Willy Guhl Modular Fiber Concrete Cube Set
About the Item
- Creator:Willy Guhl (Artist)
- Dimensions:Height: 15.75 in (40.01 cm)Width: 23.5 in (59.69 cm)Depth: 11.75 in (29.85 cm)
- Sold As:Set of 18
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1960
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use. Natural patina.
- Seller Location:West Hollywood, CA
- Reference Number:
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.
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: West Hollywood, CA
- Return PolicyThis item cannot be returned.
- Willy Guhl Handkerchief Concrete PlanterBy Willy GuhlLocated in West Hollywood, CAReinforced cement fiber board "Handkerchief" planter by Swiss architect Willy Guhl for Eternit, Switzerland circa 1960's.Category
Vintage 1960s Swiss Planters and Jardinieres
MaterialsConcrete
- Vintage Cast Concrete Plant ContainerLocated in West Hollywood, CAPair of vintage cast concrete plant containers, retaining original lichen patina from its life outdoors, France circa 1960's.Category
Vintage 1960s French Planters, Cachepots and Jardinières
MaterialsConcrete
- Majolica Porcelain Conch SetLocated in West Hollywood, CASet of Majolica conch motif ceramics including twelve teacups and plates, three teapots, one sugar bowl, four spouted vessels and salt & pepper shaker s...Category
Vintage 1950s Tea Sets
MaterialsCeramic, Majolica, Porcelain
- Jean Prouve Style La Residence Universitaire Jean Zay CupboardBy Jean ProuvéLocated in West Hollywood, CAIn the style of Jean Prouve a patinated Prussian blue and pink student storage cupboard with sliding bypass doors, from the dormitories of the La Residence Universitaire Jean Zay, Fr...Category
Vintage 1950s French Cupboards
MaterialsWood
- Maison Regain Elmwood ChestBy Maison RegainLocated in West Hollywood, CAElm wood three-drawer chest by Maison Regain with expressed joining details and carved integral drawer pulls, circa 1970's France.Category
Vintage 1970s French Commodes and Chests of Drawers
MaterialsWood, Elm
- Jean Prouve Style La Residence Universitaire Jean Zay Student EtagereBy Jean ProuvéLocated in West Hollywood, CAIn the style of Jean Prouve an etagere with lower cupboard with patinated white painted bypass sliding doors, from the dormitories of the La Residence Universitaire Jean Zay, France ...Category
Vintage 1950s French Bookcases
MaterialsWood
- Willy Guhl Modular Concrete BookcaseBy Willy GuhlLocated in Los Angeles, CASculptural concrete bookcase by Swiss architect Willy Guhl. Handmade in Switzerland in the early 1960s. Produced by Eternit. Set consists of 10 concrete cubes and one concrete shelf...Category
Vintage 1960s Swiss Bookcases
MaterialsConcrete
- Willy Guhl Modular Cement Cube BookcaseBy Willy GuhlLocated in Los Angeles, CAFantastic cement cubes by Swiss Architect Willy Guhl, for Eternit. 6 modular cubes made of fiber cement, can be arranged in a multitude of ways. Great for ...Category
Vintage 1960s Swiss Bookcases
MaterialsCement
- Willy Guhl Concrete Cube Side Table, 1960s SwitzerlandBy Willy GuhlLocated in Los Angeles, CAFantastic modular fiber cement cube by Swiss Architect Willy Guhl, for Eternit. Amazing scale and patina to each cube. Great as a side table, for holding b...Category
Vintage 1960s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Bookcases
MaterialsCement, Concrete
- Willy Guhl Orange Concrete BookcaseBy Willy GuhlLocated in Los Angeles, CAUnique set of painted concrete cubes in a pastel orange by Swiss architect and designer Willy Guhl. Handmade in the early 1960s in Switzerland. Produced by Eternit. Set of 5 cubes in...Category
Vintage 1970s Swiss Bookcases
MaterialsConcrete
- Willy Guhl Concrete Octagonal VaseBy Willy GuhlLocated in Los Angeles, CAConcrete vase by Willy Guhl. Made of fiber cement. 8 sided with small base. Great vintage condition. Great oversized vase.Category
Vintage 1960s Swiss Bookcases
MaterialsCement
- Willy Guhl Orange Concrete Bookcase, 1960s SwitzerlandBy Willy GuhlLocated in Los Angeles, CABeautiful set of painted concrete cubes in a pastel orange by Swiss architect and designer Willy Guhl. Handmade in the early 1960s in Switzerland. Produced by Eternit. Set of 9 cubes...Category
Vintage 1960s Swiss Bookcases
MaterialsConcrete