Iconic designer Jens Risom (profiled in the July 2008 issue of Modern In Denver) has developed three new furniture pieces exclusively for modern design company Design Within Reach (DWR). The Jens Collection includes an armchair and ottoman, originally designed by Risom in 1949 for the Caribe Hilton in Puerto Rico, as well as a new bench.
David Wise, Vice President of Product Development at DWR, worked closely with the 92-year-old Risom throughout the development of the new pieces. Wise explains, “It is fitting that the Jens Collection is one of the first projects from DWR Design Studio. Jens Risom is an iconic designer whose work has been a staple of DWR’s offering for years. Making his chair and ottoman available to a new generation of design lovers, as well as introducing a companion piece to enhance the possible uses of the collection, is an expression of DWR Design Studio’s goal to collaborate with designers and bring smart new solutions to market – or in the case of the chair and ottoman, to bring them back to life.” Decades have passed since the armchair and ottoman were in production, and Risom was involved with every step of their return, from reviewing prototypes to adjusting minute details to advocating cost-effective changes in the manufacturing process. The new Jens Armchair and Ottoman have the same balance and light scale as those made in 1949 but they utilize resources and tools that were unavailable 60 years ago. The newly designed Bench leaves a portion of its wood surface exposed, creating a seat and a side table in one streamlined piece. Like all furnishings by the Danish-born Risom, the collection has a subtle Scandinavian sensibility that works well within both modern and traditional settings. Or, as Risom states, “Good design means that anything good will go well with other equally good things.” The three pieces in the Jens Collection feature solid maple frames with slip-covered fabric cushions available in two colors. + dwr.com
