H 77 x W 75 x D 77 cm Flat spring steel frame, highly polished chrome Foam upholstery covered with carefully selected leather, stitched with integral studs Available in a range leather types, further materials on request 1 Armchair (matching ottoman can be ordered separately) Please maintain and clean the leather according to the included booklet. Permanent collection MoMA, New York The DesignIt is no coincidence that the Barcelona Chair by Mies van der Rohe appears so noble and elegant: it was designed explicitly for the use of the Spanish royal couple on the occasion of the opening ceremony of the German Pavilion at the World Expo 1929 in Barcelona. Ludwig Mies van der Rohe was looking for the occasion an elegant, costly and monumental chair. Featuring a base inspired by the classical form of the scissors chair, the Barcelona Chair can very much be considered as a modern throne. Characteristic of the work is the perfectly formed combination of wide seat and backrest with the x-shaped, subtly curved legs which give the Knoll Barcelona Chair its light, almost floating, character.
In the design history of the twentieth century the Barcelona chair is considered both ground-breaking and iconographic, and more than sixty years after its initial production is still produced according to the original dimensions. Complimenting the chair Knoll also produce and distribute the Barcelona Stool.DesignerLudwig Mies van der Rohe was born on 27th March 1886 in Aachen and is not only remembered by history as a designer of Knoll's Barcelona chair, but also as an architect. His first modern and energy-efficient buildings originated from 1923, and in 1927 Mies van der Rohe was responsible for the curation of the Weissenhof Estate in Stuttgart, unquestionably one of modernisms genuine flagship projects. For his own apartment house on the Weissenhof Estate Mies van der Rohe made his first use of a steel frame, a construction principle which allowed for the enlargement of the window areas and a more variable use of the residential space, a construction principle which was to be fundamental in his later buildings.
In addition to being commissioned to design the German Pavilion for the 1929 World Exhibition in Barcelona, Mies van der Rohe was also requested to design the furniture for the pavilion. The pavilion proved to be a main attraction of the World Exhibition and is now considered one of the most significant works of modern architectural history: equally so with the Barcelona Chair. Although his career in Germany was interpreted by the outbreak of war, he was able to continue with his success in America following his emigration in 1938.ManufacturerThe manufacturer of the Barcelona chair, Knoll International, is a globally active furniture producer with production facilities in Europe and the USA, and an international network of sales offices.. The history of the company begins in 1938 when the German emigree Hans Knoll founded the company in New York City just a year after his arrival in the United States. At the beginning of the 1950s production was then moved to Pennsylvania, largely because the area was traditionally regarded as the location for traditional crafts and had a good potential in terms of available manpower.
Today, the company headquarters and the largest production plant are still located in the area and alone the fact that some 40 Knoll designs are included in the MoMA New York permanent design collection indicate the importance of the company in the history of modern furniture design. Today, the company is divided into two divisions: KnollStudio and Knoll Office. The KnollStudio portfolio encompasses design classics such as the original Barcelona Chair or Eero Saarinen's Tulip chair in addition to contemporary designs from the likes of Frank Gehry. Knoll Office offers innovative furnishing solutions for the office environment. ProductionSince 1953 the exclusive manufacturing rights for Mies van der Rohe's Barcelona Chair have been held by US based manufacturer Knoll International. Formed from hand polished stainless steel the Barcelona chair features a leather upholstery crafted from 40 individual pieces of leather, sewn together by hand and then completed with piping and buttons. Knoll's Barcelona Chair is available in various leathers and colours and also comes in a smaller version for children.
With the Barcelona Chair Relax Knoll has recently adapted the leather chair so beloved of waiting and lounge areas with a multi-layer padding version specifically intended for use in living areas. The high quality and durability of the Knoll Barcelona Chair and Barcelona Chair Relax are guaranteed by the over sixty years of experience in the production Knoll have acquired and the company's compliance with strict environmental and sustainability policies..Historical ContextAs one of the most important representatives of classical modernism Mies van der Rohe's ground-breaking ideas influenced generations of architects, as did and do his numerous furniture designs, designs he often developed, as in the case of Barcelona Chairs, in the context of an architectural project and which remain true to his "less is more" philosophy. Mies van der Rohe's Barcelona chair speaks a thoroughly modern design language, and the same form language in which his open and strictly geometrical buildings can be understood and enjoyed.
Today international modernism is particularly closely associated with the Weimar Bauhaus, an institution founded in 1919 by Walter Gropius and which went on to redefine both design education as well as design theory. And although Ludwig Mies van der Rohe served as Bauhaus Director from 1931 until the final closure of 1932 his designs are generally not classified as part of the movement.Mid-century design classics, such as Charles Eames chairs, Eileen Gray tables and Arco lamps are set to rocket in price, following EU regulations which came into force this week that extend the copyright on furniture from 25 years to 70 years after the death of a designer. But shoppers have six months to snap up a replica bargain, as the UK has given retailers a six-month transitionary period to clear their existing stock. Take, for example, the famous Eames walnut and leather armchair with matching ottoman. The officially licensed and copyrighted producer, Vitra, sells them for £6,814 in John Lewis.
Yet copies made in Chinese factories sell over the internet and in some stores for as little as £399. It is these low-cost knock-offs that will now be banned. A change in law which came into force on 28 July 2016 means that retailers will no longer be able to sell cheap replicas of iconic furniture designs and shoppers will instead be forced to pay thousands for original designs – ie those made brand new under licence with the agreement of the late designers’ estates. The six-month transition period will run out at the end of January. Companies can currently sell replica goods providing 25 years has passed from the date the designer died, but the EU ruling – speeded up by the British government – has extended that period to 70 years. Eames died in 1978, so the new protection extends the copyright of the many chairs, tables and clocks he designed until 2048. For items designed jointly with his wife, Ray, the copyright would extend for a further 10 years, as she died in 1988.
The explosion in popularity of “mid-century modern” designs means the new law will have a huge impact on many people furnishing their homes. Take, for example, the Barcelona chair designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe – hailed as one of the most celebrated designs of all time. Currently replicas can be found on sites such as Swivel UK for just £455. The officially licensed version sells at the Conran Shop for more than £4,000. Van der Rohe died in 1969, so his copyright will now last until 2039. Similarly, £200 replicas of the Arco floor lamp (designed by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni in 1962) and which graced the Downing Street flat occupied by David Cameron and his family, will be removed from sale, with the Flos licensed version available for £1,420 at John Lewis. The official Arne Jacobsen Egg chair costs £4,283 on the licensed Fritz Hansen website, but can, for now, be found for £359.98 at Vertigo Interiors, and £500 elsewhere. Gray’s chrome and glass side table sells for under £100 on some websites, yet the official version costs £433.50 licensed through Aram Design.
The changes to the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 extends the copyright for a deceased designer’s work from 25 years to 70 years. Originally the new law wasn’t meant to come into force until 2020, but it was expedited when the government decided that the time period was excessive, and to bring it into line with European intellectual property law. The changes – designed to offer protection to British designers for a longer period of time and originally the brainchild of the former business secretary Vince Cable as a boost for UK manufacturing and innovation – are backed by Habitat founder and designer Sir Terence Conran and fashion designer Stella McCartney. David Woods, a copyright laywer with solicitors Pinsent Masons, said the changes were intended to bring copyright laws governing furniture into line with those covering literature and music, where there have been many high-profile court challenges. But he admits there could still be difficulties proving whether an item was a complete and intentional copy of another design: “The intent of the change to the legislation is to stop ‘exact’ copies of existing industrially designed artistic works, although this means that products that are ‘inspired by’ the works may still be allowed, so long as they do not cross the line.