What is the least amount of material required to create a chair? It’s not just a philosophical question, and it’s not just a feat of engineering. It happens to be the first line of the design brief provided to world-renowned EOOS when asked to create a new seat for Division Twelve. The colorful line of bent steel furniture is excited to welcome Catty, the new modern, minimalist seat to their collection – available at café, bar and counter height in 20+ radiant finishes.
To create this minimalist seat, Catty consists of only two curving steel tubes which form a backrest, and a smooth, thin plane of steel or wood veneer to form the seat. “The shape is created by two sets of lines that meet for only a moment before they go off on their own again. The lines of the back curve under the seat to form an endless loop. With arms, this same line appears to twist up and around organically,” says Designer Martin Bergmann, EOOS.
Prototyped with the code name “The Barely There Chair,” Catty’s design is intended as a way to push the boundaries of the eco-conscious line of commercial furnishings. Already, the entire Division Twelve collection of seating is 100% recyclable, and uses Forest Steward Certified wood for all solid wood options; Catty’s minimalist form helped to explore minimal resource use. “Division Twelve is the perfect closed-loop product,” explains Josephine Abate, Sustainability Officer. “All the materials are sourced sustainably and can be taken back up in the supply chain for re-use. However, Catty was a conscious exploration on how to minimize our environmental impact by reducing material needs without reducing scale or comfort.”
“The simplicity of the design and the flowing lines create a feeling of harmony that is very new and fresh, but also timeless,” says Designer Gernot Bohmann, EOOS. “You cannot do less or it is no longer a chair – you’re on almost nothing, but still feel supported and comfortable.”
Catty is available in café, bar stool and counter stool height – with arms and without. For convenience and increased flexibility of use, Catty can be stacked six to eight high. With its unique personality, Catty can be customized to complement any design concept and is available in Division Twelve’s 20+ finish options which is expanded each year to include the Pantone® Color of the Year. Seats are available in 100% steel for rugged or outdoor use, Natural White Oak, or Red Oak stained to match any Division Twelve powder coat finishes.
EARTH APPROVED
We like the Earth. So we use materials it approves of and that last a lifetime. Our steel and textiles are fully recyclable, our seat foam contains bio-based ingredients, our solid wood is FSC® certified (FSC® C117042), and our seating is BIFMA LEVEL® 2 certified. But we don’t just stop there. We use an eco-friendly powder coating process that limits VOC emissions in our metal frames. Plus, we’re a zero-waste to landfill facility – all to deliver sustainable furniture we can humblebrag about.
P.S. Our durable metal and 100% recyclable HDPE seat are perfect for any outdoor space. They’re built to take on the elements. Rain. Sleet. Snow. Aggressive squirrels. Bring it on.
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 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.