2006/4 uni_verso

Seating with limitless possibilities.

Most designers are keen on creating their own seating. Always with the ambition of amalgamating their artistic skills into a basic commodity. Inspired by the success of series 8200 Volpe, his first series penned for Kusch+Co, Norbert Geelen was brimming with fresh ideas for a new series. His project objective was to develop a multi-purpose contract chair boasting the ability to fit in with virtually any environment achieved through the intelligent incorporation of a vast range of very distinct accessories into the design. Series uni_verso is the result of his ingenuity, offering a kaleidoscope of versatile possibilities.

Seating with a ‘please take a seat’ design.
The heart of this design is the generalist shape of the plastic seat shell, simultaneously open – inviting everyone to take a seat – and closed – moulding to the body. The central cut-out between the seat and the back accentuates the series’ slender silhouette. The extremely slim seat shell profile is the signature design feature, dominated by soft, sweeping lines radiating sympathy, warmth and cosiness. The side beams provide optimum stability. A fresh approach, characterized by a puristic, clear-cut, smart design language.

The seat shell boasts an alternating bright, smooth and matt, textured finish. The lower parts all have a shiny finish, whereas the parts with body contact have a matt finish. The plastic seat shell comes with an palette of appealing colours: arctic (white), cosmos (black), fire (red), silk (beige), terra (brown), racing green (green) and night blue (dark blue).

The high back provides a pleasant, healthy comfort. The seat’s ‘tub-like shape’ with its generous dimensions extends an invitation to take a seat. From a rear perspective, the chair seems to be sturdily constructed, yet craning out its ‘neck’. The legs appear to sway into the backrest for an elongating effect. Another nice design feature is that the legs are slightly offset to support the seat as if it were embedded. From whatever angle you look at this chair – it oozes personality! Take the glides for instance – black with a high-grade steel cap – that is design down to the last detail!

New perspectives with engineering plastic.
The seat shell of series 2000 uni_verso and 2080 uni_verso is manufactured in Ultradur®, a novel engineering plastic within the BASF plastics range. Originally, this new glass-fibre reinforced material was intended for heavy-duty parts that had to be robust, dimensionally stable and flame retardant, making it ideally suited for the production of technical parts. Kusch+Co and BASF worked together intensively with the aim of shaping this material into a designer product compatible with an eco-efficient serial production. The curved Ultradur® arms are high-frequency welded onto the armchair, taking full advantage of the material’s properties. The chair as a whole is weatherproof, UV resistant and low-maintenance. You may use commercially available disinfectants for optimum hygiene. This series is designed with an eye to offering the best possible hygienic safety: neither gaps, slits nor inaccessible parts. All joints slope down, making sure that water or fluids flow off freely.

In conjunction with special tools, co-designed by the chemical company BASF using its high-performance computer-aided simulation tool ULTRASIM™, Ultradur® may be used to design innovative contract seating solutions characterized by an exceptional design language and extraordinary versatility at affordable prices.

Two seat shells. A plethora of variations. High functionality.
The chair’s construction is based on the principle of automotive platform sharing. The seat shell is the platform, other parts and accessories are added to tailor the chair to the customer’s wishes.

A wide variety of steel or aluminium frames may be fitted underneath the side chairs and armchairs. The arms are either made of plastic or steel:

• four-legged frame, stackable with linking elements
• sled-base, stackable with linking elements
• cantilever base, optionally stackable
• with cross base
• with column/aluminium base on glides, swivelling seat
• with column/aluminium base on castors, fixed seat
• bar stool
• bench

Stacking spacers are fitted underneath every unupholstered stacking chair. The upholstered stacking chairs have a stacking plate fitted underneath the seat to avoid pressure marks.

The linkable models are fitted with extractable linking elements, optional clip-on seat and row numbers are available. The electronic seat numbering system e-No. is also compatible with this new series. The display is visibly installed into the milled cut-out between the seat and the back.

The ergonomically healthy seat shell is designed down to the last detail in order to provide optimum comfort. The additional seat and back pads upgrade this series’ already excellent comfort.

No series is complete without an entirely upholstered model. A wooden seat shell is the carrier frame for the upholstery compound. This natural material is also worked into many variations of series 2100 uni_verso and 2180 uni_verso.

The versatile uses of wood.
Series 2080 uni_verso is the convincing proof that high-tech, nature and craftsmanship go hand in hand to produce designer products. The Ultradur® seat shell may be combined with four solid wooden legs, supported by the starlike construction. The legs are manufactured in beechwood, oak or walnut.

Alternatively, glued-together multi-layered plywood is pressed into a one-piece seat shell with its design as well as its ergonomic shape closely resembling that of the plastic seat shell. However, whereas the cut-out between seat and back of the Ultradur® seat shell accentuates the chair’s ‘waistline’, the wooden seat shell boasts 2 cut-outs on the sides. The upper veneer layer may be beech, oak, walnut or a striking Alpi veneer. The hard-wearing HPL coating is cut out for heavy duty environments.

Having a high, generous back as well as a gently downward curved seat, this seat shell offers a high level of comfort. Optionally available with seat and back pads or entirely upholstered. When leaning back, the user experiences the same supple comfort of a cantilever.

Sharing the same frames and the same starlike subframe, the wooden seat shells, in common with the Ultradur® seat shell, may be fitted with the same set of accessories, including the solid wooden legs, possessing exactly the same functionalities, with the exception of the plastic armrests. The wooden seat shell only comes with steel arms.

New perspectives for comprehensive interior design solutions
Series uni_verso can be beautifully mixed and matched with the tables of series san_siro. The table variations, either with a central column/aluminium base or with solid wooden legs mimicking the tapered legs of the wooden-framed uni_verso models, boast matching design aesthetics. Both series are therefore ideally suited for well-matched conference configurations. The san_siro table series is also penned by Norbert Geelen, who started out on his designer career at Matteo Thun before founding the design studio bert&bert with Robert Kilders. Since 2005, Norbert Geelen lives between his German office in Straelen and his Milan studio.