A first-generation Dutch industrial designer
Friso Kramer was a Dutch interior architect whose designs had a major influence on the development of modern Dutch design. He studied in Amsterdam in the Netherlands and, after graduating, worked for renowned architecture practices.
In 1953, he designed what is probably his best-known piece of furniture, the Revolt chair. Its shape was clearly influenced by the chairs in Charles & Ray Eames's Plywood Group. However, instead of the usual bent tubular steel, Kramer made the base of his chair from folded sheet steel. This method was inexpensive and easy to produce, which is why Revolt was one of the first chairs that could be manufactured industrially. The chair was a bestseller and quickly found its way into classrooms, offices and homes around the world.
His courage to experiment with innovative materials made him one of the first generation of Dutch industrial designers, and his work still influences many designers today. In 1979, Friso Kramer was named a 'Royal Designer for Industry' by the RSA (Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce).
