As part of our mid-century modern series, we portray Florence Knoll Bassett, who transformed how we think of office design with her streamlined furniture and leadership of design brand Knoll.
Under Knoll, Florence Knoll, as she was then called, brought modern lines and a human-centric design ethos to the American office environment. As well as leading the company's interior design arm, the Planning Unit, she designed furniture for its collections and developed its aesthetic identity.
She was also known for professionalising the mid-century interior design industry, combining her extensive architectural training with an eye for form and combatting the notion that interior design was the same as decorating.
Florence Knoll (left) worked with designers and architects including Eero Saarinen. Photo courtesy of Knoll In a 1964 New York Times article about her, titled "Woman Who Led an Office Revolution Rules an Empire of Modern Design; Florence Knoll Gave Business 'Living' a New Look", she said that offices had changed from being 'decorated' to being designed.
"I am not a decorator," she said in the article. "The only place I decorate is my own house."
Knoll was founded by Florence Knoll's husband Hans Knoll, who was in the process of developing the company in New York City when the pair met in 1941.
In 1943, Florence Knoll joined the burgeoning company as a designer and soon after became a full business partner upon the couple's marriage in 1944.

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