George Nelsom was born in 1908 in Hartford, Connecticut (USA), studied architecture at Yale University. Thanks to a fellowship, he had the opportunity to study at the American Academy in Rome from 1932 to 1934. In Europe, he became closely acquainted with the great architectural works and the main protagonists of modernism. In 1935, Nelson joined the editorial staff of the 'Architectural Forum', where he worked until 1944. A programmatic article on residential building and furniture design, published by Nelson in a 1944 issue of the journal, attracted the attention of D.J. DePree, head of the furniture company Herman Miller, Inc. A short time later, George Nelson took on the position of Design Director at Herman Miller, where he worked until 1972, becoming a key figure in American design. In addition to creating furnishings for the home and office, Nelson also persuaded designers such as Charles & Ray Eames, Isamu Noguchi and Alexander Girard to work for Herman Miller. In 1957, Vitra founder Willi Fehlbaum signed his first licence agreement with Herman Miller to produce furniture for the European market. During the following decades of the collaboration with Vitra, a close friendship evolved between George Nelson and Rolf Fehlbaum, who later said about Nelson: 'No other prominent designer spoke as intelligently or wrote as coherently about design'. Nelson expressed his thoughts on design topics in numerous articles and eleven books; his seminal treatise 'How to See' was recently reissued in a new edition by Phaidon. In addition to his position as Design Director at Herman Miller, Nelson opened his own design office in 1947, George Nelson Associates, Inc., collaborating with such outstanding employees as Irving Harper, Ernest Farmer, Gordon Chadwick, George Tscherny and Don Ervin to create countless products and objects, some of which are now considered as icons of mid-century modernism. His architectural work included several private residences. The Sherman Fairchild House (1941) attracted considerable attention, while the Experimental House was an example of his interest in prefabricated building and flexible floor plans. George Nelson died in New York in 1986. His estate, held by the Vitra Design Museum, consists of roughly 7400 manuscripts, plans, drawings, photographs and slides dating from 1924 to 1984. In 2008/09, the Vitra Design Museum mounted the exhibition 'George Nelson – Architect, Writer, Designer, Teacher.
at Herman Miller, Nelson opened his own design firm in 1947, George Nelson Associates, Inc., collaborating with such outstanding employees as Irving Harper, Ernest Farmer, Gordon Chadwick, George Tscherny and Don Ervin to create countless products and objects, some of which are now considered icons of mid-century modernism. His architectural works include numerous private residences. The Sherman Fairchild House (1941) attracted considerable attention, while the Experimental House was an example of his interest in prefabricated and flexible floor plans.
George Nelson died in New York in 1986. His estate, held by the Vitra Design Museum, consists of roughly 7400 manuscripts, plans, drawings, photographs and slides dating from 1924 to 1984. In 2008-2009, the Vitra Design Museum mounted the exhibition 'George Nelson – Architect, Writer, Designer, Teacher.
