Warren Platner, lounge chair for Knoll

WARREN PLATNER (Baltimore, 1919 - Connecticut, 2006) for Knoll.
Lounge Chair, 1960s.
Steel and fabric upholstery.
Slight wear commensurate with age and use. New upholstery.
Measurements: 100 x 102 x 90 cm; 45 cm (seat height).

The Platner Lounge Chair is an iconic armchair with a modern style characterized by its sculptural structure formed by dozens of curved and welded steel rods that create an open and enveloping circular base, generating a light and vibrant visual effect, an undeniably characteristic aspect of Platner. On this base rests a seat with a shell and upholstered cushion that provides lounge-like comfort, achieving a balance between decorative elegance and structural rationality, as Platner sought to reinterpret classical ornamentation with industrial materials, making the structure itself the main aesthetic element.

Warren Platner was a leading figure of design in the 1960s, renewing the American aesthetic through his furniture and interiors. Behind each of his works, such as the interiors of Windows on the Word or the North Tower restaurant in New York, there was always a clear architectural concept. In 1966, Platner conceived for the American publisher Knoll a collection of sculptural furniture that would become a design icon. Using the steel wire rod, he developed an innovative concept to create a chair without legs that was both rational and aesthetically pleasing.

Warren Platner studied at Cornell University, graduating in 1941 with a degree in architecture. He worked with legendary architects Raymond Loewy, Eero Saarinen and I. M. Pei before opening his own studio. Notable contributions throughout his career in architecture include the Georg Jensen Design Center and the Windows on the World restaurant at the World Trade Center, both in New York.
However, it was the collection of furniture designed for the Knoll brand that brought Platner worldwide recognition. The collection in question, named after its designer, is an icon of modern furniture. Platner personally formulated production techniques for each chair, which feature more than a hundred steel rods.