Knoll Presents New Collections and Iconic Products at the 2015 Salone Internazionale del Mobile
April 14, 2015
MILAN, 14 April 2015 – The 54th annual Salone Internazionale del Mobile includes the debut of products for Knoll by Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby as well as new materials and finishes for classic Knoll designs by Charles Pollock, Harry Bertoia, Florence Knoll and Tobia Scarpa.
The Pilot Chair, created by the London-based studio Barber & Osgerby, is a modern, innovative lounge chair that complements a selection of updated classics, including the Pollock Chair (1960) and the Bertoia Chair and Stool (1952), now available with polypropylene seat in six different colors, to celebrate the centennial of the birth of the great designer.
For Salone 2015, Knoll has once again collaborated with OMA, the studio co-founded by the Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas, and “Inside Outside” founder Petra Blaisse, to design its display, “This is Knoll,” as well as to create its showroom display at the Piazza Bertarelli. The Piazza Bertarelli presentation celebrates the centennial of the birth of Harry Bertoia with a probing gaze from one of the most interesting and highly acclaimed studios on today’s architecture scene; it is a true in-depth exploration of this eclectic designer—through all his art forms, from sculpture to jewelry and from monoprints to the master’s celebrated Knoll furniture products.
Pilot Chair for Knoll
Begun in 2013 with the launch of the Barber & Osgerby Collection of sofas, armchairs and ottomans, the brilliant collaboration between Knoll and the designers Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby continues with the Pilot Chair, moving forward with the brand’s cultural heritage from a forerunner of modernism to an interpreter of contemporary design.
The Pilot Chair, a modern, innovative lounge chair, is ideal for any type of space from the home to the office. The slim-backed chair has a striking profile that perfectly suits the domestic setting whilst adapting perfectly to use as an executive armchair. The Pilot Chair features a cast-aluminum structure with the form of a “T” which links the swivel base to the assembly of the seat and back. At first glance the cantilevered seat seems to be almost floating in the air. This particular feature brings greater flexibility to the seat and lightness to the structure, creating a unique silhouette for an essential, timeless design.
The Pilot Chair back can be high or low, for contract or residential use, with coverings ranging from fabric to leather. Depending on the choice of the padding of the seat and back, the chair is available in a lighter “slim” version and a “slim soft” version for greater comfort. By varying the type of covering or by changing the finish of the armrests – available in metal or with upholstery – the chair can be transformed in both its image and its functional role. The Pilot Chair is the sum of elegant design, comfort, exclusive materials and fine craftsmanship, a perfect example of the approach the two English designers apply in all their projects, which always stand out for their intellectual rigor and avant-garde design.
“When designing for a company like Knoll, one continuously wonders how to place new ideas into such an iconic collection,” Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby comment. “Of course times have changed since the early Knoll pieces and we are more focused these days on such aspects as flexibility, customization and logistics as an integral part of our design. Our new Pilot chair not only responds to today’s needs, but also offers an elegant, innovative design for a different culture.“
Bertoia Plastic Side Chair – Anniversary Edition
To celebrate the centennial of the designer’s birth, the classic Side Chair is now available with chromium-plated steel rod structure and a polypropylene seat in six different colors. A modern, colorful take on an inimitable creation, faithfully replicating its unique, linear design, the anniversary edition chairs stand out for their extremely comfortable seat and way they adapt to the widest range of contexts, from residential to contract.
Pollock Arm Chair
In keeping with its commitment to quality and innovation, Knoll continues to reissue historic, iconic pieces, bringing back to the catalogue a selection of updated legendary classics, such as those designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Florence Knoll, Eero Saarinen, Tobia Scarpa and Marcel Breuer.
The Pollock Arm Chair, originally produced in 1964-79 as the Model 657 chair, is a minimal chair of polished chrome steel tubing and natural cowhide, blending comfort, functionality and style. Florence Knoll, seeing the design for the first time, declared it ‘gold.’ The designer went on to create the best-selling Pollock Executive Chair, which has remained in production since 1965. In fact, the Executive Chair has been so popular that it has in many ways overshadowed Pollock's first Knoll chair, in spite of the latter’s beautiful lines and simple way of responding to the user’s position. Today, Knoll is pleased to reintroduce the Pollock Arm Chair, a modern classic for the home.
New Colors and Finishes for the Collections Designed by Florence Knoll and Tobia Scarpa
Also part of the program’s iconic designs for contemporary use, the Florence Knoll Credenza, perfect for the office or the home, is now available with greater depth—60cm versus the original 46.5cm, offering more storage space in the dining room or the office. A new tobacco-color finish is also available. The Relax collection – also designed by Florence Knoll – features an armchair, a two-seat sofa and a three-seat sofa whose cushions, available in the historic quilted version with squared stitching, with or without buttons. In addition, the Bastiano Collection of sofas designed by Tobia Scarpa is now available in tobacco-color oak finish.
“This is Knoll” by OMA
This year’s presentation of “This is Knoll,” designed by OMA, focuses on color with striking effects, stylistic games and timeless designs. The display area, divided into six different zones, is carefully arranged in grand style down to the smallest details.
The layout of the display features new finishes for signature classic designs mixed with new products, shifting harmoniously from painstaking particulars to elegant, unexpected environments, from essential displays to the most provocative settings.
"Our space at the Salone demonstrates the innovative spirit of Knoll design through the new creations done this year by Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby, while at the same time celebrating the past and future history of the brand," says Demetrio Apolloni, President of Knoll Europe.
For Benjamin Pardo, Design Director of Knoll added, “OMA has designed our presentation at Salone to underline the contribution of our founders in bringing the benefits of modern design to both residential and commercial spaces.”
About Knoll
Knoll is recognized internationally for workplace and residential design that inspires, evolves and endures. Our portfolio of furniture, textile, leather and accessories brands, including Knoll, KnollStudio, KnollTextiles, KnollExtra, Spinneybeck, FilzFelt, Edelman Leather, and HOLLY HUNT, reflects our commitment to modern design that meets the diverse requirements of high performance offices and luxury interiors. A recipient of the National Design Award for Corporate and Institutional Achievement from the Smithsonian`s Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, Knoll is aligned with the U.S. Green Building Council and the Canadian Green Building Council and can help organizations achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design LEED workplace certification. Knoll is the founding sponsor of the World Monuments Fund Modernism at Risk program.
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