The German premium office furniture manufacturer Wilkhahn will present a milestone in design history at the Designers Saturday in Oslo: Chassis. The multi- purpose chair has been causing quite a stir due to its outstanding design and manufacturing. For the first time state-of-the-art vehicle body ma

The German premium office furniture manufacturer Wilkhahn will present a milestone in design history at the Designers Saturday in Oslo: Chassis. The multi- purpose chair has been causing quite a stir due to its outstanding design and manufacturing. For the first time state-of-the-art vehicle body manufacturing technology is being used to make its frame. The seat and backrest frame and connecting points for the chair legs are deep drawn from thin sheet metal and then welded by robot. This technology combines elastic comfort, durability and strength with the precision and elegance of a fascinating design. It takes a minimalist approach to materials and weighs just 5.4 kg in total.

Automotive progress meets chair design: The Chassis production process (design: Stefan Diez) includes thin sheet metal plates to deep-drawn components to the welded frame and the plastic shell captured in the varnished chair. Photos: Wilkhahn

WILKHAHN: Designers Saturday 2011 in Oslo – Chassis meets lifestyles | Industrie News

Automotive progress meets chair design: The Chassis production process (design: Stefan Diez) includes thin sheet metal plates to deep-drawn components to the welded frame and the plastic shell captured in the varnished chair. Photos: Wilkhahn

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As a result, the Chassis is already considered a milestone in design history. The chair was presented with the red dot product design award "Best of the best 2011", the most prestigious prize red dot awards. It was awarded as the best seating furniture at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) in New York, presented with the DESIGNPLUS and the MATERIALICA Design + Technology Award 2011. Last but not least the Chassis chair is nominated for the German Design Prize 2012.

Modern and hip: Chassis with a red frame and seat shells with canvas-like covers. Design: Stefan Diez. Photo: Wilkhahn

WILKHAHN: Designers Saturday 2011 in Oslo – Chassis meets lifestyles | Industrie News

Modern and hip: Chassis with a red frame and seat shells with canvas-like covers. Design: Stefan Diez. Photo: Wilkhahn

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Wilkhahn’s showcase at the Designers Saturday, the trendy Oslo design event, will be an exclusive presentation of the Chassis. In addition to the black, white and grey types with plastic shells, it will show new, more colourful models with various textile shells with the maxim “one character – many faces”.
Thus Chassis with all its distinctive appeal and very own style blends in with very different lifestyles – from classical to modern to avant-garde. For instance models with the canvas-like fabric group look modern and hip. On the other hand, with an office fabric specially developed for Wilkhahn, Chassis appears elegant and robust at the same time. Chassis looks cool in the version with a classic flannel cover which comes in a total of five different shades, just like the two other versions.

Really cool: Chassis with a brown-green frame and classic flannel fabric. Design: Stefan Diez. Photo: Wilkhahn

WILKHAHN: Designers Saturday 2011 in Oslo – Chassis meets lifestyles | Industrie News

Really cool: Chassis with a brown-green frame and classic flannel fabric. Design: Stefan Diez. Photo: Wilkhahn

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But there is a whole lot more to the concept of Chassis. “This project was based on the idea of developing a four-legged chair that both from a formal and technical standpoint, as well as in its potential to become truly individual, taps into completely new forms of expression”, explains Jochen Hahne, president of Wilkhahn. He underlined that it was all about interiors where working and living are increasingly overlapping. Consequently, designer Stefan Diez calls Chassis a “domesticated tool”, an item of furniture that can look different depending on the backdrop.

Elegant and robust: Chassis with a black frame and tough office fabric. Design: Stefan Diez. Photo: Wilkhahn

WILKHAHN: Designers Saturday 2011 in Oslo – Chassis meets lifestyles | Industrie News

Elegant and robust: Chassis with a black frame and tough office fabric. Design: Stefan Diez. Photo: Wilkhahn

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Experience the fascination of Chassis and visit Wilkhahn at Designers Saturday.

Showroom:
BUSS STOPP 9 - Expo Nova
Bygdøy Allé 68
0265 Oslo

Opening hours:
Saturday, September 3rd: 9:00 a.m. to 18:00 p.m.
Sunday, September 4th: 10:00 a.m. to 16:00 p.m.

For further information and images please contact:
Wilkhahn Scandinavia
Anders Scharling
Sales manager, Northern Europe
Tel. +45 21 70 99 90
Anders.scharling@wilkhahn.de

Wilkhahn
Wilkening + Hahne GmbH+Co.KG
International Communications
Burkhard Remmers
Fritz-Hahne-Strasse 8
31848 Bad Münder
Germany
Tel. +49 (0) 5042 999 169
Fax +49 (0) 5042 999 130
Mobile +49 (0) 172 544 9975 burkhard.remmers@wilkhahn.de www.wilkhahn.com