Willy Guhl Modular Concrete Bookcase, 1960s

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About the Item

A set of 4 sculptural concrete bookcase elements by Swiss architect Willy Guhl, produced in Switzerland in the 1960s by Eternit. The cubes can be arranged in various ways and is a wonderful sculptural display piece. They can also be used as side tables. We have 16 modular elements available in total, find our other listings in our 1stDibs storefront.
The elements show wear and traces of use in accordance to their age. One of the four elements shows a surface crack but is still structurally strong, see photos for detail.

1 element measures (HxWxD): 32x32x45cm
1 element measures: 32x32x41cm
1 element measures: 32x32x40cm
1 element measures: 32x32x36cmCreator: Willy Guhl (Designer)Dimensions: Height: 50.01 in (127 cm)Width: 12.6 in (32 cm)Depth: 17.72 in (45 cm)Sold As: Set of 4Style: Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)Materials and Techniques: Concrete,OtherPlace of Origin: SwitzerlandPeriod: 1960-1969Date of Manufacture: 1960sCondition: FairWear consistent with age and use.Seller Location: Balen, BEReference Number: 1stDibs: LU8743243032162Shop All Willy Guhl

Willy Guhl

Decades prior to the mass popularity of neo-industrial cement floors and furniture taking shape, there was Willy Guhl. The Swiss creative is considered one of the first industrial designers in his home country. He pioneered a rugged, organic style of modern furniture and decor stylish planters, shapely seating and lots more that remains widely coveted by many today.

Guhl was born in 1915 in Stein am Rhein and worked as a carpenter before beginning studies at the Zurich School of Applied Arts (known today as the Zurich University of the Arts), where he would go on to teach for nearly 40 years.

While Guhl is well-known for his range of provocative garden elements as well as his patio and outdoor furniture, todays legion of mid-century modern enthusiasts are likely familiar with the designers iconic Loop chair (introduced in 1954). For this sculptural seat and other furnishings, Guhl tended toward industrial materials, which he bent and shaped into organic forms for a striking juxtaposition. Much of his work is crafted from either concrete or Eternit, a mixture of cement and asbestos developed by the Belgian company Etex, which, in the 1950s, commissioned Guhl and his students at the School of Applied Arts to conceive planters in the material. The resulting vessels some hourglass-shaped, some in the form of handkerchiefs, all suitable for indoors or exteriors remain some of Guhls most collectible pieces.

Guhls affiliation with the Swiss neo-functional movement centered on the idea of simplifying design without sacrificing form. According to Guhl, his mission was achieving the most with the minimum of effort.

In addition to his work as a designer, Guhl left his mark on subsequent creatives through his 39-year tenure at his alma mater, where he was instructor to the likes of Robert Haussmann, Kurt Thut and Bruno Rey. Modern-day shoppers at IKEA owe Guhl a debt of gratitude too. He was an early advocate of flat-pack furniture, championing its ability to make good design more widely accessible.

At its core, though, Guhls work was inherently human-centric: At the center of my efforts, I put people and their living requirements, he once said. My products must be useful to people. Guhl died in 2004 at the age of 89.

Find a range of vintage Willy Guhl furniture and decorative objects on 1stDibs.