Paul Frankl Skyscraper Furniture

Frankl early skyscraper cabinet 1926.

Paul frankl skyscraper furniture.

Although he rose to fame among modernists like ludwig mies van der rohe or le cobusier paul frankl s refusal to be creatively boxed led to an eclectic body of work that dwarfs most contemporaries after moving to new york from austria in 1914 paul introduced his. Frankl immigrated to new york in 1914 and established his own gallery. Prolific and protean frankl would go on to design furnishings that are emblematic of nearly every key stylistic chord in american modernism. Frankl opened frankl galleries on 48th street calling his company skyscraper furniture which became an epicenter of american modernism including modern textiles and wallpapers imported from europe.

Frankl american by the 1920s the skyscraper was a symbol of american modernity. Paul frankl for john stuart furniture mid century modern pair of twin headboards floridamodern. There he began to design interiors and champion the skyscraper as a source of a uniquely american modernist vision. Together with his friend joseph urban he laid the foundations of the american tradition of modern decoration.

By the 1920s. His first great success the skyscraper furniture line created when he was in new york epitomizes the city. The impetus behind the skyscraper cabinet however was distinctly rural. In the 1920s he introduced his celebrated skyscraper style before turning to metal furnishings in the 1930s.

5 out of 5 stars 164 164 reviews 595 00. Everything you need to know about the differences between los angeles and new york can be found in the works by paul frankl. The term skyscraper was first introduced in the late 19th century to describe buildings employing new techniques of steel framed construction that stood at over 10 stories. Born in vienna paul frankl came to the united states in 1914 as part of a wave of central european design luminaries among them kem weber rudolph schindler and richard neutra who were drawn by the energy and optimism of the american scene.

Frankl skyscraper desk 1927. From shop floridamodern. Here frankl uses maple wood and bakelite to suggest the jagged upward reaching outline of a new york skyscraper. Skyscraper furniture paul t.

The pieces are tall cabinets with staggered shelves meant to mimic the jagged setbacks of manhattan. Frankl art architecture design. Trained as an architect in vienna and berlin paul t. Paul frankl furniture designs remain popular today.

In the early 1930s frankl relocated to los angeles and moved beyond the art deco realm. Dubbed the skyscraper series the tall slender desks chests of drawers and dressers and cupboards remain some of frankl s best known designs. Also known as the designer who put the bam in bamboo paul frankl ranks among design insiders best kept secrets. Frankl spent the summer of 1925.