The Fritz Hansen Pavilion: Mindfully Designed for Disassembly

Designed for the 3daysofdesign event in Copenhagen, the pavilion by Henning Larsen boasts sustainable design through and through.

Henning Larsen and Fritz Hansen joins forces to build the Fritz Hansen Pavilion for 3daysofdesign. Set in Designmuseum Denmark’s beautiful garden, Grønnegården, the Pavilion is designed with a Nordic approach centered around daylight and honest materials.

Using low-carbon materials, and circular design principles, the pavilion is essentially designed to be disassembled – ensuring that all materials can be reused elsewhere.

This ensures that waste is minimized and that all materials can be reused elsewhere, including in the future reconstruction of Fritz Hansen’s own headquarters – a project initiated in 2021, transforming the firm’s office in to a modern and welcoming environment.

On the collaboration, Christian Andresen, Design & Brand Ambassador at Fritz Hansen, says: “We wanted to celebrate Fritz Hansen’s past, while also looking ahead to the future. Henning Larsen has a strong track record as a leading sustainability-thinking studio. We both have a holistic approach to design, and a similar taste in materials and creative expression, so our collaboration felt natural.”

The pavilion’s design is deliberately simple – a shell-like, transparent structure, letting daylight and nature in, and forming an exclusive setting for the exhibition of Fritz Hansen’s furniture. The design follows a Nordic approach, where simplicity, natural elements, and high-quality materials are of utmost importance.

“We wanted to create a pavilion that reflects the Fritz Hansen design philosophy of design that stand the test of time while at the same time minimizing use of virgin materials. Therefore, the pavilion is crafted from standardized parts that are bolted together using standard tools, which helps to simplify and speed disassembly. All parts can be reused,” continues Eva Ravnborg.

Designmuseum Danmark has been housed in one of Copenhagen’s finest Rococo buildings since the 1920s. Originally built in 1752 as Royal Frederik’s Hospital, the space was repurposed in 1926 and designed as a museum by architects Ivar Bentsen and Kaare Klint. Now, almost a century later, the Fritz Hansen Pavilion introduces a modern take on its historical surroundings.

The pavilion will be open to the public during 3daysofdesign 15 – 17 June and thereafter it will be used by Designmuseum Danmark until mid-Autumn. During this period, the space will serve as a platform for several initiatives, such as summer schools, exhibitions, and workshops, where visitors and locals can participate and meet the creative community.

The Fritz Hansen Pavilion has been named the winner of the Best Exhibition Award 2022 by 3daysofdesign.