About Breuer (1902–1981)

One of the most influential architects and designers of the 20th Century, Marcel Lajos Breuer was born in Pécs, Hungary, in 1902. An interest in art led him to Germany's Bauhaus school, where he studied and taught until 1928, specializing in furniture design. With his Bauhaus colleagues, Breuer explored the principles of unit construction (combining standardized units into a technologically simple but functionally complex whole). During this time, he created furniture designs that are still fabricated and emulated today.

After 1928, Breuer's interest turned to architecture, a career he pursued across Europe to America. He taught at Harvard University and in 1964 established an architectural office in New York City. In the 1950s his reputation was enhanced with such commissions as the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris and the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York. During the following 20 years, his firm worked on projects ranging from the domestic to the monumental. His designs continue to influence the look of cities and interiors around the world.