For more than half the 20th century, the architect and designer Arne Jacobsen (1902-1971) was the driving force of Danish design and architecture. Today, over 45 years following his death, his work is still considered the epitome of Danish design, both within Denmark and by the world outside it.
One of the most distinguished examples of this thinking is the SAS Royal Hotel in Copenhagen – now called the Radisson Blu Royal Hotel – which opened in 1960, and in which Jacobsen designed absolutely everything. This included several significant and now-celebrated pieces, from the Egg and Swan chairs to his straight-lined stainless steel cutlery to the d line Arne Jacobsen lever handle.
AJ lever handle + thumb turn, brass
AJ lever handle + thumb turn, stainless steel
Jacobsen intuitively scanned the outer limitations of the form of an idea, its technology and its material. It was this unique approach he applied to the lever handle, which was designed around the shape of a palm’s grip. Fluid and flexible, it is as fitting in a corporate building as in a high-end condo, a residence or in a resort.
The Arne Jacobsen Collection includes this handle, as well as the designer’s simple thumb turns and toilet indicators.
