Breuer extended the sculptural vocabulary he had developed in the carpentry shop at the Bauhaus into his architectural work, making him one of the world's most popular architects at the peak of 20th-Century design.

While perhaps most famous for his buildings, Breuer's influence on modern furniture is unquestionable. While at the Bauhaus, Breuer revolutionized the modern interior with his tubular-steel furniture collection inspired by bicycle construction and fabricated using the techniques of local plumbers. His first designs, including the Wassily Chair, remain among the most identifiable icons of the modern furniture movement.