Good furniture design transcends time and borders. Emigrating from Stuttgart to New York in 1938, Walter Knoll's eldest son initially opened the 'Hans Knoll Furniture Company' to sell his father's products. In America, Hans Knoll encountered modern architects, drew inspiration for innovation, and, especially thanks to his wife Florence, embraced a more international perspective. Armed with knowledge from the Bauhaus and the masterful craftsmanship of his own family, his company realized groundbreaking furniture designs from the most influential architects and furniture designers such as Mies van der Rohe, Marcel Breuer, Walter Gropius, Eero Saarinen, and many more.

After Hans Knoll's death in 1955, Florence Knoll took over the company and led Knoll International to worldwide fame with great sensibility. As an architect and furniture designer herself, she facilitated the realization of many spectacular designs. Today, over 40 objects from Knoll International are exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Some of them are available in Hamburg at Der neue Beckmann, where you can not only admire them but also touch, examine, and purchase them.

Saarinen Dining Table – an end to the clutter

Freedom for the legs! The American architect of Finnish descent, Eero Saarinen, pledged to eliminate the clutter under tables and chairs. In a five-year design study, he conceived his revolutionary Pedestal Collection, including dining, coffee, and side tables.

To achieve this, true-to-scale model furniture was built and arranged in a space the size of a dollhouse to find the ultimate form. Supported by the Knoll Design Development Group, the Saarinen pedestal concept was functionally perfected, realized, and introduced in 1958. The table is a best-seller for Knoll International and is displayed in its finest form at Der neue Beckmann in Hamburg, featuring a top made of Arabescato marble, in a matte finish. Welcome home!

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Saarinen Conference Chair

That was something new: a chair that achieved high seating comfort not through the depth of its upholstery but through the form of its shell. Florence Knoll inspired Eero Saarinen to create it. Together, they searched for suitable materials with a boat builder and found fiberglass and resin. The long development period from 1946 to 1950 paid off. The Conference Chair became one of the most iconic and comfortable chairs in modern furniture design—not only at Knoll International. With or without armrests, it offers outstanding seating quality.

Curious? Der neue Beckmann in Hamburg has a seat reserved for you to test it out—even on a individually upholstered model with Adam & Eve Velour.

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Mies van der Rohe – Barcelona Lounge Chair

A masterpiece. Designed for the German Pavilion at the 1929 World Exhibition in Barcelona, this chair is now one of the most famous design furniture pieces of the 20th century. With its strong visual statement, it has been produced unchanged by Knoll International since 1948. Recent developments with softer upholstery, full-grain leathers, or gracefully aging materials have contributed to giving the undisputed 'monument' of international design history a more homely feel.

In the 'Relax' version with soft padding, the famous chair also provides excellent seating quality for private use. Take a seat! Der neue Beckmann in Hamburg invites you to try out the Barcelona Chair (displayed in dark brown Venezia leather) for yourself.

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What distinguishes furniture from Knoll International

Their origin. The concentrated global design expertise under one brand: Knoll International. Founded by Hans and Florence Knoll. Shaped by the innovative Bauhaus era, a passion for visionary design, and the traditional quality consciousness of the Knoll dynasty for furniture. With the image of timeless elegance and aesthetic clarity. Armchairs, chairs, tables, and accessories. Everywhere in the world where good taste resides. Where the desire for the essential enriches the sense of life. Following the motto: Less is more.

Some reliable features:

  • Founded in 1938 for designer furniture
  • Over 40 exhibits in MOMA NY
  • Over 140 renowned designers
  • Awarded with the highest design prizes
  • Worldwide recognition
  • Individual sense of life
  • International living culture

Learn more at Der neue Beckmann at Klosterstern in Hamburg. With the best advisors for Knoll International furniture.