Barcelona stool Knoll International

King among the stools: Barcelona stool by Knoll

Already at the 1929 Industrial Exhibition, the Barcelona Stool shone with the armchair of the same name in a royal setting. Today, it is still one of the most famous design objects of the last century and a noble addition to the collection. Van der Rohe's mastery of line and material makes the stool an unparalleled designer piece - and, as intended at the time, worthy of a king (or queen)! The Barcelona Stool represents perfect design combined with excellent craftsmanship, making a strong visual statement.

The excellently handcrafted piece of furniture convinces with high-quality materials and appears particularly valuable due to the wonderfully soft leather surface. Whether in the living room, office or lounge area - with the stool you make a visual statement! Or you can combine the stool with the Barcelona armchair and treat your feet to some rest on the beautiful designer furniture. But whether in combination or standing alone, the piece of furniture exudes a simple elegance that embodies Mies van der Rohe's most famous maxim - "less is more".

Once upon a time in Barcelona…

One of the classics of the Knoll International collections is the Barcelona series with its historical background. As a rising figure of the modernist movement, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe was selected to design the Weimar Republic’s Pavilion for the Barcelona Industrial Exposition of 1929.

Through masterful proportioning and planning, Mies created a rhythmic and entirely unprecedented space, which elevated industrial-age materials to a level of grace never before achieved. Inside, Mies included chairs and stools conceived as a resting place for the King and Queen of Spain. Mies is thought to have based the designs on the campaign chairs of Ancient Rome.

The Barcelona Pavilion is recognised as a defining achievement of modern architecture, as are the accompanying Barcelona Chairs. Since the formally granted production rights to the Barcelona Chair and Stool in 1953, the designs immediately became a signature of the Knoll brand and have been built to Mies van der Rohe’s exacting standards ever since.

Ludwig Mies van der Rohe

Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, born in 1886 in Germany, began his career working in his father's stonemasonry business. After an apprenticeship with furniture designer Bruno Paul in Berlin, he joined the office of architect Peter Behrens, whose work presaged the modern movement. In 1912, Mies established his own office in Berlin, and later became a member of the Deutscher Werkbund and Director of the Bauhaus.

“I feel that it must be possible to harmonise the old and new in our civilisation.” – Ludwig Mies van der Rohe

He immigrated to the United States in 1938, setting up a practice in Chicago. His buildings include the German Pavilion for the 1929 Barcelona Exposition, the Tugendhat Villa in Brno, Czechoslovakia, the Seagram Building, designed with Philip Johnson, a cluster of residential towers along Chicago's Lakeshore Drive in Chicago, and the Illinois Institute of Technology campus, where he was the director of architecture. He was also considered a close friend and mentor to Florence Knoll during her time at the Illinois Institute of Technology.

Knoll International – A belief in modern design

In 1938, Knoll International was founded by Hans and Florence Knoll, who embraced the creative genius at the Bauhaus School and the Cranbrook Academy of Art to create new types of furniture and environments for the workplace. Their approach was to combine craftsmanship with technology through the use of design. Florence Knoll also developed the idea of the modern office and pioneered the interior design profession.

Knoll has been recognized internationally for creating workplace and residential furnishings that inspire, evolve, and endure. With its thoughtful, inventive products Knoll responds to individual work styles and transcends multiple generations. Knoll's commitment to modern, sustainable design and understanding of the workplace results in a unique portfolio. Here, the latest collections sit alongside modern classics and iconic products.

For more than 80 years now Knoll has remained true to the Bauhaus design philosophy that modern furniture should complement architectural space, not compete with it. Therefore, they use modern design to connect people to their work, their lives, their world. The essence of it all: modern living and working with a contemporary approach without losing a connection to the past.

Material and format

The frame of the Barcelona stool is made of high-gloss chrome-plated flat spring steel, mirror-polished by hand. The cowhide core leather straps are fixed with aluminium rivets and covered with the respective leather on the visible side. The invisible side towards the back cushion is the natural colour.

For the upholstery, 16 individual leather rectangles are cut by hand and sewn with piping from a single hide. The cushions are fitted with fire-retardant foam. The leather is of the highest quality. The seat and back cushions are connected to the frame by small leather straps.

The Barcelona stool is 59 cm wide, 59.5 cm deep and 39 cm high.

You can order the stool in two different leather qualities as well as different colour variations. You can't find the cover you want? We will be happy to provide you with a non-binding offer on request!

Velluto leather: smooth, slightly refined aniline-dyed leather

Volo leather: slightly corrected aniline leather with a special retanning process

Special feature: the KnollStudio logo and the signature of Mies van der Rohe are embossed into the foot of each stool.