George Nelson often stood out as a graphic designer in his creations. When he designed the Zoo Timers clocks, produced by Vitra, in 1965, he depicted figures from the animal world in bright colours and turned them into stylised and fun homeware items. Each animal has a name: Omar the Owl, Elihu the Elephant and Fernando the Fish. Zoo Timers are pieces with timeless appeal that brighten up the house and help children to learn the time while having fun.
Colour
purple
Material
wood
Dimensions
l 32cm x D 5cm x H 32cm
Finish
wood laminate, Polychrome printing, Sheet metal hand
Born in Connecticut in 1908, George Nelson studied architecture at Yale University before obtaining a scholarship to study at the American Academy in Rome. From 1935 to 1944, he was a member of the editorial board of the Architectural Forum. He was then spotted by the head of the Herman Miller furniture company, where he was subsequently appointed Director of Design until 1972. George Nelson set up his own agency in 1947 and designed numerous products that are considered icons of modernism. At the same time, he began working with Vitra in 1957. His iconic creations, which include a wide range of furniture, lighting and clocks, include the Coconut Chair, the Marshmallow Sofa and the Bubble hanging lamps. Particular attention is paid to the choice of materials and lightness. On his death in 1986 in New York, the archives of George Nelson, considered to be the founder of American modernism, were donated to the Vitra Design Museum.
2.
VITRA
Vitra was founded in 1950 by Willi Fehlbaum and Erika Fehlbaum. The design furniture company Vitra is located near Basel, Switzerland. Starting in 1981, the Vitra brand expanded and opened numerous subsidiaries around the world. The founders discovered the Vitra armchairs, including the Eames armchairs, the Vitra tables, and the office chairs created by Charles and Ray Eames, Antonio Citterio, and the Bouroullec brothers. They were instantly captivated and subsequently requested a license to produce these furniture pieces in Europe. In 1956, Vitra acquired this license, which became one of the cornerstones of the brand’s success.