Council Chair

The competition was issued by The Danish Arts Foundation for Crafts and Design under the Ministry of Culture, as the UN headquarters were to undergo an extensive restoration and modernization. As part of this endeavor, the State of Denmark decided to contribute to the restoration of the Trusteeship Council Chamber. Denmark had donated the interior of the original chamber at the inauguration of the UN headquarters between 1950 – 1952. The Finn Juhl Chamber is perceived to be one of the three most important pieces of Danish cultural heritage outside of Denmark – on par with Utzon’s opera house in Sydney and Von Spreckelsen’s Grande Arche in Paris.

Originally, the Danish architect Finn Juhl had been appointed to design the interior of the Trusteeship Council Chamber. Alongside the Security Council Chamber and Economic and Social Council Chamber these three chambers make up the permanent council chambers of the conference building facing the East River. The interior of the Trusteeship Council Chamber is from 1951 and it became a highlight of Finn Juhl’s career, as it simultaneously marks his international breakthrough as an architect and designer. His work was complete in every facet and extremely well executed. Walls, floors, ceilings, installations, curtains, furniture, colours and materials were all carefully curated by Finn Juhl, down to every minute detail – which rightfully earned the chamber the status of a so-called “Gesamtkunstwerk”.

As part of the restoration, five Danish designers were invited to partake in a competition to create the next secretariat chairs and delegates tables for the Finn Juhl Chamber, while 260 original Finn Juhl meeting chairs were produced for the delegates by Onecollection / House of Finn Juhl. The overall objective of the competition was to contribute new and exciting Danish design to the restoration of the chamber, while respecting Finn Juhl’s interior concept.

Salto & Sigsgaard’s winning bid adheres to the overall context of the chamber, while adding a new dimension. The well thought out functionality and beautifully shaped appearance of the Council Chair supports Finn Juhl’s original thought process, revolving around a functional entirety that appears delicate, inviting and soothing to the senses. These attributes are especially important in a chamber that unites nations and provides a forum for discussing pivotal topics such as war, peace and the UN Global Goals.