AJ Table - A design icon is created

Arne Jacobsen was born in 1902 and trained as an architect in 1924. But the young Jacobsen had creativity coursing through his veins, so after graduating, he started a new degree at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen in 1927. Arne Jacobsen’s way of thinking was innovative and shaped by his architectural background, so he quickly became one of the aspiring stars of the school. The year after he graduated, he won a design award for a project for the National Museum, and that set the tone for his promising career in design.

In the 1930s, Arne Jacobsen truly put his name on the map by spearheading the new style known as international functionalism. In the years that followed, Arne Jacobsen designed a range of houses in Denmark and the rest of the world, all with the simple, functionalist, modern expression. Rødovre City Council, the National Bank, and Århus City Council are all icons created by Arne Jacobsen’s hand.

Over the course of the 50s, Arne Jacobsen ventured into furniture design with the same architectural shape as his buildings. The Ant was the first chair to see the light of day, and it remains an incredibly popular chair around the world to this day.

That brings us to the landmark year that was 1960. The Cold War was looming, the US landed on the moon, the youth riots poured onto the streets, and in the middle of Copenhagen—a stone’s throw from the central station—an iconic and future-proof building was coming to life.

SAS Royal Hotel was designed by Arne Jacobsen as the world’s first design hotel. Its intention was to boost tourism to Denmark, particularly making it an attractive destination for US tourists who had increasingly good access to the Nordic countries thanks to new flight routes.

Arne Jacobsen’s eye for modern and elegant design permeated everything at the hotel. The iconic chairs—the Swan and the Egg—were designed for the hotel’s foyer and served as a soft contract to the edgy architecture across the rest of the building. The style permeated the entire building, including cutlery, bedside tables, curtains, and wallpaper.

Lighting was—of course—also part of the design concept. Arne Jacobsen has since stated that he didn’t like the fluorescent lamps that were necessary for lighting up the foyer, so he put extra work into all the other lamps featured in the hotel.

The AJ Lamps were designed as sculptural and picturesque additions to the décor at the SAS Royal Hotel in 1957, and their shapes and elegant architectural expressions were completely new to the world of light design. Louis Poulsen have since picked up manufacturing of the AJ Lamps.

These days, the AJ Lamps are some of the most popular lamps out there because their timeless design fits perfectly into any home. Whether you prefer Nordic, minimalist décor or you like colours that pop and live by the “more is more” principle, there is an AJ Lamp for you and your home out there.

The AJ Table Lamp is the perfect addition to any home and can be placed wherever you want it. How about on the desk to provide the perfect work light? Or perhaps on a small table in the living room to set the mood when you’re reading a book or spending some quality time with your phone? You could even place it on the windowsill, allowing its simple yet incredibly lovely design to give you and your guests a little design experience whenever you pass by it. No matter where you place this divine lamp, there’s no doubt that this is a classic built to last—even in your home.

The lamp is made of steel and zinc and was originally available in black, white, and light petroleum. In connection with the 60th anniversary, Louis Poulsen have launched the AJ table lamp in seven new colours, and it is now also available in dark green, ochre, rusty red, midnight blue, aubergine, and two shades of grey. If you want a uniform look, the lamp is also available in wall and floor versions, so the AJ magic isn’t limited to the tables of your home.

The AJ Table Lamp does exactly what it was created to do – contributing beautifully designed furniture and contributing a holistic feel to luxurious décor. But the AJ Table Lamp also provides a great contrast to teak retro furniture, a cheap Ikea sideboard, or perhaps a piece of furniture you’ve built yourself. So, no matter if you watch TV in the Egg or a beat-up old armchair, the AJ Table Lamp is an investment for life!