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.
20th Century Swiss Mid-Century Modern Eternit Cement Planter by Willy Guhl
By Willy Guhl, Eternit
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
An original, vintage Mid-Century modern Swiss tapered garden vase made of hand crafted light weight cement designed by Willy Guhl for Eternit, in good condition. The detailed garden ...
Cement, Metal
$659Sale Price|30% Off
Mid Century Eternit Sandbox (Sandkasten' by Willy Guhl, Switzerland
By Willy Guhl, Eternit
Located in Bern, CH
Mid century minimalist concrete Sandbox planter by prominent Swiss interior architect and furniture designer, Willy Guhl (* 6. Juli 1915 in Stein am Rhein; † 4. Oktober 2004 in Hemis...
Concrete
Set of 5 SPACE-AGE Concrete BOOKCASES by WILLY GUHL for ETERNIT, Swiss 1970
By Willy Guhl
Located in PARIS, FR
A set of 5 (on a total of 20 identical pieces!!!) modular concrete bookcases, Modernist, Free Form, Brutalist, rectangular loop cases with rounded edges, with a great grey patina wit...
Concrete
$973Sale Price / item|30% Off
Willy Guhl 'Diabolo' Spindel Planter - Eternit AG, Switzerland
By Eternit, Willy Guhl
Located in Bern, CH
Concrete 'Diabolo' Spindel planter by Swiss designer, Willy Guhl. Produced by Eternit AG. Made in Switzerland 1960 - 1970. Iconic mid century Swiss design. Perfect for garden, terrac...
Concrete
$1,436Sale Price|20% Off
Willy Guhl Eternit Cement Planter, 1960s Switzerland
By Willy Guhl
Located in Labrit, Landes
Sculptural planter designed by Willy Guhl, a famous Swiss designer and then edited by Eternit in 1950. In the 1950s, marked by designers' growing interest in innovative materials, Wi...
Cement
$17,600Sale Price / set|44% Off
Willy Guhl 46 Piece Modular Concrete Cube Bookcase, 1978 Switzerland
By Willy Guhl, Eternit
Located in grand Lancy, CH
Stunning monumental 46 piece concrete bookcase by Willy Guhl. Made up of 2 different sized hand-made concrete cubes.36 big size and 10 small size, Completely modular and able to be ...
Concrete
Willy Guhl Diabolo Garden Planter, Mid-Century Modern Fiber Cement, Switzerland
By Willy Guhl, Eternit
Located in West Hollywood, CA
This exceptional mid-century modern garden planter is an authentic example of the iconic diabolo form designed by renowned Swiss designer Willy Guhl, one of the most influential figu...
Cement
Diabolo Willy Guhl planter in ethernite from the 1960s
By Willy Guhl
Located in Ternay, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
"Diabolo" planter by Swiss designer Willy Guhl, produced by Eternite in the 1970s. Fiber-cement structure. In beautiful vintage condition with a lovely patina that we have chosen to ...
Cement
Willy Guhl Wide Diablo Planter by Eternit, Mid-Century Concrete
By Willy Guhl
Located in Wichita, KS
Willy Guhl Diablo Planter - After opening his first design studio in 1939 at the age of 24, Swiss-born Willy Guhl (1915-2004) went on to become a leading industrial inventor, educato...
Concrete
Rectangular Planter by Willy Guhl for Eternit, Switzerland, 1950s
By Willy Guhl, Eternit
Located in Nürnberg, Bayern
Willy Guhl designed for Eternit, Switzerland. These planters are made from fiberated cement that is lightweight, strong and durable in all climates. The typical signs of use an...
Cement
$2,144Sale Price|20% Off
Willy Guhl Planter, 1960s
By Willy Guhl
Located in Čelinac, BA
Concrite planter by swiss architect Willy Guhl 1960s.
