Willy Guhl Seating
Swiss, 1915-2004
Decades prior to the mass popularity of neo-industrial cement floors and furniture taking shape, there was Willy Guhl. The Swiss creative is considered one of the first “industrial” designers in his home country. He pioneered a rugged, organic style of modern furniture and decor — stylish planters, shapely seating and lots more — that remains widely coveted by many today.
Guhl was born in 1915 in Stein am Rhein and worked as a carpenter before beginning studies at the Zurich School of Applied Arts (known today as the Zurich University of the Arts), where he would go on to teach for nearly 40 years.
While Guhl is well-known for his range of provocative garden elements as well as his patio and outdoor furniture, today’s legion of mid-century modern enthusiasts are likely familiar with the designer’s iconic Loop chair (introduced in 1954). For this sculptural seat and other furnishings, Guhl tended toward industrial materials, which he bent and shaped into organic forms for a striking juxtaposition. Much of his work is crafted from either concrete or Eternit, a mixture of cement and asbestos developed by the Belgian company Etex, which, in the 1950s, commissioned Guhl and his students at the School of Applied Arts to conceive planters in the material. The resulting vessels — some hourglass-shaped, some in the form of handkerchiefs, all suitable for indoors or exteriors — remain some of Guhl’s most collectible pieces.
Guhl’s affiliation with the Swiss “neo-functional” movement centered on the idea of simplifying design without sacrificing form. According to Guhl, his mission was “achieving the most with the minimum of effort.”
In addition to his work as a designer, Guhl left his mark on subsequent creatives through his 39-year tenure at his alma mater, where he was instructor to the likes of Robert Haussmann, Kurt Thut and Bruno Rey. Modern-day shoppers at IKEA owe Guhl a debt of gratitude too. He was an early advocate of flat-pack furniture, championing its ability to make good design more widely accessible.
At its core, though, Guhl’s work was inherently human-centric: “At the center of my efforts, I put people and their living requirements,” he once said. “My products must be useful to people.” Guhl died in 2004 at the age of 89.
Find a range of vintage Willy Guhl furniture and decorative objects on 1stDibs.
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Creator: Willy Guhl
Willy Guhl Loop Chair, Switzerland
By Willy Guhl
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Fantastic cement chair by Swiss designer Willy Guhl for Eternit. Brand new. Hand mage in Switzerland. One of the most iconic chairs ever designed. Priced as a single chair.
Category
2010s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Willy Guhl Seating
Materials
Cement
Pair of Willy Guhl Loop Chairs, Switzerland
By Willy Guhl
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Fantastic pair of cement chairs by Swiss designer Willy Guhl for Eternit. Brand new. Hand made in Switzerland. Newly produced. Priced as a pair. One of the most iconic chairs ever de...
Category
2010s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Willy Guhl Seating
Materials
Cement
Willy Guhl - "Loop" chairs
By Eternit, Willy Guhl
Located in PAU, FR
Two concrete chairs named "Loop" created by Willy Guhl in the 1950s.
Produced by Eternit, it is suitable for indoor and outdoor uses.
Height : 53 cm
Seat height : 28 cm
Width : 55 cm...
Category
1950s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Vintage Willy Guhl Seating
Materials
Concrete, Cement
Pair of Vintage Loop Armchairs by Willy Guhl for Eternit, Switzerland, 1950
By Eternit, Willy Guhl
Located in PARIS, FR
Loop armchair by Willy Guhl for the Swiss company Eternit. Their collaboration began in the early 1950s with a desire on the part of the Swiss firm to create garden furniture from th...
Category
1950s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Vintage Willy Guhl Seating
Materials
Cement
Set of New Production Willy Guhl Loop Chairs and Matching Table, Switzerland
By Willy Guhl
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Fantastic new production pair of cement chairs with matching table by Swiss designer Willy Guhl for Eternit. One of the most iconic chairs ever designed. Priced as a pair with matchi...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Swiss Willy Guhl Seating
Materials
Cement
Willy Guhl Concrete and Steel Floating Bench, 1960s Switzerland
By Willy Guhl
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Remarkable mid-century floating concrete bench by Swiss Architect Willy Guhl. Circa 1960s. Sturdy and substantial. Holds the weight of 3 adults easily. Perfect minimal design as is c...
