SCANDINAVIAN DESIGN AND WWII

Scandinavian Modern seems to have exploded onto the American market and throughout the rest of Western Europe post-WWII, however, the basic principles of their designs had been gaining strength and depth since post-WWI. Because the Scandinavian countries declared neutrality in the Second World War, their designs embody a continuity not found in other forms of modernism throughout Europe. In countries engulfed by the war, a whole new league of designers emerged after 1945, but in Scandinavia, the veteran designers and manufacturers shared their lessons and philosophies with the new generation, thus reinforcing their ethos.

Though Finland had a few prominent architects/designers and Sweden is well known for fabric design, Denmark created the bulk of noteworthy furniture. Danish designers experimented with a variety of materials, styles, and construction methods, both in high-end hand-craft and economical mass-production. The distribution obstacles and shortened supplies may have lead to greater discoveries in material manipulation and a deeper study in form and overall design.