Barcelona chair
The Barcelona chair is a chair designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Lilly Reich for the German Pavilion at the International Exposition of 1929, hosted in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. Knoll Inc. has manufactured the chair since 1964, although the chair was not known as the Barcelona chair until 1987, when Knoll named the chair based on its resemblance to furniture used at the German Pavilion.
Materials and manufacture
The frame was initially designed to be bolted together, but was redesigned in 1950 using stainless steel, which allowed the frame to be formed with a seamless piece of metal, giving it a smoother appearance. Bovine leather replaced the ivory-colored pigskin, which was used for the original pieces.Philosophy and ergonomics
Although many architects and furniture designers of the Bauhaus era were intent on providing well-designed homes and impeccably manufactured furnishings for common people, the Barcelona chair was an exception. It was designed for Spanish royalty to oversee the opening ceremonies of the exhibition and was described by Time magazine as inhabiting a "sumptuous German pavilion." The form is thought to be extrapolated from Roman folding chairs known as the Curule chair upholstered stools used by the Roman aristocracy. According to Knoll Inc., despite its industrial appearance, the Barcelona chair requires much handcrafting.Current production
Since 1964, Knoll Inc has manufactured the Barcelona chair in both chrome and stainless steel. The chairs are almost entirely handcrafted, and each carries a facsimile of van der Rohe's signature, stamped into its frame.Unlicensed replicas of the original design are manufactured by other companies worldwide and sold under various marketing names. Such designs are frequently subject to legal challenges.