Category
1960s Swiss Modern Vintage Willy Guhl Seating
Materials
Concrete, Steel
Vintage Willy Guhl Concrete Loop Chair, 1970s, Switzerland
By Willy Guhl, Eternit
Located in Malibu, US
Iconic vintage Loop Chair by Swiss neo-functionalist and industrial design pioneer Willy Guhl for Eternit, Switzerland, circa 1970.
A mid-century classic like no other, the Loop Ch...
Category
1970s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Vintage Willy Guhl Seating
Materials
Cement
Willy Guhl Fiberglass Bench, 1960s Switzerland
By Eternit, Willy Guhl
Located in Malibu, US
Stunning floating bench designed by Swiss Architect Willy Guhl for Eternit, Switzerland, circa 1960. Made of reinforced fiberglass and steel tubular frame. Incredible patina to both ...
Category
1960s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Vintage Willy Guhl Seating
Materials
Steel
Willy Guhl Fiberglass Bench, 1960s Switzerland
By Willy Guhl
Located in Malibu, US
Stunning floating bench designed by Swiss Architect Willy Guhl for Eternit, Switzerland, circa 1960. Made of reinforced fiberglass and steel tubular frame. Incredible patina to both ...
Category
1960s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Vintage Willy Guhl Seating
Materials
Steel
Pair of "Loop Chairs" by Willy Guhl, Produced by Eternit Brazil, 1960s
By Eternit, Willy Guhl
Located in New York, NY
Presenting an attractive loop shape, the Loop Chair was created by the Swiss designer Willy Guhl (1915-2004) in 1954, featuring a single volume of seats...
Category
1950s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Willy Guhl Seating
Materials
Cement
Ovoide armchair by Willy Guhl for Eternit 1950s
By Willy Guhl, Eternit
Located in PARIS, FR
The Ovoid armchair designed by Willy Guhl in the 1950s illustrates this Swiss industrial design pioneer's interest in Eternit, the fibro-cement originally developed for roofs and pip...
Category
1950s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Willy Guhl Seating
Materials
Cement
Willy Guhl Concrete Chairs Pair
By Willy Guhl
Located in LAGUNA BEACH, CA
Willy Guhl's concrete garden chairs with tulip-style seats are exemplary pieces that epitomize innovative design and outdoor sophistication. Crafted with concrete, these chairs showc...
Category
Mid-20th Century Swiss Mid-Century Modern Willy Guhl Seating
Materials
Concrete
Swiss Design Bank Stühle, or Bench Chairs by Willy Guhl, Set of six, 1960s
By Willy Guhl
Located in Renens, CH
A set of of six “Bank Stühle”, or Bench Chairs by Willy Guhl (also known for the Loop Chairs for Eternit AG), produced during the 1960s in Switzerland.
The name Bench Chair is deriv...
Category
1960s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Vintage Willy Guhl Seating
Materials
Cane, Ash
1960s Black Lacquered Bankstuhl Chairs by Willy Guhl for Stendig, Set of 6
By Stendig Co., Willy Guhl
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This is a set of 6 Bankstuhl caned dining chairs, designed by Willy Guhl. This simple solid model of dining chair is composed of a wood frame with a caned seat and back.
This silhou...
Category
1960s Swiss Modern Vintage Willy Guhl Seating
Materials
Wood, Lacquer, Cane
Guhl Chair by Willy Guhl '1. Edition, Special Sealed, Safe Surface'
By Willy Guhl
Located in Zürich, CH
Willy Guhl was a Swiss furniture designer and became one of the most important representatives of the 20th century Swiss neofunctionalism. Between 1941 and 1980 Guhl taught at the Sc...
Category
Mid-20th Century Swiss Modern Willy Guhl Seating
Materials
Concrete
Willy Guhl Concrete Pod Chair, 1960s Switzerland
By Willy Guhl
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Stunning concrete pod chair designed by Swiss Architect Willy Guhl. Hand made in Switzerland by Eternit in the 1960s. Gorgeous patina. Factory drill...
Category
1960s Swiss Vintage Willy Guhl Seating
Materials
Cement
Willy Guhl Loop Chair 1st edition with original wood 1950
By Willy Guhl
Located in Rio De Janeiro, RJ
Incredible original from the 50s Loop Chair by Willy Guhl with wood in the base in perfect conditions. Fantastic.