Concrete
$950Sale Price|25% Off
Willy Guhl Conical Planter - Eternit AG, Switzerland #5
By Eternit, Willy Guhl
Located in Bern, CH
Monumental concrete planter by Swiss furniture designer, Willy Guhl. Solid concrete construction. Made in Switzerland 1960 - 1970. Produced by Eternit AG. Conical form with drainage...
Concrete
20th Century Swiss Vintage Handkerchief Cement Garden Planter by Willy Guhl
By Willy Guhl
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A large, sculptural vintage Mid-Century modern Swiss Handkerchief or Elephant Ear planter designed by Willy Guhl for Eternit. Produced in a light weight reinforced cement, in good co...
Cement
Willy Guhl MONUMENTAL Concrete Planter - Eternit AG, Switzerland
By Eternit, Willy Guhl
Located in Bern, CH
Monumental concrete flower pot by Swiss designer, Willy Guhl. 1950's design. Solid concrete made in Switzerland. Produced by Eternit AG. Tapered structure with a ribbed upper secti...
Concrete
Willy Guhl Sculptural Hourglass Diabolo Planter - Eternit Swiss
By Willy Guhl, Eternit
Located in West Hollywood, CA
This monumental sculptural planter is an original design by Willy Guhl, the influential Swiss designer celebrated for his groundbreaking work with Eternit fiber cement and his lastin...
Concrete
20th Century Swiss Pair of Cauldron or Marmite Garden Planters by Willy Guhl
By Eternit, Willy Guhl
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A pair of vintage Willy Guhl Cauldron-shaped planters elevated of short three legs and two lateral handles, in good condition. Each of the Swiss Eternit garden planters are created i...
Cement
$1,036 / item
Vintage planter by Willy Guhl for Eternit editions
By Willy Guhl
Located in AIGNAN, FR
Inclined diabolo planter designed by Willy Guhl for Eternit editions in the 1960s. Planter with an avant-garde design and conception, it does not lack character and modernity. It ...
Cement
Willy Guhl Monumental Chalice Style Concrete Planter 1960s
By Willy Guhl
Located in Meer, VAN
Willy Guhl Monumental Chalice Style Concrete Planter, Switzerland, 1960s. This is a monumental mid century concrete planter by Willy Guhl. This chalice like design is one of his bes...
Concrete
$1,950 / item
1960's Willy Guhl Clam Shell Planter
By Willy Guhl
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Incredible cast concrete clam shell planter made in Switzerland, 1960's. Vintage piece with great modern form by Willy Guhl, perfect for indoor or ...
Concrete
Authentic Willy Guhl Mid-Century Modern Hourglass/Diabolo Concrete Planter
By Eternit, Willy Guhl
Located in West Hollywood, CA
Designed by Swiss modernist Willy Guhl for Eternit in the mid-20th century, this iconic “Diabolo” planter has become a timeless symbol of sculptural outdoor design. Its elegant hourg...
Concrete
20th Century Swiss Mid-Century Modern Garden Trough by Willy Guhl & Eternit
By Willy Guhl, Eternit
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A large, vintage Mid-Century modern Swiss garden trough made of hand crafted light weight cement designed by Willy Guhl for Eternit, in good condition. This single rectangular sink o...
Cement
Willy Guhl Concrete Cube Side Table, 1960s Switzerland
By Willy Guhl
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Add a brutalist flare to your interior with this piece by Swiss architect Willy Guhl. A sculptural concrete cube with a hollow interior and curved edges, this object would make for a...
Concrete
$1,900Sale Price|34% Off
Willy Guhl for Eternit 'Diablo' Concrete Hourglass Planters, c 1968
By Willy Guhl, Eternit
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Incredibly gorgeous 31" tall and 18" diameter 'Diablo' concrete spindel planters by Swiss architect Willy Guhl for Eternit, circa 1968, Switzerland. These sculptural hourglass shaped concrete planters have a grey exterior finish, one darker grey and the other two are light grey. Three available, priced individually. If you are purchasing less than all three, please message us with which one(s) you wish us to ship. We have a large collection of Willy Guhl for Eternit pots, planters, garden objects, jardinières, and patio furniture. We always have inventory in Diablo's, Tilted and Cone Planters, box and rectangular Guhl...
