Developed over nearly a decade by legendary industrial designer Marc Newson, the Knoll Newson Task Chair strips away the complex, overly engineered aesthetic dominating modern offices. In its place is a masterclass in visual reduction: a sleek, continuous silhouette where the seat cantilevers over the base to appear as if it is floating weightlessly in mid-air.
Rather than relying on off-the-shelf components, Newson designed every element from scratch. The structural breakthrough lies in the bespoke T1 Control tilt mechanism. By flipping the traditional horizontal tilt mechanism onto a vertical plane, Knoll engineers packed the mechanics into a corrugated sleeve under two inches thick, wrapping it tightly around the central cylinder to maintain a completely clean side profile. The back features a flexible nylon frame paired with a honeycombed, thermoplastic elastomeric skin, creating a breathable, hammock-like suspension that stretches dynamically with every posture change.
The chair’s ultimate achievement is its absolute wholeness. Made from ten distinct injection-molded polymers and metals, every single component is meticulously color-matched to eliminate visual breaks or obvious fasteners. It is an uncompromising piece of design that bridges the gap between sculptural art and high-performance workplace ergonomics.
• Profile: Continuous cantilevered single-line silhouette
• Mechanism: Concealed vertical T1 Control with a 19-degree articulation recline
• Materials: Flexible nylon frame, elastomer webbing, and choice of 5-star base finishes
• Colorways: Available in monochromatic finishes including Ink, Graphite, Umber, and Petal