Category
1950s Brazilian International Style Vintage Willy Guhl Seating
Materials
Concrete
Willy Guhl Concrete Loop Chairs, 1st Edition
By Eternit, Willy Guhl
Located in Untersiggenthal, AG
Iconic furniture design by Willy Guhl.
This chairs was designed by Willy Guhl in 1954 after Guhl watched as the Eternit panels left a machine at the Eternit factory in Niederurnen. The Loop chair...
Category
1950s European Vintage Willy Guhl Seating
Materials
Cement
Willy Guhl Green Fiberglass and Steel Bench, 1960s Switzerland
By Willy Guhl
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Remarkable mid-century floating bench by Swiss Architect Willy Guhl. Circa 1960s. Perfect minimal design as is common with the Swiss designer. Light weight but sturdy. The electric g...
Category
1960s Swiss Vintage Willy Guhl Seating
Materials
Metal
Willy Guhl Concrete and Steel Floating Bench, 1960s Switzerland
By Willy Guhl
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Remarkable mid-century floating concrete bench by Swiss Architect Willy Guhl. Circa 1960s. Sturdy and substantial. Holds the weight of 3 adults easily. Perfect minimal design as is c...
Category
1960s Swiss Modern Vintage Willy Guhl Seating
Materials
Concrete, Steel
Pair of Loop Armchairs by Willy Guhl for Eternit Switzerland 1950s
By Willy Guhl, Eternit
Located in PARIS, FR
Armchair loop by willy guhl for the Swiss company eternit. Their collaboration began in the early 50's with a desire on the part of the Swiss firm to create garden furniture from the...
Category
1950s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Vintage Willy Guhl Seating
Materials
Cement
Willy Guhl Loop Chairs
By Willy Guhl
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
One Pair of Willy Guhl "Loop" chairs with great patina.
Sold as a pair of 2 chairs - 2 sets available
Original Eternit production - Switzerland, circa 1950s.
Category
1960s Swiss Vintage Willy Guhl Seating
Materials
Cement
Willy Guhl Concrete Pod Chair, 1960s Switzerland
By Willy Guhl
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Stunning concrete pod chair designed by Swiss Architect Willy Guhl. Hand made in Switzerland by Eternit in the 1960s. Gorgeous patina. Factory drill...
Category
1960s Swiss Vintage Willy Guhl Seating
Materials
Cement
Willy Guhl and Robert Pansart Red Pod Chair in Cement, 1969
By Robert Pansart, Willy Guhl
Located in Santa Gertrudis, Baleares
Extremely rare iconic pod chair attributed to Willy Guhl, Many experts agree that this Pod Chair is actually the work of Robert Pansart, better known for his mirrors than for this ma...
Category
1960s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Vintage Willy Guhl Seating
Materials
Cement
Willy Guhl Loop Chair Set of Six '6' Plus Table
By Willy Guhl
Located in Santa Monica, CA
Set of six (6) Original Willy Guhl loop chairs with side table sold as a period-original set.
The Loop Chair was created by the Swiss designer Willy...
Category
1950s Swiss Industrial Vintage Willy Guhl Seating
Materials
Concrete
Vintage Willy Guhl Concrete Loop Chairs, 1960s, Switzerland
By Willy Guhl
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Iconic pair of concrete loop chairs by Willy Guhl. This pair of chairs were designed by Willy Guhl in 1954 after Guhl watched as the Eternit fiber ...
Category
1960s Swiss Vintage Willy Guhl Seating
Materials
Cement
Pair of Concrete Loop Chair Design by Willy Guhl, 1960s
By Willy Guhl
Located in leucate, FR
Two concrete beach or pool lounge chairs.
Loop model created by designer Willy Guhl in the 1950s.
The Loop chair features a single sheet of sea...
Category
Mid-20th Century French Willy Guhl Seating
Materials
Concrete
Willy Guhl Blue Fiberglass Bench, 1960s Switzerland
By Willy Guhl
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Remarkable midcentury floating bench by Swiss Architect Willy Guhl. circa 1960s. Perfect minimal design as is common with the Swiss designer. Light weight but sturdy. The electric bl...
Category
1960s Swiss Vintage Willy Guhl Seating
Materials
Metal
Willy Guhl Loop Chairs and Table Set, 1960s, Switzerland
By Eternit, Willy Guhl, Ludwig Walser
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Wonderful pair of concrete 'loop' chairs by Willy Guhl with a table/stool by Ludwig Walser. A beautiful pastel rouge color on one chair and a pastel violet on the other with the tabl...
