Eero Saarinen Limited Edition ‘Conference’ Armchair in Sheepskin

Eero Saarinen for Knoll International, limited edition ‘Conference’ armchair, sheepskin, coated metal, France, Paris, designed in 1957

This armchair was commissioned for the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, an iconic building completed on November 3, 1958, by architects Bernard Zehrfuss, Marcel Breuer, and Pier Luigi Nervi. Designed specifically for the auditorium, the chair features a distinctive sled base with a trapezoidal shape, setting it apart from the well-known ‘Conference’ chair introduced in 1946. The open-back structure flows seamlessly into the armrests, ensuring both elegance and comfort. This particular piece has been reupholstered in sheepskin, adding warmth and softness to its refined design.

Knoll International was founded in New York by the 26 year old German Hans Knoll (1914-1955) in 1938. Hans' father, Walter Knoll, was a true modernist and furniture manufacturer who had a reputation for quality. When Hans Knoll died at a young age his wife Florence Knoll took over and under her influence the company flourished and created its best designs. She designed and led the company where she cooperated with talented designers such as Eero Saarinen, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Richard Schultz and Harry Bertoia.

Eero Saarinen (1910-1961) was a Finnish-American architect who helped to shape the American postwar architecture of progression and optimism. Saarinen designed several airports and worked for large corporate clients such as IBM and General Motors. This meant that the identity of Saarinen's architecture went hand in hand with the identity of these companies. His design was also used in many companies and homes and thus helped to shape the aesthetic landscape of the United States in the 1950s and 1960s.

Please note that the depicted photographs show an example of the way this item can be tailored to specific wishes of our clients. The price is valid for one chair newly upholstered in sheepskin. We kindly ask you to contact our design experts to discuss your wishes regarding upholstery and finishing. Your special requests can be realized by the experienced craftspeople in our own in-house restoration and upholstery atelier. With high attention to the original, they make sure every piece retains its value and is ready for the many years to come. Please note that a custom-made reupholstered chair has a lead-time of twelve to fourteen weeks. All to meet our high-quality and standards.

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