Accidentism By Design
27.09.17

Josef Frank (1885 – 1967) is best known as a designer for iconic Swedish interior design company Svensk Tenn – famed for his dynamic, colourful prints – however dig a little deeper and you’ll discover that Frank was actually an Austrian architect by trade, and he didn’t arrive in Sweden until the age of 48. An astonishing fact considering he contributed over 2,000 furniture sketches and 160 textile prints to the Svenskt Tenn archives. On a recent visit to Stockholm we were thrilled to learn more about this enigmatic figure in the exhibition “Against Design”, staged at the superb museum in Skeppsholmen. Villa Beer in Vienna (pictured) is heralded as one of Frank’s landmark architectural projects. Built between 1929 and 1931, the magnificent modernist home is characterised by what could be described as an early interpretation of “open plan living” whereby each space is distinct, and yet integrated by a flowing central staircase across three levels. Frank famously remarked, “A well-laid house is comparable to one of those beautiful old cities which even a stranger immediately knows his way around.” This notion is further expressed in his philosophy of “accidentism”, essentially that every room in a home should feel as if it “originated by chance”. It’s a beautiful vision and a skill that many designers will spend their lives trying to master. Photography courtesy of BauNetz.