Cecilie Manz designs the Solae lamp for Fritz Hansen

14 November 2025

A designer’s education is inevitably shaped by their cultural background and the lifestyle absorbed from an early age influences that often become a professional calling and a design philosophy. Cecilie Manz reflects on how growing up in Scandinavia has profoundly shaped her approach to design, an approach later refined through study and practice. This sensibility also guides her choice of collaborations: companies that share her values, especially a commitment to quality and longevity.

This is certainly true of her long-standing partnership with Fritz Hansen, for whom she has designed both furniture and lighting pieces, including the Monolit armchair and the new rechargeable Solae lamp,  recently launched and ideal for adjusting light during the darker autumn and winter months.

How did the concept for Solae come about?

There’s something deeply human and instantly relatable about round shapes. So even though LEDs today can take almost any form, I wanted the light-emitting element to remain circular, that’s why the top disc is round. The stem, or body of the piece, could also have been purely cylindrical, but I thought it would be more interesting to give it a sense of direction, making it easier to grasp by hand.

Its presence also changes dramatically depending on whether it is positioned at zero or ninety degrees. In Scandinavia, we love warm, welcoming light, direct light that shines downwards. We’re not so fond of light pointing upwards. So it was natural for me to design Solae so that it casts light downward. Still, there’s the acrylic disc underneath, through which the light becomes visible. When the lamp is positioned higher, you can actually see the source, you can see where the light comes from.

Solae is rechargeable. How do you imagine it being used in residential spaces?

It can be used like any other lamp, with the added advantage of being cordless when you need it. I think that’s the real beauty of portable lighting: you’re not tied to a cable hanging around all the time. You can keep it plugged in and use it as a regular lamp, or disconnect it and move it to a spot where there’s no nearby power outlet. For example, in the living room, next to the sofa, on a small desk or table, you can dim the light to its lowest setting that’s how I use it myself because it feels a bit like candlelight: soft and intimate, not too bright. It’s not meant to illuminate the whole space, but rather to create a warm, atmospheric glow.

At a higher intensity, it works beautifully on a desk or even as an extra light on the dining table. That’s the kind of lighting I prefer in my home: many small lamps and subtle points of light instead of one big bulb on the ceiling — which never feels very cozy.

In your collaborations with Fritz Hansen, how do you relate to the brand’s design heritage?

Whether it’s Fritz Hansen or any other company I work with, part of my process is to understand who they are. I believe it’s important that what you create is in dialogue with your partner. My collaboration with Fritz Hansen has lasted for many years, and we share the same values: a love for well-crafted, high-quality products designed to last.

How do you feel connected to the Danish design school and its tradition of craftsmanship?

You could say I’m a product of that tradition. I studied at the Danish School of Design and grew up surrounded by design and by an appreciation for its role in daily life. In Denmark, wherever you go, you see design integrated into society. In a way, we are all shaped by the environment around us.

In Scandinavia, we’ve always had limited resources, which has taught us to use materials wisely to make the most out of very little. When my grandmother got married, she bought all her furniture from a well-known Danish designer, and she kept it for the rest of her life. I believe we are all, in many ways, products of the country we grow up in. Even lighting reflects that: it’s influenced by the weather, the darkness, and the way we live. Everything is interconnected. For me, design is fundamentally about functionality, creating objects meant to be part of everyday life. That, I would say, is at the heart of Scandinavian design: to make something useful, and then make it as beautiful and pleasant as possible. Perhaps that’s its greatest strength.

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