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Designed furniture for the United Nations in New York
Preben Fabricis (1931-1984), a Danish furniture designer who collaborated with Jørgen Kastholm, was born in Denmark. During the 1960s, the duo designed a wide range of items for German furniture manufacturer Alfred Kill, who had a factory in Fellbach near Stuttgart.
Education
Fabricis began his career as a cabinetmaker under the mentorship of Niels Vodder, a prominent figure in Danish furniture craftsmanship. He furthered his education at the School for Interior Design, studying under the esteemed architect Finn Juhl. It was during this period that he met Jørgen Kastholm, a blacksmith and fellow student, with whom he would form a pivotal design partnership. (Wikipedia)
Biography
In 1952, he worked as a cabinetmaker for Finn Juhl, designing chairs for the United Nations headquarters in New York.
Collaboration with Jørgen Kastholm
In 1961, Fabricis and Kastholm established a design studio, combining their expertise to create furniture characterized by clean lines, geometric forms, and a focus on functionality. Their work often utilized materials such as steel and leather, reflecting a minimalist aesthetic. Notable designs from this collaboration include the Tulip Chair, the Grasshopper Chair, and the Scimitar Chair. (Wikipedia)
Since 1967, he has taught furniture design at Skolen for Boligindretning. In 1968, he opened his own office, Holte, in the same building as Kastholm’s.
Ivan Schlechter, Copenhagen, made his 1962 Scimitar Chair 63 (designed with Kastholm), which looks like a tractor seat. Kill and Arnold Exclusiv were responsible for other furniture designs.
Recognition
In 1969, he was awarded the Illum Prize, the Bundespreis for “Good Industrial Form,” and the Erster Prize. Scimitar Chair 63 was first exhibited in 1963 at the Charlottenborg Museum in Copenhagen as part of the ‘New Forms’ exhibition and was later included in the 1966 ‘Vijftig Jaar Zitten’ exhibition at the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam and the 1968 ‘Les Assises du siege contemporain’ exhibition at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris.
Other Works
Sources
Byars, M., & Riley, T. (2004). The design encyclopedia. Laurence King Publishing.
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