Hans Wegner

Hans Jørgensen Wegner (2 April 1914 – 26 January 2007) was a Danish furniture designer. His work, along with a concerted effort from several of his manufacturers, contributed to the international popularity of mid-century Danish design. His style is often described as Organic Functionality, a modernist school with emphasis on functionality. This school of thought arose primarily in Scandinavian countries with contributions by Poul Henningsen, Alvar Aalto, and Arne Jacobsen.

Wegner has been referred to as the "King of Chairs" for his prolific work designing seating. In his lifetime he designed over 500 different chairs, over 100 of which were put into mass production and many of which have become recognisable design icons.

"If only you could design just one good chair in your life...but you simply cannot."

Wegner received several major design prizes in his lifetime, from the Lunning Prize in 1951 and the Grand Prix of the Milan Triennale in the same year, to the Prince Eugen Medal in Sweden and the Danish Eckersberg Medal. In 1969, he was made honorary Royal designer for industry by the Royal Society of Arts in London.