Warren Platner was an American architect and designer who helped introduce a more decorative and sculptural approach to modern furniture. He studied architecture at Cornell University and worked with influential architects including Eero Saarinen and Kevin Roche early in his career.

Platner is best known for his collaboration with Knoll, which produced the celebrated Platner Collection in 1966. The collection—featuring lounge chairs, dining chairs, tables, and stools—uses hundreds of welded steel rods to create elegant, cylindrical bases that are both structural and decorative. Blending craftsmanship with modernist principles, Platner’s designs brought a sense of softness and refinement to modern furniture and remain enduring icons of mid-century design.