Marcel Breuer

1902 (Pécs, Hungary) – 1981 (New York)

Breuer was one of the key modernist architects, and a highly influential furniture designer. In Hungary he belonged to a circle with strong links to van Doesburg and de Stijl. Gropius became his mentor, friend and colleague first at the Bauhaus, and later in the U.S. Moholy taught with him, and briefly lived in the same London block. He met Corbusier in Paris, designed an apartment building for Giedion in Zürich, and named a chair after his colleague Kandinsky. He was friends with Calder, taught Johnson and Pei, collaborated with Nervi, and redesigned Piscator’s apartment in modern style (complete with punchbag).