Danish architect and industrial designer Steen Østergaard was decades ahead of his time with his futuristic Space Age designs. Through his innovative chairs, tables and other furniture, Østergaard elevated Scandinavian modern design during the mid-20th century.
Born in 1935, Østergaard studied furniture design and architecture at the School of Arts and Crafts in Copenhagen in 1957, graduating with honors in 1960. That same year, he won first prize in furniture design at the Danish Upholstery Guild’s annual awards, presented at Copenhagen’s Designmuseum Danmark.
From 1962 to 1965, Østergaard worked in the studio of revered furniture designer and architect Finn Juhl before establishing his own firm. Østergaard’s watershed moment came in 1968 when he created the iconic Cado 290 chair. Later produced in 1970 by Danish designer Poul Cadovius’s Cado company, the chair — a brilliant one-piece work of polyamide nylon reinforced with fiberglass by way of injection-molding — features an elegant form inspired by the stackable seats created by Danish designer Verner Panton, who started experimenting with the concept of single-piece plastic chairs in the late 1950s. However, unlike the revolutionary Panton chair, Østergaard’s design includes optional cushions that can be affixed directly onto the chair’s frame.
Another of Østergaard’s exemplary seating pieces is the President Meteor lounge chair designed in 1968 as part of Cado’s A-Line collection. The indoor and outdoor chair was originally produced in six colors — beige, brown, green, white, red and blue — and incorporates a molded plastic frame with a deep, upholstered seat. The lounge chair appeared in the original Star Trek television series and film Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan and was used at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.
Østergaard is also known for furnishings such as his molded plastic dining room chairs, patio and garden furniture and ergonomic club chairs. In 1981, he designed and constructed the first Action Recliner chair, which included a built-in footrest, a piece now replicated around the world.
Østergaard’s furniture has been featured in exhibitions throughout Europe and the United States, including at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Deutsches Museum in Munich and Designmuseum Danmark.
On 1stDibs, discover a range of vintage Steen Østergaard chairs and other furniture.
Space Age Vintage Red Plastic Dining Chairs Four Steen Ostergaard Denmark
By Steen Ostergaard
Located in Vienna, AT
Space Age four ( 4 ) red plastic vintage dining chairs designed by Steen Ostergaard 1966 for Cado Norway 1971. A set of wonderful red 4 ( four ) dining chairs from plastic with black...
Fabric, Plastic
Set of 4 stackable Dining Chairs by Steen Østergaard for Cado, 1960s
By Steen Ostergaard
Located in Copenhagen, DK
Set of 4. Steen Ostergaard Cado period molded plastic all original stack chairs with original cushion in all original condition, rare and unusual...
Plastic
$1,701Sale Price / set|20% Off
Set of Four Steen Østergaard Dining Chairs A-Line 290, CADO, Denmark, 1960s.
By Cado, Steen Ostergaard
Located in Praha, CZ
- rare type - stackable - marked - space age era
Faux Leather, Plastic
Steen Østergaard Dining / Outdoor Chairs A-Line 290 Produced by CADO in Denmark
By Steen Ostergaard
Located in Limhamn, Skåne län
Rare set of 8 dining / outdoor chairs model A-Line 290 designed by Steen Østergaard. Produced by CADO in Denmark.
Plastic
Steen Ostergaard Model 290 Pair of Red Chair for Cado, 1970
By Steen Ostergaard, Cado
Located in Munich, Bavaria
Steen Ostergaard model 290 red plastic stacking chairs manufactured by Cado, 1970. Set of 2. With some scratches and marks.
Plastic
$5,684 / set
H 29.14 in W 23.63 in D 15.75 in
Set of Four Mid Century Glossy Mint Green Cado Chairs, Steen Østergaard, 1974
By Ostergaard Steen
Located in 05-080 Hornowek, PL
Polish production chairs from Plastics Factory 'Krywald' in Knurow have embossed signatures. They come from the 1970s. The author of this project is the Danish architect Steen Østerg...
Plastic
$4,263 / set
H 29.53 in W 20.48 in D 17.72 in
Set of Four Mid Century Sea Blue Cado Chairs, Steen Østergaard, Europe, 1960s
By Ostergaard Steen
Located in 05-080 Hornowek, PL
Polish production chairs from Plastics Factory 'Krywald' in Knurow have embossed signatures. They come from the 70s. The author of this project is the Danish architect Steen Østergaa...
Plastic
$5,684 / set
H 31.11 in W 21.26 in D 19.69 in
Set of 6 Poul Cadovius Dining Chairs for Cado, Denmark, 1959
Located in Brecht, BE
A very comfortable set of dining room chairs, 4 chairs and 2 armchairs, dimensions of the chairs H 79/45 x W 54 x D 50 cm, dimensions of th...
Fabric, Teak
Set of Four Red Cado Chairs, Steen Østergaard, 1974
By Ostergaard Steen
Located in 05-080 Hornowek, PL
Polish production chairs from Plastics Factory 'Krywald' in Knurow have embossed signatures. They come from the 1970s. The author of this project is the Danish architect Steen Østerg...
