The Danish Studio Revitalising Craftsmanship Through Design
Thomas Lykke’s grandfather was a carpenter. He transmitted to his grandson a passion for wood, the knowledge of how to use the tools, a genuine care for quality and, of course, the aesthetics of a well made object. Many years later, after training as a fashion designer in San Francisco and working as an Interiors Editor at Wallpaper* Magazine, Thomas would start OEO Studio together with Anne-Marie Buemann, and put those early lessons in craftsmanship to good use.
Denmark is well known as a design country. This legacy is visible in Danish homes, where it’s not uncommon for people to grow up surrounded by icons of design and architecture.
“[In Denmark] a bridge was thrown across the chasm that has long kept handicraftsmen and designers in industry apart. [Danish architects] embraced and understood both the hand and the machine and could and did employ both”. – Bernard Leach in the introduction to The Unknown Craftsman by Sōetsu Yanagi
Breathing New Life Into Danish Craftsmanship
From the very beginning, Thomas and Anne-Marie had a vision of revitalising things through design. Sometimes working behind the scenes redefining the strategy of industry leaders like the historic Georg Jensen, founded in 1904, others helping create startups like the environmentally minded brand Mater (Mother in Danish, like Mother Earth), they are in a constant search of the “reason for being” of the space, object, or communication campaign they’re involved with.
Sustainability is one of OEO Studio’s main traits, and it goes well beyond just being green. For Mater, it’s about producing furniture, lighting, and accessories supporting Scandinavian craft traditions, and a philosophy centred on caring instead of just taking.
“What we do is always about pushing the boundaries. So it doesn’t become always about comfort or making money, but it should be about making good things. Making something that is meaningful, something that is good for the community or good for the craftsman, good for their families, good for society. Sometimes it has a bigger dose, sometimes it’s a smaller dose, but there is always that OEO signature.” – Thomas Lykke
The Danish craftsmanship scene has shrunk dramatically due to the blind obsession with turnover and profit, which caused the outsourcing of manufacturing. However the trend is shifting and craftsmanship is becoming popular again. Seven years ago Thomas and Anne-Marie started working with local furniture firm Brdr. Krüger (Krueger Brothers), which has been around since 1886 and is now run by the fifth generation. They’ve always been an OEM manufacturer producing for others, so they never really had a brand. OEO formalised a new strategy and designed some pieces rooted on a fresh perspective on craftsmanship which has put Brdr. Krüger on the map within Denmark and abroad, and while doing so earned several Best Furniture Designs at the Danish Design Awards.
“When we started working with [Brdr. Krüger] they were 7 people: mom and dad, sister and brother, and three employees. Now they’re fifty people, and they’ve become a magnet for craftsmen from all over Denmark that want to come and work with them.”
Continue reading about OEO Studio's work in Japan, materials & durability, and going beyond Design.
