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Willy Guhl Chairs

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 - pair of loop chair
Willy GUHL - pair of loop chair

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. ...

Category

1960s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Vintage Willy Guhl Chairs

Materials

Concrete

Willy Guhl Pod Chair
Willy Guhl Pod Chair

Willy Guhl Pod Chair

By Willy Guhl

Located in Beverly Hills, CA

Rare pod chairs by Willy Guhl Great sculptural form with patina'd concrete Sold separately - matching pair available

Category

1960s Swiss Vintage Willy Guhl Chairs

Materials

Cement

Willy Guhl Loop Chairs and Table Set, 1960s, Switzerland
Willy Guhl Loop Chairs and Table Set, 1960s, Switzerland

Willy Guhl Loop Chairs and Table Set, 1960s, Switzerland

By Eternit, Ludwig Walser, Willy Guhl

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 Chairs

Materials

Cement

Willy Guhl Loop Chairs
Willy Guhl Loop Chairs

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 Chairs

Materials

Cement

Original Loop chair by Willy Guhl for Eternit
Original Loop chair by Willy Guhl for Eternit

Original Loop chair by Willy Guhl for Eternit

By Willy Guhl

Located in London, GB

Original Loop chair by Willy Guhl for Eternit. Dated from the 60’s this piece, features a rare cleaned patina.

Category

1960s Swiss Vintage Willy Guhl Chairs

Materials

Concrete

Guhl Chair by Willy Guhl '1. Edition, Special Sealed, Safe Surface'
Guhl Chair by Willy Guhl '1. Edition, Special Sealed, Safe Surface'

Guhl Chair by Willy Guhl '1. Edition, Special Sealed, Safe Surface'

By Willy Guhl

Located in Zürich, CH

Here the silhouette is strong. It is presented through the outline and shape of the piece. The object exudes an aura. It’s not about the shape or about the material; its auratic qual...

Category

Mid-20th Century Swiss Modern Willy Guhl Chairs

Materials

Concrete

Willy Guhl Concrete Loop Chairs, 1960s Switzerland
Willy Guhl Concrete Loop Chairs, 1960s Switzerland

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...

Category

1960s Swiss Vintage Willy Guhl Chairs

Materials

Cement

Willy Guhl Concrete Chair
Willy Guhl Concrete Chair

Willy Guhl Concrete Chair

By Willy Guhl

Located in Beverly Hills, CA

Willy Guhl chair with cubed angular shape and wide seat. Fantastic aged patina with natural grown moss Imperfectly perfect for any outside garden

Category

1960s Swiss Vintage Willy Guhl Chairs

Materials

Concrete, Cement

Pair of Willy Guhl Pod Chairs
Pair of Willy Guhl Pod Chairs

Pair of Willy Guhl Pod Chairs

By Willy Guhl

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Gorgeous pair of Willy Guhl Pod Chairs with patina. By the mid-20th century, Willy Guhl helped redefine industrial design with a language that still r...

Category

1960s Swiss Vintage Willy Guhl Chairs

Materials

Concrete

Willy Guhl Concrete Pod Chair, 1960s Switzerland
Willy Guhl Concrete Pod Chair, 1960s Switzerland

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 Chairs

Materials

Cement

Willy Guhl Loop Chair
Willy Guhl Loop Chair

Willy Guhl Loop Chair

By Willy Guhl

Located in Los Angeles, CA

The iconic Willy Guhl Loop Chair, which is featured in the MoMA, is a sculptural lounge chair in fiberglass, distinguished by a richly weathered ...

Category

1960s Swiss Vintage Willy Guhl Chairs

Materials

Fiberglass

Willy Guhl Loop Chair 1st edition with original wood 1950
Willy Guhl Loop Chair 1st edition with original wood 1950

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 Chairs

Materials

Concrete

Modernis Concrete Chair
Modernis Concrete Chair

Modernis Concrete Chair

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 Chairs

Materials

Concrete

Willy Guhl and Robert Pansart Red Pod Chair in Cement, 1969
Willy Guhl and Robert Pansart Red Pod Chair in Cement, 1969

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 Chairs

Materials

Cement

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Previously Available Items
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Vintage Willy Guhl Concrete Loop Chair, 1960s, Switzerland

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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...

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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...

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Willy Guhl chairs for sale on 1stDibs.

Willy Guhl chairs 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 chairs, although gray editions of this piece are particularly popular. We have 15 vintage editions of these items in-stock, while there is 3 modern edition to choose from as well. Many of the original chairs by Willy Guhl were created in the mid-century modern style in switzerland during the mid-20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider chairs by Robert Haussmann, Hans Bellmann, and Gian Franco Legler. Prices for Willy Guhl chairs can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $2,500 and can go as high as $48,500, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $8,750.
Questions About Willy Guhl Chairs
  • 1stDibs ExpertJanuary 10, 2025
    Willy Guhl planters are made out of a variety of materials. For these furnishings, Guhl tended toward industrial materials, which he bent and shaped into organic forms for a striking juxtaposition. Much of his work was 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 Guhl's now-acclaimed planters in the material. Find a selection of Willy Guhl planters on 1stDibs.