At the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, now located in Copenhagen, Poul Kjaerholm studied under Hans Wegner and John Usson, an industrial designer and architect of the famous Sydney Opera House. The latter greatly influenced Poul Kjaerholm's furniture making technology - although he used natural materials such as sugarcane and leather, to a large extent, Poul Kjaerholm preferred using steel (rather than wood) frames to make chairs, sofas, and tables compared to his peers