Finn Juhl started his training at the School of Architecture at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in 1930. In 1934 he found work with the architect Vilhelm Lauritzen, who also taught at the Academy. It was quite normal for the better students to be ’hand-picked’ by tutors for their own practices.

In the same year Vilhelm Lauritzen was commissioned to build the new Radiohus, and by 1941 all the administrative offices had been completed, although four more years were to pass before the concert hall was completed in 1945. Radiohus is an exemplary functionalistic building. In 1936 Vilhelm Lauritzen’s firm won the competition for the Kastrup Airport project. 

The job with Vilhelm Lauritzen was to have been just a summer job, but Finn Juhl remained with Lauritzen for 11 years. As a result he never finished his training, although this never really meant much for him, as in 1942 he was accepted as a member of the Academic Architect’s Association (now the Federation of Danish Architects).

Although Finn Juhl was a qualified building architect, no more than five houses (of which two were summer cottages) ever came of this, as well as a couple of projects which never got further than the drawing board. The reason for this was probably that he became known as a furniture designer.

Villa Aubertin was built in 1952 in Nakskov, commissioned by the timber merchant M. Aubertin and his wife; both great admirers of Finn Juhl. They also ordered all the built-in interiors and furniture from Finn Juhl. The house is therefore a ‘total concept’ of design and architecture in line with Finn Juhl’s own house.

Summer cottage at Asserbo was built in 1950. As usual with Finn Juhl’s houses, the floor plan has been meticulously thought out. As in Villa Aubertin, the windows have been positioned to fully exploit the light, both as the large windows towards the east and the smaller widows positioned high up on the north side.

Summer cottage at Raageleje was built in 1962. From the outside the house seems simple and unpretentious, while fitting in well with the landscape. The inside, however has been lovingly detailed and most of the furniture is Finn Juhl’s own design. 

Read more about Finn Juhl at www.finnjuhl.com