OEO Studio recently completed the design of Brdr. Krüger's first public showroom in the family company's 130-year history. The new showroom design is intertwined with Brdr. Krüger's adjoining production facilities, enabling visitors to follow the entire making process from raw materials to factory floor manufacturing, through to the finished design piece.
Instead of opening a showroom in central Copenhagen, the Krüger family felt it was essential to showcase the many aspects of the manufacturing process in a more authentic way. The raw and dynamic display of products in the new showroom demonstrates the ways in which five generations of skilled hands and creative minds have turned a passion for quality raw wood into beautiful furniture.
"Throughout our history, we have been committed to achieving a meticulous finish," commented Jonas Krüger, creative director of Brdr. Krüger. "But even the most sophisticated designs are born from a raw piece of natural wood. We wanted the design of our showroom to communicate this process, reflect our values and heritage, and showcase the woodturning that take place in our workshop. We have created a spatial experience to tell our ongoing story of making.
"When you smell the wood in the workshop, hear the sounds and see the skilled men and women working on each piece, then you get a real sense of what Brdr. Krüger is all about."
The new showroom, headquarters and production facilities of Brdr. Krüger are combined in a holistic space that allows a fuller appreciation of the craftsmanship at the core of the brand. In its very essence, Brdr. Krüger celebrates classic design virtues, but also seeks to add a modern spirit. The new showroom is a compelling manifestation of the strong set of values at the heart of the family-run business.
Respect and a profound understanding of space and aesthetics have been the guiding principles in award-winning OEO Studio's interpretation of the new space. The creation of a refreshing raw space has made a virtue of the showroom's location, set in a classic industrial building from the late 1960s and early 1970s.
"Our approach to working with the space and design was to stay true to the architecture and develop the concept within this framework," explained Thomas Lykke, creative director of OEO Studio. "To dissect the structure, we stripped the building to its core with the aim of enhancing the rustic beauty of the hidden original concrete bearings, high ceilings and raw brick walls. We opened the space up and worked along the line of building-meets-demolition.
"As a result, the showroom is extremely raw, yet very tactile. Out of respect for the industrial framework and the fundamental simplicity of the setting, all materials for the renewal have been chosen based on their unpretentious, inherent qualities and contribute to the honest expression of the space.
"It is daring, fresh and different and also quite an intelligent oddity. There is a wildly interesting spatial experience that contrasts with the refined masterpieces being created in the factory workshops. It is not what you would usually expect from a design brand working with crafted interiors."
The opening of a showroom is a natural move in the expansion and transformation of Brdr. Krüger from a woodturning company to a design brand with international appeal. The new showroom is dedicated to originality and has been conceived in a close dialogue between Jonas Krüger and OEO Studio, with a shared understanding of the core values of the family company.