George Nelson

Architect

New York / United States

George Nelson (1908-1986) is considered one of the most influential figures on the 20th-century art scene. During his long career, he was interested in architecture, urban planning, interior design, graphic design, product design and writing, adopting an eclectic and unconventional approach. After graduating from Yale University in 1928, Nelson enrolled in a two-year degree course in Fine Arts. In 1932, he won the prestigious Rome Prize. The scholarship allowed him to study architecture at the American Academy in Rome and travel around Europe for two years. His interviews with the key Modern Movement figures like Mies Van de Rohe, Walter Gropius, Le Corbusier and Gio Ponti date to this period.

Returning to the United States in 1935, he decided to work as a journalist for architectural magazines. He published several books, including the famous "Tomorrow's house" (1945), co-written with his colleague Henry Wright. In the book, Nelson developed the concept of the Storagewall, at the time a revolutionary solution, which consisted of walls with modular and flexible 30 cm deep cupboards. At the same time, the founder of Herman Miller Furniture, D.J. DePree, was looking for a new design director. After reading an article in Life magazine about the Storagewall system, he contacted George Nelson, who accepted the job, albeit against his will. In fact, a career in design never appealed to the creative who was more inclined towards theoretical activity. Yet some of his designs have become undisputed icons, still produced and marketed by Herman Miller and Vitra.

Nelson's approach was based on the concept of "total design in relation to the whole" and on the centrality of user needs. His most popular products include the Nelson Bench (1946), the Coconut leather armchair inspired by the coconut shell (1955), and the Home Desk (1958), an elegant and functional desk with the classic laminate and oak veneer finishes of the era. As art director of Herman Miller, George Nelson contributed to the company's growth and prestige, working alongside such designers as Charles and Ray Eames, Alexander Girard, Isamu Noguchi and Robert Propst. Parallel to his work with Herman Miller, which lasted until 1972, Nelson continued as an independent designer and architect, founding his own studio in New York in 1947, which became George Nelson Associates, Inc. in 1955. One of the most exciting commissions that engaged the studio saw the designer create a series of clocks characterised by an innovative style and the absence of numbers. The collection consists of wall and floor clocks in different materials, shapes and colours, produced in hundreds of variations since 1947. Today, the Wall Clocks collection is produced and marketed by Vitra since the Vitra Design Museum acquired the designer's archive. George Nelson died in New York in 1986.

Products designed by George Nelson

For sale

69 Products

Sort by:

{{wishlist.Name}}

{{wishlist.Name}}

{{sublist.Name}}

{{wishlist.Name}}
Add a new Project

Your search history Delete

Or try one of the examples below

Partition shelves for open space

Ergonomic chairs for home office

1950s style armchairs

Subscribe to our newsletter! Don't miss out the latest news on the Architecture and Design brands and products and immediately receive a 10% discount on your first purchase.

I consent to the transfer of my data to the brands featured on Archiproducts for marketing purposes By clicking on Subscribe, I accept the Privacy Notice and authorise the processing of my personal data for marketing purposes by Archiproducts

George Nelson

Architect

New York / United States

Share

Products designed by George Nelson

VITRA - PETAL CLOCK - Wall-mounted clock

DIAMOND MARKERS CLOCK - Wall-mounted clock

NELSON PEAR - Polymer wall light

NELSON SAUCER BUBBLE PENDANT - LED Polymer pendant lamp

NELSON CIGAR CRISSCROSS BUBBLE PENDANT - LED Polymer pendant lamp

NELSON BALL CRISSCROSS BUBBLE PENDANT - LED Polymer pendant lamp

NELSON PEAR CRISSCROSS PENDANT - LED Polymer pendant lamp

HOME DESK - Laminate secretary desk

NELSON CIGAR BUBBLE PENDANT - LED Polymer pendant lamp

NELSON APPLE BUBBLE PENDANT - LED Polymer pendant lamp

NELSON SAUCER CRISSCROSS PENDANT - LED Polymer pendant lamp

CONE BASE CLOCK - Table-top polyurethane clock

NELSON BALL BUBBLE PENDANT - LED Polymer pendant lamp

NELSON PROPELLER BUBBLE PENDANT - LED Polymer pendant lamp

NIGHT CLOCK - Table-top brass clock

NELSON BALL WALL - LED Polymer wall lamp

NELSON PEAR WALL - LED Polymer wall lamp

NELSON LANTERN BUBBLE PENDANT - LED Polymer pendant lamp

NELSON SAUCER WALL - LED Polymer wall lamp

NELSON CIGAR WALL - LED Polymer wall lamp

SUNFLOWER CLOCK - Wall-mounted clock

BALL CLOCK - Wooden and metal wall clock

NELSON PEAR BUBBLE PENDANT - Polymer pendant lamp

NELSON BENCH - Wooden bench

SPINDLE CLOCK - Wall-mounted clock

FERNANDO THE FISH - Wall-mounted plywood kids clock

CONE CLOCK - Table-top polyurethane clock

EYE CLOCK - Wall-mounted clock

CHRONOPAK - Table-top walnut clock

STAR CLOCK - Wall-mounted clock

POPSICLE CLOCK - Wall-mounted wooden clock

FAN CLOCK - Wall-mounted wooden clock

OMAR THE OWL - Wall-mounted plywood kids clock

VITRA - FAN CLOCK - Wall-mounted wooden clock

VITRA - BALL CLOCK MULTICOLOR - Wall-mounted clock

SUNBURST CLOCK - Wall-mounted clock

TURBINE CLOCK - Wall-mounted clock

TRIPOD CLOCK - Table-top brass clock

ASTERISK CLOCK - Wall-mounted wooden clock

ELIHU THE ELEPHANT - Wall-mounted plywood kids clock

HAY - NELSON SAUCER CRISSCROSS PENDANT - LED Polymer pendant lamp

COCONUT - Leather armchair

WHEEL CLOCK - Wall-mounted clock

POLYGON CLOCK - Wall-mounted clock

PETAL CLOCK - Wall-mounted clock

DIAMOND CLOCK - Table-top walnut clock

FLOCK OF BUTTERFLIES - Wall-mounted clock

NELSON SAUCER BUBBLE - Polymer pendant lamp

HAY - NELSON BALL BUBBLE PENDANT S - LED Polymer pendant lamp

MINIATURES COCONUT CHAIR - Leather miniature

HAY - NELSON PEAR BUBBLE S - LED Polymer pendant lamp

NELSON BALL BUBBLE - Polymer pendant lamp

NELSON CIGAR - Polymer wall light

NELSON PEAR BUBBLE - Polymer pendant lamp

NELSON APPLE BUBBLE - Polymer pendant lamp

NELSON ORBIT BUBBLE - Polymer pendant lamp

NELSON ANGLED SPHERE BUBBLE - Polymer pendant lamp

NELSON TRIPLE BUBBLE - Lamp fixture

NELSON SAUCER - Polymer wall light

NELSON BALL - Polymer wall light

Categories

Styles

Materials

Brands

Price

AI Search

Partition shelves for open space

Ergonomic chairs for home office

1950s style armchairs

Visual search results