George Nelson was one of the most powerful forces behind the development of the 20th century’s American design aesthetic. As a thinker, writer, organizer and designer, Nelson commandeered a string of influential positions and brought about a widespread and clear-sighted re-evaluation of how furniture was marketed and of how using space thoughtfully could improve modern living. In the 1952 Herman Miller catalogue he wrote that the pieces exhibited should be, "a permanent collection...in the sense that it will not be scrapped for each market or for each new 'trend’." Almost every contributing designer and design shown in this catalogue has achieved iconic status for the look of that period, so it seems Nelson’s ambition has been realized.

Born in Connecticut, Nelson studied architecture at Yale, graduating in 1931. In 1932 he went to study in Rome, remaining in Europe for several years, at which point he was introduced to the artists of the International Style like Le Corbusier and Walter Gropius. After the trip Nelson wrote that he became "a convinced modernist...there was no point whatever in trying to beat the ancients at their own game." Back in America he began writing for the magazine Pencil Points and quickly moved into the position of Associate Editor at Architectural Forum (1935-1943), and on to Consultant Editor (1944-1949). His writing, engaging and conversational, dealt with the relevant design problems of smaller postwar houses and the changing face of the professional office which was trying to adopt some of the cosier attributes of the home. Over the years he published a number of books including Tomorrow's House (1945), Problems of Design (1957) and How To See (1977). 

In the late 1940s Nelson came up with two popular innovations: the "Grass of Main Street," which evolved into today's pedestrian mall, and the ‘Storagewall’ system. This was a plan for integrating storage systems into the structure of the home, as in room dividers, or built directly into the walls. This project got the attention of the Herman Miller Company who hired Nelson as their Design Director. His effect on the company was extraordinary. His keen eye for modern design led to his bringing in people like Charles Eames and Isamu Noguchi to round out an impressive team of designers and consultants. The company catalogues that he put together had an immeasurably positive and lasting impact and his introduction of a unified company philosophy-- including simple tenets like "The product must be honest," and "What you make is important"-- made Herman Miller seem like a company built on unshakable integrity. During this period Nelson was also designing objects and furniture that contributed to the energy of innovation, even though they were not all sold by the company. Some of his best known pieces are the 1950 "Ball Clock," inspired by representations of the atom, the 1952 ‘Bubble Lamp’ and the 1965 ‘Marshmallow’ sofa, a grid of brightly colored upholstered circles. The Herman Miller catalogues are full of more of his creations, and of interiors that he put together. He also designed the company's showrooms in Chicago, New York and Washington and worked as an exhibition designer on several projects, such as the Chrysler and the Irish pavilions at the 1964 New York World's Fair and, in 1976, a show called "USA '76" for the American Revolution Bicentennial Administration.