Designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
Product description:
One of the most recognized objects of the last century, and an icon of the modern movement, the Barcelona Chairs simple elegance and graceful profile epitomize Mies van der Rohe's most famous maxim "less is more."
Product story:
Through masterful proportioning and planning, Mies created a rhythmic and entirely unprecedented space, which elevated industrial-age materials to a level of grace never before achieved. Inside, Mies included chairs and stools conceived as a resting place for the King and Queen of Spain. Determined to create a chair worthy of royalty, Mies is thought to have based the designs, with their signature crisscross frames, on the campaign chairs of Ancient Rome. Mies: "I feel that it must be possible to harmonize the old and new in our civilization."
Although the Barcelona Pavilion only stood for seven months, it is recognized as a defining achievement of modern architecture, as are the accompanying Barcelona Chairs (although the King and Queen reportedly never sat in them).
Mies, a close friend and mentor to Florence Knoll during her time at the Illinois Institute of Technology, formally granted Knoll the production rights to the Barcelona Chair and Stool in 1953. The designs immediately became a signature of the Knoll brand and have been built to Mies van der Rohes exacting standards ever since.
Ludwig Mies van der Rohe:
Regarded as one of the most important figures in the history of architecture, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe brought a less-is-more approach to everything he designed, from furniture to skyscrapers. "Architecture is a language," wrote Mies van der Rohe. "When you are very good you can be a poet."
Construction and Details:
- Available in a range of Spinneybeckae leathers; Edelman Brule9e leather; Haven linen-blend fabric; Knoll Textiles Fancy Twill; and Knoll Textiles Velvet
- Cushion has 40 individual squares of fabric or leather from a single cowhide that are cut, hand-welted, and hand-tufted with buttons
- Two cushion fill options:
- Standard: Premium quality, highly resilient polyurethane foam with down-like Dacron polyester fiberfill
- Relaxed: Soft density, fire retardant urethane foam blanketed with a non-woven fabric topper and an additional Dacron layer for a softer feel; relaxed cushions are more supple and casual in appearance
- Belting leather straps with edges dyed to match secure the cushions to the frame
- Color of belting leather straps depends on upholstery selection, except on the onyx frame, which is always paired with black straps
- Three frame options:
- Steel with polished chrome, hand-ground and hand-buffed to a mirror finish
- Premium grade 304 bar stock stainless steel, shaped, welded, and hand-buffed to a mirror finish
- Steel with ultra-matte onyx finish
- The Knoll logo and signature of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe are stamped into the leg
Sustainable Design and Environmental Certification:
- Learn more about Barcelonaae Chair product certifications and materials at Ecomedes.
Last Updated 12 months