Concrete
$17,477 / set
Willy GUHL - pair of loop chair
By Willy Guhl
Located in SAINT-OUEN-SUR-SEINE, FR
Willy Guhl (1915–2004) Loop Chairs, 1968 Chaises sculpturales formées de rubans continus de ciment moulé, incarnant la silhouette fluide et sans rupture emblématique de Willy Guhl. ...
Concrete
$550Sale Price / item|52% Off
Willy Guhl for Eternit Large Rectangle Concrete Outdoor Planter, 1970s, Signed
By Willy Guhl, Eternit
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This designer on-trend architectural 25.75" long rectangular concrete planter is by Swiss architect Willy Guhl for Eternit, crafted in the 1970s Switzerland and signed and dated underneath. This special low-profile and rare long sized rectangle-shaped concrete planter has a patinated natural exterior finish and organic aging over decades of UK climate. Excellent planter size for a variety of various uses such as succulents, plants, weeping grass with the planter on a Stand, balcony privacy hedge, or any other outdoor decorative use. Consider using this Willy Guhl Concrete Planter Pot...
Concrete
Willy Guhl Pair Diabolo Planters Vintage Eternit Concrete Spindel
By Willy Guhl
Located in Chicago, IL
Designed by Willy Guhl for Eternit large architectural Spindel concrete planters or jardinières, Switzerland, 1960s. These iconic modernist planters are made from weather-resistant f...
Cement
$3,000 / item
Willy Guhl Loop Chair, Switzerland
By Willy Guhl
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Meet the chair that bends but never breaks the rules of design. Willy Guhl’s iconic Loop Chair is a single, continuous ribbon of sculptural cement. Its signature shape creates a play...
Cement
$6,000 / set
Pair of Willy Guhl Loop Chairs, Switzerland
By Willy Guhl
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Meet the chairs that bend, but never break the rules of design. Willy Guhl’s iconic Loop Chairs, offered here as a striking pair, are formed from continuous ribbons of sculptural cem...
Cement
$1,293Sale Price|35% Off
Willy Guhl Hexagonal Planter - Eternit AG, Switzerland
By Eternit, Willy Guhl
Located in Bern, CH
Rare Hexagonal Planter by Swiss Architect, Willy Guhl. Produced by Eternit SA, Switzerland ca. 1960 - 1969. Concrete fibre construction. Beautiful patination with no structural damag...
Concrete
Pair of Willy Guhl 'Loop' Garden Chairs Eternit Switzerland 1954
By Willy Guhl, Eternit
Located in bergen op zoom, NL
Iconic pair of Loop Chairs and Table by Swiss neo-functionalist and industrial design pioneer Willy Guhl for Eternit, Switzerland, 1954 A mid-century classic like no other, the Loop...
Cement
1950s Willy Guhl "Vasque" Cement Planter for Eternit
By Willy Guhl, Eternit
Located in Los Angeles, CA
1950s "Vasque" cement planter designed by Willy Guhl for Eternit. Planter has a large wide bowl with pedestal base. In original condition with visible wear consistent with its age an...
Cement
Willy Guhl Loop Chair, 1960s Brazil
By Willy Guhl
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Rare vintage Willy Guhl Loop chair from Brazil. Perfect for indoors or outdoors as a great sculptural piece. Great as a poolside chair. This chair was designed by Willy Guhl in the e...
Cement
$1,600 / item
Willy Guhl New Production Spindel Hourglass Planters
By Willy Guhl
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Massive hourglass planters by Swiss designer Willy Guhl. Newly produced. Largest size made by Willy Guhl. Handmade in the same factories as the vintage planters. Made of thin fibrous...
