Why did one of the world's most famous designers hate being called a designer?

Art · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Arne Jacobsen, the Danish visionary behind iconic chairs like the Egg and the Ant, famously rejected the title of designer. To him, architecture was the primary discipline, and every object he created—from cutlery to skyscrapers—was simply an extension of his architectural pursuit of perfect, humane proportions.

Born in Copenhagen in 1902, Arne Jacobsen initially aspired to be a painter before his mother steered him toward the more secure path of architecture. After training at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, he emerged as a leading proponent of the International Modern Style. His early work, such as the Bellevue seaside complex, was defined by white, functionalist structures that prioritized clean lines and open planning. This commitment to 'austere modernism' often sparked controversy; his Stelling House design, for instance, led one newspaper to demand he be banned from architecture for life.

Jacobsen’s philosophy was rooted in the concept of Gesamtkunst—the idea that a building’s design should be total, encompassing everything from the structure itself to the smallest interior details. This approach reached its zenith with the SAS Royal Hotel in Copenhagen, often cited as the world's first designer hotel. Jacobsen designed every element, including the furniture, ashtrays, and even the airport buses. He believed that the design of every element was equally important, famously stating that the quality of proportion was the fundamental secret behind the beauty of ancient Egyptian temples and Renaissance masterpieces.

During World War II, Jacobsen’s Jewish heritage forced him to flee to Sweden to escape Nazi deportation, where he spent his exile designing fabrics and wallpaper. Upon his return in 1945, he entered a more experimental phase, creating iconic furniture like the 1951 Ant chair and the 1955 Seven Series. These pieces, characterized by their stackable, lightweight, and compact forms, were developed in collaboration with manufacturers like Fritz Hansen. By the time of his death in 1971, his influence had spread internationally, notably to Oxford, where he designed St Catherine’s College. Today, while he is celebrated globally for his industrial design, his legacy remains anchored in his belief that true style is found where economy meets function.

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