Three years ago I had the good fortune to meet Danish designer Hans Bølling in Copenhagen. A grandfatherly figure, Hans was a good-humoured gentleman with just a hint of mischief in his eyes. Hans’ approach to design is reassuringly old school and his manner is gracious to say the least.The Architect and CraftsmanAn architect by trade, Hans graduated from the much touted Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts. Initially aspiring to a career in advertising, at that time his soon-to-be wife Søs’s father (architect Axel Wanscher) was less than enamoured by the idea. He believed Hans would be unable to support his daughter in such a profession. On graduating, Hans worked with his father-in-law and went on to become a successful architect and designer in his own right. Søs’s uncle, Ole Wanscher, was a leading figure in Danish design and alongside his brother Axel, made an indelible impression on a young Hans.RELATED: Hans J. Wegner: The Danish ModernistHans Bølling. Image courtesy of Brdr. Krüger.A proficient craftsman, Hans Bølling is the type of individual that gives Danish design a good name. The energetic and lively Hans celebrated his 85th birthday in July and remains a keen designer and woodworker. For a man ever brimming with ideas and having fun with his work, retirement isn’t an option. Indeed his atelier in Charlottenlund, north of Copenhagen, is one of Hans’ favourite places in the world. He even recently acquired a new wo...