Josef Frank Author

Josef Frank (15 July 1885 – 8 January 1967) was an Austrian and later Swedish, architect, artist, and designer. Together with Oskar Strnad, he created a concept of Modern houses, architecture, and interior design style based on comfort and ease. Known for his large colorful patterns and cozy interiors, Frank was a critic of Le Corbusier and the steel and glass modernism of the Bauhaus. After leaving Austria due to rising antisemitism, Josef Frank started working at Swedish interior design store Svenskt Tenn in 1934, where he became a key figure in shaping the company's design identity. During World War II, with the threat of Germany invading Sweden, Frank fled to New York, where he lived and taught at The New School between 1941–1945. He is today considered one of the most important Swedish designers. Beyond his pioneering architectural work, Frank was a cultural design critic, whose pragmatic approach to design and living highlighted the social experience as much as the aesthetic one. His works were prized and collected by Prince Eugen of Sweden and are presently featured throughout many prominent public art collections, including at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, the MAK in Vienna, the Röhsska museet in Göteborg, Sweden, and many others. His influence continues to be felt around the world.