Florence Knoll

Florence Knoll
Born	Florence Schust (1917-05-24)May 24, 1917 Saginaw, Michigan, U.S.
Died	January 25, 2019(2019-01-25) (aged 101) Coral Gables, Florida, U.S.
Education	Kingswood School Cranbrook (for girls) Columbia University Architectural Association School of Architecture Illinois Institute of Technology
Occupation	Designer
Organization	Knoll, Inc.
Known for	Modernizing interior design for offices and workplaces
Style	Modernism
Spouses	Hans Knoll, 1946-1955 Harry Hood Bassett, 1958-1991
Awards	National Medal of Arts, 2003

Florence Marguerite Knoll Bassett (née Schust; May 24, 1917 – January 25, 2019) was an American architect, interior designer, furniture designer, and entrepreneur who has been credited with revolutionizing office design and bringing modernist design to office interiors. Knoll and her husband, Hans Knoll, built Knoll Associates into a leader in the fields of furniture and interior design. She worked to professionalize the field of interior design, fighting against gendered stereotypes of the decorator. She is known for her open office designs, populated with modernist furniture and organized rationally for the needs of office workers. Her modernist aesthetic was known for clean lines and clear geometries that were humanized with textures, organic shapes, and colour.