Barcelona chair

The Barcelona chair was exclusively designed for the German Pavilion, Germany's exhibition for the Ibero-American Exposition of 1929, which was hosted by Barcelona, Spain. The design resulted from collaboration between the famous Bauhaus architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and his longtime partner and companion, architect and designer Lilly Reich, whose contributions have only recently been acknowledged.Fact|date=November 2007 An icon of modernism, the chair's design was inspired by the campaign and folding chairs of ancient times.

Lilly Reich began working for the "Deutscher Werkbund" in 1912, an organization whose raison d'etre was to focus specifically on the German design industry, its quality, evolution and promotion. Reich was responsible for designing and organizing many of the "Werkbund's" international exhibitions, and in 1921 became the organization's first female member.Fact|date=July 2008

Reich and van der Rohe met in the mid-1920s and collaborated on many of these exhibition design projects until he departed for the United States in 1938. While Reich always deferred to van der Rohe in public, the reverse was said to have been the case in private. While it is naturally difficult to apportion the contributions that each made to a particular design, it is interesting and poignant to note that van der Rohe never again produced any furniture designs after their partnership ended, nor had he designed any furniture beforehand. His first patent on a furniture design was issued in 1927 and his last in 1937.

Reich's affiliation with the "Deutscher Werkbund" and her architectural work with van der Rohe on their exhibition design and furniture design made them the natural choiceFact|date=July 2008 for the Commission to design the German Pavilion in Barcelona.

The German Pavilion and its reception

An enormous responsibility rested on van der Rohe's shoulders to produce a very special building which would unmistakably announce to the world the resuscitation of cultured Germany's prowess, and adequately showcase their creative achievements and commercial viability. The renowned sculptor George Kolbe's work was shown to great advantage in addition to the Barcelona Chair, Couch, and Table.

By transposing an ancient and regal design into a modern setting, the designers enjoyed instant acclaim. The chair was shown off perfectly in the environment of the Pavilion. Royal visitors, it is said, did not actually take advantage of this newly designed seating accommodation, but the chair quickly attained the reputation of being "a design worthy of kings".Fact|date=July 2008

Materials and manufacture

The frame was initially designed to be bolted together, but was re-designed in 1950 using stainless steel, which allowed the frame to be formed by a seamless piece of metal, giving it a smoother appearance. Bovine leather replaced the ivory-colored pigskin which was used for the original pieces. In 1953, six years after Reich's death, the design went into commercial production and van der Rohe ceded the rights of reproduction to Knoll, the current licensed manufacturer and holder of all trademark rights.Fact|date=July 2008

Philosophy and economics

Although many architects and furniture designers of the Bauhaus era were intent on providing well-designed homes and impeccably manufactured furnishings for the "common man," the Barcelona chair presently seems to defy this sentiment, as it currently retails for a minimum of USD$6,281. [ [http://www.knoll.com Knoll ] ]

Current production

Knoll manufactures the frame in two different steel configurations, chrome and stainless. The chair is almost completely hand-laboured.Fact|date=July 2008 Ludwig Mies van der Rohe's signature is stamped into each chair. Unauthorized reproductions proliferate worldwide and are sold under different marketing names.

ee also

* Antique Furniture
* Barcelona Pavilion
* Bauhaus
* List of furniture designers
* Modern furniture

References

* "Sourcebook of Modern Furniture, Third Edition", Jerryll Habegger and Joseph H Osman
* "Mies van der Rohe", Aurora Cuito and Cristina Montes
* "Bauhaus", Hans Engels and Ulf Meyer
* "Modernism - designing a new world", Christopher Wilk, V&A p.155
* "Oxford Dictionary of Modern Design", Jonathan Woodham

External links

* [http://www.core77.com/awid/reich.html A Web page about Lilly Reich]
* [http://www.bluffton.edu/~sullivanm/spain/barcelona/mies/pavilion.html Pictures of the Barcelona Pavilion]
* [http://www.miesbcn.com/en/foundation.html The Fundació Mies van der Rohe]