Spot On: FURNITURE

Benjamin Kolstrup, 30, Denmark

School: Danmarks Designskole

Department: Furniture & Spatial Design

Specials: Furniture.

Design background  

1 year at the School of Visuel Arts, 1996-1997 Valby – Cph. Denmark.

3 years doing various graphic odd jobs for Skibby Business Travel and Profil Business Travel 1997-2000.

BA in Design and 3 ½ years at Denmark design School, working primarily with furniture design.

Important lessons learned during your education

 Believe in your original intention and idea.

Set your eye steadfast on your goal, but be willing to kill your darlings during the process!

Trust your instincts, work hard – nothing is impossible.

Learn from others and never be afraid to ask for help or advice.

Respect your fellow students and colleagues, no matter what their earlier design experience consists of – don’t be a smart ass, just be smart!

Did you do anything prior to your education to strengthen your skills and to get into your school?

Not really, besides a 2 years student course, this is always good to have I guess!

Took a chance and thankfully got in.

Project title 

Chair Force One

Length of project 

10 weeks

Inspiration

The construction and shape of the fighter planes from World War II, like the Submarine Spitfire and the Messerschmidt, but primarily the Spitfire, which I think is a beautiful aero plane.

I liked the thought of giving a lounge furniture an association to the shape and form of an airplane, so you could sit in your own private ‘Chair Force One’ and get flown away, while you relax. 

Materials

Ash, Birch and pine wood.

Upholstery – cotton, foam and non woven fabric

Keywords for the visual design

The wing and back are meant to lean up against the earlier mentioned expression of an airplane. The wooden frame underneath the main body is inspired by old types of undercarriage on propeller aero planes, but also got inspired by some of Finn Juhl’s work with wooden frames on his chairs.

How is your work process when you design?

Very well structured in the initiating stages – I always do a really big bunch of research and sketching, but then my process very often turns into a totally confusing stage, caused by my craving need to reach very far.

But luckily, I’m a solid worker and a very stubborn striker – I love my profession very dearly!

Which part of the process is the hardest for you to work through?

The part of the process, where you have to make some very decisive decisions to continue the innovative development!

In your experience, are there specific skills that would be helpful to master?

Think it’s a huge strength to have good communicative skills, both verbally and visually, so your presentation of a developed design object becomes as informative, simple and interesting as possible.

Besides the above, learning tools and work methods, in order to strengthen your approach to the design process, so you can bring your product development up to a whole new tempo, quality and level.

What are your strengths?

Odd thinking and generating ideas, sketching on paper – I’m way better with a simple pen, creating form and expressions, than working with 3d drawing programs and it’s so much faster for me.

Stubbornness, passion for the trade, humility and respect for my mentors, fellow students and teachers.

What are your weaknesses?

Ohh…there’s many – you’re your own worst critic as known, but I really stink big time at the earlier mentioned 3d computer drawing programs. My patience regarding my own learning capabilities are really bad. Selling myself and my work at fairs – can do with the work of others, but my own…

Do you turn to specific areas for inspiration in general?

Mainly the design area, but besides that I’m trying to keep my channels for imprints open, in my everyday life.

Any designers you find inspirational?

Many – Georg Nakashima, Wegner and a lot of the other Old Danish masters like Wanscher, kjaerholm, Juhl and so on. Of the more modern designers – Jasper Morrison, Naoto Fukusawa, Patricia Urquiola, Konstantin Grcic, Nils Holger Moorman, Patrick Norguet, Ross Lovegrove and Stefan Sagmeister amongst others.

Other students you find inspirational?

Jenny palmborg, Erik Mattson, Jonas Lundby Jensen, Laura, Signe, Nina, Maria, Jose’, Martin, Sille, Lisa, Caroline, Mette, Hedvig and a lot other fellow students I see or meet during my day at Denmark Design School.

Is your work process based on a special approach towards design?

Even though the deep plate is invented, as our teachers always tell us, I’m continuously trying to create an original expression or story with my work.

Learning by doing!

Do you have a dream scenario for you and your design in the future?

Get to know a lot of interesting people. Keep on learning, developing and getting better to perform my trade and hopefully live of my work one day, very soon.

Has it always been a dream to work with design?

Noooo! Originally, I thought that I want to be a professional football player and all, then an art painter – that was too depressing and boring though. Then it was a human bowling ball and a chef, but then I realized that the design trade was my call and I bloody love it!

Why did you choose this specific specialization?

It felt natural.

Do you have any other projects you would like to highlight?

I’ve just finished a very cool lounge furniture that can be seen at this year’s Stockholm Furniture Fair, called “Chair Force One” which I’m very proud of.

Soon, I’m finishing a brand new dining room chair inspired by Wegner’s round chair.

Contact info

Benjaminkolstrup@live.dk/bekol@student.dkds.dk

Mobile. +4526393526