Design Research: 10 Designers

1. Charles-Edouard Jeanneret-Gris, who chose to be known as Le Corbusier, was a Swiss-born architect and writer who is famous for his contributions to what now is called Modern Architecture. He became a French citizen in his 30’s, and lived from October 6th, 1887 to August 27th, 1965. He was a pioneer in theoretical studies of modern design and was dedicated to providing better living conditions for the residents of crowded cities. His career spanned five decades, with his iconic buildings constructed throughout central Europe, India, Russia, and one structure each in North and South America. He was also an urban planner, painter, sculpture, writer, and modern furniture designer.

2. Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, who was born Maria Ludwig Michael Mies, was a German-born American architect. He is widely regarded as one of the pioneering masters of modern architecture. Like many of his post WWI contemporaries, he sought to establish a new architectural style that could represent modern times just as Classical and Gothic did for their own eras. He created an influential 20th century architectural style, stated with extreme clarity and simplicity. His mature buildings made use of modern materials such as industrial steel and plate glass to define interior spaces. His “skin and bones” approach to architecture led to a style of minimal framework of structural order balanced against the implied freedom of free-flowing open space. He lived from March 27th, 1886 to August 17th, 1969.


3. Charles and Ray Eames were modern furniture designers in the 1950’s who pioneered innovative technologies, such as figerglass and plastic resin chairs and the wire mesh chairs designed for Herman Miller. Besides this work, Charles and Ray Eames channeled their interest of photography into the production of short films (Traveling Boy, 1950 and Powers of Ten, 1977). Charles lived from June 17th, 1907 to August 21st, 1978 and Ray lived from December 15th, 1912 to August 21st, 1988. Both were responsible for many classic, ionic designs of the 20th century.

4. Hugo Alvar Henrik Aalto was a Finnish architect and designer who was sometimes referred to as the “Father of Modernism” in the Nordic countries. His work includes architecture, furniture, and glassware. Although sometimes regarded as the first and the most influential architect of Nordic Modernism, a closer examination of the historical facts reveals how Aalto closely followed and had personal contacts with other pioneers in Sweden. What they and many others of that generation in the Nordic countries had in common was that they had started off from classical education and were first designing in the so-called Nordic Classicism styles before moving, in the late 1920’s, towards Modernism.

5. Arne Jacobsen was a Danish architect and designer who was exemplar of the Danish Modern style. Among his architectural achievements are St. Catherine’s College, Oxford; Merton College, Oxford; Radisson SAS Royal Hotel, Copenhagen; and the Danish National Bank building in Copenhagen. Jacobsen has created a number of highly original chairs, such as the Egg and Ant Chairs, and other furniture. He received several international distinctions and medals for his achievements. He lived from February 11th, 1902 to March 24th, 1971.


6. Verner Panton is considered one of Denmark’s most influential 20th century furniture and interior designer. During his career, he created innovative and futuristic designs in a variety of materials, especially plastics, and in vibrant colors. His style was very 1960’s but regained popularity at the end of the 20th century. As of 2004, Panton’s most well-known furniture models, such as the Stacking Chair, are still in production. He also became well-known for his collapsible house in 1955, the Cardboard House and the Plastic House in 1960. He lived from February 13th, 1926 to September 5th, 1998.

7. Walter Adolph George Gropius (May 18, 1883 – July 5, 1969) was a German architect and founder of Bauhaus. Along with Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Le Corbusier, he is widely regarded as one of the pioneering masters of "modern" architecture. In 1923, Gropius aided by Gareth Steele, designed his famous door handles, now considered an icon of 20th century design and often listed as one of the most influential designs to emerge from the Bauhaus. He also designed large scale housing projects in Berlin, Karlsruhe and Dessau from 1926-32 that were major contributions to the New Objectivity movement.

8. Henry Van de Velde was a Belgian painter, architect and interior designer. Together with Victor Horta he can be considered one of the main founders and representatives of Art Nouveau in Belgium. Van de Velde spent the most important part of his career in Germany and had a decisive influence on German architecture and design at the beginning of the 20th-century. Van de Velde studied painting in Antwerp, under Charles Verlat and in Paris under Carolus-Duran. As a young painter he was thoroughly influenced by Paul Signac and Georges Seurat and soon adopted a neo-impressionist style. In 1889 he became a member of the Brussels-based artist group "Les XX". After Vincent Van Gogh exhibited some work on the yearly exhibition of Les XX van de Velde became one of the first artists to be influenced by the Dutch painter. During this periode he developed a lasting friendship with the painter Théo van Rysselberghe and the sculptor Constantin Meunier. He lived from April 3rd, 1863 to October 25th, 1957.

9. Eero Saarinen was a Finnish American architect and product designer of the 20th century famous for varying his style according to the demands of the project: simple, sweeping, arching structural curves or machine-like rationalism. Saarinen first received critical recognition while still working for his father, for a chair designed together with Charles Eames for the "Organic Design in Home Furnishings" competition in 1940, for which they received first prize. This chair, like all other Saarinen chairs was taken into production by the Knoll furniture company, founded by the Saarinen family friend Florence (Schust) Knoll together with her husband Hans Knoll. Further attention came while Saarinen was still working for his father, when he took first prize in the 1948 competition for the design of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial, St. Louis, not completed until the 1960s. The competition award was mistakenly sent to his — at that time more renowned — father. He lived from August 20th, 1910 to September 1st, 1961.

10. Harry Bertoia was an Italian-born artist and modern furniture designer. In 1950, he moved to Pennsylvania to establish a studio and to work with Hans and Florence Knoll. During this period he designed five wire pieces that became known as the Bertoia Collection for Knoll. Among them was the famous “Diamond Chair” which was a fluid, sculptural form made from a molded lattice work of welded steel. In Bertoia’s own words, “If you look at these chairs, they are mainly made of air, like sculpture. Space passes right through them.” Harry Bertoia lived from March 10th, 1915 to November 6th, 1978.