Arne Jacobsen designed the Egg Chair in 1958 for the lobby and reception areas of the SAS Royal Hotel in Copenhagen. Produced by Fritz Hansen, it formed part of an interior conceived alongside the architecture. Its curved enclosure introduced a more intimate scale within the hotel’s public spaces.
The high back widens into projecting wings before descending toward the arms. These continuous curves shelter the sitter at the sides and around the head. The black leather example illustrated here makes the transition from outer shell to inner seat especially clear.
A central support and four spreading feet hold the upholstered body above the floor. The contrast between the slim metal base and the full upper form keeps the silhouette distinct from every direction. Seams trace the perimeter without dividing the chair into visibly separate back and arm components.
Fritz Hansen describes the Egg as a way of creating a smaller place within a larger room. In the hotel, its organic outline softened a setting defined by geometric architecture. The design remains a useful example of furniture shaping how an interior is occupied.
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