A leading figure of the modern movement and protégé of Bauhaus founder Walter Gropius, Marcel Breuer played a defining role in shaping both modern architecture and furniture design. Trained at the Bauhaus in the 1920s as a student and master carpenter, he embodied the movement’s core ambition to unite art and industry. During this time, Breuer pioneered tubular steel furniture—drawing inspiration from bicycle construction and local plumbing techniques—creating enduring icons such as the Wassily Chair.

Breuer later turned his focus to architecture, teaching at Harvard’s School of Design under Walter Gropius and establishing himself as one of the era’s most influential architects, including the design of the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York. Though he never worked directly for Knoll, his influence on the company was significant through mentorship and collaboration within the broader Bauhaus circle. His furniture collection, later acquired by Knoll via Gavina SpA, includes modern classics such as the Wassily Chair, Cesca Chair, and Laccio Tables—works that continue to define modern design today.