Piet Hein

Piet Hein was a Danish mathematician, inventor, designer, author and poet. He studied art, philosophy, engineering and atomic physics without completing any of these studies. Hein had a remarkable imagination and became internationally recognised for his ingenuity. His famous "Super Elipse" came to being when he was commissioned by Stockholm city council to renovate Sergels Torg (Sergel's Plaza) and was wondering what form to give the roundabout. A rectangle would harmonise best with the shape of the plaza, a circle would allow traffic to flow better. Hein sought a combined form that should be well defined and follow a mathematically repeatable principle, the result being his super elipse. The super elipse has since been used for tables, lamps and Georg Jensen's bonbonniére & Pill Box.