George Nelson

Background

George Nelson (1908-1986) was an American architect, writer and industrial designer. Born in Hartford, Connecticut, he studied architecture at Yale and won the Rome Prize, which took him to Rome for two years. Back in the United States he wrote for architecture magazines: he joined Architectural Forum in 1935 as associate editor, and the 1945 book Tomorrow's House, written with Henry Wright, introduced ideas such as the family room and the storage wall. The storage wall drew the attention of Herman Miller's president D. J. De Pree, who invited Nelson to join the company. Herman Miller says he joined in 1945 and served as director of design for more than 25 years.

Signature Style

Herman Miller's history article quotes Nelson's insistence that a product must be honest, in the spirit of truth to materials. In its words he looked for ingenious solutions that help people make the most of how they actually live, and the company's article on his writing describes a needs-based, human-centred approach. His 1948 catalog introduction for Herman Miller set out that philosophy.

Notable Works

Herman Miller credits Nelson with the Platform Bench (1947), the Basic Cabinet Series, the Daybed (1949), the Coconut Lounge Chair (1955), the Marshmallow Sofa, the Cane Bench (1952), the Pedestal tables and the Bubble Lamps. His studio, later George Nelson Associates, also designed graphics, exhibitions and the American pavilion at the 1959 National Exhibition in Moscow.

Legacy

Wikipedia reports that several designs credited to Nelson came from designers in his studio, such as Irving Harper, whom it names as the designer of the Marshmallow Sofa. In 2008 the Vitra Design Museum held a retrospective for his 100th birthday. Nelson died in New York in 1986.