Knoll Celebrates 75 Years of Iconic Design with the Washington Collection for Knoll™ by David Adjaye

September 9, 2013

NEW YORK, NY, September 9, 2013 —  Knoll, Inc. (NYSE: KNL) introduces The Washington Collection for Knoll™, a collection of seating and tables designed by architect David Adjaye.

The Collection, Adjaye’s first, will be introduced at the Knoll Shop in New York City on Tuesday, October 1, from 4:00 - 5:30pm along with an exhibition of his architectural work; the event is open to the public.  Beginning on October 2, the exhibition will be open Monday through Friday from 11:00am to 7:00pm and Saturday 10:00am to 6:00pm, through October 31. The Knoll Shop is located at 1330 Avenue of the Americas at 54th Street. The Collection will debut in Europe at the Knoll London showroom on Thursday, November 14.

Furniture from the collection will be available for purchase beginning October 1, exclusively through the Knoll Shop and online at knoll.com.

The Washington Collection for Knoll transforms Adjaye’s architectural and sculptural vision into accessible objects for the home and office. The collection consists of two cantilevered side chairs, a club chair, an ottoman, a side table and a monumental bronze coffee table.

The two cantilevered chairs – Washington Skeleton™ and Washington Skin™ – establish a play between propping and balancing, so that they are simultaneously functional and sculptural. The chairs, with their unique leg design, are available in two materials: die-cast aluminum (Washington Skeleton) and reinforced nylon (Washington Skin). Like complementary inversions of each other, the aluminum chair is reduced to a fine geometric lattice while the nylon chair offers a colorful envelope to the same form.

The aluminum chair is available in ultra-durable outdoor paint finishes or copper plated, a finish that will patina with age. The nylon chair is available in seven colors for indoor use. The aluminum chair starts at $490; the nylon chair is $300.

David Adjaye said, "It has been hugely exciting to work with Knoll’s team. The design concept has been enriched by the intensely collaborative engagement and as a result, this collection challenges materiality and form in much the same way that I try to work within the architectural context."

Commenting on Adjaye’s work, Knoll design director Benjamin Pardo said, "David is doing really innovative and important architectural projects, and what really interested us was to see that work on an entirely new scale."

Adjaye’s coffee table, The Washington Corona™ reflects this cross-over. The sculptural table with a clear glass top is constructed from four cast bronze panels, and connecting plates. The roughhewn exterior contrasts the highly reflective, hand polished interior surface.

To mark its 75th anniversary – celebrating pioneering modernist vision to bold contemporary design – the bronze Washington Corona coffee table is limited to an edition of 75. Each piece is numbered and comes with a bronze miniature that serves as a commemorative signature plate.

A geometric club chair, ottoman and side table, available early 2014, complement the expressive organic lines of the side chairs and the cast bronze coffee table. Contrasting faceted laminate and upholstered planes create a dynamic texture.

Washington Skin™, nylon chair
Injection molded, glass reinforced nylon cantilevered chair. The chair’s shell and legs are cast in three parts and are connected using mortise and tenon joinery and stainless steel fasteners. The unique leg design is reinforced internally with a cast aluminum brace that is over-molded with nylon. The chair features four integral glides that elevate and protect the leg profile. The chair is available in seven colors: black, grey, lime, orange, red, white, and yellow

Washington Skeleton™, aluminum chair
Constructed from die-cast aluminum, the chair's shell and legs are cast in three parts and are connected using mortise and tenon joinery and stainless steel fasteners. The chair features four nylon glides and is available in two finishes: ultra-durable outdoor powder coat paint in black, green and grey; a copper plated finish is also available in a natural state that allows the chair to patina with age.

Washington Corona™, bronze coffee table
The table is constructed from four sand-cast bronze panels, each connected using machined bronze plates that tie the panels together with brass hardware. The exterior of the table is roughhewn from the casting process. The interior panels are machined using a five-axis CNC router and hand polished to a mirrored finish. The top is optically clear tempered, glass top with jewel polished edges.

Club Chair and Ottoman
Faceted plywood and laminate construction, with die-cast aluminum connectors, form the framework for the chair and ottoman. The interior upholstery is supported by a structural urethane shell, and features molded urethane cushions. The chair is offered in a variety of KnollTextiles fabrics and Spinneybeck™ leathers.

Side Table
The side table features the same faceted plywood and laminate construction, and is available with a selection of marble tops.

Knoll and Sugar Hill Project Partnership

To celebrate The Washington Collection, Knoll is partnering with Broadway Housing Communities (BHC), a New York City-based nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing urgently needed affordable housing, education and art programs to Harlem and Washington Heights.  David Adjaye is the design architect for BHC's Sugar Hill Project, a green mixed-use building slated to open in 2014. The project reflects Adjaye's longstanding commitment to sharing the power of good design with the widest possible audience.

From September 9 – October 3, 2013 enter to win one of four Washington Skin™ chairs designed by David Adjaye and donate to Sugar Hill at www.bhc.org/knoll.

About Knoll

Knoll is the recipient of the 2011 National Design Award for Corporate and Institutional Achievement from the Smithsonian's Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum. Since 1938, Knoll has been recognized internationally for creating workplace and residential furnishings that inspire, evolve, and endure. Today, its commitment to modern design, understanding of the workplace, and dedication to sustainable design have yielded a unique portfolio of products that respond and adapt to changing needs. Knoll is aligned with the U.S. Green Building Council and the Canadian Green Building Council and can help companies achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design LEED workplace certification. Knoll is the founding sponsor of the World Monuments Fund Modernism at Risk initiative.

About Adjaye Associates

Established in June 2000, Adjaye Associates was founded by David Adjaye, who is widely recognized as one of the leading architects of his generation. The practice has gained international renown with work in Europe, North America, the Middle East, Asia and Africa, distinguished by its insightful cultural engagement and the transformative civic qualities of its buildings. Projects range in scale from private houses, exhibition design and temporary pavilions to major arts centers, civic buildings and masterplans. Completed buildings include two community libraries in Washington DC, the Moscow School of Management, the Nobel Peace Centre in Oslo, the Museum of Contemporary Art in Denver and two Idea Stores in London. Current work includes the design of the Smithsonian Institution’s new Museum of African American History and Culture on the National Mall in Washington D.C.

Contact:
David E. Bright
Knoll, Inc.
212 343-4135
[email protected]

The Knoll Shop
1330 Avenue of the Americas, 54th Street
New York, NY 10019
212-343-4190