Jens Risom

Jens Risom (1916–2016) was a Danish-American furniture designer and one of the key figures in bringing Scandinavian modern design to the United States. His work combined Danish craftsmanship, functional clarity, and high-quality materials with the practical demands of American production and everyday living. Through his early work with Hans Knoll and later through his own company, Jens Risom Design, he helped define the language of mid-century modern furniture in America.

Biography

Jens Risom was born in Copenhagen in 1916. His father, Sven Risom, was an architect, and Risom grew up in an environment shaped by design, drawing, and modern ideas about form. He studied at the Copenhagen School of Industrial Arts and Design, where he was taught by leading figures such as Kaare Klint and Ole Wanscher, and was part of the same generation as designers including Hans J. Wegner and Børge Mogensen.

After his studies, Risom worked in Denmark and Sweden, including a period at Nordiska Kompaniet in Stockholm, where he was introduced to the work of Alvar Aalto and Bruno Mathsson. In 1939, he travelled to New York to study American design and soon began working within the city’s emerging modern design scene.

In 1941, Risom began working with Hans Knoll, and when the Hans Knoll Furniture Company launched its first collection in 1942, many of the pieces were designed by Risom. These early designs included stools, armchairs, and lounge chairs made with available wartime materials such as cedar and surplus webbing. Their simple construction, warm materials, and relaxed comfort helped introduce Scandinavian design principles to an American audience.

After serving in the United States Army during the Second World War, Risom returned to New York and founded his own company, Jens Risom Design, in 1946. The company became known for furniture that combined Scandinavian restraint with American practicality, producing chairs, sofas, tables, and office furniture for both private homes and commercial interiors.