The Pace Collection was a high-end contemporary furniture company in business from 1960 to 2001. The company was founded by Irving and Leon Rosen in
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
. The showroom was located in Manhattan on East 62nd Street to offer its fine furniture and services to the contract interior design trade. The Pace Collection advertised in numerous architectural and interior design periodicals. The Pace Collection furniture designs were all distinctly different from those offered by
Knoll (company)
Knoll (previously Knoll Inc., now a subsidiary MillerKnoll, Inc.), is an American company that manufactures office systems, seating, storage systems, tables, desks, textiles, as well as accessories for the home, office, and higher education. ...
,
Herman Miller
Herman Miller, officially MillerKnoll, Inc., is an American company that produces office furniture, equipment, and home furnishings, including the Aeron chair, Noguchi table, Marshmallow sofa, and the Eames Lounge Chair. Herman Miller is also ...
,
Steelcase
Steelcase Inc. is an American manufacturer of furniture, casegoods, seating, and space solutions for offices, hospitals, classrooms, and residential interiors. It is headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA.
History
Originally known as The ...
and other contract furniture companies.
The Pace Collection line of desks, tables and cabinets was distinguished by the unique Rosen style employing rich, exotic wood veneers having high-gloss finishes with polished stainless steel trim. The Pace Collection also offered its own line of chairs, sofas, shelves and accessories. The Rosens patented many of their designs.
In 1985, the Rosen partnership ended. Leon Rosen commissioned New York architect
Steven Holl
Steven Holl (born December 9, 1947) is a New York-based American architect and watercolorist. Among his most recognized works are the 2019 REACH expansion of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the 2019 Hunters Point Library in Q ...
to design a new showroom. This showroom, which opened in 1986, was located on the corner of
Madison Avenue
Madison Avenue is a north-south avenue in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, United States, that carries northbound one-way traffic. It runs from Madison Square (at 23rd Street) to meet the southbound Harlem River Drive at 142nd Stre ...
and
East 72nd Street
72nd Street is one of the major bi-directional crosstown streets in New York City's borough of Manhattan. The street primarily runs through the Upper West Side and Upper East Side neighborhoods. It is one of the few streets to go through Cen ...
. Holl received the
American Institute of Architects
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) is a professional organization for architects in the United States. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the AIA offers education, government advocacy, community redevelopment, and public outreach to su ...
(AIA) award for best architectural design in New York in 1986 for the new Pace Collection showroom. Holl also designed several furniture pieces for The Pace Collection, which were patented.
After opening of the new showroom, president Leon Rosen told New York magazine, “I wanted high visibility. I wanted this showcase to serve as a reminder to our regular customers, and to expose our company to new people.”
[“Setting the Pace,” by Marilyn Bethany, ''New York'', January 20, 1986. P.44-46.]
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pace Collection, The
Defunct retail companies of the United States
Furniture retailers of the United States