Manhattan Home Design Reviews | Work office has been playing an important role since ancient times, emerging through its development of different concepts that have led to the creation of buildings and furniture, specifically to the optimization of said area. This development began to be noticed in early 1726 when the first building dedicated to centralized office work was created in London England. This date, together with the post-world wars period, are key times that helped define what we know today as a modern office setup. Now, how does the progress of an area relate to the Florence Knoll sofa?
Perhaps you think this correlation is a bit strange, but little by little in this section of Manhattan Home Design Reviews, we will explain how a piece created by a visionary helped define the whole office furniture we now know.
Florence Knoll, the architect of famous offices
Florence Knoll was an architecture and designer who grew up in Michigan. During her study career, she had the privilege of learning under some of the biggest names in 20th-century architecture, including Walter Gropius and Marcel Breuer in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe at the Illinois Institute of Technology.
Her knowledge of design and her husband’s business vision was what helped her understand the problem at that time, which was based on the fact that there was no adequate aesthetics to represent the image of businessmen and office workers. The pieces at the time were outdated and uncomfortable. That’s why she, together with her husband Hans Knoll, created a collection of office furniture. A sophisticated proposal that harmonizes and modernizes the environment of workers and businessmen.
One of the most outstanding elements was without a doubt the Florence Knoll sofa. A dazzling leather-wrapped sofa, with bases made of sturdy stainless steel, inset buttons on the back of the seat, and thick padding that made long hours spent by employees more enjoyable. This sofa served as an invitation to humanize office spaces in a cohesive, efficient, and streamlined way.
In addition, Florence and the Planning Unit were responsible for the interiors of some of America’s largest corporations, including IBM, GM, and CBS.
Thanks to this project, she began to conceptualize what we know today as office furniture. If you realize. these tend to show a certain professional aesthetic but at the same time comfortable. Frequently using the material of leather as upholstery and metal with a reflective appearance as a base.
Other examples that elegant offices normally consider to add to their space are the Arco lamp, Florence armchair, Le Corbusier sofa, and LC3 chair.
What do you think of office furniture? Comment below which is your favorite piece!