Jens Risom by Benchmark and Rocket

One of the first designers to bring the traditional Scandinavian values of function and craftsmanship to the United States was designer Jens Risom. As part of a new vanguard that helped establish post-war America’s leadership role in the world of modern furniture design and manufacturing, Risom (born in Copenhagen in 1916) was highly influenced by his award-winning architect-father who encouraged Jens to pursue academic studies in business and contemporary design.

After completing two years at the Business College of Niels Brock in Copenhagen, Risom worked briefly for Danish architect Ernst Kuhn and he created several furniture designs for Gustav Weinreich.

You can read more about Jens Risom at Wikipedia.

At 94, Risom has collaborated with Rocket gallery and Benchmark, who have jointly secured the European rights to reissue his 1950s and 1960s furniture designs.

This first collection of nine pieces has been creatively directed by Jonathan Stephenson of Rocket and made by Sean Sutcliffe and Terence Conran’s Benchmark Furniture company in their Dorset and Berkshire workshops – with the close involvement of Risom himself.

Risom has also worked for Ralph Pucci to create a collection of furniture… this work is an evolution of Risom’s work and it is clear to see that as needs have changed in design, so has this designers work.

Still with some of his signatures but with a greater amount of upholstery and cushioning, these pieces are suitable for today’s homes.