Michael van Beuren Benches
Michael van Beuren was born in New York and studied architecture at the Bauhaus under Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Josef Albers until its closure in 1933. He moved to Acapulco at the end of 1936, where he oversaw the design of the interiors of the bungalows at the renowned Flamingo Hotel in 1937, and quickly became a formative member of the Mexican Modernism movement.
By 1938, van Beuren began focusing on furniture design, working with a fellow Bauhaus colleague, Klaus Grabe, to create modern and affordable pieces. Inspired by the local culture and craftsmanship, the duo applied Bauhaus design principles to popular Mexican mainstays, such as woven reclining chaises and wooden dining chairs.
The approach was a success — Grabe, Morley Webb and van Beuren were named among the winners of a 1941 competition organized by the Museum of Modern Art that focused on designer teams from the United States and Latin America called “Organic Design in Home Furnishings.” This award catapulted them to wide renown.
In the following years, van Beuren founded his furniture label Domus, which became synonymous with well-crafted, modernist design that garnered fans both in Mexico and America. Along with his own designs, Domus also produced work by Clara Porset, a friend and contemporary of van Beuren’s. However, by 1951, the company’s move toward more mass manufacturing meant that van Beuren’s earlier designs were no longer being produced.
Find vintage Michael van Beuren furniture on 1stDibs.
(Biography provided by 7710 Gallery)
1950s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Vintage Michael van Beuren Benches
Rattan, Pine
1970s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Vintage Michael van Beuren Benches
Pine
21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Michael van Beuren Benches
Velvet, Walnut
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Michael van Beuren Benches
Brass
Mid-20th Century Mexican Mid-Century Modern Michael van Beuren Benches
Leather, Walnut
1930s Mexican Bauhaus Vintage Michael van Beuren Benches
Raffia, Teak
2010s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Michael van Beuren Benches
Teak
2010s Italian Modern Michael van Beuren Benches
Brass
2010s Indonesian Organic Modern Michael van Beuren Benches
Wood, Teak, Reclaimed Wood
1960s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Vintage Michael van Beuren Benches
Mahogany
2010s Mexican Modern Michael van Beuren Benches
Leather, Teak
1930s Mexican Bauhaus Vintage Michael van Beuren Benches
Rattan, Teak
1950s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Vintage Michael van Beuren Benches
Wood
