Horst Brüning

German industrial designer and architect Horst Brüning (b. 1934) incorporated ideas such as of minimalism, functionality, and durability into his furniture designs, and is best known for those designs produced by the influential furniture manufacturer Kill International.

Born in 1934 in Hamburg, Brüning studied architecture and interior design at the University of Fine Arts in Hamburg until 1956. He also lived in Copenhagen and Stockholm, where he studied industrial design. In 1963, he established an architecture and design office in Stuttgart. During this period, Brüning met Alfred Kill of Kill International and the then-undiscovered architect duo Preben Fabricius and Jørgen Kastholm. Following an exchange of ideas, their meeting eventually led to collaboration, international recognition, and success. Brüning’s designs for Kill International include the T111 Coffee Table (1960s), 6910 Sofa (1967), 6915 Daybed, and 128 Bar Cart (both 1968). In 2008, forty-one years after its inception, the 6910 Sofa was awarded the “Best of the Best” design prize at the IMM Cologne.

Brüning’s designs for Kill International are produced today by Lange Production.