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Vilhelm Lauritzen's interest in butterflies is reflected in the name of the VLA61 Monarch chair, inspired by the majestic monarch butterfly. Only ten copies of this elegant and comfortable chair, designed in 1944, were ever produced.
Rediscovered by Carl Hansen, this new version was developed in collaboration with Vilhelm Lauritzen Architects, with minor adjustments to both the material composition and the details. Vilhelm Lauritzen, a pioneer of Danish modernism, was known for his love of detail, which is reflected here in the double-curved armrests, the organic design of the frame and the elegant brass legs.
Each chair is the result of hours of passionate craftsmanship. All parts are hand-polished several times and the top rail is only upholstered once the chair is assembled, to achieve a perfect finish. All these subtleties contribute to the sculptural expression of Lauritzen's poetic and functionalist design masterpiece.
Oiled Mahogany + Baru 0200
Oiled Mahogany + Baru 0740
Oiled Mahogany + Baru 0780
Oiled oak + Baru 0410
White oiled oak + Sif 90 leather
Customize your VLA61 Monarch chair
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Vilhelm Lauritzen
Vilhelm Lauritzen (1894–1984) is 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 (1931–32), Daells Varehus department store (1928–35), Radiohuset (1936-41) and the first airport built in Kastrup (1937–39) – represented the concentrated essence of contemporary life. Other significant buildings to stem from Lauritzen’s drawing board include Folkets Hus (1953–56) better known today as the Vega concert venue, the Shellhuset (1950–51) building and the Danish embassy in Washington (1958–60). In particular the Radiohuset building and the earliest version of Kastrup Airport – both listed today – are considered peerless monuments to modernism in the European genre of construction.
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.
