PK1 dining chair – Carl Hansen

The PK1 chair was the first chair designed by Poul Kjærholm, in 1955, and marked the beginning of his impressive career in furniture design. The PK1's dynamic form - a combination of a thin, light steel frame and a woven halyard - combined with its practicality and comfort, make this chair a perennial classic, published by Carl Hansen & Søn. 

Poul Kjærholm trained as a carpenter and continued his studies at the Danish School of Arts and Crafts. He had a particular interest in various building materials, and especially steel, which he saw as a natural material with the same artistic finesse as other natural materials. As a designer, he excelled at combining his favorite material, steel, with other organic materials. Both qualities are beautifully reflected in the PK1 dining chair.

Originally made from wicker, the PK1 is now available in an updated version with an FSC-certified braided paper rope seat, which looks as good from the front as it does from the back. The weaving technique has been recreated by Carl Hansen & Søn in accordance with Kjærholm's original chair design; it takes a skilled craftsman 15 hours to weave the seat by hand. The combination of industrial steel and woven paper rope exudes lightness and elegance. 

The chair's dimensions have been increased by 6% to match the height of today's people, as average heights have increased since the PK1 chair was launched in the mid-1950s. The chair has been adapted while fully respecting Poul Kjærholm's original design. Knud Erik Hansen, third-generation owner and managing director of the Carl Hansen & Son brand, says of the product launch: "Poul Kjærholm's unparalleled ability to combine functionality and aesthetics in a light, elegant way makes him a natural member of our design family. We're very proud that Kjærholm's very first chair, as well as his clean-lined Professor desk, are part of our collection."

He adds: "The PK1 paper rope chair has something new and familiar about it at the same time, and paper rope is a material we've been working with for over 70 years. So, in close collaboration with the Kjærholm family, we developed the new braiding technique that combines the best of Poul Kjærholm and Carl Hansen & Son." The PK1 chair is classic, comfortable, lightweight and stackable (up to four chairs). It is suitable for both private and public use.