Erik Herlow (1913–1991) was a Danish architect and designer renowned for contributing to industrial design and shaping mid-20th-century Scandinavian aesthetics.
Educational Background and Architectural Careet
Herlow studied architecture at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, graduating in 1941. He was involved in designing significant industrial buildings, including the American Embassy in Copenhagen in 1954 and various projects for Superfos. (Jensen Silver)
Biography
In 1945, he set up his design studio in Copenhagen. He became head of Det Kongelige Danske Kunstakademie. He worked primarily in metal, designed stainless steel and sterling silver wares for A. Michelsen, aluminium cooking wares for Dansk, and 1954 Obelisk cutlery for Universal Steel. From 1955, he was the artistic director of Royal Copenhagen Porcelain Manufactory. From 1959, he designed jewellery for Georg Jensen Solvsmedie.
One of his most acclaimed works is the “Obelisk” flatware set, designed in 1954 for Universal Steel of Denmark and retailed worldwide by Georg Jensen. This set was innovative, with each piece crafted from a single piece of 18/8 stainless steel and hand-finished with a brushed surface on the handles. (Jensen Silver)
Many of his designs were sympathetic to both the consumer and the manufacturer, primarily because of his deep understanding of the manufacturing process and how to best achieve beautiful results with the available production methods.Â
Later work
He later promoted and educated in the field of industrial design itself, starting with his book, “Good Things for Everyday Use”, in 1949. He was also a co-founder of the Society for Industrial Design in 1954, an educator for Goldsmith’s College from 1952-54, and an associate professor at the Art Academy of Architecture before becoming a full professor of industrial design. His works have appeared in the Museum of Modern Art and the Metropolitan Museum in New York. In 1980, he was awarded a lifetime state grant for his works.
Sources
Byars, M., & Riley, T. (2004). The design encyclopedia. Laurence King Publishing. https://amzn.to/3ElmSlL
Related Articles
Discover more from Encyclopedia of Design
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.