Florence Knoll & the Tradition of Iconic Design at Knoll
“Knoll is associated with modernism. It is also associated with creativity, research, perfectionism. Excellence is hard to define, yet it is immediately recognizable. And I think that’s what Florence Knoll contributed. She sought excellence and she recognized it.”
Florence Knoll’s hands-on approach in cultivating talented artists, designers, and architects contributed greatly to the rise of mid-century design in both the United States and internationally.
In 1964 the New York Times deemed her “the single most powerful figure in the field of modern design.”
Florence Knoll provided an open environment for talent like Saarinen, Breuer, Mies van der Rohe, Bertoia, Nakashima, Platner and Schultz, encouraging them to push the envelope in what was currently possible.
She explains, “I designed the furniture to fill in the gaps when no other suitable furniture was available.”
“My greatest contribution for my period of 20 years was that Knoll was synonymous with good design.”
