hermanmiller.comImage source: Robert Propst
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Designer
Robert Propst
Robert Propst came from Colorado, per Herman Miller, and worked from the late 1940s as a graphic artist, teacher and sculptor. In 1953 he set up the Propst Co. in Denver to develop products on speculation, and in 1960 he became president…
Biography
Background
Robert Propst came from Colorado, per Herman Miller, and worked from the late 1940s as a graphic artist, teacher and sculptor. In 1953 he set up the Propst Co. in Denver to develop products on speculation, and in 1960 he became president of Herman Miller Research Corp. He died in 2000.
Signature Style
Propst was not interested in individual things that have no impact on complex situations. He researched big issues and developed large-scale systems meant to improve and simplify people's lives, and he said good design is found in things with long-term attributes that you can live with for a long time.
Notable Works
- Action Office system for Herman Miller, introduced in 1968, the world's first open-plan office system of reconfigurable components, designed with Jack Kelley
- Co/Struc system for Herman Miller, introduced in 1971, mobile and modular containers, carts, frames and rails for hospitals
- The book The Office: A Facility Based on Change
Legacy
Propst held over 120 patents. Honours include the 1985 Worldesign Congress best-design title for Action Office, a Design Review Industrial Design Award (1976) and the Institute of Business Designers Distinguished Service Citation (1972). His work was shown at the Walker Art Center, the Smithsonian Institution and the Henry Ford Museum.
