Florence Knoll
Florence Knoll Bassett (born May 24, 1917) was an American architect and furniture designer who studied under the likes of Mies van der Rohe and Eero Saarinen. She was born in Saginaw, Michigan as "Florence Schust" and was known in familiar circles simply as "Shu". In 1943 she joined with her husband Hans Knoll in redirecting Hans's furniture company more toward a modernist, Scandinavian style. After Hans's death, Florence Knoll took over as head of Knoll furniture. Later, in 1958, she married Harry Hood Bassett.
Florence Knoll's American interpretation of minimalist, rationalist design theories is most clearly evident in her storage pieces. She mixed woods and metals to great effect and added laminates as they became popular. Dressers and desks are all square in design but never lack for quality. Hanging cabinets have glass shelves, sliding doors and drop down fronts that can be used as bars.
As an architect, Florence Knoll's most famous creations were the Connecticut General Life Insurance building in Bloomfield, Connecticut and the interior of the CBS Building in New York.
In the 1950's Florence Knoll's work was often displayed at the Museum of Modern Art's "Good Design" exhibits. Although Florence Knoll did a great deal of residential work, the international style she worked in was especially successful in corporate offices. |