Peter Opsvik

PETER OPSVIK (Stranda, Norway, 1939).
Globe Garden Chair, 1980s.
Wood and fabric.
Exhibits wear consistent with age and use.
Measurements: 180 x 115 cm.
Some designs are meant to go unnoticed, while others become true functional sculptures. “The Globe Garden,” designed by Peter Opsvik in the 1980s, clearly belongs to the latter group. With its tree-inspired structure and distinctive upholstered spherical supports, this piece breaks with any traditional concept of seating, reflecting the experimental and ergonomic approach that made the Norwegian designer famous. Manufactured in Norway during the 1980s, it combines a solid bentwood frame with padded spheres upholstered in shades of black and red, creating a playful and highly recognizable composition. More than just a chair, it is a conversation piece that perfectly embodies the spirit of Scandinavian postmodern design.
Ideal for design collectors, contemporary interiors, or spaces where furniture also serves as a work of art, “The Globe Garden” is one of Peter Opsvik’s most unique creations and a true icon of 1980s Norwegian design.
Peter Opsvik is internationally renowned for creating the Tripp Trapp (1972), the iconic adjustable high chair that revolutionized children’s furniture design and became a benchmark of Scandinavian design. Throughout his career, he has received numerous awards, including several Red Dot Awards, the iF Gold Award, the Norwegian Award for Excellence in Design, the Nordiska Designpriset, and the prestigious Jacob-prisen, Norway’s highest honor for design. His works have been featured in exhibitions and collections at major international institutions, such as the Design Museum in London, the Deutsches Museum in Munich, the Museum of Decorative Arts and Design in Ghent, and various museums in Oslo, Bergen, Paris, New York, Chicago, and Tokyo, cementing his status as one of the great Scandinavian designers of the second half of the 20th century.