In Residence: Knud Holscher

On an expansive plot down a leafy cul-de-sac 25 minutes north of Copenhagen sits a spectacular boxy brick house. Situated in the sleepy suburb of Holte, it is at once unpretentious, poetic and understated—much like the man who built it. The home of Knud Holscher, one of Denmark's most acclaimed architects and industrial designers, has been considered one of this small Nordic nation’s most beautiful residences since it was built in the early 1970s. Its clean lines and simple interiors are as elegant and relevant today, as they were then.

Holscher began his career at the studio of Arne Jacobsen—where he oversaw the design and construction of St. Catherine’s College at Oxford University, among other projects—before embarking on various partnerships and heading his own award-winning design studio, Knud Holscher Design. Though trained as an architect, and with major projects like parts of Copenhagen airport and Odense University under his belt, Holscher is perhaps best known for his industrial and product design, from lighting for Flos and Erco to door handles, toilet seats, writing instruments and baby strollers.

04 mins watch

Holscher’s home is filled with personal evidence of his utmost taste: the large canvases on the walls are by his daughter, the painter Tine Holscher; the majority of the furniture is by the late Poul Kjærholm, a star of Danish mid-century modernism, and a dear friend of Holscher’s. Now, after some 40 years in the house, Holscher and his wife are contemplating a move to more modest surroundings. When asked if he’ll miss the house, Holscher admits that indeed, it won’t be easy, but perhaps the time is right:

“The upside and the downside of reaching the relatively old age that I’ve gotten to, is that there are those unavoidable changes in ones existence,” says Holscher. “Of course, I’ll be sad to leave this house, but on the other hand, there are days when I need to go up to the roof and clean out the gutters, sometimes even in a snowstorm, and then I start to think, little Knud, now you’re 84 years old and you’re on your way up to the roof again—how many times are you going to get away with that?”

Next up, In Residence: Muller Van Severen

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