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Friso Kramer Industrial and Work Tables

Dutch, 1922-2019

Through both his bold furniture designs and his teaching and administrative positions within the architecture and design industries, the solution-oriented Friso Kramer helped elevate industrial design to a venerated place in the modernist canon.

While the mid-century years saw no shortage of function-minded modernists, Kramer may have been the most extreme of them. “If form does not contribute to the function, it has no right to exist,” the Dutch designer once said. Born in Amsterdam in 1922 to the pioneering architect Piet Kramer, Friso studied architecture, industrial design, electrical engineering and interior design. He cut his teeth in the studios of architect Jan Piet Kloos and interior designer Frans Paulussen, then, in 1948, went to work as a designer at the steel furniture manufacturer De Cirkel (part of the Ahrend group), where he would design some of his best-known work.

The 1953 Revolt chair, which is among his most celebrated seating and a darling of Dutch mid-century modernism, embodied Kramer’s function-first design; its skeletal, industrial form provides for maximum comfort and ergonomic support with minimal material. He joined forces with Wim Rietveld, son of celebrated Dutch modernist Gerrit Rietveld, for the 1958 Result chair, which married elements of the Revolt with forms from Rietveld’s Pyramid series. Kramer found numerous ways to riff on and perfect his brand of minimalism: The 1960 Resort and Repose armchairs demonstrate how he slightly tweaked the skeletal frames for different postures and uses.

In 1963, Kramer left Ahrend to found Total Design Studio with Wim Crouwel, Benno Wissing and Paul and Dick Schwartz. The firm grouped graphic, industrial and spatial design under one roof with the shared belief in functionalism. Though Total Design Studio is still in business today, Kramer left the company to return to Ahrend in 1971, serving as art director until 1983. Following Kramer’s death in 2019, Ahrend teamed up with Danish design brand HAY to relaunch the Result and Revolt chairs.

Find vintage Friso Kramer chairs, sofas, tables and other furniture on 1stDibs.

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Creator: Friso Kramer
Mid-Century Friso Kramer "Reform" Industrial Dining or Work Table
By Ahrend de Cirkel, Friso Kramer
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Sleek, Mid-Century, Reform table designed by Friso Kramer for Ahrend Circle in 1955. Industrial enameled gray metal frame with faux teak wood Formica top...
Category

Mid-20th Century Dutch Mid-Century Modern Friso Kramer Industrial and Work Tables

Materials

Metal

Dutch Modern Reply Drafting Table Set By Wim Rietveld And Friso Kramer
By Wim Rietveld, Friso Kramer, Ahrend de Cirkel
Located in Brooklyn, NY
This drafting table and chair set was designed by Dutch designers Wim Rietveld and Friso Kramer for Ahrend de Cirkel in 1963. This sturdy mid-century modern drafting set is a distin...
Category

Mid-20th Century Dutch Mid-Century Modern Friso Kramer Industrial and Work Tables

Materials

Steel

Large 'Reform' Table by Friso Kramer for Ahrend de Cirkel, Netherlands, 1950s
By Ahrend de Cirkel, Friso Kramer
Located in Steenwijk, NL
The famous 'Reform' table was designed by Friso Kramer for Ahrend de Cirkel in 1955. This table is a true Dutch design in a very nice condition. At the mark on the solid metal frame ...
Category

1950s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Vintage Friso Kramer Industrial and Work Tables

Materials

Metal, Aluminum

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Dutch 1950's Industrial Drafting Table with Working Stool by Friso Kramer
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Friso Kramer Reform Working Table Ahrend de Cirkel 1955
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'Reply' Drafting Table by Friso Kramer and Wim Rietveld for Ahrend, Dutch design
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This 'Reply' drafting table was designed by Friso Kramer and Wim Rietveld for Ahrend de Cirkel in the 1950s. It has a brown lacquered steel frame and a ply wooden top that is adjusta...
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Reply Architect Drafting Table Friso Kramer Wim Rietveld Ahrend Cirkel and Extra
By Friso Kramer, Ahrend de Cirkel, Wim Rietveld
Located in Boven Leeuwen, NL
Reply Dutch design architect drawing table designed by Wim Rietveld and Friso Kramer for Ahrend de Circel in 1959. Design Classic, awarded with the "Signe d’Or". The tabletop is fu...
Category

1960s Dutch Industrial Vintage Friso Kramer Industrial and Work Tables

Materials

Steel

Friso Kramer industrial and work tables for sale on 1stDibs.

Friso Kramer industrial and work tables are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of metal and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Friso Kramer industrial and work tables, although gray editions of this piece are particularly popular. Many of the original industrial and work tables by Friso Kramer were created in the mid-century modern style in netherlands during the 20th century. Prices for Friso Kramer industrial and work tables can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $550 and can go as high as $3,612, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $1,573.

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