Ferdinand Kramer
Ferdinand Kramer, born 1898, was a modernist architect and designer known for his emphasis on consistency, functional utility, balanced proportions, and refined craftsmanship. After serving in World War I, Kramer briefly studied at the Bauhaus but left as he was disillusioned by what he perceived as its limited technical training. He continued his studies in architecture under Theodor Fischer in Munich.
With few architectural commissions available, Kramer turned his focus to furniture design. Between 1925 and 1930, he worked under architect and urban planner Ernst May, designing and furnishing public housing projects for the New Frankfurt initiative. In 1938, due to political conflicts with the Nazi regime and resulting professional disqualification, Kramer emigrated to the United States. There, he collaborated on various design projects, including work with Norman Bel Geddes. It was during this period that he developed his iconic "Knock-Down" furniture series, lightweight, modular tables designed for easy assembly, disassembly, and flat-packing.
