In its striking curtain wall of glass and modernist steel columns, Gordon Bunshaft’s International-style design for the Lever House — cocreated with Natalie de Blois — garnered widespread acclaim. The Pritzker Prize-winner was a legendary American architect, and his influence can be found today in city skylines all over the world.
Bunshaft studied at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology before undertaking fellowships in Europe and North Africa. In 1937, he joined New York City architectural firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill where he worked until his retirement in 1979.
Bunshaft shared the same interest in modernist furniture as Florence Knoll, an architect and furniture designer who had a subtle but profound influence on the course of mid-century American modernism and who helped make Knoll Inc. a leading firm in its field. Bunshaft recommended that Knoll be placed in charge of interiors when, while at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, he designed the Connecticut General Life Insurance Company’s headquarters in the mid-1950s.
Bunshaft’s projects drew heavily on the pioneering architectural work of Le Corbusier as well as Mies van der Rohe, an iconic furniture designer and fellow proponent of modernist architecture.
Celebrated architectural marvels created by Bunshaft include the Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library for Yale University and the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Research Building for the University of Texas. Completed in 1974, Bunshaft designed the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, part of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., and finished the National Commercial Bank in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, in 1983. The National Commercial Bank was his last project.
On 1stDibs, find vintage Gordon Bunshaft case pieces and other furniture.
1960s Davis Allen and Gordon Bunshaft for SOM 66 inch Credenza/Cabinet in Walnut
By Gordon Bunshaft, Davis Allen
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This is a Four Position Credenza, originally designed by Gordon Bunshaft and Davis Allen in the late 1950s. This particular example was produced by Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill (or ...
Travertine, Steel
C. 1958 Gordon Bunshaft of SOM / Alcoa / GF Studios Italic Credenza / Cabinet
By General Fireproofing Company, Gordon Bunshaft
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This is a custom Italic Cabinet, designed by Alcoa / Reynolds / GF Studios for Gordon Bunshaft and SOM's Reynolds Metals Headquarters in Richmond, VA. The design is largely seen as a...
Steel, Aluminum
$1,618
H 63 in W 32.68 in D 22.45 in
Corner Cabinet In Teak, Danish Design For Peterson Furniture From 1960s
Located in Lejre, DK
Corner cabinet in teak from the 1960s, manufactured by Petersons Midtjydske Møbelfabrik. The cabinet is designed with double filling doors at the top and bottom, which provide access...
Teak
Studio BBPR for Olivetti ‘Spazio’ Cabinet
By Olivetti, Studio BBPR
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Studio BBPR for Olivetti, 'Spazio' side table cabinet, metal, plastic, fabric, Italy, design 1959/60, production 1960s In 1954, Olivetti, th...
Steel
65 Davis Allen Oak Stainless Credenza
By Davis Allen
Located in Pasadena, TX
Davis Allen joined Skidmore, Owing and Merrill (SOM) in 1950 as a junior architectural designer. In the intervening forty years, and since 1965 with the rank of Associate Partner, Senior Interior Designer, Allen collaborated with three generations of SOM partners. 64" GF Davis Allen...
Stainless Steel
1960s Italian Cabinet
Located in Praha, CZ
- Good original condition with minor signs of use
Wood
Vintage Heritage Asian Inspired Walnut Burl Cabinet, circa 1960s
By Heritage Furniture
Located in Germantown, MD
Stylish 1960s Heritage cabinet with brass hardware and burl walnut finish. An American empire homage to antique Asian furniture. Good vintage co...
Brass
1960s Walnut Wood Shoe Cabinet
Located in IT
Shoe cabinet with doors and wooden tubular supports for placing shoes. The cabinet dates back to the 1960s and is in excellent condition, having undergone a conservative restoration....
Walnut
$1,850
H 31 in W 66 in D 18 in
1960s Lane Rhythm Walnut and Cane Dresser Cabinet Credenza Mid century Modern 66
Located in Virginia Beach, VA
A 1960s dresser cabinet by Lane of Alta Vista Virginia. A part of the Rhythm series this cabinet features a walnut case and complimentary can doors. Oversized sculpted drawer pulls....
Cane, Walnut
$5,195
H 28.5 in W 54.5 in D 17.5 in
Restored Credenza in Rosewood, Carlo Jensen for Hundevad and Co., Denmark, 1960s
Located in Deland, FL
Introducing a freshly restored compact credenza designed by Carlo Jensen for Hundevad & Co. Audacious in scope, design and materials utilized this extraordinary Danish-made credenza ...
Rosewood
$11,838
H 31.5 in W 101.97 in D 19.89 in
Mid-Century Studio Hifi Phono Credenza in Walnut by Vincent Labadessa USA 1960s
Located in Berlin, DE
This cabinet is made in one piece and the quality is extraordinary. The left and right wooden slats part is to hide speakers. You can fill the center parts with records and Hifi. An ...
Walnut
$7,850
H 26.58 in W 110.24 in D 19.69 in
Extra-Large Gordon Bunshaft Credenza by De Coene Frères, 1960s
By De Coene Frères, Florence Knoll, Gordon Bunshaft
Located in Dronten, NL
A rare and exceptional extra-large credenza designed by Gordon Bunshaft and crafted by De Coene Frères for the Lambert Bank in Belgium, circa 1960. This monumental piece exemplifies ...
Chrome
$5,960Sale Price|20% Off
H 29 in W 42 in D 11 in
An American 1960s Tri-front Walnut 2-Door Cabinet by John Van Koert for Drexel
By John Van Koert
Located in San Francisco, CA
the 3-sided top above a paneled conforming body centering double-doors fitted with a solid brass latch; John Van Koert was a prominent New York designer who helped promote the fascin...
Walnut
$4,290
H 59.45 in W 37.8 in D 18.9 in
Italian Midcentury Sideboard or Cabinet Bar Ignazio Gardella Style, 1958
By Ignazio Gardella
Located in Traversetolo, IT
This stylish piece is an Italian bar cabinet or desk in Mid-Century Modern style (often referred to as a bar cabinet or secrétaire in Italian) dating back to the 1950s. It features ...
Brass, Steel
Sold
H 21.75 in W 88.5 in D 19 in
Rare Gordon Bunshaft SOM Architect Floating Burl Olive Wood Credenza
By Gordon Bunshaft
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Rare, floating, office credenza or media cabinet designed exclusively for Chase Manhattan Bank by Gordon Bunshaft of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) circa 1965 features a burl olive...
Chrome