History of Kubus
Mogens Lassen actually worked on the Kubus candlestick for a long time before arriving at the shape we know today in 1962. The Kubus stood unadorned on his desk while he brainstormed its future development.
Mogens Lassen may have been dyslexic, but his sense of proportion and mathematics were flawless: Each individual Kubus candlestick is made with exactitude and the relationship between the sides calculated with great precision. Absolutely nothing has been left to chance. The collection developed into a mathematical series of candlesticks topped with candleholders.
Mogens Lassen was like a playful child who loved to experiment with new shapes and functions. Throughout his entire life, he kept a small steam engine on his desk which he would activate when his work came to a standstill – and it would generate new ideas and enable him to forge ahead. He was always filled with a fascination for mechanics and the way things worked and fit together.
In 1962 the local craftsmen in Ordrup had completed the very first Kubus 8 candlesticks. The famed furrier family of Birger Christensen had purchased one of them, and they were so pleased with the look of the Kubus that they invited friends to dinner to show it off. Finn Juhl and Mogens Lassen’s daughter and son-in-law were also present that evening. The Kubus 8 was a work of art that had been highly anticipated, and in the middle of the dinner table, the piece was unveiled as an opening night theatre curtain was swept aside. And such was the case with Mogens Lassen’s designs. They were admired as true works of art.
The Kubus products were not put into production, but were reserved for the family, for good friends and close architect colleagues. Today, the Kubus candlesticks are made by skilled artisans in Holstebro, and thus represent true Danish craftsmanship.
With his sharp sense for contemporary Functionalism, Mogens Lassen designed the iconic Kubus candlesticks. Since that time, Kubus has achieved the status of modern international design icon among architects and design connoisseurs the world over.
KUBUS JOINED BY NEW DESIGNS
by Lassen is a Danish design company founded in 2008 by the third and fourth generations of the Lassen family and is today owned by Søren Lassen, the grandson of Mogens Lassen. The company was formed with the aim of bringing the designs of visionary architect Mogens Lassen back into public consciousness. Later the designs of his brother Flemming Lassen, another of Denmark’s great functionalist architects, were added to the collection, followed by those of an internal by Lassen design team.
Our mission is to promote good design, whether historical or contemporary. This is why we regularly comb the archives, drawers and cupboards to source inspiration for furniture and accessories designed by Mogens and Flemming Lassen that may not previously have been put into production. New icons waiting in the wings for their turn in the limelight.
We are honoured to act as the caretakers of such an important legacy and are committed to developing a collection that has complete respect for the original designs. The manufacturing process must convey the same love that went into the creation of the products. We make our very best efforts to stay true to the original vision by finding the correct materials and producing them as locally as possible. In this way, we aim to ensure that exceptional new and rediscovered designs continue to live on through new generations.
