Designer:Florence Knoll
Year:1955.

While a student at the Kingswood School on the campus of the Cranbrook Academy of Art in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, Florence Knoll Bassett (née Schust) became a protegée of Eero Saarinen. She studied architecture at Cranbrook, the Architectural Association in London and the Armour Institute (Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago). She worked briefly for Walter Gropius, Marcel Breuer and Wallace K. Harrison.
In 1946, she became a full business and design partner and married Hans Knoll, after which they formed Knoll Associates. She was at once a champion of world-class architects and designers and an exceptional architect in her own right. As a pioneer of the Knoll Planning Unit, she revolutionized interior space planning. Her belief in "total design" – embracing architecture, manufacturing, interior design, textiles, graphics, advertising and presentation – and her application of design principles in solving space problems were radical departures from the standard practice in the 1950s, but were quickly adopted and remain widely used today.
For her extraordinary contributions to architecture and design, Florence Knoll was accorded the National Endowment for the Arts' prestigious 2002 National Medal of Arts.

Designed by Florence Knoll, 1954

Trained as an architect, Florence Knoll's own pieces for Knoll are simple, architectural designs that stand the test of time. Her lounge seating, sofas, tables, and storage adapt flawlessly to any environment, with their clean, linear design and incredibly durable, high-quality construction. These pieces are built to last a lifetime - or several lifetimes. Not flashy pieces at all, Knoll said that her own work "filled in the gaps" for star pieces by Bertoia and Saarinen, but today we know that they stand in a class all by themselves.

Inner frame is solid wood. Exposed metal frame and legs are heavy gauge square tubular steel in polished chrome or satin chrome finish. Seat suspension with No-Sag springs. Arm, seat, and back cushions variable density foam. Seat and back covering is fully welted and tufted.

Two and three seater benches are only available in polished chrome base finish.