Varna Palace, 1971

Verner Panton He never limited himself to the mere placement of individual objects, but always placed them in a context, thus incorporating the entire space into his design. Prime examples include the Varna Palais in Aarhus, Denmark, which housed a restaurant. Dining room, corridor, function rooms, restrooms – all the spaces of the classical building underwent a fundamental redesign in 1971.

Geometric patterns, paired with colors and shapes, defined the impressive interior and gave the 1909 palace Panton's distinctive touch. He designed the hallway using curtains and a carpet from the Mira-X Decor I collection, the so-called Mira-X set. He covered the entire walls with curtains printed with the curved design. The floor and ceiling were carpeted in the same style, dramatically increasing the perceived depth of the hallway. Color-coordinated globe lights hung low from the ceiling, just high enough to allow even tall guests to move comfortably beneath them.

In the restrooms, parts of the walls and ceiling were fitted with ring lamps. Mirrored walls further enhanced the color effect. The light also reflected off the chrome washbasins.

Panton's design, clearly aiming for psychedelic effects, was undoubtedly crowned by the restaurant's ambiance. Colored foam balls, interspersed with... Spiral SP1 Pendant lights, violet columns, Carpets and curtains with the decor I in the circles variant, plus chrome-colored Pantonova-chairs by Fritz Hansen – the use of colors and shapes was almost inflationary.

In contrast to the predominantly purple color scheme of the rest of the restaurant, Verner Panton designed the rotunda red. The central element in the so-called Red Room was red foam balls hanging from the ceiling. Their arrangement made them appear to be moving towards the column in the center of the room. The spheres placed between them Flowerpot VP1 Lamps were also arranged in a circle. Rectangular plastic tables, each furnished with a red Panton Chair Classic, were grouped beneath them.

Panton's lighting and furniture, which seem designed for the complete relaxation of body and mind, did a fantastic job in the lounge. Countless Flowerpot lights They formed two spirals. The circular seating areas placed beneath them created private spaces. Despite their open arrangement in the room, they guaranteed peace and seclusion. In another area, one could relax in the Living Tower down. Over a digestif, one observed the play of light from a Spiral SP3 The light fixture was Panton's idea of a chandelier that resembled a waterfall full of light.

The artwork that became a cult classicDesigner Two kilometers outside Aarhus, the Varna Palace, created in the Marselisborg Forest, attracted attention far beyond Denmark's borders. Originally built in 1909 as part of a nationwide industrial, craft, and cultural exhibition, it was named after the Bulgarian city of Varna. In 1971, the municipality sold the restaurant to the Odd Fellows order, who commissioned Panton to renovate the premises. The palace was recently renovated again. While the city's most beautiful venue, with space for up to 500 people and nestled in a park by the sea, remains, Panton's distinctive style has been removed.