A man with an endless passion for steel and the designer behind the iconic PK22 lounge chair. Poul Kjærholm is undoubtedly one of the greatest Danish designers who has, with his sleek silhouettes, influenced Scandinavian modernism.
1929-1980
Poul Kjærholm was born in 1929 in Denmark. Before studying at the Danish School of Arts and Crafts in Copenhagen, he was a trained carpenter. He returned to the Danish School of Arts and Crafts as a lector in 1955 and continued teaching throughout his life.
Poul Kjærholm was fascinated by different construction materials, steel being his favourite. He was inspired by the global pioneers Gerrit Rietveld, Mies van der Rohe as well as Charles and Ray Eames. Poul Kjærholm was employed at Fritz Hansen for about a year before he in 1955 began his collaboration with manufacturer Ejvind Kold Christensen.
Poul Kjærholm’s collaboration with Ejvind Kold Christensen lasted until his death, and two years after Fritz Hansen took over the production and sales of “The Kjærholm Collection”. The Kjærholm Collection consists of designs, which were developed from 1951 to 1967. In 2007, Fritz Hansen launched the PK8 chair and the PK58 dining table, which had never been produced before.
