Danish architect Troels Grum-Schwensen follows a minimalistic approach to design meaningful and sculptural architectural spaces. His design philosophy is paying attention to the social environment and humanizing the design process.
He aims in designing sculptural furniture that is flexible and adaptable to various architectural spaces and has physically and aesthetically a long lifespan. He explores different materials, finishing and fixing details, and carefully adjusts them from different perspectives and distances during the process.
Graduated from the Royal Danish Academy of fine arts, he established Grumdesign in 1989. Their firm specializes in furniture design, building, and interior design and received various international design awards.Below are 15 projects by them following their unique design style.
1. PONTO table
Grum-Schwensen followed his 15 years-old idea to design the PONTO table exclusively and simply with minimum members. This table has four solid wooden legs, sliding into two strong aluminum beams attached to the table surface. The overall construction is stabilized using gravity only, allowing a maximum length of 558 cm. This was manufactured by Lammhults and received the 2019 Platinum MUSE award in the furniture category.
2. GRIP table-system
The GRIP table design is inspired by the tightrope walkers. This extremely flexible table has huge pairs of jaws of the legs, gripping the central weight-bearing diamond-shaped beam. This construction gets stabilized by gravity only. GRIP tables are available with different tabletop materials, length, and leg colors. GRIP Basic is 80cm wide, GRIP Meeting is 108cm wide and GRIP Wood and glass are 100cm wide. The self-locking mounting system can be quickly assembled to a free span of 3 m. and becomes more stable with the increased weight.
GRIP was manufactured by Randers+Radius. This table system won the prestigious Danish Design award In September 2012 and the International AZ-award in 2015.
3. ATTACH table-system
The ATTACH table system can be adaptable to any shape, size, and position according to the room size. The simple basic elements are the recycled casted aluminum legs and extruded aluminum apron attached below the tabletop, secured by Gravity. The user can assemble the table by only hand without using any tool. ATTACH is available in square, circular and elliptical shapes along with various table top materials and colors for the leg. Top width is between 90-200 cm and length 150 cm and up. The ATTACH table series is manufactured by Lammhults and won several international awards.
4. ATTACH Outdoor
ATTACH outdoor table is designed following the same principle of ATTACH table series with the only exception of using wooden slats in the tabletop. This allows draining the rainwater and makes the table perfect for outdoor use.
5. DETACH Unit and Work System
DETACH Unit is an independent power supply system with a sound-absorbent screen and was developed in collaboration with Lammhults. DETACH WORK SYSTEM can be installed to convert the ATTACH table systems to a workspace without creating any damage to the tabletop. This system can serve any length by adjusting the desired numbers of power intake and screen divider.
6. TORO stacking chair and table
TORO is an elegant and cost-effective stackable table system. TORO table can be used as a single table forcafeterias as well as a long meeting table using the ‘double-gables’ system to connect the tabletops. The TOROchair has a sculptural design with a chromed steel frame and polyurethane double curved back that provide comfort in different sitting positions.This chair has an integrated stacking spacer under the seat to avoid scratch. This chair is durable, shock-resistant, and has easy maintenance to use outdoors as well.
7. ALU-BENCH by the Meter
This “eagle-like” bench was an inspiration to some of Grum-Schwensen´s later award-winning table-designs. The seat is a wing-shaped aluminum profile that also serves as a load-bearing beam. Considering the length, any necessary number of legs can be slid to the beam profile without using any tools. This construction is supported by gravity and becomes more stable with increased weight. The longitudinal centerline groove of the seat profile is used for mounting cushions or armrests indoors, and as a rainwater channel outdoors.
8. WATERLILY Additive seating
This seating system design is inspired by the organic clustering pattern of water lily. The seats can be used separately as a freestanding element and also can be endlessly connected to form harmonious public seating furniture. The five pieces of the seating surface also allow a concave incision to form multiple compositions. WATERLILY was launched in 2005 and received the FX/PRIMA award for product-excellence and best design at the fair.
9. BLOOM additive seating-system
This is an adaptable and flexible seating system for public waiting areas. The carefully curved petal-like seats can be linked in an infinite variety of shapes. This organic cluster creates a free atmosphere that can suit any purpose of the room. Just by changing the color of the seats, the mood of any space can be defined as strong or subtle.
10. DRUM Multipurpose-furniture
DRUM is a unique piece of furniture that can serve mainly as a side table or coffee table. The storage unit under the top lid makes it usable for storing small items. The sturdy structure of this unit also allows it to be used as a guest-stool when needed.
11. DE-ÈSSE easy-chair
This light yet comfortable easy chair is designed following the tradition of Danish cabinetmaker. The effortless design stroke is defined by one wood piece that is going throughout the seat up to the back leg. The convex shaped seat carved at the upper side further adds to the simplicity of this easy chair.
12. SOMMER Series
Sommer is a series of elegant stackable furniture; bench, chair, table. The elegant appearance is achieved by using Pinewood and experimenting with the construction technique to make it stronger. One central main-joint with the maximum material concentration and tapering down sections in all other directions helped in executing this fine furniture series.
13. AIRchair
This light and airy stacking chair has a stable triangle formed with the back leg and the back together. The calm vertical legs, the thin slats at the back, and the straps in the seats further add to the desired transparency of the chair. AIRchair can have different heights with options to add armrest or upholstery.
14. Insert-kitchen design
While redesigning a 126 square-meter old apartment, this innovative insert kitchen unit was installed in one wall of the living room. A hole was created on that wall and the backside bathroom space was used for this installation. The ceiling, flooring, and wall surface around the insert kitchen were kept intact to match with the existing architectural style. The kitchen island was designed as a built-in element, carefully using delicate materials. This conversion project was further developed in cooperation with Garde-Hvalsøe and became a part of their assortment.
15. Exhibition-stand for EH-seating 2006
This exhibition-stand at Bella Center, Copenhagen, was designed to showcase the new chair ‘CLOUD’ and was nominated for the annual fair-exhibition-prize. The theme was clouds and the sky to match with the chair display. The theme was achieved by creating a textile roofing of a natural soft curve, lit with daylight from the windows on one side. A wall-length composition of a colored and several black and white photographs of clouds was also installed to complete the look.
