yinjispace

ARTIST
Egeværk Studio
PHOTOGRAPHY
Priszcilla Varga
WORDS
Jinjie
EDITOR
Jinjie
Collection

The soul of Danish design is deeply rooted in a reverence for natural materials, an adherence to functionality, and that unique ability to infuse daily life with poetry. In the Elsinore industrial district of Denmark, Egeværk Studio is continuing this tradition in more nuanced and innovative ways. Founders Lasse Kristensen and Mette Bentzen draw inspiration from the classic craftsmanship of the Danish joinery workshop PP Møbler, and from the natural forms and soft hues of the Nordic landscape, carving glaciers, the moon, and forests into the very breath and grain of wood. In their hands, the shifts, drifts, and erosions of time are captured in an instant – and that instant marks the beginning of a new flow.

When we arrived by car as scheduled, a snowstorm was raging, blurring the boundaries between sky and earth. Mette was already waiting at the studio entrance. Through the windows, warm light spilled out, and in the room fragrant with wood, the cold seemed to stop at the door. The minimalist building's foyer is a space where works and inspirations linger; further inside lies the source of creation. "Everything from idea to production happens here," Mette said with a smile.

Following Mette's guidance, we first paused before "Måne" on the wall. This sculpture, resembling the moon, uses its warm wood grain and traces of handcraft to outline the unique contours and breath of each lunar phase. Soft light emanates subtly from within, flowing through the wooden texture like a lunar halo, a dialogue between the tangible and intangible, serene and profound.

It can be appreciated in detail at different times: its form is clear by day, its gentle luminescence emerges at dusk, and when the light turns on after nightfall, it echoes the real moonlight outside the window. Mette explained, "Moonlight is different from the direct light of the sun; it's reflected light, gentle and layered. Just like the texture of wood—and it was precisely because of this resonance that 'Måne' was born."

Turning around, Mette introduced us to "ICE"—their most innovative experimental sculpture-furniture series to date. Its inspiration comes from the harsh ice scenes of Danish, Swedish, and Norwegian winters, while the material used is Danish ash wood, also native to the Nordics. The form and flow of glaciers are translated into the tranquility and softness of wood; the texture of ice layers finds continuity in the tree rings and wood fibers.

To capture the aesthetics of ice and explore the expression of wood, the team once transported a large block of ice to the studio, carefully observing its melting process under both natural and controlled conditions. "Sometimes, a first frost in Sweden can instantly freeze rain, grass, gravel, and wind in shallow water," Mette said. "In the 'ICE' series, time is extended into stillness."

Later, Mette led us into the workshop. Inside, a studio member was intently sanding the curves of a new "ICE" piece; machines hummed softly, and wood dust floated lightly. Nearby surfaces were scattered with design sketches and cardboard models, while on the floor, stacks of initially glued wood blocks awaited the next steps. "Each layer of laminated wood must rest for at least a full day, allowing the internal tensions in the wood to release naturally," Mette explained. "If you force and press all the layers together at once, it will definitely crack." It is this deep understanding and respect for the material's nature that makes Egeværk's works not just pieces of furniture, but living entities capable of calmly enduring different national climates and humidity levels.

During the tour, the duo mentioned modestly that Queen Margrethe II of Denmark had once visited the studio. "She stayed here for a long time and even invited us to dinner that evening," Mette's tone still carried the excitement and honor of that day. It is this extraordinary creativity and master-level craftsmanship that has established Egeværk Studio as an unmissable presence within the realm of collectible design.

"You can touch it with your hands, feel the texture and temperature of the wood." Mette brought out a 1:10 scale custom sculpture model, encouraging us to read the wood's grain with our fingertips. The touch was warm and delicately textured, as if we were not merely caressing an object, but connecting with a profound philosophy of deliberate creation

And it was precisely in that moment of touch that the essence of Scandinavian Design quietly surfaced: It does not seek to dazzle with form, but rather preserves warmth within minimalism, hides poetry within function, allowing originally cool materials to gradually radiate a human glow. Here, wood is no longer a silent substance, but a natural poem that breathes and remembers; and light is its most gentle reader, quietly illuminating every nuanced narrative.

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