen, director, Onecollection

Result of the competition/awarding of prizes For taking part in the competition, each of the five designers received DKK 50,000. The Danish Arts Foundation Committee for Crafts and Design will present the winner with a travel grant to New York of DKK 25,000.

Publication of the result: 9th June 2011.

Judges’ Deliberations Layout Jakob/Helmer Cover Photo Andreas Vingaard Production Danish Architecture Centre Published 9th june 2011