Decades prior to the mass popularity of neo-industrial cement floors and furniture taking shape, there was Willy Guhl. The Swiss creative is considered one of the first “industrial” designers in his home country. He pioneered a rugged, organic style of modern furniture and decor — stylish planters, shapely seating and lots more — that remains widely coveted by many today.
Guhl was born in 1915 in Stein am Rhein and worked as a carpenter before beginning studies at the Zurich School of Applied Arts (known today as the Zurich University of the Arts), where he would go on to teach for nearly 40 years.
While Guhl is well-known for his range of provocative garden elements as well as his patio and outdoor furniture, today’s legion of mid-century modern enthusiasts are likely familiar with the designer’s iconic Loop chair (introduced in 1954). For this sculptural seat and other furnishings, Guhl tended toward industrial materials, which he bent and shaped into organic forms for a striking juxtaposition. Much of his work is crafted from either concrete or Eternit, a mixture of cement and asbestos developed by the Belgian company Etex, which, in the 1950s, commissioned Guhl and his students at the School of Applied Arts to conceive planters in the material. The resulting vessels — some hourglass-shaped, some in the form of handkerchiefs, all suitable for indoors or exteriors — remain some of Guhl’s most collectible pieces.
Guhl’s affiliation with the Swiss “neo-functional” movement centered on the idea of simplifying design without sacrificing form. According to Guhl, his mission was “achieving the most with the minimum of effort.”
In addition to his work as a designer, Guhl left his mark on subsequent creatives through his 39-year tenure at his alma mater, where he was instructor to the likes of Robert Haussmann, Kurt Thut and Bruno Rey. Modern-day shoppers at IKEA owe Guhl a debt of gratitude too. He was an early advocate of flat-pack furniture, championing its ability to make good design more widely accessible.
At its core, though, Guhl’s work was inherently human-centric: “At the center of my efforts, I put people and their living requirements,” he once said. “My products must be useful to people.” Guhl died in 2004 at the age of 89.
Find a range of vintage Willy Guhl furniture and decorative objects on 1stDibs.
Willy Guhl Monumental Chalice Planter, 1960s Switzerland
By Willy Guhl
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Stunning concrete planter by Swiss architect Willy Guhl. Faceted edges around the top and bottom. Planter in the shape of a chalice. Good vintage condition. Decades of age and patina...
Concrete
Willy Guhl Colossal Chalice Planter, 1960s Switzerland
By Willy Guhl
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Unique concrete planter by Swiss architect Willy Guhl. Planter in the shape of a chalice with faceted edges along the top and bottom. Great age and patina from decades of European wi...
Concrete
Willy Guhl Monumental Chalice Planter, 1960s Switzerland
By Willy Guhl
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Stunning concrete planter by Swiss architect Willy Guhl. Faceted edges around the top and bottom. Planter in the shape of a chalice. Good vintage condition. Decades of age and patina...
Concrete
Willy Guhl Monumental Chalice Planter, 1960s Switzerland
By Willy Guhl
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Stunning concrete planter by Swiss architect Willy Guhl. Faceted edges around the top and bottom. Planter in the shape of a chalice. Good vintage condition. Decades of age and patina...
Concrete
Willy Guhl Chalice Shaped Planter, 1960s Switzerland
By Willy Guhl
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Unique concrete planter by Swiss architect Willy Guhl. Planter in the shape of a chalice. Base is also faceted. Beautiful patinas. Great vintage condition. 2 available as shown in th...
Concrete
Willy Guhl Goblet Planter
By Willy Guhl
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Unique concrete planter by Swiss architect Willy Guhl. Planter in the shape of a goblet or drinking cup. Excellent patina and coloring. Great scale. Two available. Priced individuall...
Concrete
Willy Guhl Diablo Planter
By Willy Guhl
Located in Atlanta, GA
Also known as the "Hourglass" or "Spindle" planter. A mid-century modernist icon defined by its sculptural, symmetrical double-cone silhouette. Designed in Switzerland in the 1950s b...
Concrete
Garden Vase, Concrete Planters, "Diablo" By Willy Guhl, 1950s, XX Century.
By Willy Guhl
Located in Breganze, VI
Garden vase in fiber cement, created by the Swiss architect and designer Willy Guhl, in the 1950s. The garden pots he made are of various shapes and in this case it is a "Diablo" sh...
Concrete
Two-Tier Stone Planter from Switzerland Attributed to Swiss Designer Willy Guhl
By Willy Guhl
Located in Atlanta, GA
A large two-tier cast stone planter from Switzerland. This unique stacked planter from the mid-20th century is attributed to Swiss artist Willy Guhl. It h...
Stone, Cast Stone
Large conical planter Willy Guhl, France 1950's
By Willy Guhl
Located in LYON, FR
Large fiber cement planter from the 1950s by Willy Guhl. Very beautiful patina. Diameter 74 X H40 cm
Cement
Willy Guhl 31" Adjustable 2 Piece Concrete Planter, Switzerland, 1960's
By Willy Guhl
Located in Culver City, CA
Iconic Willy Guhl Planter for Eternit, 1960s – A Cement Celebrity Here we go again, folks—another jaw-dropping Willy Guhl planter for Eternit, straight from the 1960s and brimming with all those modernist vibes. This two-piece stunner is serving serious I-woke-up-like-this energy with its perfectly imperfect patina that whispers, “I’ve seen some things, darling.” Sure, you could scrub it down to look fresh-out-of-the-box new, but why? This weathered look is like vintage leather or a classic movie star—it gets better with age, and trust us, nobody is asking for a makeover. The planter features Guhl’s signature silhouette: a big, bold bowl (31.25" in diameter!) resting atop a truncated cone base. It’s modular magic—position the bowl flat and grounded, or tilt it just so for that effortlessly off-kilter, “yes, I have a design degree” aesthetic. As shown here, it measures a statuesque 16" tall, just the right height to command attention without stealing the limelight from your botanical besties. Whether gracing a sunny patio, lounging poolside at a Hollywood mansion, or bringing its rugged-chic charm indoors, this planter is pure Swiss sophistication. It’s not just a planter; it’s a moment. Who Was Willy Guhl? Oh, you haven’t heard? Willy Guhl (1915–2004) was the OG of modern outdoor design. This Swiss genius pioneered the use of fiber cement, creating pieces that were as indestructible as they were elegant. His work with Eternit was groundbreaking (literally), marrying sculptural forms with functional durability. Guhl believed design should live harmoniously with nature—a philosophy you’ll see in every timeless curve and tilt of his creations. TL;DR: This planter is everything you want—chic, rare, collectible, and packed with history. Snag it now, because let’s face it, everyone else wants it too. 🌵 Within the photos is another Guhl planter, same size and design (diff planter), photographed with a Paola Lenti outdoor...
Concrete
Vintage planter by Willy Guhl for Eternit editions
By Willy Guhl
Located in AIGNAN, FR
Inclined diabolo planter designed by Willy Guhl for Eternit editions in the 1960s. Planter with an avant-garde design and conception, it does not lack character and modernity. It ...
Cement
