Unexpected style. Unmistakably Wright. Inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright’s midcentury Usonian ideals, the Rockford Collection by Steelcase are shaped by the architect’s progressive vision of great design for everyone.
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Rockford Collection
Intentional design and sympathetic geometric silhouettes come forward in the reintroduction of an exceptional lounge chair and a collection of reinterpreted companion pieces, inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright’s famed Laurent house in Rockford, Illinois.
In 1952, Wright completed one of his most meaningful Usonian homes for Phyllis and Kenneth Laurent. Embodying his organic principles and tailored to the unique needs of a disabled veteran, this is the only home in Wright’s portfolio designed to be wheelchair accessible.
The simple, usable and light-filled open plan of this “little gem” of a house is mirrored in Wright’s furniture of the era, combining functionality with lively shapes and clean, nesting modularity. For the Rockford Collection, these themes are at the heart of furniture that is meant to be seen and combined in the round.
Rockford Collection Features
DESIGN IN THE ROUND
The Frank Lloyd Wright Rockford Collection revisits the purposeful geometry and modern engineering of Wright’s Usonian style to create striking shapes that appeal – and can be accessed – from any angle.
MODERN MATERIALITY
Wright was an early pioneer in working with plywood, which he favored for its accessibility and affordability. The Rockford Collection celebrates the intrinsic character of plywood and its exposed natural grain – expressing the beauty of this material, with all its layers visible on the beveled edges of the tables – rather than covering it with a hardwood veneer.
UPDATED COMFORT
The seat depth and proportions of the curving lounge back, and the larger, squared reshaping of its loose back pillow, have been thoughtfully updated to accommodate modern comfort.
BEAUTY AND UTILITY
According to Wright’s original design concepts, tables with nesting ottomans allow for space saving and easy configuration.
Open image tooltipGreat Design. For Everyone.
Making great design available to everyone defined Frank Lloyd Wright’s midcentury, Usonian period in architecture and furniture. Explore how, through our creative collaboration with the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, the Steelcase design team translated the unexpected style and unmistakable vision of Wright’s Usonian work into distinctive, modern furniture for today’s home and workplace.
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Photo Credit: Courtesy of the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation Archives (The Museum of Modern Art | Avery Architectural & Fine Arts Library, Columbia University, New York). All Rights Reserved.