Eero Saarinen’s Tulip Armchair formed part of the Pedestal collection introduced by Knoll in 1957. It addressed the visual congestion of conventional chair and table legs by gathering the support into one central stem. The seat and base read as a continuous sculptural profile.
That apparent unity conceals two materials. The seat shell is molded fiberglass, while the base is cast aluminum with a painted finish. A separate upholstered cushion sits within the shell. Its rounded back and projecting arms contain the sitter without interrupting the sweep of the upper edge.
The collection pairs the chair with tables using the same pedestal principle. Knoll also offers a swiveling version of the chair, allowing the seat to turn while its broad circular foot remains in place.
Saarinen’s friendship with Florence Knoll began at Cranbrook and developed into a long design collaboration. The Tulip extends his interest in integrated form: construction is carefully resolved, yet the finished object presents a simple outline rather than an assembly of separate legs, rails and back supports.
