Knoll: A Design Love Story

Wassily Chair, designed in 1925 by Marcel Breuer, was inspired by a bicycle frame. The Hungarian-American architect was known for his innovative use of tubular steel. Though he created many pieces of furniture in his time, the Wassily chair is his most iconic piece.

Bertoia Diamond Chair, designed by Harry Bertoia in 1952, remains a fascinating study in bent metal and a fixture of mid-century design.

Barcelona chair, designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe between 1929-1931. One of the most recognised objects of the last century and an icon of the modern movement.

Hans and Florence Knoll.

Since 1938, Knoll has been orchestrating environments where people genuinely want to be, while mastering the perfect design trifecta: Total Design Planning, Designer Collaborations, and a revolutionary approach to Colour, Material, and Finish (CMF). The story begins in New York in the early 1940s when Florence Schust, a young architect with exceptional pedigree and talent, met Hans Knoll, a German entrepreneur with big dreams. Their 1946 marriage was a personal union that sparked a design revolution that reshaped American modernism. Florence brought her architectural expertise, honed under the tutelage of Bauhaus masters like Mies van der Rohe, while Hans contributed his business acumen and European sensibilities.

The Knoll DNA is deeply intertwined with two game-changing institutions: the Bauhaus and Cranbrook Academy of Art. When Bauhaus pioneers fled Nazi Germany in the 1930s, they brought their revolutionary ideas to American shores. Walter Gropius and Marcel Breuer set up shop in Massachusetts, while Ludwig Mies van der Rohe headed to Chicago’s Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT).

This Yellowtrace Promotion is supported by Knoll. Like everything we do, our partner content is carefully curated to maintain the utmost relevance to our audience. Thank you for supporting the brands that support Yellowtrace.

FIND A DEALER

Archival image of the Bauhaus building in Dessau, German art school operational from 1919 to 1933. Combining crafts and the fine arts, the school became famous for its approach to design, which attempted to unify individual artistic vision with the principles of mass production and emphasis on function.

Harry Bertoia, seated on his Bird Chair. Upon joining the team at Knoll, Bertoia was given free rein to experiment with the medium of his choice. He chose metal. “When it came to rod or wire, whether bent or straight, I seemed to find myself at home,” he said.

Museum of Modern Art Award winner in 1977, Barcelona Chair is a tribute to the marriage of design and craftsmanship. A signature KnollStudio design, the chair is produced to Mies’ original specifications.

Finish designer Eero Saarinen (1910-1961) was surrounded by design his whole life. He was born to world-famous parents, architect and Cranbrook Academy of Art director Eliel Saarinen and textile artist Loja Saarinen. Saarinen designed the groundbreaking Womb Chair in 1948 at Florence Knoll’s request for “a chair that was like a basket full of pillows—something she could curl up in.” His revolutionary Pedestal Collection debuted in 1958.

Regarded as one of the most important figures in the history of architecture, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe’s ‘less-is-more’ approach to design was the gold standard for many generations of modern architecture. He famously designed the German Pavilion at the Barcelona Industrial Exposition of 1929, inside of which he included the Barcelona Chair and Ottoman, designed to offer the King and Queen of Spain a place to rest (they, in fact, never sat down).

Florence Knoll’s connection to these masters wasn’t just academic—she interned with Gropius and Breuer, and studied under Mies at IIT. These relationships would later flourish as Florence brought their iconic designs into the Knoll portfolio. The Barcelona Chair by Mies van der Rohe and the Wassily Chair by Breuer are enduring classics that remain as fresh and relevant today as when they were conceived.

Meanwhile, at Michigan’s Cranbrook Academy of Art, another creative revolution was brewing. Under the guidance of Eliel Saarinen, who famously declared “architectural-form equals social-form,” Cranbrook became a melting pot of creative genius. The roster reads like a who’s who of modern design: Eero Saarinen, Harry Bertoia, Charles and Ray Eames, and of course, Florence Knoll herself.

These Cranbrook connections would prove invaluable. Eero Saarinen’s Pedestal Collection and Womb Chair, born from these relationships, remain among the most coveted pieces in the Knoll catalogue. Harry Bertoia’s revolutionary wire seating collection, which evolved from his sculptural studies at Cranbrook, perfectly embodies the intersection of art and functionality.

Florence wasn’t content with just creating beautiful furniture; she wanted to revolutionize entire spaces. In 1946, she established the Knoll Planning Unit, introducing a holistic approach to interior design that transformed American corporate interiors. “Knoll was the very first furniture company that ever had a planning department,” she noted, and this innovation changed everything about how we approach workspace design.

The iconic Wassily Chair is constructed of leather or canvas straps stretched across a tubular steel frame—originally inspired by the bends in a bicycle. It was the first chair of its kind in 1925, and it remains a celebrated symbol of modernism today.

Knoll’s commitment to materiality is evident in its CMF—a library of over 2,000 materials comprising fabrics, leathers, metals, and stones.

This legacy of innovation continues through collaborations with contemporary visionaries like Piero Lissoni and Antonio Citterio, who carry forward the modernist torch while adding their contemporary spark. Each new piece maintains that delicate balance between timeless appeal and modern functionality.

Knoll’s commitment to materiality is evident in its library of over 2,000 materials. From fabrics, leathers, metals, and stones—the company gives designers an unparalleled palette for creativity. This vast collection offers choices to create harmonious environments where every element works in concert.

Florence Knoll understood early on that materials would be crucial to the partnership between Knoll and the design community. The establishment of Knoll Textiles in 1947, with Cranbrook’s Marianne Strengell at the helm, set new standards for modern upholstery. Today, this commitment to material excellence continues to evolve, enabling designers to create layered, textural spaces that engage all the senses.

Throughout the years, Knoll remains a shining example of honouring heritage while pushing boundaries. Beyond just creating furniture, the company bridges the gap between modernist principles and contemporary needs, making them more relevant than ever.

Architects, designers and specifiers can now find Knoll pieces at MillerKnoll dealers throughout Australia. For more information, click the below button.

FIND A DEALER