Keilhauer Receives Four Awards for GOOD DESIGN

Ellaby, Swurve and Division Twelve Recognized by the Chicago-Based Global Design Competition

keilhauer sofa
Mid channel back office chair with 5-star aluminum base

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Emma Hamilton
Public Relations Coordinator
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April 6, 2021 (Toronto) – The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design and the European Center for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies have recognized Keilhauer with four 2020 GOOD DESIGN® awards. Keilhauer products Ellaby, a two-seater with an accompanying ottoman, and Swurve, a carbon neutral office chair, were selected as recipients of this prestigious award program. Division Twelve, a collection of bent metal furniture acquired by Keilhauer in 2019, was also recognized with two GOOD DESIGN® awards in the furniture and graphic design categories. Founded in Chicago in 1950 by Edgar Kaufmann, Jr., Eero Saarinen, and Charles and Ray Eames, GOOD DESIGN® is the oldest design competition in the world.

“We are truly honored,” says President Mike Keilhauer. “This is the sixth consecutive year we have received the esteem of GOOD DESIGN. We are very proud to see our contract designs be so well received.”

The Ellaby two-seater brings both peace and productivity into commercial environments. The high, enveloping back provides privacy and a sense of cocooned protection, molded cushions provide comfort, while a slight forward posture provides multi-functionality. It encourages relaxed alertness – perfect for taking calls, making notes, reading, or quiet conversation. The Ellaby ottoman brings the feeling of relaxation and comfort to the next level. Easily mobile and complementary, it can be paired with any lounge seating to create a soothing respite to kick your feet up and take a much-needed break. The Ellaby collection was designed for Keilhauer by the celebrated design trio EOOS.

Swurve is Keilhauer’s first Carbon Neutral office chair that features flowing lines and contained proportions. Designed by renowned Canadian designer Andrew Jones, Swurve is an elegant solution for all office spaces, bringing an organic feeling into the room with distinctive, sculptural design details.

Mid channel back office chair with 5-star aluminum baseAs Keilhauer’s first Carbon Neutral product, Swurve has been a project of passion for the company’s Design for Environment team. Keilhauer took every possible step to reduce carbon emissions: from sustainably sourcing materials, and responsible manufacturing, to a carefully planned end-of-life and recyclability plan. Where carbon emissions remain, such as during transportation or that accrued over the length of its usable life, Keilhauer invests in carbon reduction and climate change mitigation projects to offset. Verified by third parties, every Swurve sold will produce net-zero carbon emissions.

DivisionTwelve_FeaturedPRDivision Twelve, a line of commercial, bent metal furniture acquired by Keilhauer in the summer of 2019, was recognized by GOOD DESIGN® in two categories: graphic design and furniture design. Designed by Geof Lilge, Samuel Pettersen and Scott Laughton, Division Twelve is an evolving collection of 10 bold pieces that are versatile, timeless and fully recyclable.

Division Twelve partnered with the globally-recognized design firm Cossette to develop a brand identity and associated marketing collateral for this unique line of furniture. The resulting visuals incorporate subtle but effective design details (such as scaling and color blocking) to ensure a distinctive brand presence without ever feeling iterative. The designers involved with the project are Luis Coderque and Mark Neil Balson of Cossette Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

ABOUT KEILHAUER

Founded in 1981, Keilhauer is a privately owned, design focused contract furniture manufacturer. Keilhauer manufactures seating and tables that makes work more comfortable for all. Keilhauer products are thoughtfully made to support communication and engagement in spaces such as meeting rooms, collaboration areas, lobbies and lunchrooms. Working with world-renowned furniture designers, Keilhauer is internationally recognized for award-winning design, built with extreme craftsmanship, to the highest environmental standards. The company is headquartered in Toronto, Ontario. For more information, please visit Keilhauer.com.

ABOUT EOOS

EOOS is Gernot Bohmann, Martin Bergmann, and Harald Gründl, who studied design together at the Academy of Applied Arts in Vienna. In 1990, they started their first collaboration and founded EOOS in 1995. They live in Vienna and work in the fields of product, furniture and architectural design. EOOS is named after one of the four sun horses of Greek mythology and stands for their programmatic approach to the field of design. Eoos.com.

ABOUT ANDREW JONES

Andrew Jones is a Canadian furniture designer working for international manufacturers of contract, outdoor, and residential furniture. With an MA in Furniture Design from the Royal College of Art in London and a degree in Architecture from the University of Toronto, Jones has worked for more than 20 years designing furniture and architectural interiors. This dual experience forms the foundation of his work: designing furniture fit for purpose and place. Jones’s design projects have been featured in numerous international publications, and exhibited in Canada, the United States of America, Britain, Japan, and Italy. His work is part of the permanent collections of the Royal Ontario Museum and the Design Exchange, in Toronto. Andrewjonesdesign.com

ABOUT DIVISION TWELVE

Division Twelve makes things. Things that make people happy. From tables, to chairs, to stools, our bent metal furniture is built to last. Bent right here in North America, everything we make is the product of durable materials, trend-forward design, and careful craftsmanship. Our incredible selection of colors makes each piece versatile, customizable and ready to help you do you. Division Twelve, a subsidiary of Keilhauer, was founded in 2017 and is headquartered in Toronto, Ontario. For more information, please visit Division12.com.

ABOUT COSSETTE

Cossette is a fully integrated marketing communications agency that holds a dominant position in Canada and can call on a network of specialized agencies operating around the world. Cossette is a community of talents, a unique gathering of expertise and creativity that builds strong brands for its clients and maintains a dialogue with consumers. Cossette has offices in Quebec City, Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver, and Halifax.

 

For more information, images or to request an interview. Please contact:

Press Contact

Emma Hamilton
Public Relations Coordinator
[email protected]