Fritz Hansen Unveils Lost Poul Kjærholm PK3 Chair from 1954
Fritz Hansen proudly introduces the PK3, a previously unrealised design by Danish master Poul Kjærholm. Conceived in 1954 alongside the PK23 lounge chair as part of an interior commission for the FL Smidth headquarters, the PK3 was archived before completion. Now, more than seventy years later, this refined and characterful design enters the Fritz Hansen collection for the first time, adding a new chapter to the Kjærholm legacy.
A four-legged stacking chair shaped in laminated wood veneer and steel, the PK3 distils Kjærholm’s rare ability to bring grace to structural complexity. In its poised geometry and clarity of form, it speaks both of the period in which it was drawn and of today’s spatial sensibilities.
The chair reflects a moment in Kjærholm’s early career when he explored pliable materials and technical exactitude in equal measure. Though most of his peers turned to wood, Kjærholm saw steel as his poetic medium — not only for its strength, but for its light-capturing surface.
Showcasing Kjærholm’s signature blend of industrial precision and organic simplicity, the PK3 chair is produced with the same attention to detail that has defined Fritz Hansen’s relationship with Kjærholm since 1982. The seat and backrest are formed from two mirror-laminated veneer shells, joined by discreet aluminium brackets, and balanced on a slender steel-tube frame that rests on rubber buffers. Every element reflects Kjærholm’s belief that construction and character are inseparable.
”Seeing the PK3 come to life is deeply meaningful. It completes a thought that began decades ago and shows how much more there is to discover in his work,” says Thomas Kjærholm of his late father’s rediscovered design.
With its modest footprint, upright composure and enduring tactility, the PK3 is a chair of quiet presence — intended for homes, galleries, institutions and places of meeting. It is at once a rediscovered idea and a forward gesture, a seamless addition to the Kjærholm canon and to Fritz Hansen’s continuing stewardship of his legacy.
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