SELECTION OF DESIGNS

An often quoted statement tells us that perfection in design is achieved when there is nothing left to take away. While this at first hand seems to apply perfectly to the designs of Grethe Meyer, it does not do them full justice. In fact there is something inexplicable and imperceptible about her designs, revealing itself in a softness, a gentleness, a simple line, a certain curvature or a surprising finishing. She has left a personal imprint, a gesture – perhaps that very fruit of all her labouring – which will reveal itself to your eye or your touch, to your senses or to your imagination. Perhaps this was what Grethe Meyer hinted at when she talked about passing on her love to others through her designs. When Grethe Meyer was awarded the Bindesbøll Medal in 1983 – widely recognized as the most prestigious honour for architects and designers in Denmark – the jury did in fact seem to frame this in wording their motivation: “Grethe Meyer’s works have a very general quality about them, which make them timeless and there- fore serene. This allows for something unexpected and unique to happen – the poetry and memorable character of those moments when her designs are actually used.”