Warren Platner
(1919-)

Birthplace: Baltimore, Maryland, USA

Warren Platner began his career in design at Cornell University, where he studied architecture, graduating in 1941. He cut his teeth in the commercial world by working with some of the most legendary and iconic designers of the 20th century, including I. M. Pei, Eero Saarinen and Raymond Loewy.

Platner’s trademark style of furniture design evolved from his immersing himself in working with steel wire. He created chairs with intricate mesh steel bases and upholstered seats that blurred the lines between interior and exterior spaces, and in this medium he created a stylised range including his classic ‘Wire Lounge Chair’. The chair is complemented by the Platner coffee table, dining table and stool. Today Knoll International still owns the rights to produce all the key Platner furniture pieces under license. So if it isn’t made by Knoll, it’s a copy.

Platner’s commissions were for both commercial and residential buildings and spaces. He worked on iconic projects for high profile buildings such as the interior of the Georg Jensen Design Centre in New York, and what was once the Windows on the World Restaurant in the World Trade Centre.

PLATNER TABLES In the 1960s, Warren Platner transformed steel wire into a sculptural furniture collection, thus creating a design icon of the modern era. The furniture’s unique, harmonious forms are created by welding curved vertical steel wire rods to circular frames, producing a moire effect and capturing the decorative, gentle, graceful quality that Platner sought to achieve. All metal components are finished in bright nickel with a clear lacquer protective coating. The collection includes a dining, side and coffee table — ideally suited for any office lounge or residence.