by Brianna Crandall — June 2, 2021 — Contract furniture manufacturer Keilhauer recently introduced an innovative collection designed to support the future of the workplace, Epix. Rational, refined and modern, the office furniture collection is designed to future-proof the commercial office setting with highly functional pieces that seamlessly transition across various work, group and meeting tasks throughout the day.
The Epix collection of office seating, tables, storage shelves transitions across tasks for future-proof functionality — plus, it’s fully recyclable. Image courtesy Keilhauer
Incorporating tables, seating and storage, the new collection is designed for Keilhauer by the Swedish design studio Form Us With Love (FUWL). The collection is intended to fulfill every workplace need through a series of sustainable, 100% recyclable set of tools that anticipate the commercial design challenges that lay ahead.
Epix is a first-time collaboration between Keilhauer and FUWL. Their mutual passion for sustainability and modern design, and a shared commitment to design activism, informed the collection’s coherent aesthetic — balancing rational, industrial design with warmth and elegance.
The future office as a gathering space
Just as shared passions informed the aesthetic, the skeleton and functionality of Epix was developed through research and examination. At the early onset, a research study, including interviews and surveys, examined how people used the office and what they most desired to see in the future. Above all else, gathering spaces were identified as the most important area of focus.
Keilhauer President Mike Keilhauer commented:
Keilhauer has always believed that the heart of the office is formed by the spaces where people come together. These spaces create team cohesion, corporate culture, creativity, and can support production and execution for individuals and groups. With Epix, we’ve created a very unique and environmentally focused approach to supporting these spaces – and followed through on our design activism commitments.
The results of this early research inspired FUWL to develop a blue-sky list of tools that were later filtered using a five-step process examining craft, innovation, durability, scalability and sustainability. This short list was then further refined by aligning to Keilhauer’s technical expertise and industry leading engineering to inform the final collection of seating, tables and storage.
Epix Seating: Keilhauer’s cohesive Epix seating collection is said to be made entirely from pure materials. A pure aluminum frame is the base for all Epix chair options, providing strength and support to the interchangeable formed seat shells. The pure aluminum frame holds the shape of the seat shell, which allows for the shell to be made in two pure material options: pure polypropylene plastic or pure PET felt.
The usage of only pure materials in the construction of the Epix chair allows for seating that is not only comfortable, but fully recyclable. The plastic seat shell is available in 12 color options, and the felt seat shell is available in three standard colors. An additional upholstered seat pad with a recycled plastic insert can be installed and easily removed when the time comes for recycling. Legs are available in four different styles: a 4-leg in seven finishes, a wooden 4-leg base in Walnut or Ash in 11 colors, a 4-star caster base in eight finish options, and a sled base.
Epix Tables: Epix Tables are a mobile surface solution that can be arranged for small work groups or combined to accommodate large-scale gatherings. Square-shaped with two casters for easy arrangement, they are available at conference and bar height. Under-mounted hooks provide storage for bags and coats to maintain a clear work surface. Epix tables are available with wood veneer (Walnut or Ash in 11 colors) or laminate (six colors) tabletops, and with optional power supply built into the table’s surface.
Epix Shelving and Storage: In a category first for Keilhauer, the addition of shelving provides a number of practical solutions that expand the collection’s applications. It provides a visual divide and, with the addition of knockout, movable felt panels, physical and auditory privacy as well.
For more information about the Epix collection, visit the Keilhauer website.
