Original and honest design
One of the leading designers of the American design movement from the mid-20th century, Paul McCobb, now becomes part of the design family of Republic of Fritz Hansen™ with coffee tables from the Planner Group series, designed in 1953. Many designers are inspired by McCobb in their expression, but with this re-launch, Fritz Hansen will now be one of the first companies to present an original McCobb design. His style and aesthetics are just as relevant today as they were then and will thus complement Fritz Hansen’s timeless design universe in the most elegant way.
INTERNATIONALSCANDINAVIAN
McCobb’s no-nonsense approach to design, where aesthetics and function are combined only in the most essential elements, go hand in hand with the Danish design traditions and is also a quality that Fritz Hansen respects and honours in their own collection. McCobb is known for his simple, linear designs, completely free of ornamentation, which is clearly inspired by his childhood and youth in New England and by the designs of the shaker movement, which in many ways was a precursor of the functionalism of the 20th century. But the Scandinavian traditions of craftsmanship are also apparent in the design, which has a generally international expression with genuine materials and craftsmanship of high quality. At the same time, his designs are characterized by great originality with small but important details, which make you identify them as genuine McCobb designs right away. The series was named Planner Group because McCobb wanted the furniture to make it easy to plan a room. With the launch of the Planner™ coffee tables, the ambition is to convert this functional piece of furniture into a stylish design for the modern home.
Head of Design at Fritz Hansen, Christian Andresen, gives his view of the American designer.” Paul McCobb’s design is sophisticated, simple and almost floating in its expression. Its nature is timeless, yet contemporary, as it maintains certain unaltered aesthetic principles. In my opinion, McCobb’s design aesthetics reflect the very definition of a classic furniture icon,” Christian Andresen explains.
AN ORIGINAL MCCOBB BROUGHT FORWARD TO 2018
Fritz Hansen’s edition introduces the Planner™ with a marble table top that is only 20 mm in thickness and characterized by a natural and unique surface. The blackish grey marble invites you to indulge in the open structure and appearance of the stone, which tells beautiful haptic stories with its white veins and greyish shades. The cream-coloured marble plate has a more closed structure and homogeneity, but still with a characteristic appearance. Its light and delicate expression is personalized by the greyish brown shade formations, which make each table top perfectly unique.
In line with McCobb’s design philosophy, there is perfect balance between the two elements of the table. The table top stands on an elegant steel frame, which is extremely sturdy despite its light and floating appearance. A distinct detail is the narrowing of the steel at the bottom – a good example of how you recognize a genuine McCobb.
