Photographed By Gail in the Cooper Hewitt Design Museum

In the mid-to-late 20th century, an atmosphere of innovation and a desire to question the tenets of modernism led some designers to explore a variety of ways in which to shape space. American Architect and Designer Alexander Hayden Girard utilized color and pattern in textiles, particularly in this colorful abstract, or folk art-inspired work for Herman Miller.

Photographed at Albertz Benda Gallery

By 1970, Japanese Architect and Interior Designer  Shiro Kuramata (1934 – 1991) was introducing alternative materials such as acrylic and industrial plate glass into his furniture. Utilizing a newly developed adhesive, Kuramata achieved material and visual minimalism with this Glass Armchair (1976). Flat planes of glass are bonded together along their edges, without mounts or screws, to create a functional chair that seems simultaneously visible and invisible. The transparent form invites users to question notions of materiality, utility and comfort.

Filed under: Uncategorized Tagged: 1976, Albertz Benda Gallery, Alexander Hayden Girard, Chair, Cooper Hewitt Museum, Eye on Design, Furniture, Glass Armchair, Herman Miller, Modern Design, Shiro Kuramata, Sit On It, Textiles