Munkegaard School
Desks & Chairs
Arne Jacobsen, 1956

Description: 

School desks and chairs designed for the Munkegaard School by Danish architect and designer, Arne Jacobsen during the mid-late 1950s. 

The Munkegaard School opened in 1957. It was a large, single-story building in which the architecture, interiors, furniture and even outdoor planting was considered and designed by Jacobsen himself. The building was split up into four wings, each connected by corridors which formed a grid-like system where each classroom looked onto its own private courtyard. The combined effect of this made a school for 850 pupils, feel much more cloistered and intimate.  

The Munkegaard Chair, much like Jacobsen's Ant Chair designed three years earlier, was formed from a single piece of moulded plywood- a lightweight and resiliant construction ideal for the daily wear of school life. Unlike the Ant Chair, the Munkegaard Chair has a slightly wider backrest, likely to accommodate longer hours of sitting and study. 

The corresponding desk epitomises the functionalist design of the Munkegaard School. Also formed from moulded plywood, a single sheet is bent almost double, creating a space beneath the Formica table top to store books and stationary. This plywood tabletop is raised on a frame of tubular steel, lightweight, durable, and a visual continuity with the insect-like legs of the Munkegaard Chair. 

There are 4 sets of tables and chairs available. Each set is sold individually. If you would like to purchase the complete set, add 4 to your cart. 

The desks and chairs are in very good vintage condition, with minor wear to the Formica table tops. The plywood chairs and tables have a beautiful even patina, which will only richen over time. 

Specifications:

Materials: Plywood, green Formica, tubular steel, rubber footrest and feet-caps. 

Manufacturer: Fritz Hansen

Desk Height: 71.5cm

Desk Width: 63cm

Desk Length: 51cm

Chair Height: 76cm (seat height: 44cm)

Chair Width: 40cm

Chair Length: 50cm