BARCELONA CHAIRS & OTTOMAN

One of the most recognized objects of the last century, and an icon of the modernist movement, the Barcelona Chair and Ottoman exude a simple elegance that epitomizes Mies van der Rohe's most famous maxim “less is more.” Each Barcelona piece is a tribute to the marriage of modern design and exceptional craftsmanship. The Barcelona chair was designed by for the German Pavilion at the International Exposition of 1929 held in Barcelona.  The chair was intended as a resting place for the King and Queen of Spain. Mies is thought to have based the design, with its signature crisscross frames, on the campaign chairs of Ancient Rome. The chair was first used in Villa Tugendhat, a private residence, designed by Mies in Brno, Czech Republic. Since 1953 Knoll has manufactured the Barcelona chair  using an almost completely hand-crafted process.