Marcel Breuer

Architect and furniture designer Marcel Breuer was born in Pecs, Hungary on May 22, 1902. He created modernist designs throughout his career. Breuer was influenced by the works of architects Le Corbusier, Mies van der Rohe and Walter Gropius. He studied and taught at the Bauhaus in Weimar and Dessau in the 1920s. In addition, Breuer created tubular steel furniture, one big residence, two apartment houses, some shop interiors and several competition entries before joining Gropus in 1935. At this time, Breuer created many pieces for the Isokon Furniture Company, including plywood tables and stacking chairs.

In 1937, Breuer joined Harvard University's architecture faculty. He and Gropus helped revolutionize American home design, educating students about the modernist aesthetic. Breuer went out on his own in 1946 and focused primarily on residential buildings. In 1952, however, Breuer was commissioned to create the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris. In 1954, he also started working on several buildings for Saint John’s Abbey in Collegeville, Minnesota. And over the course of the next few years, Breuer helped craft New York's Whitney Museum, IBM's La Gaude Laboratory and the headquarters of the Departments of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and Health, Education and Welfare (HEW).

In 1968, Breuer won the AIA’s Gold Medal. Furthermore, he was the recipient of the Jefferson Foundation Medal that cited him "among all the living architects of the world as excelling all others in the quality of his work." Breuer ultimately retired in 1976. He passed away on July 1, 1976 due to illness.

Architect and furniture designer Marcel Breuer was born in Pecs, Hungary on May 22, 1902. He created modernist designs throughout his career.

Breuer was influenced by the works of architects Le Corbusier, Mies van der Rohe and Walter Gropius. He studied and taught at the Bauhaus in Weimar and Dessau in the 1920s. In addition, Breuer created tubular steel furniture, one big residence, two apartment houses, some shop interiors and several competition entries before joining Gropus in 1935. At this time, Breuer created many pieces for the Isokon Furniture Company, including plywood tables and stacking chairs.

In 1937, Breuer joined Harvard University's architecture faculty. He and Gropus helped revolutionize American home design, educating students about the modernist aesthetic.

Breuer went out on his own in 1946 and focused primarily on residential buildings. In 1952, however, Breuer was commissioned to create the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris. In 1954, he also started working on several buildings for Saint John's Abbey in Collegeville, Minnesota. And over the course of the next few years, Breuer helped craft New York's Whitney Museum, IBM's La Gaude Laboratory and the headquarters of the Departments of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and Health, Education and Welfare (HEW).

In 1968, Breuer won the AIA's Gold Medal. Furthermore, he was the recipient of the Jefferson Foundation Medal that cited him "among all the living architects of the world as excelling all others in the quality of his work."

Breuer ultimately retired in 1976. He passed away on July 1, 1976 due to illness.