Cement
Large Tapered Round Concrete Willy Guhl Planter
By Willy Guhl, Eternit
Located in Chireno, TX
Large tapered round concrete Willy Guhl planter circa 1960s.
Concrete
$2,500 / item
Willy Guhl Concrete Vase, 1969, Switzerland
By Willy Guhl, Eternit
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Fantastic concrete vases by Swiss architect Willy Guhl for Eternit. Great tabletop vase or planter in a stunning natural patina. Very unusual shape. Great indoors or outside. Each pl...
Concrete
20th Century Swiss Modern Cement Biomorphic Garden Planter by Willy Guhl
By Willy Guhl, Eternit
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A sculptural, Mid-Century modern Swiss biomorphic garden planter by Willy Guhl in a light weight cement, in good condition. This vintage Eternit garden ornament has been fiber-reinfo...
Cement
$3,500 / item
Triangular Footed Planters by Willy Guhl, 1960s
By Willy Guhl
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Sculptural triangular concrete planters by Swiss Architect Willy Guhl. Each planter has a concrete leg at each corner of the planter which allows the planter to float a couple of inc...
Concrete
Willy Guhl Monumental Cone Planter on Stand, 1960s Switzerland
By Willy Guhl
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Monumental Willy Guhl cone planter with twisted iron base. Three triangular legs that each come to a point give this base a unique tripod desig...
Concrete
Mid Century Hanging Concrete Garden Planter by Willy Guhl for Eternite AG 1950s
By Willy Guhl
Located in Stockholm, SE
Rare mid century hanging concrete garden planter in chains by Willy Guhl produced for Eternite AG in Swizerland, 1950s. In good original condition with beautiful natural patina from ...
Concrete, Steel
$1,650 / item
Willy Guhl Tilted Planters
By Willy Guhl
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Tilted concrete "soup-cup" planters by Swiss Architect Willy Guhl. Great patina and coloring to each planter. Excellent vintage condition. Great planter and standalone sculpture for ...
Cement
Willy Guhl Conical Planter - Eternit AG, Switzerland #10
By Willy Guhl, Eternit
Located in Bern, CH
Original Willy Guhl Planter. Designed in 1951 and produced by Eternit SA, Switzerland. Designer: Willy Guhl 1951, CH Manufacturer: Eternit SA, CH Measurements: Height: 37 cm Dia...
Concrete
1950s Willy Guhl "Vasque" Cement Planter for Eternit
By Willy Guhl, Eternit
Located in Los Angeles, CA
1950s "Vasque" cement planter designed by Willy Guhl for Eternit. Planter has a large wide bowl with pedestal base. In original condition with visible wear consistent with its age an...
Cement
$700 / item
Willy Guhl Square Flower Pot
By Willy Guhl
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Square concrete planter by Willy Guhl. Made in Switzerland in the 1960s. Great condition. Original coloring and patina. Classic square planter...
Cement
Willy Guhl 31" Adjustable 2-Piece Concrete Bowl Planters, 1960s Switzerland
By Willy Guhl
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Fantastic cement planters by Swiss designer Willy Guhl for Eternit. Pedestal base with massive bowl that sits on top. Bowl can sit flat or angled in a mul...
Cement
Set of Black Lacquer and Cane 4 No.3105 “Bankstuhl” Chairs by Willy Guhl, 1959
By Willy Guhl, Stendig Co.
Located in London, GB
A set of 4 black lacquered “Bankstuhl” Chairs designed by Swiss designer, Willy Guhl in 1959. This set of four dining chairs are emblematic of one of Willy Guhl's personal aphorism...
Cane, Wood, Lacquer
Willy Guhl Conical Planter - Eternit AG, Switzerland #6
By Eternit, Willy Guhl
Located in Bern, CH
Conical concrete flower pot by Swiss architect and designer, Willy Guhl. Solid concrete made in Switzerland 1960 - 1970. Produced by Eternit AG, Switzerland. Tapered structure with d...
