Anker Bak

Anker Bak
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Anker Bak is a pioneering designer, merging the essence of Nordic cabinetmaking traditions with innovative, regenerative furniture and assistive aids. Recognized for his empowering and caring practice, Bak experiments with wood to address real-life challenges, notably improving the lives of the elderly and people with disabilities. He creates vital furniture pieces still awaiting full industry recognition. Collaborating with esteemed entities like Carl Hansen & Søn, Takumi Kohgei, and Fredahl Rydéns, Bak was honored with the Wegner Prize in 2023 and the 2024 Finn Juhl Prize for his holistic and crucial design approach. As a thought leader in an emerging field, he is dedicated to ushering in a new era with his concept of Dignity Design.

‘The Furniture We Need’ by Anker Bak is an journey through the challenges faced by the elderly and people with disabilities. Through Bak’s caring and poignant approach, the exhibition contrasts industrial materials with visions of a future where design embodies dignity for everyone, without discrimination. Towering above the harbour in Kulturtårnet on Knippelsbro Bridge, the exhibition stands in a recently renovated copper tower, symbolizing a bridge between the old and new. It draws on Bak's sensitive insight into the human condition and continues the furniture activism that earned Bak’s debut exhibition "Renewed Dignity" wide acclaim. Visitors are sure to be challenged with Bak’s visions, inspiring hope and a burning sense of urgency.

Related Exhibitions
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Founded in Copenhagen in 2006, Mater is a pioneering green-tech design brand with sustainability and circularity at its core. From the outset, the ambition has been to inspire a global design audience and encourage sustainable thinking. Using cutting–edge production technologies, Mater transforms waste materials into furniture. Through collaborations with both established and emerging design talents, the brand creates timeless designs in a responsible and sustainable way. Mater remains committed to developing new waste materials and innovative techniques that make it possible to create more from less.
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De La Espada applies decades of design rigour, engineering expertise and craft innovation to create furniture built to last a lifetime; contemporary pieces at the pinnacle of woodworking and upholstery. Their solar-powered workshop in Portugal is unique in the industry: a centre of creativity where craftspeople, designers and product engineers work in tandem in real time. They collaborate with leading designers and artisans, furthering their pursuit of product innovation and excellence. De La Espada sits at the heart of design and craft and represents true luxury: creativity over imitation; extensive development; traditional methods now in scarce supply; a single aesthetic point-of-view; and no compromise on materials or effort.
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