The Nelson Bench was designed by the famous American designer George Nelson.  Though Nelson is well known for his furniture designs, he was an important part of American Modernism.  His contributions ranged from the design of logos, to clocks, to architectural wonders, to teaching others about design.  In fact his books and lectures have become the cornerstone of contemporary design philosophy.

Though many of the designs that are associated with Nelson actually came from other designers in his studio, the Nelson Bench can be traced to George Nelson.  The idea behind the bench was to create a bench so uncomfortable, that visitors would not stay long in his office.  Though he was successful in creating a beautiful design, he was not successful in keeping visitors away.