1966 Collection

Knoll. Inc. is a design-led company that produces office systems, seating, filing and shelving, tables and desks, and textiles (KnollTextiles). It produces home furnishings by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Harry Bertoia, Florence Knoll (Florence Schust), Frank Gehry, Maya Lin, and Eero Saarinen under the company's KnollStudio division. In 2011, Knoll received the prestigious National Design Award for Corporate and Institutional Achievement from the Smithsonian's Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum. The award honors design excellence and the public impact of Knoll's body of work.

Richard Schultz is a key figure in Knoll's history. After studying mechanical engineering and design, he joined Knoll in 1951, collaborating with Harry Bertoia on the development of the Wire Collection. He spent 18 months in Europe overseeing the production of Bertoia's designs for Knoll, then joining the Design Development Group in Pennsylvania. Schultz is best known for his outdoor furniture. His elegant Petal Table (1960) won Industrial Design magazine's award, while the 715 Chaise Lounge (1961) entered MoMA's permanent collection. In 1966, responding to a request from Florence Knoll, he created the Leisure Collection in aluminum, resistant to the marine climate. After leaving Knoll, Schultz continued his successful career, designing outdoor collections for his own studio. In 2012, Knoll acquired Richard Schultz Design, relaunching many of its iconic pieces.