For decades, the realm of architecture, interior and product design was a boys’ club: Eero Saarinen, Le Corbusier, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Frank Lloyd Wright, George Nakashima, Grant Featherston. These names remain top of mind for many designers, and for good reason – their work is iconic. They pushed the boundaries of form, made bold material choices and weren’t afraid to take risks.

Yet, without the innovative, boundary-pushing spirit of Florence Knoll, some of the now iconic pieces of design created by these men would not have come to life. While Florence’s name may be less familiar to some, her influence on the trajectory of contemporary design is without parallel. After meeting Hans Knoll in 1941 and marrying the forward-thinking entrepreneur in 1946, she helped turn a boutique furniture company into a global brand synonymous with innovation, clarity and elegance.

Knoll Wassily Chairs, designed by Marcel Breuer

Where icons are born

The question “What makes a design iconic?” is notoriously difficult to answer. To be iconic is to be greater than the sum of your parts. True icons transcend trends. They hold a certain universality, have a sense of presence and express a purity of form.

So what is it about Knoll’s designs that gives them this enduring power?

From Mies van der Rohe’s Barcelona Chair and Saarinen’s Tulip tables, to Florence Knoll’s own signature benches and the recently re-released Morrison Hannah Chair, each piece is distinctly the designer’s – and distinctly Knoll.

The Knoll Planning Unit applied architecture’s principles of clarity, purpose and proportion to furniture

The answer lies in rigour. In 1946, the same year as her marriage, Florence Knoll established the Knoll Planning Unit. Focused on the holistic design of mostly commercial interiors, the Planning Unit applied architecture’s principles – clarity, purpose, proportion – to furniture. Attention to detail, commitment to material innovation and the pursuit of essential forms became the guiding philosophy of Knoll.

This philosophy lives on today.

Design as process, not just object

Behind every Knoll design is a dedicated commitment to craft. It’s what Florence Knoll called “total design” – the seamless integration of form, function and space.

Tugendhat Chairs, designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe

Designing furniture that stands the test of time, both aesthetically and structurally, requires more than inspiration. It demands discipline. It requires a culture that prizes materials, manufacturing precision and refinement over ornament. As designer Harry Bertoia once said, “The urge for good design is the same as the urge to go on living. The assumption is that somewhere, hidden, is a better way of doing things.”

This search for clarity, simplicity and a better way of doing things is central to Knoll’s legacy.

Brno Chairs, designed by Mies van der Rohe

So, too, is the notion that “the devil is in the details”. Famously coined by Mies van der Rohe, this phrase has become ingrained in the minds of all designers across all disciplines. With these six words, Mies van der Rohe captured two key ideas: first, the importance of interrogating every design and material element, no matter how seemingly inconsequential. And second, the reality that in the pursuit of excellence, a certain vexing, almost devilish obsession takes hold. 

As every designer would agree, great design is realised from this devilish obsession that causes sleepless nights and haunts your dreams and every waking moment.

Commitment to material innovation and essential forms are part of the guiding philosophy of Knoll

The clarity of quality – from concept to material

To create great design that communicates both conceptual and material clarity, nothing can be left to chance. In an extension of the phrase that has become a design maxim, Mies van der Rohe also believed that “each material has specific characteristics, which we must understand if we want to use it”. Both of these beliefs continue to inform Knoll’s philosophy. Each material is selected not only for its aesthetic characteristics, but also for how it performs, feels and lasts.

Scotch linen samples from the KnollTextiles archive, dated 1955-1960

The focus on materials and understanding their characteristics – from quality to sustainability – remains a guiding truth at Knoll. From the grain of timber to the finish of tubular steel, every surface is refined to achieve a kind of quiet exactness. Sustainably sourced stone comes from Italian and Slovenian quarries; timber is harvested from forests that meet rigorous environmental and social standards. All Knoll factories worldwide are ISO 14001 certified.

Expanding the potential of design

Since its inception, Knoll has championed design as experimentation. Florence Knoll’s ties to the Cranbrook Academy, where she studied under Eero Saarinen and connected with many of the designers she would later collaborate with, helped fuel Knoll’s culture of innovation and inquiry.

Perron Pillo Sofa, designed by Willo Perron

One of the clearest examples is Harry Bertoia’s wire chair collection. The sculptor spent nearly two years refining his technical fluency with metal to produce a form that was as poetic as it was practical.

“When it came to rod or wire, whether bent or straight, I seemed to find myself at home,” Bertoia said.

Unmistakable metal work for chairs in the Knoll Bertoia collection

Nearly 80 years since its founding, Knoll’s designs remain not only recognisable, but relevant. This enduring success lies in their ability to balance artistic freedom with formal discipline, to embrace the experimental and hone ideas down to their essence, which ultimately leads to the creation of pieces that are both timeless and iconic.

Elevate your next project with an iconic piece embodying exceptional material legacy, enduring craftsmanship and inherently relevant design. Locate your nearest MillerKnoll dealer, Australia’s exclusive destination for Knoll’s designs, here.

Photography supplied by MillerKnoll.