Florence Knoll is an American architect and furniture designer. Florence Knoll’s design flair began at the age of 14 when she designed her first home. A minimalist to the core, she pioneered the concept of open plan living and working spaces. The question Knoll asked prior to the design phase of the Classic Knoll Sofa & Chair: How can a piece of furniture support luxurious upholstery, yet take up as little space as possible? Her American interpretation of minimalist, rationalist design theories is clearly evident in her pieces. In her early years, Knoll studied under Mies van der Rohe. Some say a quick glance at the Knoll Sofa and Chair reveals the influence of Mies van der Rohe via his iconic Barcelona Lounge Chair. It is true that both the Knoll sofa and chair share a similar square button impressed cushion design. Some argue that Knoll Sofa and Love seat is the expression in full scale living room furniture what the Barcelona design is to the lounge category.