Sebastian Holmbäck and Ulrik Nordentoft met at the Danish Design School in the 1990s. After graduating, they each enjoyed successful individual careers as design professionals, but on a joint project in 2008 they discovered their potential for collaboration and decided to found their own studio.
When approaching new work, the team looks for the unique elements of every project and brand and tries to forge a personal connection with the client. In a style very much in line with traditional Danish design philosophy, HolmbäckNordentoft seek to create aesthetically sustainable products and spaces that will be loved and used until, as they say, “they’re in bits and pieces”. Choosing clients based on their willingness to be experimental and push boundaries helps them preserve their distinct portfolio where every assignment is a close collaboration, the essence of which is a mixture of mutual and deep engagement and uncompromising approach to concept. Their client list includes Georg Jensen, Normann Copenhagen, and Stelton. Their most recent project is the interior design of Danish gastro-entrepreneur Claus Meyer’s restaurant and food market at Grand Central in Manhattan, New York, opening in spring 2016.