Warren Platner
Born in Baltimore in 1919, Warren Platner studied at the Cornell University of Architecture before landing jobs in the offices of some of the world’s most influential architects, including Raymond Loewy, I.M. Pei, and Eero Saarinen. After years under their tutelage, Platner struck out on his own, and in 1967, opened his firm, Platner Associates, in New Haven, Connecticut. Platner’s best known works are part of the “Platner Collection,” designed for Knoll in the 1960s. The innovative series featured chairs, ottomans, and coffee tables outfitted with sculptural bases made of steel rods. The collection remains in production today. Platner also helmed a number of major commissions during his career, namely Georg Jensen’s New York showroom and the Windows on the World Restaurant in the World Trade Center. In addition to furniture, Platner designed lighting, flooring, and window coverings. Warren Platner died in 2006 at the age of 86. Warren Platner furniture chairs tables & designs remain popular worldwide.