MoMA Intl.Competition for Low-Cost Furniture

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MoMA Intl.Competition for Low-Cost Furniture

page 1

Correspondence   58  browse all »

Letter
Letter
Letter

Drawings   56  browse all »

Plywood Chairs: Side Chair and Arm Chair
Roto Unit: Chest of Drawers (Dwg. No. 1)
Roto Unit: Desk With Filing Cabinet

Photographs   11  browse all »

Cut-out plywood chair
Cut-out plywood chair
Cut-out plywood chair

In 1948, the Museum of Modern Art sponsored a furniture competition to design affordable furniture for the post-war period. The competition brief required teams of designers to partner with technical laboratories. Breuer collaborated with the United States Forest Products Laboratory, which contributed technical expertise concerning materials and construction techniques. Together they produced cut-out furniture constructed from 1 inch Bakelite-glued plywood with cross-laminations of hardwood that did not require expensive forms or presses. Screws and rubber pieces connected the various parts reducing the problem of loose connections which had plagued similar chairs for the Geller House. Breuer's designs did not win a prize but were included in the exhibition associated with the competition.