Hermanmiller Nelson Platform Bench

Fri Oct 20, 2023BenchNormal WoodGeorge Nelson

NELSON PLATFORM BENCH

NELSON PLATFORM BENCH

A bench that carries weight

Originally launched in 1947, the Nelson Platform Bench is aesthetically pleasing and functionally frank—a place to take a seat, wherever called for, just as George Nelson intended.

DESIGNER

GEORGE NELSON

“Design is a response to social change.”

When writing about the course of his remarkable 50-year career, George Nelson described a series of creative “zaps”—moments of out-of-the-blue inspiration “when the solitary individual finds he is connected with a reality he never dreamed of.”

An early zap came in the 1930s, when he was an architectural student in Rome. Before returning home, an idea struck him: He would travel Europe and interview leading modern architects, hoping to get the articles published in the U.S.

He succeeded, and in the process introduced the U.S. design community to the European avant-garde. This set in motion a sequence of what he called “lucky”career breaks that were really the inevitable outcomes of his brilliance as a designer, teacher, and author.

The first break was being named an editor of Architectural Forum magazine. Working on a story there in 1942, he was looking at aerial photos of blighted cities when—zap!—he developed the concept of the downtown pedestrian mall, which was unveiled in the Saturday Evening Post.

Soon after, another zap led to the Storagewall, the first modular storage system and a forerunner of systems furniture. The Storagewall was showcased in a 1945 Lifemagazine article, causing a sensation in the furniture industry. Herman Miller founder D.J.

FEATURES

ENDURING DESIGN

Nelson was an architect before becoming a designer, and the bench’s rectilinear lines reflect his architectural sensibilities, as well as his insistence that a design should make an honest visual statement about an object’s purpose. It’s available in three lengths with polished chrome or ebonized wood legs.

SPIRITED PRACTICALITY

The aptly named platform bench earns its keep through functionality. It can be used as a foundation for the Basic Cabinet Series; a coffee table for books, laptops, and beverages; or a seat. Add a pillow or a Nelson Platform Bench Cushion to make the bench more comfortable.

OUTSTANDING CRAFTSMANSHIP

The bench’s flawless design is matched by close attention to detail in manufacturing. Solid wood slats that have been sorted into aesthetically pleasing combinations are assembled by hand and sealed with a clear-coat finish. The slats settle neatly into lap joints, making the bench as durable as it is arresting.