Torbjørn Bekken

Torb­jørn Bekken, a Norwe­gian designer, grad­u­ated from the National Academy of Craft and Art Indus­try in 1946, marking the begin­ning of a note­wor­thy career. Imme­di­ately after grad­u­at­ing, he joined the progres­sive furni­ture and inte­rior design company Rastad & Relling Tegnekon­tor, where he spent most of his profes­sional life. Recog­nized for their ability to iden­tify design talents and prac­ti­cal under­stand­ing of the market, Rastad & Relling played a pivotal role in shaping the post-World War II Norwe­gian design scene along­side other influ­en­tial enti­ties like Bruksbo Designstudio.

During the 1950s and 1960s, Bekken signif­i­cantly contributed to the design trends of the era, marked by a shared Scan­di­na­vian affec­tion for wood. Wood, a versa­tile and acces­si­ble mate­r­ial, became the natural choice for many design­ers. Bekken’s design philos­o­phy was grounded in pure func­tion and influ­enced by prevail­ing inte­rior styles. Notably, he was known for embrac­ing tech­ni­cal chal­lenges and viewing machin­ery not as a limi­ta­tion but as a means to make designs acces­si­ble to a broader audi­ence. Despite having a substan­tial body of work, Torb­jørn Bekken remains rela­tively lesser-known, as he prefers working quietly behind the scenes rather than seeking the spotlight.