Architect
Flemming Lassen (1902–1984)
was a modernist and part of the movement to bring
functionalism to Denmark. He is particularly renowned for his
overstuffed furniture, receiving major international recognition in the design
world for his armchairs, referred to today as ‘the Flemming Lassen style’. Like his
brother Mogens Lassen, Flemming knew from a very young age that he wanted to become
an architect. He was born into an artistic family with a father who was a decorative painter and a
mother who was also a painter. As a child, he and his brother spent all of their savings on architecture
books; their favourite pastime was measuring houses with the intention of sketching them. The Lassen
brothers attended boarding school with Arne Jacobsen, with whom they developed a close friendship
that, for Flemming and Arne, continued into adulthood and being colleagues. In 1929, a competition
was announced to design the ‘House of the Future’ and together they submitted their contribution for the
exhibition held at the Forum, Copenhagen. The result was the now famous circular house, which featured
a helicopter landing pad on the roof and flat-screen TVs on the walls. Their design won first prize, giving
them their breakthrough as major internationally recognised architects. Flemming and Arne continued their
partnership, designing buildings such as Søllerød Town Hall and its complete interior. Flemming went
on to design many important buildings during the rest of his life, simultaneously developing a number
of iconic furniture pieces to complete the interiors of his projects. Today, his designs are rare and
typically distinctive, making them highly attractive to collectors and pushing auction prices
to record levels. In fact, an original Flemming Lassen-designed Tired Man armchair
from 1935 holds the record as the most expensive chair ever sold in Denmark.
Flemming won many awards and grants for his architecture during
his lifetime and he remains a significant influence on the
Scandinavian design scene to this day.
