Cecilie Manz shelving systems

Cecilie Manz is one of Denmark’s leading young designers. Born in 1972, Manz studied at The Royal Academy of Fine Arts in 1997 and later at the University of Art and Design in Helsinki. In 1998, she moved back to Copenhagen and started her own design studio.

Cecilie Manz is inspired by everyday events. Some of these remain ideas, while others become functional, everyday objects. Manz designs everything from furniture to glass and lighting for homes, and has collaborated with several major manufacturers, such as Lightyears. Manz sees all her work as part of a large and enduring history, where projects are often linked in terms of materials, aesthetics and function. Some of her work is experimental and sculptural, while some is more concrete and functional. According to Manz, the key to inspiration is often the commission or the project itself. New ideas come from hard work, experimentation and development. For Manz, design begins as a thought that must be relevant and functional before she can address the physical design. The works revolve around simplicity, where a clean and aesthetic working process is used to create meaningful objects. Cecilie Manz has received several awards for her design, including the Danish Design Prize and the Finn Juhl Design Prize. She works in her own studio in Copenhagen. Among Manz's popular works are the Pouf seat cushion at Fritz Hansen and the Caravaggio lamp series produced by Lightyears.