From January 24 to May 11, 2025, the Danish Architecture Center (DAC) will host an exhibition dedicated to the work of designer Nanna Ditzel. Crowned “The Grand Dame of Danish Design,” Ditzel remains a significant figure in the field, known for her iconic creations such as the Hanging Egg Chair, Hallingdal Fabric, and the Trinidad Chair. Born in 1923, she established herself as a pioneer in furniture design, experimenting with unconventional materials, including the then-untested foam rubber, polyester, and fiberglass. She also transformed traditional materials such as wicker, laminated wood, and silver into innovative furniture and jewelry pieces that became icons of modern design, many of which will be showcased in this retrospective exhibition.
From DAC’s perspective, Nanna Ditzel was part of the postwar generation of Danish designers who defined what is now known as Danish Modern: an era spanning from the late 1920s to around 1970, marked by the fusion of functionality and aesthetics. Within this context, Ditzel’s work stands out for challenging traditional furniture design and reimagining how the body interacts with space, both individually and collectively. She is recognized as a prolific designer whose relentless exploration of new techniques led to an interior design philosophy centered on freedom and movement.
I now understand that if you are to make a career for yourself as a designer, you cannot simply do so in spare moments grabbed now and then. Anything that can be created in this way will only be variants of pre-existing things, which is especially unnecessary now that the new materials call for a completely new approach. If anything is to come to fruition, if you want to see independent development, you have to come to terms with the fact that at no point can you put a lid on everything and call it a day. – Nanna Ditzel, 1946
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Her most iconic designs were produced in the 1950s in collaboration with her husband and colleague, Jørgen Ditzel, with whom she founded a design studio primarily focused on furniture and textiles. Their work responded to the cultural shifts of the postwar period, shaping a new style of modern decoration through innovative techniques. After Jørgen’s passing in 1961, Ditzel continued her work, elevating it to an international scale and developing a personal brand that endures to this day.
The exhibition is set at the heart of Copenhagen’s BLOX building, which, in addition to DAC’s exhibition and discussion spaces, houses commercial, gastronomic, and residential programs in a project designed by OMA in 2018. The display immerses the public in Ditzel’s “spatial art” of furniture landscapes while offering insight into her life and impact. Visitors are invited to explore Nanna Ditzel’s groundbreaking designs at DAC’s Stairway Gallery any day of the week between 10 AM and 6 PM, with extended hours until 9 PM from Monday to Thursday.
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