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, today’s legion of mid-century modern enthusiasts are likely familiar with the designer’s 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 Guhl’s most collectible pieces.
Guhl’s 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, Guhl’s 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.
Rectangular Balconia Planter Willy Guhl for Eternit, 1960s
By Willy Guhl
Located in Wichita, KS
Rectangular planter with lip by Swiss architect Willy Guhl for Eternit. Planter is made of cement and has good color and patina. Great lines and clean design. This planter would be m...
Concrete
Rectangular Balconia Planter Willy Guhl for Eternit, 1960s
By Willy Guhl
Located in Wichita, KS
Rectangular planter by Swiss architect Willy Guhl for Eternit. Planter is made of cement and has good color and patina. Great lines and clean design. This planter would be magnificen...
Concrete
Willy Guhl Tilted Soup Cup Planter
By Willy Guhl
Located in Wichita, KS
An iconic 'Soup Cup' Tilted Saucer Planter by Swiss Architect Willy Guhl for Eternit. This planter is equally beautiful indoors or out as a stand alone sculpture. The design is high...
Concrete
Willy Guhl Trapezoid Planter, Fiber Concrete, Mid-Century Modern, 1960
By Willy Guhl
Located in Wichita, KS
Rare vintage square taper trapezoid shaped Willy Guhl planter. This shape is not common and hard to find. wonderful handles on the Side and great patina. Would make a lovely planter inside or out. sold individually. One planter has a smoother gray exterior and probably has not been painted over the years. The other has a bit more patina. Together the two blend nicely. one also has a hairline in the concrete in the upper corner on one side. To view all of our listings at Tiffany...
Concrete
Willy Guhl Disc Planter with Base, Mid-Century Modern, Switzerland
By Willy Guhl
Located in Wichita, KS
Willy Guhl fiber-cement planters for Eternit of Switzerland. The planter is a two-piece ensemble: a wide, yet shallow bowl (31 ¼” in diameter x 9 ¼” deep) sitting in a low, conical b...
Cement
Willy Guhl Wide Diablo Planter by Eternit, Mid-Century Concrete
By Willy Guhl
Located in Wichita, KS
Willy Guhl Diablo Planter - After opening his first design studio in 1939 at the age of 24, Swiss-born Willy Guhl (1915-2004) went on to become a leading industrial inventor, educato...
Concrete
Willy Guhl for Eternit Large Rectangle Window / Balcony Concrete Planter, Signed
By Willy Guhl, Eternit
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This designer on-trend architectural 23.5" long rectangular concrete planter is by Swiss architect Willy Guhl for Eternit, crafted in the 1960s and 1970s Switzerland and signed and dated underneath, circa 1968. This special low-profile and rare long sized rectangle-shaped concrete planter has a patinated natural exterior finish and organic aging over decades of UK climate. Excellent planter size for a variety of various uses such as succulents, plants, weeping grass with the planter on a stand, window or balcony privacy hedge, or any other outdoor decorative use. Consider using this Willy Guhl Concrete Planter Pot in a Architectural, Postmodern, Mid-Century Modern, Scandinavian Modern or Danish modern garden, yard or penthouse apartment balcony but could also look fantastic in a Contemporary or Zen / Minimalism setting. Also consider mixing it up in a Traditional, Transitional, Classical or Art Deco space with a splash of juxtaposition. Would also be an apt choice in a commercial project such as an outdoor hotel lobby lounge or members club, creative design studio or high-rise executive office balcony. MEASUREMENTS: H 6.875" x W 23.5" x D 6.875" CONDITION: Sturdy and structurally sound. Has beautiful antiquing and patina throughout from decades of organic aging which can include minor chipping, stains or other blemishes however this lightly distressed look is common, expected and desirable for these early production originals. Some examples may display light...
Concrete
Rectangular Planter by Willy Guhl for Eternit, Switzerland, 1950s
By Eternit, Willy Guhl
Located in Nürnberg, Bayern
Willy Guhl designed for Eternit, Switzerland. These planters are made from fiberated cement that is lightweight, strong and durable in all climates. The typical signs of use an...
Cement
rectangular 39" mid century fiber cement PLANTER willy guhl era
Located in Mannheim, DE
Rectangular planter made of stone grey fiber cement. Marked Fulgurit. Matches perfectly to the famous Willy Guhl Spindel planter. Decade of...
Cement
Willy Guhl for Eternit Large Rectangle Concrete Outdoor Planter, 1968, Signed
By Eternit, Willy Guhl
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This designer on-trend architectural rectangular concrete planter is by Swiss architect Willy Guhl for Eternit, crafted in 1968 Switzerlan...
Concrete
Willy Guhl for Eternit Large Rectangle Concrete Outdoor Planter, 1970s, Signed
By Willy Guhl, Eternit
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This designer on-trend architectural rectangular concrete planter is by Swiss architect Willy Guhl for Eternit, crafted in the 1970s Switz...
Concrete
Willy Guhl for Eternit Large Rectangle Concrete Outdoor Planter, 1970s, Signed
By Eternit, Willy Guhl
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This designer on-trend architectural 25.75" long rectangular concrete planter is by Swiss architect Willy Guhl for Eternit, crafted in the 1970s Switzerland and signed and dated underneath. This special low-profile and rare long sized rectangle-shaped concrete planter has a patinated natural exterior finish and organic aging over decades of UK climate. Excellent planter size for a variety of various uses such as succulents, plants, weeping grass with the planter on a Stand, balcony privacy hedge, or any other outdoor decorative use. Consider using this Willy Guhl Concrete Planter Pot...
Concrete
