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Modern Design at Optima with Knoll

Design permeates every corner of our communities. Across our multi-family properties, we utilize furniture designed by globally renowned Knoll to craft spaces that are sleek, modern and comfortable. Not just purveyors of elegant and stunning design, Knoll also has a history entangled with our own, beginning back in 1938.

Modernist Roots

Knoll was founded in 1938 by Hans G. Knoll, a German immigrant based in the United States. Familiar with the seminal Bahaus School of Design and Modernist masters like Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, he founded Knoll on the belief that modern architects would need functional, modern furnishings.

Later, Hans Knoll engaged with (and then literally got engaged to) Florence Schust, who studied with Mies van der Rohe at the Armour Institute in Chicago, and worked in the architectural offices from Gropius and Breuer in Boston. Her understanding of Modernist architecture, and the Bauhaus and Walter Gropius himself, transformed the Knoll approach to furniture design, placing new focus on offering objects that represented design excellence, technological innovation and mass production.

The Risom arm chair designed by Knoll at Optima Sonoran Village
The Risom arm chair designed by Knoll at Optima Sonoran Village

Their strong vision attracted high-profile collaborators, such as Isamu Noguchi, who contributed to a collection of furnishings now heralded as classics in the pantheon of modern design. With a repertoire of pieces spanning including the Wassily chair, the Barcelona chair, the Tulip chair; over 40 Knoll designs can be found in the permanent design collection of The Museum of Modern Art in New York City. 

As seminal collaborators with the Modernist architecture discipline, Knoll is a natural fit for our modern residential and commercial spaces. Their executive designs embody elegance, craftsmanship and emblematic details across seating, tables and desks. The thoughtful and artistic creations of Knoll bring expansive history, elevated design and of course, comfort, to our communities.

A Brief History of the Swan Chair

An iconic piece in modern furniture design, the Swan chair’s fluidity and endless curves make it both a comforting perch and a sight to behold. Often swathed in vivid colors, the Swan chair makes a bold statement incorporated into striking interiors across our Optima communities.

An Iconic Design

The Swan chair was designed in 1958 by Arne Jacobsen, the same architect and designer who created the Egg chair. Alongside the Egg chair, the Swan chair was originally crafted for the Royal Hotel in Copenhagen (also architected by Jacobsen). The chair let hotel guests spin its swivel base and rotate 360 degrees to take in the bustling hotel atmosphere, while cocooned in comfort. As a chair with no straight lines, the Swan was a technological innovation in furniture design. Created in the Danish modern style, the chair swiftly became an icon.

A Feat of Engineering

Prior to designing the Swan chair, Jacobsen (and other furniture designers of his generation) were constrained by the pliability of the materials they used, which at the time, were stiff and difficult to sculpt. However, the introduction of molded foam a new, flexible material rewrote the rules. Through experimentation with the new product, Jacobsen found the freedom to shape fluid curves and single-piece molded shells. 

The Swan chair, originally made from Styropore, is now made from polyurethane foam, both inventive materials that allow for the chairs’ continuous shape. The shell of the swan is made of molded synthetic material, and covered by a layer of cold foam. The swiveling base, always star-shaped, includes a satin-polished, welded steel tube and a 4-star base in injection molded aluminium. With upholstery options available in a variety of textiles and colors, the Swan chair easily adapts to lobbies, lounges and homes across the world.

Throughout our residential spaces, Swan chairs are right at home in our Modernist buildings, reflecting the same passion for form and function. Easily employed in entry lobbies, lounges across the community or even commercial office space, the unique curves and comfort of this sculptural chair leave a lasting impression.  

 

A Brief History of The Egg Chair

Of the many interior design pieces within our buildings, the egg chair is arguably the most distinct. Its round shape, curved edges and cocoon-like nature are as inviting as they are fascinating. A staple accent in many Optima projects, the Egg chair has its own colorful past that has led it to its present-day prominence throughout the world of interior design. 

A Scandinavian Start

In the mid-1950s, the Scandinavian Airlines System enlisted Arne Jacobsen to design downtown Copenhagen’s Royal Hotel. Jacobsen, a Danish architect and designer, is one of the best-known designers of the 20th century and one of the pioneers of Danish modern design. He was a crucial contributor to architectural Functionalism and his keen sense of proportion is most well-known throughout his wide range of furniture designs. 

In designing the Egg chair, Jacobsen kept in mind both function and form with a chair that would allow travelers passing through the hotel to relax, swivel and recline. The high, curving sides allowed for a bit of privacy, a much-needed amenity after a long journey. The chair was lightweight at only 17 pounds, allowing the hotel staff to move and rearrange them as necessary. Even 60 years after its first debut, the Egg chair is still an iconic piece of design history, beloved by both residential and commercial spaces. 

The Egg chair has a colorful past that has led it to its present-day prominence throughout the world of interior design.
Optima Old Orchard Woods | Skokie, IL

The Eggs at Optima

Throughout our residential spaces, Egg chairs serve as a complementary accent piece to our Modernist buildings, reflecting the same passion for form and function. The curvaceous seat is adaptable, pairing well with everything from white walls to colorful surroundings. As they did when they were first designed, egg chairs serve a variety of functional purposes: a fresh pop of color, a nod to the Modernist style, a place to relax at the end of the day or a cosy reading spot to enjoy your favorite book. However they’re utilized, these design icons are a Modernist staple and one of our favorite pieces of unique furniture.

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