Between past and present. Knoll’s first time in Cologne is characterised by the centennial celebration of Bauhaus, the historic school of architecture and design, and by new products that spark visitors’ curiosity.
The company presents a limited version (only 365 pieces) of the Barcelona ® chair, the iconic chair designed by master Mies van der Rhoe. It is this German designer himself who represents the fil rouge between Knoll and Bauhaus: director of the school from 1930 to 1933 and mentor of Florence Knoll, founder of the company, to whom he gave the production rights for the armchair and footrest in 1953. Even today the armchair is crafted entirely by hand.
But that’s not all. Another protagonist of the A004-B005 stand at IMM 2019 is the KN collection, designed by Piero Lissoni and made up of a series of lounge chairs characterised by a swivelling base in polished or lacquered cast aluminium.
Two different styles for the KN chairs: KN01, a low version in which the proportion between the seat and shell height together with a more accommodating size provide a balanced combination of compactness and comfort; and KN02, with extended proportions that include a headrest and a built-in manual mechanism that makes it possible to recline according to one’s needs.
The KN03 footrest completes the collection along with a seat cushion padded with down that provides lumbar support.
“It’s a collection of chairs, a family of lounge chairs with a modernist spirit in which I applied my usual proportions. In this project I tried to respect all of Knoll’s history,” explains Piero Lissoni.
Meanwhile, Red Baron is a modular bookcase inspired by a specific detail of an air plane. The support structure is made up of high performance steel posts clad in anodized extruded aluminium, as are the shelves.
Lastly, the Grasshopper collection of large tables suitable for meeting rooms or work environments. The surface is available with rounded corners or in a circular form, while one can choose from chrome-plated, burnished, or painted steel for the structure. Quality stone (like Rosso Rubino marble), crystal, or wood are used for the tabletop.
