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Danish delights light up Consul General’s apartment
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WITH views of the former French concession and the city’s skyline, Consul General of Denmark Nicolai Prytz’s Shanghai residence has a relaxed and inviting feel to it.
The high-rise flat he shares with his wife in the center of the city is exactly what they were looking for: big windows, large rooms, and the space to host social functions.
“The apartment’s clean backdrop with light wooden floors and abundant natural light is easy for us to fill in with nice Danish designs,” Prytz said. “We had very close work with the architects and interior designers working in the ministry to select the design highlights. We wanted to show some more traditional Danish furniture mixed with contemporary pieces.”
The apartment is calm and neutral, and the consul general wanted the Danish designs to dominate. The result is a quiet, light space that’s good for the mind and pleasant to the eyes.
“We wanted to transmit to people coming to my place what Danish design is all about. The perception of most people on Danish design is minimalist and functionalist and I believe we Danish are quite easy-going, simple, straight-forward people so our DNA is reflected on our designs,” Prytz said.
“For example, the Wishbone chairs we use here for the dining table were designed by Hans J. Wegner, who left us incredible pieces. He was the master of material wood.”
Clearly inspired by Chinese Ming chairs, the Wishbone chair is perhaps Wegner’s most celebrated work. It is a triumph of craftsmanship with a simple design and clean lines and is still manufactured in Denmark by hand. It is spacious and allows the user to change position: the back offers good support and most people feel comfortable in it for long, leisurely dinners.
Next to the dining table is a small relaxation area, complete with an iconic Flag Halyard Chair, that provides a homey touch. Also designed by Wegner in 1950 by Danish Furniture manufacture Carl Hansen, this is one of the most iconic chairs of the 20th century. It’s made of solid stainless steel and features long-haired sheep skin.
Although the Flag Halyard Chair appears futuristic, the basic idea was conceived on a hot summer afternoon back in 1950 in rather trivial circumstances. While the kids were playing in the shallow waters at a beach, Wegner was digging himself into the sand building a comfortable chair to enjoy the day. Back in the summerhouse Wegner made the first sketches using the seating angles that he had conceived on the beach.
According to Prytz, despite having obvious preferences for wood, Wegner shows his bold and courageous appetite for creating. With this Flag Halyard Chair, he pays a tribute to the early modernists such as Le Corbusier, Mies van der Rohe, and Marcel Breuer, and proves that he masters stainless steel with the same conclusive elegance as he masters wood.
Another design highlight in the living room is the Shell Chair, “Paul Smith limited edition.” It’s renowned for its timeless style and comfort. The chair achieves a floating lightness due to its wing-like seat and the arching curves of its tapered legs. The manufacturer, Carl Hansen & Son, teamed up with designer Paul Smith to create a limited edition furniture collection that pays homage to what would have been Wegner’s 100th birthday.
Other highlight of Danish design in the house is the little portable loudspeaker from Bang & Olufsen’s PLAY collection. It runs Wifi, bluetooth and is designed by Danish young and upcoming designer Cecilie Manz.
Besides the classic Danish designs, Prytz has placed some accessories from HAY that “maintains the same DNA of Danish design but a modern interpretation of it.”
“One thing I like very much about it is the brand really highlights comfort. And the design is also very appealing,” he said.
HAY’s ambition is to push Danish furniture design back to the innovative greatness of the 1950s and 1960s but in a contemporary context. Through commitment to the design and production of furniture and accessories with an international appeal, the brand strives to make good designs accessible at affordable prices. HAY has a shop on Taikang Road.
The Danish Consul General work space is designed by Danish furniture company Paustian, which are forerunners on sophisticated office furniture. The desk is ergonomically designed and can move up and down according to preferred working position.
The open-plan layout of the apartment gives visitors the freedom to walk around and appreciate the Danish designs close up. Even the music system from Bang & Olufsen combines technological excellence with emotional appeal.
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