Jens Risom

b. 1916

Born in Copenhagen, Jens Risom was highly influenced by his father, Sven Risom– an influential Danish architect. Risom studied at the School of Arts and Crafts in Copenhagen, and worked with Kaare Klint and architect Ernst Kuhn. Credited with bringing Danish design sensibilities to the United States, Risom was also the designer of the first chair produced by Knoll. Utilizing the material restrictions of World War II to the maximum creative advantage, Risom combined a simple, birch frame with surplus parachute straps to produce the Risom Chair in 1941. By 1946, Risom left Knoll to form his own firm, Jens Risom Design. He was appointed a trustee of The Rhode Island School of Design, and received an Honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts in 2004.