Stepping into the immersive interiors of the newly unveiled MillerKnoll Archives is witnessing a century of modern design unfold before one’s eyes in a compelling narrative of iconic forms, groundbreaking innovations, creative brilliance and personal gestures.

Here, amongst the expanse of this 1,115-square-metre space located in MillerKnoll’s Michigan headquarters, the rare prototype of the Knoll Womb Chair – a gift from Eero Saarinen to his mother – captivates with its enveloping embrace and the geometric cadence of its upholstery. Next to it, Robert Propst’s visionary Action Office desks – first conceived in the early 1960s – draw the eye with foundational forms that, with gentle authority, continue to influence contemporary workplaces even today. In the background, a dynamic wall pulsating with archival graphics and striking advertisements sets a vibrant, primary-hued context, while the latest pieces from HAY – seamlessly integrated amongst the renowned designs by Charles and Ray Eames and Harry Bertoia – affirm the Archives’ evolving relevance. This layered design story captures the unprecedented nature of this immense archival effort – it surpasses the limitations of space and time, emerging as a tangible design convergence we haven’t seen before.

Brought to life through a visionary collaboration with New York-based design consultancy, Standard Issue, this new space at the Design Yard facility brings together Herman Miller and Knoll’s archival collections for the very first time. Their respective pasts, innately intertwined in their unapologetic commitment to human-centric design principles, now sympathetically coalesce in the new home shared with other brands from MillerKnoll’s diverse collective.

“Bringing together the Herman Miller and Knoll archival collections has been an incredible privilege,” enthuses Amy Auscherman, Director of Archives and Brand Heritage at MillerKnoll. “It has been the opportunity of a lifetime to collaborate across brands to unite our shared history, preserve our culture of innovation and ensure these important design legacies remain accessible for generations to come.”

This consolidated archive – encompassing early sketches, correspondence, raw prototypes, textiles and final, perfected forms – is meticulously reflected through the dynamic orchestration of the space. Transcending the traditional, defined and largely static concept of a collection, the MillerKnoll Archives have been conceived as a living resource that showcases over a million objects across three engaging planes, each offering a distinct, deeply inspiring experiential angle: an exhibition space, an open storage and a dedicated reading room.

“The debut of the MillerKnoll Archives invites our communities to experience design history – and imagine its future – in one dynamic space,” explains Ben Watson, Chief Creative and Product Officer. “The ability to not only understand how iconic designs came to be, but how design solutions evolved over time, is a never-ending source of inspiration.”

The inaugural exhibition – Manufacturing Modern – is a precise embodiment of this vision. The compelling display meticulously unpacks the shared intellectual, philosophical and aesthetic vernaculars of the two design powerhouses, articulating the guiding principles that propelled both companies to produce objects that would become fundamental to the modern canon. Exploring the carefully curated display, visitors can engage with formative works from Florence Knoll, George Nelson, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Marcel Breuer, luminaries who collectively shaped the genesis of contemporary design.

This unfolding narrative of the exhibition finds a generous expansion in the open storage area, where rows of over 300 pieces patiently trace the evolution of design from the dynamic 1920s to the present day. In this immersive space punctuated by Lella and Massimo Vignelli’s evocative posters, Charles and Ray Eames’s photography and the powerful works by Herbert Matter, iconic creations from Knoll and Herman Miller amicably cohabit with contemporary designs from HAY, Geiger and NaughtOne, quietly accentuating the transcendent character of MillerKnoll’s diverse collective.

Right next door, in a dedicated reading room filled with an array of exceptional archival materials, the visitors are welcomed to have a moment of immersive stillness as they investigate almost 80 metres worth of documents, including materials detailing the development of George Nelson’s first collection for Herman Miller and drawings for classic products, like the Eames Lounge Chair. By encouraging a reflection and a personal, in-depth dialogue with centuries of influential legacy, this space aims to galvanise the pursuit of future solutions, underscoring the facility’s unique, dual purpose as a historical homage and a hub for future-forward design exploration.

This comprehensive archival endeavour reaffirms MillerKnoll’s enduring design leadership – not only in terms of innovation and human-centric design ethos but also in the collective’s exquisite brand of sustainability that seeks to carefully preserve, curate, cherish and share the rich and critical legacy to inform the future. But the grounding physicality of the Archives also highlights the very structure that houses the rich compilation of design artifacts that have undeniably defined the last century: the Design Yard itself.

The construction of the iconic facility commenced in 1989, a year that marked the passing of Herman Miller’s accomplished designer, George Nelson, and the formation of the Custom Choice Division that would expand the brand’s non-standard product offering. This moment of inception, on the cusp of a new decade, accentuated a consequential moment in the company’s history, and, over the years, the Design Yard’s unwavering architectural presence would silently witness some of Herman Miller’s most defining shifts, including becoming MillerKnoll’s headquarters.

And now, in a natural progression of its evolution, the arrival of the Archives at the Michigan-based facility reinforces its role as an unparalleled nexus of insight, inspiration and storytelling on the global design stage. Much like the renowned Vitra Campus, a revered pilgrimage for design aficionados from around the world, this unprecedented initiative unifying two of the most influential design narratives under one roof is bound to become an equally essential destination for industry professionals looking to engage directly with the historical, cultural and aesthetic epicentre of modern design vernacular.

The creative expanse of the MillerKnoll Archives offers architects and designers an unparalleled opportunity to imbue their projects with timeless narratives that have shaped a century of design. To see how the Design Yard experience could enrich your next project, learn more about this exhilarating destination or find your nearest MillerKnoll dealer.