1908-1986

Born in Connecticut, New England, George Nelson is recognised as one of the founders of the American Modernist movement. An architect and all-round designer, he was known to laugh in the face of any design challenge and was an adamant defender of modernism. He studied architecture at Yale University, and then obtained another degree in Fine Arts in 1931. Nelson also won an architecture competition which took him to Rome and wider Europe, writing articles on the most exceptional European designers of the time, such as Ludwig Mies Van der Rohe, and which also introduced them to an American audience for the very first time. He is also considered to be the mastermind behind the concept of the ‘storage wall’ which was an upfront solution to making use of space between walls for extra storage. His most renowned works include the coconut and marshmallow chairs. br>
George Nelson’s vision: To introduce bold and daring concepts into design.