Square Planter by Willy Guhl, Switzerland 1950s
About the Item
- Creator:Eternit (Maker),Willy Guhl (Designer)
- Dimensions:Height: 7.88 in (20 cm)Width: 18.71 in (47.5 cm)Depth: 18.71 in (47.5 cm)
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1950s
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use. minimal signs of use.
- Seller Location:Nürnberg, DE
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU4443238458832
Willy Guhl
Decades prior to the mass popularity of neo-industrial cement floors and furniture taking shape, there was Willy Guhl. The Swiss creative is considered one of the first “industrial” designers in his home country. He pioneered a rugged, organic style of modern furniture and decor — stylish planters, shapely seating and lots more — that remains widely coveted by many today.
Guhl was born in 1915 in Stein am Rhein and worked as a carpenter before beginning studies at the Zurich School of Applied Arts (known today as the Zurich University of the Arts), where he would go on to teach for nearly 40 years.
While Guhl is well-known for his range of provocative garden elements as well as his patio and outdoor furniture, today’s legion of mid-century modern enthusiasts are likely familiar with the designer’s iconic Loop chair (introduced in 1954). For this sculptural seat and other furnishings, Guhl tended toward industrial materials, which he bent and shaped into organic forms for a striking juxtaposition. Much of his work is crafted from either concrete or Eternit, a mixture of cement and asbestos developed by the Belgian company Etex, which, in the 1950s, commissioned Guhl and his students at the School of Applied Arts to conceive planters in the material. The resulting vessels — some hourglass-shaped, some in the form of handkerchiefs, all suitable for indoors or exteriors — remain some of Guhl’s most collectible pieces.
Guhl’s affiliation with the Swiss “neo-functional” movement centered on the idea of simplifying design without sacrificing form. According to Guhl, his mission was “achieving the most with the minimum of effort.”
In addition to his work as a designer, Guhl left his mark on subsequent creatives through his 39-year tenure at his alma mater, where he was instructor to the likes of Robert Haussmann, Kurt Thut and Bruno Rey. Modern-day shoppers at IKEA owe Guhl a debt of gratitude too. He was an early advocate of flat-pack furniture, championing its ability to make good design more widely accessible.
At its core, though, Guhl’s work was inherently human-centric: “At the center of my efforts, I put people and their living requirements,” he once said. “My products must be useful to people.” Guhl died in 2004 at the age of 89.
Find a range of vintage Willy Guhl furniture and decorative objects on 1stDibs.
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: Nürnberg, Germany
- Return PolicyA return for this item may be initiated within 14 days of delivery.
- Square Planter by Willy Guhl, Switzerland 1950sBy Eternit, Willy GuhlLocated in Nürnberg, BayernVery nice patina. We have a total of six of the same type and many other models by Willy Guhl. Swiss designer Willy Guhl (1915-2004) was well known for his weather resistant plante...Category
Vintage 1950s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Planters and Jardinieres
MaterialsCement
- Square Planter by Willy Guhl, Switzerland 1950sBy Eternit, Willy GuhlLocated in Nürnberg, BayernVery nice patina. We have a total of six of the same type and many other models by Willy Guhl. Swiss designer Willy Guhl (1915-2004) was well known for his weather resistant plante...Category
Vintage 1950s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Planters and Jardinieres
MaterialsCement
- Square Planter by Willy Guhl, Switzerland 1950sBy Eternit, Willy GuhlLocated in Nürnberg, BayernVery nice patina. We have a total of six of the same type and many other models by Willy Guhl. Swiss designer Willy Guhl (1915-2004) was well known for his weather resistant plante...Category
Vintage 1950s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Planters and Jardinieres
MaterialsCement
- Square Planter by Willy Guhl, Switzerland 1950sBy Eternit, Willy GuhlLocated in Nürnberg, BayernVery nice patina. We have a total of six of the same type and many other models by Willy Guhl. Swiss designer Willy Guhl (1915-2004) was well known for his weather resistant plante...Category
Vintage 1950s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Planters and Jardinieres
MaterialsCement
- Square Planter by Willy Guhl, Switzerland 1950sBy Eternit, Willy GuhlLocated in Nürnberg, BayernVery nice patina. We have a total of six of the same type and many other models by Willy Guhl. Swiss designer Willy Guhl (1915-2004) was well known for his weather resistant plante...Category
Vintage 1950s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Planters and Jardinieres
MaterialsCement
- Rectangular Planter by Willy Guhl for Eternit, Switzerland, 1950sBy Eternit, Willy GuhlLocated in Nürnberg, BayernWilly Guhl designed for Eternit Switzerland. These planters are made from fiberated cement that is lightweight, strong and durable in all climates. The typical signs of use and...Category
Vintage 1950s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Planters and Jardinieres
MaterialsCement
- Architectonic spindle planter by Willy Guhl for Eternit, Switzerland 1950sBy Eternit, Anton Bee, Willy GuhlLocated in ECHT, NLMid century spindle planter. designed by Anton Bee and Willy Guhl. Manufactured by Eternit SA, Switzerland in the 1950s. The planter is made from fibre reinforced cement. It has been...Category
Mid-20th Century European Space Age Planters and Jardinieres
MaterialsCement
- Diabolo Planter by Willy Guhl & Anton Bee for Eternit Switzerland 1950sBy Eternit, Anton Bee, Willy GuhlLocated in PARIS, FRAttributed to Anton Bee and Willy Guhl for Eternit. In 1951, eternity ag sought to collaborate with outside designers and asked willy guhl and his students to work on new plant conta...Category
Vintage 1950s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Planters and Jardinieres
MaterialsCement
- Willy Guhl Small Bowl Planter, 1950s, SwitzerlandBy Willy GuhlLocated in Los Angeles, CARare 1950s planter bowl designed by Swiss neo-functionalist and Industrial Design Pioneer Willy Guhl for Eternit in Switzerland. Sculpted from fiber cement which has slowly weathere...Category
Vintage 1950s Swiss Industrial Planters and Jardinieres
MaterialsCement
- Willy Guhl Eternit Planters, Switzerland, 1960sBy Eternit, Willy GuhlLocated in Antwerp, BEBrutalist and minimalist planters, Willy Guhl, Switzerland, 1960s 3 similar size rectangular planters are available + 1 larger (see other listings) Willy Guhl was a pioneering Swis...Category
Vintage 1960s Swiss Brutalist Planters and Jardinieres
MaterialsConcrete
- Willy Guhl White Basin Planter, 1960s SwitzerlandBy Willy Guhl, EternitLocated in Los Angeles, CALarge concrete planter by Willy Guhl in a cream paint with light patina. Low profile bin with a large diameter and 25" depth. Sturdy and substa...Category
Vintage 1960s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Planters and Jardinieres
MaterialsConcrete
- Willy Guhl Olive Jar Planter, 1960s SwitzerlandBy Eternit, Willy GuhlLocated in Los Angeles, CAConcrete olive jar planter by Willy Guhl with great patina and prominent presence. Simple and elegant design perfect for any garden or patio. Excellent vintage condition. One availab...Category
Vintage 1960s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Planters and Jardinieres
MaterialsConcrete