Harry Bertoia designed the Diamond Chair for Knoll in 1952. Its wide, concave seat is formed from a network of welded steel rods, carried on a separate sled base. The open grid allows light and the surrounding room to remain visible through the chair.
Hans and Florence Knoll encouraged Bertoia to experiment without requiring him to begin with a furniture design. His account of the process describes working directly with wire and testing shapes against the body. The resulting chair retains the character of a spatial study while providing a defined place to sit.
The seat rises at its outer corners and narrows toward the front, giving the outline its diamond-like shape. An upholstered pad can cover the seating area, while a full cover changes the appearance more substantially.
The Diamond belongs to a larger group of Bertoia wire seating that includes a side chair, barstool and high-backed forms. It expands the archive’s view of metal furniture, using repeated slender rods to describe a volume rather than relying on a solid shell.
