Greta M. Grossman

Swedish architect and designer Greta M. Grossman was a trailblazing pioneer who helped bridge Scandinavian craftsmanship with post war Californian modernism. Emigrating to Los Angeles in 1940, she established a celebrated studio on Rodeo Drive, becoming one of the few prominent female figures in mid century architecture and industrial design. Grossman’s aesthetic paired playful lightness with slender proportions. For lighting manufacturer Ralph O. Smith, she created defining icons of the era, notably the backward leaning, tubular steel Gräshoppa Floor Lamp (1947) and the oval hooded Cobra Lamp (1950), which won a MoMA Good Design Award. Her furniture, such as the 62 Series desk and the low slung Modern Line seating, faithfully revived by GUBI, married rich walnut with delicate black steel legs and spherical accents. Grossman imbued rational design with organic whimsy, creating weightless icons that define mid century living.