Concrete
$625 / item
Willy Guhl Rectangular Planters
By Willy Guhl
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Fantastic rectangular planters by Willy Guhl. Great for succulents and indoor planting. 4 available. Priced individually.
Cement
Swiss Mid Century Handkerchief Concrete Planter by Willy Guhl for Eternite AG
By Willy Guhl
Located in Stockholm, SE
Rare oversized mid century and sculptural handkerchief concrete planter by Willy Guhl produced for Eternite AG in Swizerland, 1950s. In original with patina from age and use. I crack...
Concrete
Mid-Century Modern Round Planter by Willy Guhl for Eternit in Switzerland
By Willy Guhl, Eternit
Located in Doornspijk, NL
Round planter designed by Willy Guhl for Eternit in Switzerland. Beautiful patina. The upper part inclines slightly, for better vision of the plants and flowers in it.
Cement
20th Century Swiss Modern Vintage Tulip Garden Planter by Willy Guhl & Eternit
By Willy Guhl, Eternit
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A sculptural, vintage Mid-Century modern Swiss Hankerchief or Elephant Ear garden planter or ornament by Willy Guhl and Eternit, in a light weight cement reinforced with fiber, in go...
Cement
$5,500 / item
Rare Willy Guhl Dog House
By Willy Guhl
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Massive cement dog kennel by Swiss designer Willy Guhl. Structurally very solid. Fantastic sculpture for the home, inside or out. Very rare Willy Guhl item....
Cement
20th Century Swiss Vintage Eternit Biomorphic Garden Planter by Willy Guhl
By Willy Guhl, Eternit
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A sculptural biomorphic garden planter by Willy Guhl and Eternit, in a light weight cement, in good condition. This sculptural vintage garden ornament has been fiber-reinforced. Drai...
Cement
Willy Guhl, Extra Large Diablo Hourglass Planter in Wonderful Original Condition
By Willy Guhl
Located in London, GB
Willy Guhl, for Eternit Schweiz AG. An extra large Diablo hourglass shaped planter in wonderful original condition, with no chips, no cracks and no damages. It is very rare to find ...
Concrete
Vintage Willy Guhl Square Planter with Natural Weathered Patina
By Willy Guhl
Located in West Hollywood, CA
This vintage square planter is an understated yet highly sculptural example of mid-century European garden design by Willy Guhl, one of the most influential designers associated with...
Cast Stone, Concrete
$2,169Sale Price|20% Off
Mid-Century Modern Large Diablo Planter by Willy Guhl for Eternit
By Willy Guhl, Eternit
Located in Doornspijk, NL
Diablo-shaped planter designed by Swiss architect and designer Willy Guhl for Eternit. This weather resistant piece combines beautiful organic lines with a wonderful patina. The na...
Concrete
Pair of diabolos planters by Willy Guhl from the 60s
By Willy Guhl
Located in Ternay, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Pairs of “Diabolo” planters by Swiss designer Willy Guhl, produced by Eternite in the 1970s. Fiber cement structure, original white paint. Beautiful vintage condition, with a nice pa...
Cement
Willy Guhl Saucer Planter on Stand
By Willy Guhl
Located in Los Angeles, CA
31" Willy Guhl saucer planter on stand for Eternit Floating saucer planter on base Sculptural garden vessel The base can be flipped upside down for use ...
Concrete
$16,000 / set
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. Guhl watched as the Eternit fiber cement panels were fabricated with a mac...
Cement
$17,000 / set
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.
Cement
Large Willy Guhl Hourglass Planter
By Willy Guhl
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
Wonderful concrete hourglass planters by the Swiss Architect, Willy Guhl. Great age, patina and coloring. Iconic sculptural planter or garden object. Listing is for a 35.5"-37"...
Concrete