KNOLL INTERNATIONAL: The Aluminum Chair – A masterpiece of form and function
Florence Knoll and the art of interior design
The Aluminum Chair from Knoll International is not just a piece of furniture, but a statement. It embodies the philosophy of Florence Knoll, who revolutionized modern corporate interior design after the Second World War. Florence Knoll didn’t just decorate rooms, she created them. Her principles of efficiency, space planning and comprehensive design are alive in this iconic chair.
Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and the essence of minimalism
Ludwig Mies van der Rohe is another pillar on which the Aluminum Chair stands. His „less is more“ approach has shaped modern architecture. Mies van der Rohe understood material and structure like no other, and this chair is a prime example of his minimalist aesthetic. The clean lines and simple elegance of the Aluminum Chair are a direct legacy of his design philosophy.
Eero Saarinen and Harry Bertoia: the fusion of art and function
Eero Saarinen and Harry Bertoia have also contributed to the DNA of the Aluminum Chair. Saarinen, a master of sculptural forms, and Bertoia, a gifted metal artist, have blurred the boundaries between art and functionality. Their influences are clearly visible in the ergonomic design and visual appeal of the chair.
Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby: The future of design
Edward Barberand Jay Osgerby represent the next generation of designers who could evolve the Aluminum Chair. Their studio is known for its innovative approach to architecture, interiors and exhibition design. They could be the ones to take the Aluminum Chair into the future by integrating new materials and technologies.
The vision and values of Bruno Wickart AG
At Bruno Wickart AG, we are proud to offer the Aluminum Chair as part of our exclusive collection. Our vision and guiding values – warmth, individuality and responsibility – are reflected in our selection. We are not just a furniture store; we are a way of life. We create a sense of well-being by offering products that are both aesthetically pleasing and functional.
Why Bruno Wickart AG should be your first choice
The Aluminum Chair from Knoll International is more than a chair; it is an experience. It embodies the philosophies of the world’s greatest designers and is a testament to the timelessness of good design. At Bruno Wickart AG, we understand the importance of quality and design. We invite you to visit our showroom in Zug to experience the Aluminum Chair and many other design classics in person. With us you will not only find furniture, but an attitude to life.
Newson Aluminum Chair
Design: Marc Newson, 2018
Honoring the 90 years later of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, the Newson Aluminum Chair is a forward-thinking expression that synthesizes simplicity, material and precision in the modernist tradition.
A futuristic reinterpretation of the Tugendhat Chair, which Mies van der Rohe designed in 1928, Aluminum Chair embodies a design idea that, as the designer says, looks to the future and pushes technology into the unknown. The Aluminum Chair takes the cantilever form from the revolutionary Bauhaus tubular steel construction and reverses it. The result is a great visual weightlessness: a seat that almost floats and, thanks to the legs, connects naturally with the backrest in a single dynamic line.
Design story
Newson and Benjamin Pardo, Knoll Design Director, agreed that a new side chair for Knoll would honor the aesthetic principles that characterize Knoll Seating’s existing portfolio, particularly the cantilevered designs.
Newson and Pardo reworked several Knoll designs, beginning with Mies van der Rohe’s Brno Chair. While the Brno Chair served as a catalyst for exploration, it was ultimately the 1928 Tugendhat Chair that most inspired Newson’s final design. Pardo explained, „Newson’s aluminum chair really pays tribute to Mies‘ Tugendhat Chair and uses a similar inverted cantilever. This inverted cantilever evokes a visual weightlessness and makes an incredibly simple profile where the seat floats effortlessly and connects to the back via the legs of the chair.“
„We wanted to reinvent the tubular steel construction revolutionized at the Bauhaus – which is transitively tied to Knoll – with Newson’s unique ability to imagine organic, almost futuristic forms,“ Pardo recalled.
With this in mind, Newson made steel from tubular steel in favor of cast aluminum, a material he felt allowed for a more dynamic form. The chair consists of three high-pressure castings – a main frame and two end caps – that combine to form a remarkably simple but structurally sound frame. To Newson’s taste, the engineering complexity is made invisible through mechanical precision and sleek design.
Designer: Marc Newson
Marc Newson has been described as one of the most influential designers of his generation. He has worked across a wide range of disciplines, from furniture and household objects to bicycles and cars, private and commercial aircraft, yachts, various architectural commissions and signature sculptural works for clients around the world. His clients include a wide range of the world’s best known and most prestigious brands – from manufacturing and technology to transportation, fashion and the luxury goods sector.
born in Sydney in 1963, Newson spent much of his childhood traveling in Europe and Asia. He began experimenting with furniture design as a student and, with the help of a grant from the Australian Crafts Council, staged his first exhibition, showcasing his now famous Lockheed Lounge.
His work is present in many major museum collections, including the MoMA in New York, the London Design Museum and the V&A, the Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris and the Vitra Design Museum, Germany.
CONSTRUCTION AND DETAILS
The chair will be available with or without arms, in black frame colors and black mesh
- The mesh seat and backrest are knitted with two components:
- Polyester yarn, which adds color and a soft hand, along with thermoplastic elastomer, which provides the structural element
- Frame is die-cast aluminum
Dimensions
- Armless Chair: 57cm W x 60.5cm D x 84cm H with seat height of 46cm.
- Arm Chair: 64.5cm W x 60.5cm D x 84cm H with seat height of 46cm, arm H 63cm.
About Knoll International
„Our legacy is the legacy of product and product culture. To honor and preserve the Knoll legacy, we protect our originals and create new products to drive the company forward.“
Andrew B. Cogan
President and CEO Knoll, Inc.
In 1938, Hans and Florence Knoll, together with their collaborators, created a new understanding of design whose principles of modernity continue to shape our approach to furniture today. Since then, their vision has been carried forward by the world’s most talented contemporary designers. To this day, products are created that give living and working spaces an individual order and inspiring aesthetics.
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Buy interior design furniture by Knoll International and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Warren Platner, Harry Bertoia, Eero Saarinen and Marcel Breuer in the Swiss showroom and online store of Bruno Wickart
The famous design classics from Knoll have not lost their relevance to this day and will probably continue to be valued design furniture for particularly high-quality and serious interior design environments with a commanding presence for many generations to come. These designs in particular have become internationally popular and prestigious synonyms for success and competence in living and business spaces, conveying style-conscious elegance and refined understatement: