Arne Jacobsen
(1902-1971)

Arne Jacobsen was trained at the Klint School which advocated simple style and rationally designed, utilitarian styles. Jacobsen fled to Sweden during WWII and worked for Alvar Aalto during these years. Jacobsen's designs were both distinctive and functional. As an architect, Jacobsen, like Ron Thom, insisted on designing every element of a building including the furniture.

"Oxford 1965"

Jacobsen's "Oxford 1965" chair was chosen for the A.J.M. Smith conference room in Bata Library. These tall-backed side chairs were covered in tan oxhide and featured backs of graceful curvature with aluminum swivel pedestal bases. A similar chair was first designed by Arne Jacobsen for St. Catherine's College, Oxford. There were 35 of these "Fritzhansen #3171" chairs purchased for the conference room in 1969. They disappeared in 2002.

The "Swan"

The "Swan" was designed in 1958 by Jacobsen and made by Fritz Hansen in molded plastic with wool upholstery. It first appeared in Copenhagen in 1958. There were 12 "Swans" acquired for Traill College plus 7 "Swans" and 6 "Egg" chairs acquired for Lady Eaton College.

At the time of Trent's 25th anniversary in 1989, examples of this chair in the original wool upholstery of orange and purple were located in Bata Library. As at 2001, a few examples had been preserved, through the efforts of Lynn Cummings, in the Audio-Visual Listening Room. Other examples are currently located in the Lady Eaton College senior common room, although these have been reupholstered in modern fabric.

The "Swan" located in Bata Library

Photo credit: Roger Jowett

The "Swan" located in Bata Library, 1988

Photo credit: Bernadine Dodge