Willy Guhl Outdoor Lounge Set
View Similar Items
Willy Guhl Outdoor Lounge Set
About the Item
- Creator:Willy Guhl (Designer)
- Dimensions:Height: 22 in (55.88 cm)Width: 28.25 in (71.76 cm)Depth: 28.5 in (72.39 cm)Seat Height: 9 in (22.86 cm)
- Sold As:Set of 3
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1980's
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use. Very Nice Condition, some edge scrapes, all in keeping with its age and use.
- Seller Location:Los Angeles, CA
- Reference Number:Seller: S5181stDibs: LU9224782755
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 Guhl Style Square Concrete PlanterBy Willy GuhlLocated in Los Angeles, CAMid-Century, Willy Guhl inspired, square concrete planter. Handsomely minimalist indoor or outdoor planter, stamped with 'JM' logo. This planter is in original condition and has some...Category
Vintage 1950s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Planters and Jardinieres
MaterialsConcrete
- Pair of Rectangular Concrete Willy Guhl Attributed Planters w/ Diamond PatternBy Willy GuhlLocated in Los Angeles, CAPair of low rectangular trough planters attributed to Swiss architect Willy Guhl. Raw and minimalistic planters with a subtle imprinted carvings on the sides. For outdoor use. In ver...Category
Vintage 1970s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Planters and Jardinieres
MaterialsConcrete
- Burkhard Vogtherr 'Felix' Cube Lounge Chair Set in Cognac Skai for ArflexBy Burkhard Vogtherr, ArflexLocated in Los Angeles, CAImpressive pair of mid-century, burnt orange colored, ‘Felix' lounge chairs designed by Burkhard Vogtherr for Italian furniture maker Arflex, a leading voice in Italian design since ...Category
Vintage 1980s Italian Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsChrome
- Leolux Brown Leather Lounge ChairBy LeoluxLocated in Los Angeles, CAHandsome, Mid-Century Leolux lounge chair with attractive, dark stained oak wood frame and warm, dark brown leather. Classic design with generous leather armrests and wood slat suppo...Category
Vintage 1960s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsLeather, Oak
- Mid-Century Willy Guhl Style Planter with Hairpin FrameBy Karl Fostel Sen’s ErbenLocated in Los Angeles, CALovely Mid-Century Austrian stone planter in the style of Willy Guhl for Karl Fostel Senior's Erben. Contrasting materials paired to create a beautiful organically styled in-door or...Category
Vintage 1960s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Planters and Jardinieres
MaterialsStone, Metal
- Spectrum Lounge Chair in Charcoal and ChromeBy 't Spectrum BergeijkLocated in Los Angeles, CAMid Century, 1960s chrome framed chair with new charcoal upholstered seating and contrasting blonde armrests. Designed by Martin Visser for 't Spectrum in the early 1960s. Wood is i...Category
Vintage 1960s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsChrome
- Pair of Concrete Loop Chair Design by Willy Guhl, 1960sBy Willy GuhlLocated in leucate, FRTwo concrete beach or pool lounge chairs. Loop model created by designer Willy Guhl in the 1950s. The Loop chair features a single sheet of sea...Category
Mid-20th Century French Patio and Garden Furniture
MaterialsConcrete
- Pair of Concrete Ball Armchairs, Design by Willy Guhl, 1960sBy Willy GuhlLocated in leucate, FRPair of ball armchairs created by designer Willy Guhl in the late 1960s. Sculptural armchairs, organic design reminiscent of a mushroom. Ideal for a ...Category
Mid-20th Century French Patio and Garden Furniture
MaterialsConcrete
- Pair of "Loop Chairs" by Willy Guhl, Produced by Eternit Brazil, 1960sBy Willy Guhl, EternitLocated in New York, NYPresenting an attractive loop shape, the Loop Chair was created by the Swiss designer Willy Guhl (1915-2004) in 1954, featuring a single volume of seats...Category
Vintage 1950s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsCement
- Willy Guhl Pod Chairs 'Set'By Willy GuhlLocated in Bloomfield Hills, MIAs of the mid-20th century, the work of Willy Guhl was a revolutionary feat of industry and design with a distinct style that transcends decades. True to form and function, Guhl worked with a mixture of cement and asbestos from Eternit. The lightweight material was groundbreaking, uncompromising form and structure with an emphasis on functionality. This set of unique chairs...Category
Mid-20th Century Swiss Mid-Century Modern Furniture
MaterialsComposition
$11,063 Sale Price / set49% Off - Willy Guhl Rectangular PlantersBy Willy GuhlLocated in Los Angeles, CAFantastic rectangular planters by Willy Guhl. Great for succulents and indoor planting. 4 available. Priced individually.Category
Vintage 1960s Swiss Planters and Jardinieres
MaterialsCement
$625 / item - Reclining Outdoor Lounge ChairLocated in Brooklyn, NYThis metal reclining lounge chair is great for adding unique and comfortable seating to an outdoor space. Please confirm item location with seller (NY/...Category
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
MaterialsMetal
$630 Sale Price30% Off
