FLAT STOCK BRNO CHAIRS

Mies van der Rohe 1930 (by Knoll International)

Hand Buffed Stainless Steel and Fabric

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Designed by Mies van der Rohe in 1930 for his renowned Tugendhat House in Brno, Czech Republic, the Brno Chair reflects the groundbreaking simplicity of its original environment. The chair, an icon of 20th-century design, is celebrated for its lean profile, clean lines, and meticulous attention to detail. The Tugendhat House, often considered to be Mies van der Rohe’s defining residential work, is the summation of his ideas incorporated at every level of the design. Architectural historian Peter Blake explains in his book Master Builders: “As in every one of his designs, from skyscrapers to dining chairs, Mies reduces each object to its essential elements, and then refined each detail to a point of almost breathtaking beauty and eloquence. There was nothing in this house that did not reflect this process of distillation to the point of utter perfection — not a window mullion, not a heating pipe, not a lighting fixture, not an ashtray.” While there were 24 Tubular Brno Chairs in the Tugendhat House, there was only one Flat Stock Brno chair and, unlike the tubular version, the design was not subsequently put into production. In 1958 Phillip Johnson requested that Knoll produce the flat bar Brno Chair for use in his design of the Four Seasons restaurant. After making a few slight adjustments, including added cushioning — all with the approval of Mies — Knoll reintroduced the chair in 1958 and continues to produce each chair to Mies’ exacting standards, thanks to a collaboration with the Mies van der Rohe Archives at The Museum of Modern Art, New York. Our collection of eight flat stock chairs was acquired at auction.