Bertoia Outdoor Bench
This simple design was the first
piece of furniture created by Harry Bertoia for Knoll. Although the bench does
not have the signature wire grid of his more recognizable 1952 collection, the
welded wire base shows an early exploration of the material. Now available with
outdoor-suitable base finishes and slats in Acrylic Stone or Teak.
About Designer | |
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Richard Schultz |
Richard Schultz
has long been an integral part of the Knoll story. After studying mechanical
engineering and design at Iowa State University and the Illinois Institute of
Technology in Chicago, Schultz joined Knoll in 1951. His first assignment was
to assist Harry Bertoia on the development and production of the Bertoia Wire
Collection. This led to an 18-month assignment in Europe, establishing and
supervising production of the Bertoia designs for Knoll subsidiaries and
licensees. After returning to the U.S., he joined the Design Development Group
at the Knoll factory in East Greenville, PA.
Schultz is best known for his outdoor furniture
designs. His graceful Petal Table, introduced in 1960, received the design
award from Industrial Design magazine. The steel wire-formed 715 Chaise Lounge,
which was introduced the following year to complement the Bertoia collection,
was selected in 1963 by the Museum of Modern Art for its permanent collection
of contemporary furniture. After Florence Knoll moved to a seaside home in
Florida, she started sending the design team rusty pieces of furniture, asking
them to develop something that could perform in the salty climate. Schultz
responded with the aluminum Leisure Collection in 1966. After leaving Knoll,
Schultz continued to have a successful career designing outdoor collections for
his own studio. Knoll acquired Richard Schultz Design in 2012, enabling the
re-release many of Schultz’s classic Knoll designs. |