Harry Bertoia
(1915-1978)

 

 

Harry Bertoia designed these small "Diamond" chairs, in black or white, with steel wire frames. Bertoia was a contemporary of Charles Eames and a student of Eero Saarinen at the Cranbrook Academy in the 1930s. The "Diamond" chair was designed in 1952. The seat, arms and back are one multi curved, basket-shaped lattice suspended over a substructure of steel rods. As Bertoia pointed out, the chair is made largely of air - space passes right through it. Knoll Associates produced this icon of Modernity.

 

 

 

Photo credit: Bernadine Dodge
Bertoia chair

 

 

"The Crypt" at Rubidge Hall

Bertoia chairs at Rubidge Hall

Bertoia wire side chair

Photo credit: Bernadine Dodge

These "Diamond" side chairs were chosen for the student lounge, "The Crypt", in Rubidge Hall. Several, with removable wool pads, were also purchased for the staff lounge in Bata Library in 1969. By 1989, a few examples were located in Bata Library, but, 10 years later, they were being indiscriminately discarded. When this was discovered, a few were rescued and are temporarily stored at Trent University Archives.