Willy Guhl Mid-Century Modern Fibre Cement Planters, Switzerland, Pair

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Wonderfully weathered Pair of Willy Guhl Fibre Cement Planters. Willy Guhl was an influential Swiss designer for Eternit Ag, Switzerland, … Read more Wonderfully weathered Pair of Willy Guhl Fibre Cement Planters. Willy Guhl was an influential Swiss designer for Eternit Ag, Switzerland, Fibre Cement Company, dating to the 1960s. Constructed of molded fiber-reinforced cement, the planters have a simple elongated rectangular form with subtly rounded corners as a slightly flared rim. Their restrained geometry exemplifies Guhl's functionalist approach: an everyday garden object reduced to a clean, purposeful form. The surfaces have developed an attractive natural outdoor patina, with variation of gray, off-white, charcoal and traces of mossy green. Guhl was one of the most important Swiss industrial designers of the 20th century. His designs are associated with Swiss neo-functionalism, emphasizing economy of material, practical use and clarity of form rather than unnecessary ornament. The long rectangular trough is among the most architectural of these designs. It's low six-inch profile and nearly forty-inch length make it well suited to defining an edge or creating a linear planting arrangement without visually overwhelming the surrounding architecture.
In modern homes, these planters will be outstanding flanking an entrance or doorway, positioned symmetrically beneath windows, or placed along the edge of a terrace, pool deck, or covered patio. In modern landscapes, these planters can be filled with low-growing architectural plants where the combination of green foliage against the gray-white cement would emphasize their sculptural quality. Indoors, they make dramatic planters in a sunroom or loft, using appropriate liners to protect surrounding surfaces. They would also equally complement a Mid-Century Modern, Contemporary, Brutalist, Mediterranean, or Coastal setting. See less