Josef Frank (1885-1967), was an Austrian-born architect, artist, and designer. He eventually adopted the Swedish nationality during the latter part of his life. He and Oskar Grand were responsible in creating the Vienna School of Architecture. Josef Frank is known as one of the fathers of Swedish modernism who stretched the concept of lagom in his designs. Lagom is a Swedish word and means “just enough”. It basically stands for moderation, or simply not going overboard. Lagom is considered to be the defining element of Swedish culture as this can be evidently seen its designs
Life and works of Josef Frank
Josef Frank was a Jewish by blood and his parents were the merchant Ignaz Frank (1851-1921) and Jenny (1861-1941). When his parent died, Josef Frank was the one to design their graves in the old Jewish section of Vienna’s Central Cemetery. He learned architecture from the Vienna University of Technology and taught at the Vienna School of Arts and Crafts from 1919 to 1925. Josef Frank was also one of the founding members of Vienna Werkbund and known to be the initiator and leader of the project Werkbundsiedlung in Vienna in 1932.
He eventually migrated to Sweden where he became a citizen in 1939. In Stockholm, he became a famous designer of Svenskt Tenn, a design company. In the company Josef Frank was known for his vivid textiles wherein he created 160 prints for the brand, and most of them are the complete opposite of the concept of Lagom. Hs designs include vibrant tropical flowers, ferns and insects, oversized leaves, and hand-drawn map of Manhattan.
Josef Frank was also known for his designs in chair, sofas, lamps, vases, trays, tables, stool and cabinet.
Major contributions of Josef Frank
Josef Frank consider the creation of homes with character, as it defines the occupants of the house. The designs of his furniture pieces are comfortable and often with rounded edges. He used colors and patterns to incorporate warmth and personality, which was a radical idea during those times. He also believed that comfort is one of the important factors in creating designs. White walls should likewise be softened with wallpaper prints and patterns so that occupants will be able to relax in a space.
Frank moved to New York during the war wherein he designed striking patterns which include sunflower and watermelons of his Dixieland print, Italian Dinner with squid, lobster and tomatoes, and his hand-drawn Manhattan which shows his favorite streets. In 1944, he sent 50 new designs to Ericson for her 50th birthday.
He then went back to Sweden in 1946 where he worked with Svenskt Tenn until his death in 1967. Today, the designs of Frank Josef is still owned by Svenskt Tenn and they still made according to his original instructions. The designs reflect that of the Scandinavian design which inspired the products of Ikea and Marimekko. The designs of Josef Frank were described to be those that can make you happy.
Some of the major projects of Josef Frank
Here are some of the projects of Josef Frank which inspired many designers and architects:
1. Municipal housing 12, Vienna (1914)
2. Residential Building Wiedenhoferhof, Vienna (1924-1925)
3. Residential Building Winarskyhof (1924-1926)
4. Residential Building Sebastian-cup-Gasse 1-3, Vienna (1928-1929)
5. House Beer (1929-1930)
6. Residential Building Simmeringer HauptstraBe 142-150, Vienna (1931-1932)
7. Management of the Werkbundsiedlung in Vienna and Project for a house at Woinovichgasse 32 (1932)
8. Five villas in Falsterbo, southern Sweden (1927-1936)