A Work of Total Architecture

Architects Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Lilly Reich designed a home for the Tugendhat family in 1929. Located in Brno, Czech Republic, the villa is a celebrated example of functionalist architecture, featuring austere concrete construction, exterior walls of glass, and open interiors filled with natural light. A work of Total Architecture, Mies also specified everything for the interior, from light switches to furnishings. One of the pieces he designed, used in several rooms of the house, was the FederSessel (“spring chair” in English) that became known as the Tugendhat Chair when photos of the villa were featured in the press.

Beauty and Comfort

An interesting juxtaposition of playfulness and elegance, the Tugendhat™ Chair has a cantilevered frame, leather strap back, and thick comfortable cushions like Ludwig Mies van der Rohe’s Barcelona Chair, also designed in 1929. Unlike the Barcelona, which holds the body in one position, the Tugendhat invites movement and ease as it gently bounces with the sitter. Last produced by Knoll from 1964 to 1979, the relaxed sit of the Tugendhat is ideally suited to how we live and work today. It’s an elevated lounge chair that brings comfort to residential and contract settings.

The Knoll Architectural Heritage

Knoll has a long history of collaborating with the most creative and innovative designers, architects, and artists. Florence Knoll was instrumental in seeking out the best and brightest to shape an unmatched portfolio of products, and it was through her close relationship with Ludwig Mies van der Rohe that Knoll came to produce his furniture as well as that of other Bauhaus designers. Mies trusted Knoll with the rights to produce his designs because he knew the company had the manufacturing expertise and uncompromising attention to detail necessary to make furniture that met his very strict standards.