The Barcelona chair, which is considered to be a modern classic and one of the most elegant chairs of the 20th century, was designed by Mies van der Rohe. He designed the chair at the International Exposition in Barcelona in 1929. Mies van der Rohe drew inspiration for his design from an Egyptian folding chair and a Roman folding stool. The chair was created to replicate a throne and made its first appearance during the inaugural ceremony by the Spanish royal family at the exposition. The chair exudes grandeur and class and at the same time it is light and strong. The Barcelona chair is considered by common consensus to be the pinnacle of a harmonized approach to materials, design, and workmanship.
In 1950, the original design was improved upon by Mies which resulted in a fully welded object in which additional braces at the welding points were eliminated. The one-piece frame made of stainless steel offered higher strength and spring.
In the United States, the design was popularized by George Nelson. The chair was originally hand-made but was subsequently mass produced and marketed by the company, Knoll Associates, which now manufactures it in the U.S and 29...