The Danish architect Vilhelm Lauritzen (1894-1984) was a figurehead of functionalist design. He is among the most prominent architects in Danish history and famous for bridging the gap between traditional functionalism and modernism with buildings such as Radiohuset, Kastrup Airport and Folkets Hus.
Lauritzen’s designs reflected the spirit of their time while resisting imitation of the past. He once remarked:
“I really appreciate old buildings, so much so that I couldn’t bring myself to try and replicate them. One cannot build a modern house with a historical face… new buildings should look new, and old, old.”
Radiohuset, today home to the Royal Danish Academy of Music, is perhaps his most celebrated work — a landmark that embodies the shift from functionalism to modernism. The building was the former headquarters of the Danish Broadcasting Corporation until 2008.
Its marble façade, dark mahogany interiors and brass details remain a testament to his uncompromising vision.
Inside, the VL 45 Radiohus Pendant, and variations of the VL Ring Crown continue to bathe rooms in soft, glare-free light, just as Lauritzen intended.
Lauritzen believed that every element of a building should serve both function and beauty. Rooted in the principles of 1930s functionalism, his designs were always created with their purpose in mind.
“We had to find a design language that, in an honest way, met all of the requirements for the building’s function.”
Many of his projects were conceived as gesamtkunstwerks — total works of art in which he designed both exterior and interior, down to the finest details.
At Vega (formerly Folkets Hus), Lauritzen shaped everything from the grand concert hall to the bar area, where the VL 56 Pendants still hang today, illuminating the space with the same warm presence envisioned nearly a century ago.
For Lauritzen, architecture was applied art. This conviction, combined with his functionalist approach, explains the enduring refinement of his gesamtkunstwerks — and the luminaires that continue to define them.
His lamps were not decorative afterthoughts but integral elements of the architecture itself, uniting light, space, and atmosphere.
