Marcel Breuer is famous for his tubular steel furniture, yet his real interest was architecture. For our Bauhaus 100 series, marking 100 years of the influential school, we profile the Hungarian designer who championed a rational approach to design.
For many, Breuer is immediately connected to the Model B3, also known as the Wassily Chair. This iconic tubular steel chair, inspired by bicycle frames and made with the latest in steel-bending technology, was given its nickname when it was reproduced by Italian manufacturer Gavina.
Named after an anecdote whereby a curious Wassily Kandinsky, expressing interest in an early version of the chair in Breuer's studio, was one of the first recipients of a post-prototype model for his own office. It may be furniture that Breuer is most widely known for, but his real passion was architecture – a desire that would be fulfilled when he left Germany for the United States. But before this, he would fall under the spell of a newly-established Bauhaus.
Breuer is best known for his furniture, including the Wassily Chair. Image is courtesy of KnollBreuer was born in the city of Pécs, Hungary, in 1902, but at 18 years old he left his hometown, keen to go somewhere where he could engage with the modern movement, then in full swing. He received a scholarship to attend the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna, the city that had been home to some of early modernism's most important figures.
Breuer was one of the Bau...