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    Pollock Executive Chair

    Charles Pollock  1963

    How To Purchase

    Charles Pollock’s 1963 Executive Chair features what he described as “rim technology”— the use of a single aluminum band around the chair’s perimeter to hold the design together, structurally and visually. Fifty years after its introduction, the Pollock Chair continues to exude timeless elegance.

    Knoll Designer Charles Pollock Executive conference chair history

    Product story

    Charles Pollock challenged himself to create a chair inspired by a single line. “Everything has an edge and everything is a line…I experimented with wire and curved the edge…I developed the idea of ‘rim technology’ and hit on the design.”

    Pollock's concept was an aluminum extrusion outlining the chair that would be the central structure, holding the parts together without any further support. Slots in the aluminum rim held secured the upholstery and back shell, which became rigid only once it was fitted into the rim.

    In addition to providing structure, the rim also acts as a bumper. Pollock explains: “It doesn’t rust, it doesn’t tarnish, it doesn’t fade. It keeps its visual appearance almost forever. In other words you have a visually pleasing color or texture or chrome finish articulated in a fashion that goes around the edge of the chair, which is beautiful and acts as a guard against destructing the chair no matter where you hit it….up, down, front, side, back, whatever.”

    While Charles Pollock’s initial idea was ingenious, people close to the project recall that it was Florence Knoll’s legendary guidance and impeccable taste that pushed him to quiet the design down and reach his iconic final sollution.

    Charles Pollock

    Charles Pollock

    After graduating from Pratt Institute and working with George Nelson, Charles Pollock assembled a portfolio of designs and presented them to Florence Knoll. Planning Unit member Vincent Cafiero saw promise in a leather and steel lounge chair and encouraged Pollock to keep working on the design. The 657 Lounge, as it was introduced in 1961, showed the young designer’s precision handling of line, form, and materials.

    Pollock again demonstrated his command of line and material when he conceived the 1250 series executive collection, introduced in 1965. His idea for the chair was to use an aluminum “rim,” which outlined the chair as the main structural and design element. This rim would hold the parts together, without any further support; slots in the aluminum held the back shell and the upholstery in place, and the plastic back became rigid only after being fitted into the frame. The resulting design was an achievement in structure and aesthetics, and the chair remains a Knoll classic to this day.

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    Additional Info

    Construction and Details
    • Available with or without arms. Arms are seamless, black phenolic plastic
    • Upholstery available in a variety of KnollTextiles or Spinneybeck® leathers
    • Seat and back are multi-density urethane foam. Button tufting on fabric and leather
    • Outer shell is integrally colored, black textured polypropylene
    • Base features 360 degrees swivel, tilt and pneumatic seat height adjustment
    • Base specified in Aluminum will have lower portion of feet in painted silver
    • Aluminum rim will match base finish selection
    Sustainable Design and Environmental Certification
    • Learn more about Pollock Executive Chair product certifications and materials at Ecomedes.

    Dimensions

    •   w d h seat h arm h
      Pollock Executive Chair 5-Star with Arms 26.25" 28.25" 31.5 - 33.25" 18.5 - 21.25" 24.5 - 27.25"

    •   w d h seat h arm h
      Pollock Executive Chair 4-Star with Arms 26.25" 28.25" 31.5 - 34.25" 18.5 - 21.25" 24.5 - 27.25"

    •   w d h seat h
      Pollock Executive Chair 5-Star, Armless 23.5" 28.25" 31.5 - 33.25" 18.5 - 21.25"

    •   w d h seat h
      Pollock Executive Chair 4-Star, Armless 23.5" 28.25" 31.5 - 34.25" 18.5 - 21.25"

    Base

    Black

    Black
    Polished Aluminum

    Polished Aluminum

    Environment

    Whitesweep

    Configure Pollock Executive Chair

    The configurator below is for reference purposes only. All options, finishes and sizes may not be represented.
    For the complete scope, please refer to the KnollStudio price list.


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    General Info

    Document

    Pollock Executive Chair Product Sheet
    Document

    KnollStudio Price List Vol 1
    Document

    Ancillary 4-Weeks or Less Program

    3D Symbols