Auswahl unserer Designer
- Andreas Engesvik
- Alexander Girard
- Antenna Desing
- Alexander Lorenz
- Brian Kane
- Bill Stumpf
- Bruce Burdick
- Bromme Jenkins
- Charles Pollock
- Cini Boeri
- Carol Catalano
- Charles and Ray Eames
- Daniel Korb
- Don Chadwick
- Dan Grabowski
- Eero Saarinen
- EOOS
- Edward Barber & Jay Osgerby
- forpeople
- Franco Albini
- Florence Knoll
- Formway Design
- Frank Gehry
- George Nelson
- Harry Bertoia
- Isamu Noguchi
- Jens Risom
- Jeff Weber
- Jonathan Crinion
- Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
- Marc Krusin
- Mark Newson
- Mark Goetz
- Marcel Breuer
- Markus Jehs and Jürgen Laub
- Naoto Fukasawa
- Observatory
- Piero Lissoni
- Ray Wilkes
- Sam Hecht and Kim Colin
- Studio 7.5
- Tim Wallace
- Warren Platner
- Ward Bennett
- Yves Béhar
Designers
Brian Kane
Products by Brian Kane
Brian Kane was first introduced to the world of industrial design by a secondary school guidance counsellor. “He pointed at his office chair, his phone, the clock, and said, ‘These were all designed by somebody,’”
recalls Kane.
After graduating from the University of Bridgeport in Connecticut and spending a year in New York working on designing appliances, Kane and his wife headed for Milan, Italy, where he literally knocked on doors. One opened – architect Silvio Coppola’s – and it changed his life. “Seeing his passion for design was a real head turner for me,” says Kane, who decided that furniture design was what he wanted to pursue.
He returned to New York after a year and took a position with Atelier International (ai). In 1977 he joined the Metropolitan Furniture Corporation (Metro), later becoming one of the owning partners. While at Metro, he became involved in manufacturing, another key learning experience. “It’s such an integral part of what we do,” he explains.
In 1989, Kane established the Kane Design Studio in San Francisco, where he focused on what he loves most of all: seating. “It’s all about comfort and innovation,” he says. “I have always attempted to explore materials and processes and use them in ways that add an element of detail that is unique. I’d call myself a minimalist; I strive for simplification in both form and manufacturing.”
When developing Herman Miller’s Swoop lounge furniture line, Kane drew on his experience as a teacher at the California College of Art, where he observed how students interact with furniture. “They don’t really sit in a chair; they sprawl, they lie, they perch. With their iPods and computers, they can be totally tuned out in a busy environment as long as they’re comfortable.
“I have always attempted to explore materials and processes and use them in ways that add an element of detail that is unique.”
– Brian Kane
“I tried to respond to that form-wise, with ‘swooping’ curves that people can throw their arms or legs over and still be comfortable and well-supported,” he says.
Although Kane is probably best known for his lounge and office seating, his benches can be found all over the country, from New York City to San Francisco. “My relatives are always sending pictures of themselves sitting on one of my benches in New York,” he laughs.
His designs have won over 80 awards and have been exhibited at the Whitney and Brooklyn Museums in New York and the Museum of Modern Art in San Francisco. He says he is especially proud to now have his products sitting alongside those of Charles Eames and George Nelson in Herman Miller showrooms. “For me, that’s as good as it gets.”
Office/Studio
Kane Design Studio
San Francisco, California
Awards/Recognition
Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA) IDEA Awards
Rubber Chair Collection, 1984
Manhattan Collection (Metro), 1988
Pacifica Lounge Collection (Metro), 1990
Showroom (Wieland), 1994
Exhibit (Landscapeforms), 1995
Xorel Chair (Carnegie Textiles), 1997
ID Magazine Design Review
Sonoma Bench (Landscapeforms), 2003