Plastic
Set of 6 Unusual French 1960s Dining Chairs
Located in Long Island City, NY
Set of Six French Mid-Century Dining Chairs with tapered mahogany legs, a cut-out back and brass details. (end caps protection of back legs are removable)
Brass
$6,600 / set
H 31.5 in W 19.89 in D 21.07 in
Set of Six Ole Wanscher Dining Chairs for CADO, Denmark 1960s
By Ole Wanscher, Cado
Located in Utrecht, NL
Ole Wanscher was a leading figure in Danish and Scandinavian design, as was his mentor, the legendary Kaare Klint, renowned to be the “father” of modern Danish furniture design. Toge...
Fabric, Wood
$1,181 / item
H 29.14 in W 23.63 in D 15.75 in
Mid Century Glossy Orange Cado Chair, Steen Østergaard, 1974
By Ostergaard Steen
Located in 05-080 Hornowek, PL
Polish production chairs from Plastics Factory 'Krywald' in Knurow have embossed signatures. They come from the 1970s. The author of this project is the Danish architect Steen Østerg...
Plastic
$2,960 / set
H 29.14 in W 23.63 in D 15.75 in
Set of Four Black Glossy Cado Chairs, Steen Østergaard, 1974
By Ostergaard Steen
Located in 05-080 Hornowek, PL
Polish production chairs from Plastics Factory 'Krywald' in Knurow have embossed signatures. They come from the 1970s. The author of this project is the Danish architect Steen Østerg...
Plastic
$4,263 / set
H 31.5 in W 16.15 in D 17.72 in
Set of 6 Dining Chairs by R. Hofman for TON, Model 514, 1960s, Reupholstered
By Radomír Hofman
Located in Wrocław, Poland
This set of six vintage dining chairs was designed by Czech designer Radomir Hofman in the 1960s. Produced by TON. The chairs are very light in form and comfortable in use. This set ...
Beech
$6,450
H 25.79 in W 27.37 in D 21.07 in
Steen Østergaard Lounge Chair in Oak and Moss Green Upholstery
By Stol-Ex, Steen Ostergaard
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Steen Østergaard for Stol-Ex, lounge chair, oak, fabric, Denmark, 1962 Made in 1962, this armchair bears the mark of Danish architect and industrial designer, Steen Østergaard, craf...
Fabric, Oak
$2,131 / set
H 29.53 in W 20.48 in D 17.72 in
Set of Two Black Mid Century Cado Chairs, Steen Østergaard, Europe, 1960s
By Ostergaard Steen
Located in 05-080 Hornowek, PL
Polish production chairs from Plastics Factory 'Krywald' in Knurow have embossed signatures. They come from the 1960s. The author of this project is the Danish architect Steen Østerg...
Plastic
$2,600 / set
H 30.32 in W 18.12 in D 18.12 in
Set of four Scandinavian Danish dining chairs, Denmark, circa 1960
By Arne Vodder, Johannes Andersen
Located in Pijnacker, Zuid-Holland
Elegant set of four Scandinavian dining chairs by or in the style of Johannes Andersen / Eriksen Vestervig / Arne Vodder – Denmark, circa 1960. The chairs are reupholstered in a beau...
Velvet, Walnut
Yellow Space Age Modo 290 Chair by Steen Østergaard for Nielaus
By Steen Ostergaard, Nielaus
Located in Warszawa, Mazowieckie
This iconic Modo 290 cantilever chair was designed by architect and designer Steen Østergaard in 1966. It is a one-piece shell-shaped chair, with a form that still exudes futurism an...
Textile, Plastic
Sold
H 29.93 in W 20.48 in D 19.69 in
Set of 8 Dining Chairs, Reupholstered in White Bouclé, Steen Østergaard, 1960s
By Steen Ostergaard
Located in Odense, DK
This set of 8 dining chairs, originally designed by Steen Østergaard in 1966 is a stunning example of mid-century Danish design. The chairs feature a sleek, minimalist design, with c...
Bouclé, Plastic
Yellow Space Age Modo 290 Chair by Steen Østergaard for Nielaus
By Steen Ostergaard, Nielaus
Located in Warszawa, Mazowieckie
This iconic Modo 290 cantilever chair was designed by architect and designer Steen Østergaard in 1966. It is a one-piece shell-shaped chair, with a form that still exudes futurism an...
Textile, Plastic
Space Age “Cantilever 290” Chairs by Steen Ostergaard, 1971
By Cado, Steen Ostergaard
Located in Hilversum, NL
Chair “Cantilever 290”: solid cast plastic structure. Published by “Cado” in 1970. The five chairs have a white plastic seat frame and a seat made of checked textile fabric. Also ...
Plastic, Fabric
Cado Dining Chairs by Steen Ostergaard, Denmark
By Steen Ostergaard
Located in Cincinnati, OH
A set of four ABS molded plastic sculptural Cado dining chairs with purple seat cushions, stack able and great for any interior. Designed by Steen Ostergaard...
Plastic