2. BIOGRAPHY
George Nelson was born to Simeon and Lillian (nee Canterow)
Nelson on May 29th 1908 in Hartford, Connecticut, USA.
He spent his high school years at Hartford Public High School and
graduated in 1924 at the age of 16.
Studied architecture at Yale University.
He graduated in 1928, and after lecturing at the Yale School of Fine
Arts gained a bachelors degree of fine arts with honours in 1931.
He attended graduate studies at Catholic University in Washington,
D.C. and when graduating in 1932 received the renowned Rome
Prize providing him a two year stipend to spend at the American
Academy in Rome.
“The mission of the American Academy in Rome was, and still is to
foster the pursuit of advanced research and independent study in
the fine arts and humanities.”
He used this opportunity to travel extensively through Europe, to
learn Italian and most notably to meet and interview some of the
most prominent European Architects of the day.
3. INFLUENCES ON GEORGE NELSON
DESIGNERS IN EUROPE
In 1932 Nelson won a Prix de Rome and along with it two years of
study and travel in Europe, where he discovered the modern
movement of architecture.
After completing this study Nelson turned to writing due to a lack
of construction post-war and interviewed many designers of the
emerging modern movement, including:
Le Corbusier
Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
Walter Gropius
“everything that is worth anything is always modern
because it can’t be anything else” - George Nelson
4. D. J. DEPREE
DePree was the president of the
Herman Miller company.
Nelson initially turned down the
job DePree offered him, before
DePree came back six months
later after being unable to find
anyone more suitable.
Nelson saw him as a teacher as Nelson and DePree
he was his first real introduction
to industrial design.
5. FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT
Wright told Nelson architecture was “like a boy falling in
love with a girl”
“I followed him around like a puppy for about ten
years. He was my hero, I wanted his secret” - George
Nelson
Talliesin West, F. L. Wright
6. PEAK MOMENTS
Nelson said his inspiration came from
various defining moments throughout his
life, not necessarily from doing anything in
particular, but merely through being
exposed to something or someone.
Hedrew on these memories and
experiences (often unconsciously) to
provide solutions for his design ideas.
7. INTERESTING FACT
Despite his education in Architecture, he was
most famous for his product design.
George
Nelson’s
Storage Wall
8. CAREER AND WORK
Throughout his career George Nelson worked as:
Magazine writer on an architectural forum for ‘Pencil
Points’ (now progressive architecture), he later was promoted to
co-managing editor.
Produced two books; ‘Industrial Architecture’ and ‘Tomorrow’s
House.’
Was the recognised by Life magazine when they produced a
chapter article about his revolutionary storage wall.
Was approached by Herman Miller to become their director of
design.
George then went on to pioneer Office furniture and storage
systems and became a farther of American Modernism.
Herman Miller Logo designed by George Nelson
10. THE OPEN PLAN OFFICE
First introduce in 1964
Herman Miller’s most successful
series
Criticised as dehumanising
design
Action Office
Nelson Bullpen Drafts
11. FURNITURE TODAY
Nelson Platform Bench
Nelson Coconut
Lounge Chair
Nelson Basic Cabinet
12. REFERENCES
• Action Office [Photograph].(n.d) Retrieved April 10 2013 from www.hermanmiller.com/content/
hermanmiller/english/design-resources/images.html
• American Academy in Rome. (n.d.). About. Retrieved 10 April, 2013, from http://www.aarome.org/
about
• George Nelson Archive. (2005-2009). George Nelson (1908-1986), USA: Biography and More.
Retrieved 10 April, 2013, from http://www.georgenelson.org/georgenelsonbiography.html
• Gueft, O. (1975). George Nelson. Design Quarterly, 98/99, 10-19. Retrieved from http://
www.jstor.org/
• Herman Miller Logo. [Logo]. (n.d.) Retrieved from http://logok.org/herman-miller/
• Nelson and D.J. [Photograph]. (n.d.). Retrieved 7 April, 2013, from http://www2.hermanmiller.com/
discoveringdesign/#topic=19
• Nelson Basic Cabinet [Photograph].(n.d) Retrieved April 10 2013 from www.hermanmiller.com/
content/hermanmiller/english/design-resources/images.html
• Nelson Bullpen Drafts [Photograph].(n.d.). Retrieved April 10 2013 from http://
www.georgenelsonfoundation.org/george-nelson/works/basic-office-bullpen-509.html
• Nelson Coconut Lounge Chair [Photograph].(n.d) Retrieved April 10 2013 from
www.hermanmiller.com/content/hermanmiller/english/design-resources/images.html
13. REFERENCES CONTINUED
• Nelson, G. (1979). George Nelson On Design. New York: Whitney Library of Design.
• Nelson, G., & Vitra Design Museum. (2008). George Nelson: Architect, Writer, Designer,
Teacher. Weil am Rhein: Vitra Design Stiftung.
• Nelson Platform Bench [Photograph].(n.d) Retrieved April 10 2013 from
www.hermanmiller.com/content/hermanmiller/english/design-resources/images.html
• Ochsner, J. K. (2012). George Nelson: Architect, Writer, Designer, Teacher [exhibition
review]. Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians, 71(4), 577. doi: 10.1525/
jsah.2012.71.4.577
• Silberberg-Peirce, S. (1938). Talliesin West [Photograph]. Retrieved
from ARTstor database.
• Sling Sofa. [Photograph]. (n.d). Retrieved 10 April, 2013, from http://
www.georgenelsonfoundation.org/george-nelson/index.html#featured
• Time Inc. (1945, January 22). Storage Wall. Life Magazine. 18(4). 63-71. Retrieved from
http://books.google.ca/books?id=KVMEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA38&dq=life+magazine
+1945+22+jan&hl=en&ei=wXVeTfKHLIS8lQfs0MieDA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=book
-thumbnail&resnum=2&ved=0CD0Q6wEwAQ#v=onepage&q&f=false
• Tomorrow's House. [Photograph]. (1945) Retrieved from http://
www.georgenelsonfoundation.org/george-nelson/index.html#writing
14. CREDITS
Michael Kelly – Continuing Influences
Slides 10 & 11
Leon Du Plessis – Worked as/Famous for
Slides 8 & 9
Thomas Kay – Influences
Slides 3, 4, 5 & 6
Tessa Brownlee – Biography/Interesting Fact
Slides 1 & 7
