Rigmor Andersen

The daughter of journalist Hans Emil Andersen, Rigmor Andersen was born in Aarhus, Jutland. After matriculating from Rysensteen Gymnasium in 1922 and a one-year drawing course at the technical school, she was admitted to the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts where she studied under Kaare Klint at his newly founded Furniture School. She was impressed by his analytical teaching method and his interest in functional solutions. Towards the end of her studies, she worked for the designer Poul Henningsen (1927–29), contributing to designs which culminated in his classical PH Lamps.

From 1929 to 1939, Andersen worked in Klint’s studio, becoming one of his most trusted colleagues. Thanks to her competent, self-assured approach, she was soon an indispensable contributor to many of the studio’s projects. In 1931, she was assigned her first independent task, designing furniture for Kvinderegensen, a women’s student residence on Amager Boulevard in Copenhagen. The building’s architect, Helge Bojsen-Møller, was reluctant to allow a young lady to handle the assignment but Andersen, appreciating the nature of the task, created a series of simple, almost timeless pieces of furniture and carefully developed plans for the different rooms: the assembly hall, the library and 56 bedrooms.