Willy Guhl Dog House
View Similar Items
Willy Guhl Dog House
About the Item
- Creator:Willy Guhl (Designer)
- Dimensions:Height: 22.84 in (58 cm)Width: 29.93 in (76 cm)Depth: 22.84 in (58 cm)
- Style:Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:Cement,Cast
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1960
- Condition:
- Seller Location:Saint-Ouen, FR
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU1705216687351
Willy Guhl
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.
- Willy Ghul planterBy Willy GuhlLocated in Saint-Ouen, FRWilly Guhl planter extra large size edited by Eternit Called Diabolo.Category
20th Century French Modern Garden Ornaments
MaterialsConcrete
$2,387 - Willy Guhl "Diablo" PlanterBy Willy GuhlLocated in Saint-Ouen, FRSmall and unusual Diablo planter by Willy Guhl for eternit.Category
Mid-20th Century Swiss Mid-Century Modern Planters and Jardinieres
MaterialsCement
- Willy Guhl for Eternit Concrete PlantersBy Willy GuhlLocated in Saint-Ouen, FRPair of concrete Willy Guhl planters by Swiss architect Willy Guhl for Eternit, circa 1968.Category
Late 20th Century Swiss Modern Planters, Cachepots and Jardinières
MaterialsConcrete
$1,302 / item - 2 large Willy Guhl Concrete Urn Planter circa 1960By Willy GuhlLocated in Saint-Ouen, FR2 large Willy Guhl Concrete Urn Planter circa 1960 Nice patinaCategory
Vintage 1960s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Planters and Jardinieres
MaterialsConcrete
$3,038 / item - 3 Large Eternit Saucer Planters Designed by Willy Guhl with Wrought Iron BaseBy Willy GuhlLocated in Saint-Ouen, FR3 large Eternit saucer planters designed by Willy Guhl with wrought iron base.Category
Vintage 1960s European Mid-Century Modern Planters and Jardinieres
MaterialsConcrete, Wrought Iron
- 4 Large Eternit Saucer Planters Designed by Willy Guhl with Wrought Iron BaseBy Willy GuhlLocated in Saint-Ouen, FR4 large Eternit saucer planters designed by Willy Guhl with wrought iron base.Category
Vintage 1960s European Mid-Century Modern Planters and Jardinieres
MaterialsConcrete, Wrought Iron
- Rare Willy Guhl Dog HouseBy Willy GuhlLocated in Los Angeles, CAMassive cement dog kennel by Swiss designer Willy Guhl. Structurally very solid. Fantastic sculpture for the home, inside or out. Very rare Willy Guhl item....Category
Vintage 1960s Swiss Planters and Jardinieres
MaterialsCement
$5,500 / item - Willy Guhl Dog House, 1960s SwitzerlandBy Willy GuhlLocated in Los Angeles, CAAmazing industrial cement dog kennel by Swiss designer Willy Guhl for Eternit. Large size with dark, heavy patina and lichen. Doggy door opening on left front side. A beautiful minim...Category
Vintage 1960s Swiss Planters and Jardinieres
MaterialsCement
- Willy Guhl Dog House, 1960s, SwitzerlandBy Eternit, Willy GuhlLocated in Los Angeles, CAAmazing industrial cement dog kennel by Swiss designer Willy Guhl for Eternit. Extremely rare size with heavy patina and lichen. A small doggy door is on the bottom left side of the ...Category
Vintage 1960s Swiss Planters and Jardinieres
MaterialsCement
- A rare cast stone Willy Guhl dog house circa 1970.By Willy GuhlLocated in Philadelphia, PAA rare cast stone Willy Guhl dog house circa 1970. The color and material of this dog house will be sure to keep your pooch cool in the summer and warm ...Category
Late 20th Century Mid-Century Modern Garden Ornaments
MaterialsStone
- Dog House by Willy Guhl for Eternit, Switzerland, 1960sBy Willy GuhlLocated in Antwerp, BEMinimalism; Brutalist Dog House; Willy Guhl; 1960s; Switzerland; Eternit AG; Shelter; Outdoor Furniture; Concrete; Cement; Cellulose; Dog house by Willy Guhl for Eternit Switzerland...Category
Vintage 1960s Swiss Brutalist Garden Ornaments
MaterialsConcrete, Cement
- Willy Guhl Goblet PlanterBy Willy GuhlLocated in Los Angeles, CAUnique concrete planter by Swiss architect Willy Guhl. Planter in the shape of a goblet or drinking cup. Excellent patina and coloring. Great scale. Two available. Priced individuall...Category
Vintage 1960s Swiss Planters and Jardinieres
MaterialsConcrete
$1,800 / item