The architect Jørgen Bækmark ran the FDB design studio for nine years, from 1958 to 1967, after Børge Mogensen, Poul M. Volther and Ejvind A. Johansson. He is today the only living designer of this time.

He was born in 1929, studied cabinetmaking in 1950, and was educated at the School of Arts and Crafts and the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, School of Furniture.

Bækmark ran the FDB design studio at a time when the demand for furniture was slowly declining. However, this did not prevent him from being at the origin of several classic furniture such as the J80 and J81. The two emblematic armchairs were based on what was particularly well known in the FDB furniture factory in Tarm: turned wood and steam bending.

Jørgen Bækmark has personally contributed to a smooth adaptation of the J80 and J81 chairs to fit the size and height.

"When making furniture, you really have to take into account production opportunities, demand and price, but sometimes I looked away from the economy, and then I drew something that I liked to look at and where I loved to sit."

Jørgen Bækmark's philosophy is that furniture should fit people and not the other way around. Comfort is essential, but design is also an important element. The combination of both has proven itself, as many Bækmark designs are popular today.

"When I designed these pieces of furniture 50 years ago, I had never dreamed that they would be so popular and even put back into production, and I am very grateful for that success." Jørgen Bækmark

Hay

J104 chair

design Jørgen Bækmark

J104 dining chair has been designed by Jørgen Baekmark and is made from beech wood in natural wood and in different colours. J104 dining chair is part of Hay's 2011 relaunch of the Danish furniture classics originally made for FDB, the Danish Consumers’ Co-operative Society. FDB’s furniture production started in the 1940s and their main idea was functionalist and democratic design for the people. Thanks to industrial production, FDB was able to manufacture high quality design furniture for ordinary people at relatively low prices.