Niels Bendtsen
Niels Bendtsen is a Danish-Canadian industrial designer renowned for his minimalist and functional approach to furniture design. Born in Denmark in 1943, he emigrated to Canada in 1951 and apprenticed with his father, a cabinetmaker who had trained under Danish designer Jacob Kjær. In 1963, Bendtsen opened Danet Interiors (now Inform Interiors) in Vancouver, where he sold Scandinavian furniture and began designing his own pieces. In 1975, he designed the Ribbon Chair for Kebe, which is now part of the Museum of Modern Art's permanent collection. In 1981, he founded Bensen, a design and manufacturing group that combines Italian craftsmanship with contemporary design to create elegant and versatile furnishings. Bendtsen has also designed for international companies such as Magis, Montis, Moroso, Starbucks, and FLOS. His work has been recognized with awards, including the British Columbia Creative Achievement Award of Distinction in 2006.