Last year, Danish furniture maker Hay teamed up with Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec to design a new collection of furniture for the newly redesigned University of Copenhagen (KUA). Created for education, the Copenhague line nevertheless can find itself at home in other settings, lending modern simplicity to board rooms and dining rooms alike.

Designed for ease of use in education, office, and residential environments, the collection includes a chair, bar stool, and several tables

The Bouroullecs began with the archetype of a university chair-architect Bernt Pedersen's trestle chair-as the collection’s starting point.

“We have attempted to create a range of educational furniture which in form and identity has a clear dating in our age and which in a compelling manner uncovers the current functional needs of a university,” writes the design team in the collection brief. “It has also been our aspiration to distance ourselves from the slightly institutional expression of the original chair and create furniture with greater originality and a more domestic expression.”

The goal has resulted in a seat design that is playful and practical. It’s stacking design saves spaces while its shape-with a seat and back mounted in the centre of the seat-follows the movement of the user and provides flexible comfort. Tables can also be stacked vertically thanks to their symmetrical frames.

The collection is available in soap treated beech, lacquered oak, or stained oak. The chair is also available with upholstery (Remix, Steelcut Trio, Steelcut, and Hallingdal).

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About the Manufacturer: HAY was founded in 2002 and the furniture collection was launched at IMM Cologne in 2003. HAY’s ambition is to encourage Danish furniture design's return to the innovative greatness of the 1950s and 1960s in a contemporary context. Through the company’s commitment to the design and production of furniture and accessories with an international appeal HAY strives to make good design accessible by supplying our trademark designs with affordable price tags. HAY is committed to nurturing and promoting the originality of young talents as well as exploring the twisted minds of established designers.