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.
Pair of "Loop Chair" Armchairs Willy Guhl Swiss Vintage Design, G212
By Willy Guhl
Located in Ternay, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
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...
Cement
$4,200 / set
H 22.05 in W 21.26 in D 31.5 in
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
$2,274
H 8.67 in W 28.35 in D 15.75 in
Blue Modern Sculptural Vintage Willy Guhl Loop Coffee Table, 1995, Switzerland
By Willy Guhl
Located in Vienna, AT
Blue modern vintage Loop coffee table by Willy Guhl (1915-2004). This coffee table is a futuristic beautiful coffee table or sofa table. The futurist...
Cement
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
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
Willy Guhl Modular Concrete 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 rectangle with a hollow interior and curved edges, this object is incredib...
Concrete
Pair of Willy Guhl Loop Chairs, Switzerland 2010
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
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
Sculptural Biomorphic Garden Planter by Willy Guhl, Swiss Design
By Eternit, Willy Guhl
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 Half Moon Wall Planters
By Willy Guhl
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Rare concrete planters by Willy Guhl with factory drilled holes to hang on the wall. Semi circular front with faceted edges in back. Great vintage condition. 4 available. Priced indi...
Cement
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
Pair of Willy Guhl Curved Concrete Benches, 1960s, Switzerland
By Eternit
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A gorgeous pair of mid-century concrete seat/ benches by Eternit, circa 1960s. Perfect minimal concave design with convex sides that bow out gently. The bench is made of fiber cement which has allowed them to develop an incredible patina. Factory drilled drainage holes in the seat. Beautiful and impactful. Very sturdy and able to hold 1-2 adults. These can also be placed together in a variety of arrangements to make different designs and seating arrangements. Natural wear and staining from years left outside as shown. Priced as a set of 2 benches...
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...
Metal
Pair of Loop Chairs by Willy Guhl
By Willy Guhl
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Amazing pair of Willy Guhl Loop Chairs, in A1 condition. Original patina.
Concrete
Pair of Loop Chairs by Willy Guhl
By Willy Guhl
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Amazing pair of Willy Guhl Loop fauteuils, early model, in perfect condition. Concrete with beautiful patina.
Concrete