DotW #3 - Verner Panton

Verner Panton, 1926-1998

In the pantheon of Danish designers, Verner Panton is perhaps the most influential furniture and interior designer of the 20th century. He is best known for his innovative work with plastics.

Panton studied architecture at the Royal Danish Academy of Art and from 1950-1952 assisted Arne Jacobsen on a variety of projects. One such project was Jacobsen's "Ant" chair. The chair was commissioned by Novo Nordisk, for use in the company canteen, and was designed to be light, stable, and easily stackable. This was the result.

It was Jacobsen's research in new technologies and materials that most stoked Panton's curiosity and future design asthetic.

After leaving Jacobsen, Panton went on to design first the Bachelor and then the Tivoli chair.

It was the Cone chair that truly made Panton "known".

This chair caused a stir internationally and allowed Panton to experiment further with both materials and design.

He is, most likely, best known for this chair, from 1967.

There was a Simpsons episode - which I sadly cannot locate / remember - where Springfield Elementary received new chairs. Chairs specifically designed to make the students "pay attention". It was appropriately uncomfortable. I imagine that the Panton chair is not dissimilar.

During this period he experimented further with what he termed "total" environments. With this concept he wanted to build a modern living space that better suited the time and space and inhabitants.

He also went on to do things like this. For Bayer. On boats.

Edit : these styles / rooms / videos had to be the inspiration for Navin Johnson when he decided to build his mansion. Sophisticated!

Interest waned in Panton's works throughout the 70s and 80s. His work earned more attention in the 90s and he was invited to do an exhibition in Copenhagen in 1998, but died 12 days before its opening.

Thanks to the following excellent sources.

- Design Museum - an excellent biography. Much of the details were grabbed here
- Apartment Therapy - great pictures and more info.
- Wanken - more great pictures of "Visiona"
- And obviously the Wiki