Nanna Ditzel’s Sculptural Bench for Two Returns with Contemporary Colour Stories.

When Nanna Ditzel first unveiled her Bench for Two in 1989, the sculptural seating piece challenged every conventional notion of what a bench should be. Now, more than three decades later, Fredericia is breathing fresh life into this design classic, partnering with Danish furniture brand A. Petersen to relaunch the piece in both its original black iteration and three vibrant new colourways.

The timing feels particularly poignant. In an era where furniture often prioritises efficiency over emotion, Ditzel’s bench is a compelling reminder that seating can be both functional and profoundly human. The design’s gentle incline draws two people toward each other, creating an intimate space for quiet dialogue and shared presence.

A Drawing Brought to Life

The bench’s most striking feature—its graphic backrest of concentric circles punctuated by a single dot—originated from a spontaneous moment of creativity. Ditzel picked up a marker and drew directly onto the prototype, an immediacy that was preserved through silkscreen printing on 1.5-millimetre aircraft-grade maple veneer. The result feels both deliberate and organic, inspired by the delicate symmetry of butterflies.

“I thought it was incredibly beautiful, like a sculpture,” recalls Thomas Graversen, Fredericia’s second-generation owner, remembering his first encounter with the piece at The Cabinetmakers’ Autumn Exhibition in Copenhagen. “It wasn’t a traditional bench. I fell in love with it, and that became the start of our era with Nanna, where we dared to push the limits of how furniture could be made.”

Technical Mastery Meets Artistic Vision

Crafted from solid maple with veneer detailing, the bench remains a technical achievement that is still impressive decades later. Each piece is meticulously manufactured in Denmark, with A. Petersen overseeing the intricate craftsmanship required to execute Ditzel’s vision. The original black version with its red dot now shares space with bold new interpretations: red with black dot, yellow with black dot, and pink with black dot.

The relaunch includes the companion table, designed to complement the bench’s distinctive angles perfectly. Together, the set creates an intimate environment that balances functionality with artistic expression, proving that furniture can serve as both utility and sculpture.

Legacy and Innovation

Ditzel’s collaboration with Fredericia marked a transformative period for both designer and manufacturer. Following the bench’s initial release, it garnered international recognition, winning gold at the International Furniture Design Competition in Asahikawa, Japan. The piece established a new approach that blended Danish design heritage with innovative, poetic modernism.

For a designer dubbed the “grande dame of Danish design,” Ditzel’s bench remains one of her clearest artistic statements—sculptural yet grounded, radical yet gentle, and undeniably alive with intention.

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[Images courtesy of Fredericia.]