Barcelona Love Seat – Still a Favorite Today

The Barcelona chair, or as it is now fondly called Barcelona love seat Deutschland, is one of the oldest modern classics still around. Designed in 1929 for the Spanish Royal Family by the German Ludwig Mies van de Rohe, the chair is deceptively simple with clean lines as is the style of Mies.

Mies was asked to design the German Pavilion in 1929 for the Barcelona Exposition. He also made two chairs for Spanish King Alfonso and his wife, in case they need some rest. The chairs, inspired from Egyptian folding chair, were supposed to bring to mind the throne. Both were unfortunately not used.

The chair

The Barcelona chair shows the serenity of the lines and the refinement of proportions and materials. This is the characteristic of the highly disciplined architecture of Mies van de Rohe. The support is on each side with two-chrome-plated, flat steel bars.

Viewed from the sides, the single curve of the bar that forms the chair’s back and front legs crosses the S-curve of the bar and making an intersection of the two. This simple shape came from a long history of precedents, from ancient Egyptian folding stools to 19^th century neoclassical seating.

The cantilevered seat and the back of the original chairs were upholstered in white kid leather with welt and button details.

There were only two Barcelona chairs made for the German Pavilion but the design was put into production.  The chairs became very popular all over the world that it is still in production since 1929 until today.

Mass production

In 1950, Mies re-designed the old chair using modern techniques which allowed the frame to be molded from a single piece of stainless steel rather than being bolted together. The original pigskin was also replaced with cow leather.

The chair was taken up by Knoll, who still produces it to this day. While it might be classified as a mass-produced item, the upholstery alone consists of 40 individual panels from a single hide. The finished product resembles like it had been a hand-made piece.

Uses

The uses of the Barcelona chair have spread sideways, especially these days. Currently, it graces the waiting rooms all over the world. The popular ones among waiting rooms now are the assortment of contemporary sofas, loveseats, and club chairs.

The most popular is the Barcelona love seat Deutschland. It was built to resemble the original chair and design that Mies van de Rohe made for the German Pavilion at the Spanish Exposition in 1929.  Today’s Barcelona style furniture, like the Loveseat, is incredibly popular for modern offices and waiting rooms.

With its designer curved legs, polished stainless steel frame and vertical seat and back support, the Loveseat is one perfect addition to any medical waiting room, reception areas in offices or in educational facilities with some modern flair.

In 1937, Mies went to the U.S., became a citizen and continued to design such iconic buildings such as the Chicago twin towers, and the Seagram building in New York. The Barcelona love seat Deutschland is his legacy.