Category
1960s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Vintage Willy Guhl Seating
Materials
Cement
Pair of Concrete Ball Armchairs, Design by Willy Guhl, 1960s
By Willy Guhl
Located in leucate, FR
Pair of ball armchairs created by designer Willy Guhl in the late 1960s. Sculptural armchairs, organic design reminiscent of a mushroom.
Ideal for a ...
Category
Mid-20th Century French Willy Guhl Seating
Materials
Concrete
Pair of "Loop Chair" Armchairs Willy Guhl Swiss Vintage Design, G212
By Willy Guhl
Located in Lyon, FR
Pair of garden armchairs model "Loop chair" by the Swiss designer Willy Guhl from the 60's edited by Eternit. Fiber cement ribbon forming a low...
Category
1960s Swiss Brutalist Vintage Willy Guhl Seating
Materials
Cement
Loop Chairs by Willy Guhl for Eternit, 2uts
By Eternit, Willy Guhl
Located in Barcelona, ES
Pair of Loop chairs designed by Willy Guhl and produced by Eternit Brazil. Both chairs have a nice patina, given by years of wear, the fiber cement structure is in really good condit...
Category
1960s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Willy Guhl Seating
Materials
Cement
Vintage Willy Guhl Concrete Loop Chairs
By Willy Guhl
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Iconic pair of concrete loop chairs by Willy Guhl.
This pair of chairs were designed by Willy Guhl in 1954 after Guhl watched as the Eternit pan...
Category
1960s Swiss Vintage Willy Guhl Seating
Materials
Cement
Pair of Vintage Willy Guhl Concrete Loop Chairs, 1970s, Switzerland
By Willy Guhl, Eternit
Located in Malibu, US
Iconic pair of vintage Loop Chairs by Swiss neo-functionalist and industrial design pioneer Willy Guhl for Eternit, Switzerland, circa 1970.
A mid-century classic like no other, th...
Category
1970s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Vintage Willy Guhl Seating
Materials
Cement
Pair of Vintage Willy Guhl Concrete Loop Chairs, 1970s, Switzerland
By Willy Guhl, Eternit
Located in Malibu, US
Iconic pair of vintage Loop Chairs by Swiss neo-functionalist and industrial design pioneer Willy Guhl for Eternit, Switzerland, circa 1970.
A mid-century classic like no other, th...
Category
1970s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Vintage Willy Guhl Seating
Materials
Cement
Vintage Willy Guhl Concrete Loop Chair, 1960s, Switzerland
By Willy Guhl, Eternit
Located in Malibu, US
Iconic vintage Loop Chair by Swiss neo-functionalist and industrial design pioneer Willy Guhl for Eternit, Switzerland, circa 1970.
A mid-century classic like no other, the Loop Ch...
Category
1960s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Vintage Willy Guhl Seating
Materials
Cement
Vintage Willy Guhl Concrete Loop Chair, 1970s, Switzerland
By Willy Guhl, Eternit
Located in Malibu, US
Iconic vintage Loop Chair by Swiss neo-functionalist and industrial design pioneer Willy Guhl for Eternit, Switzerland, circa 1970.
A mid-century classic like no other, the Loop Ch...
Category
1970s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Vintage Willy Guhl Seating
Materials
Cement
Vintage Willy Guhl Concrete Loop Chair, 1960s, Switzerland
By Willy Guhl, Eternit
Located in Malibu, US
Iconic vintage Loop Chair by Swiss neo-functionalist and industrial design pioneer Willy Guhl for Eternit, Switzerland, circa 1960s.
A mid-century classic like no other, the Loop C...
Category
1960s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Vintage Willy Guhl Seating
Materials
Cement
Willy Guhl seating for sale on 1stDibs.
Willy Guhl seating are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of stone and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Willy Guhl seating, although gray editions of this piece are particularly popular. We have 35 vintage editions of these items in-stock, while there is 3 modern edition to choose from as well. Many of the original seating by Willy Guhl were created in the mid-century modern style in europe during the 20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider seating by Strässle International, Hans Eichenberger, and Hans Bellmann. Prices for Willy Guhl seating can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $2,275 and can go as high as $48,500, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $8,883.
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