Knoll has introduced an archival reissue of the Tugendhat Chair by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, a minimalist design that offers the comfort of a lounge chair in an exquisite, cantilevered form.’
The Tugendhat Chair has an untufted seat and armrests to put the sitter feel at ease. It also features a leather strap back, and thick, comfortable cushions like Mies van der Rohe’s Barcelona Chair, also designed in 1929. In contrast to the Barcelona Chair’s fixed stance, Tugendhat’s cantilevered frame invites movement and gently adapts to the sitter, allowing them to easily change positions. The leather straps that form its back add another layer of visual comfort and elevated craftsmanship.
Located in Brno, CZ, and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Villa Tugendhat was designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Lilly Reich in 1929. It is considered a ‘total work of art’ whose architecture, interiors, furnishings and grounds were designed specifically for the project. Created for the young Tugendhat family, the villa merges nature, art and life into a space intended to nurture its inhabitants—and the chair does the same.
Knoll revisited Villa Tugendhat to view the chair in its original environment, and reflect it in a contemporary light that examines the connections between object, architecture and nature. Dramatic cantilevers of horizontal planes are reflected in both the villa’s position on a hillside and the chair’s cantilevered base.
“When you sit in the chair, there’s a gentle bounce, giving the design a dynamic spirit,” commented senior vice president of design, Jonathan Olivares, in a press statement. “It engages the user within the space in a way that influences how the entire interior feels to that person.”
The Tugendhat Chair is now available to purchase on Knoll’s official website. Contract customers can purchase the chair through Knoll and MillerKnoll certified dealers.
