Circularity in Danish Modern Chair Design: Analysis of Three Danish Modern Classics with Design Strategies from Circular Economy (CE)

Danish modern chairs have over the past decades acquired an iconic status in furniture design and are used as artefacts of knowledge transfer in design education. Situated in the ‘Design Artefact’ typology of design knowledge, this study investigates the embodied knowledge within three Danish modern chairs, namely CH24, PK22 and Series 7, with the goal to find which circular design strategies they reflect. With the European Union’s (EU) regulations like Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) in effect, aimed at promoting circular products and industries in EU, the aim of this study was twofold. Firstly, to analyse which circular design strategies the chairs reflect. Secondly, it explored if these chairs could continue to serve not only as representations of Danish modern design but also the CE design strategies they reflect, to future furniture designers. Using a multiple case study approach, the chairs were analysed through observation, sketching and supported by content analysis of archival and production-related materials. The study found that the three chairs reflect some of the circular design strategies and that ‘design for dis- and re-assembly’ is a key enabler that supports the alignment with several other circular strategies. Additionally, the current definition of the strategy ‘design for reducing material/resource use’ may benefit from further refinement. Conclusively, it was found that the three chairs can be used as artefacts of knowledge transfer, not only for the cultural and design heritage but also of the circular design strategies.