Brief: design an office with sustainability and wellbeing in mind. Enter Neunzig° Design’s Yonda Conference Chair for Wilkhahn.

Workspace designers all over the world have a shared objective: make offices healthier and more sustainable. Doing so requires the right tools and furniture. Combining ergonomics and a fully recyclable design, Wilkhahn’s Yonda Conference chair is a missing piece in this puzzle, both in informal and formal workspaces. Barbara Funck and Rainer Weckenmann of Neunzig° Design conceived a chair that fuses an ergonomic seat, custom 3D suspension and mono-material upholstery – all without adhesives. 

‘We’ve designed the Yonda Conference chair to make the office a place where people like being, enjoy working and are encouraged to reach their potential,’ says Funck. ‘At the same time, we're responding to the environmental challenges of our time and placing great emphasis on design that is compatible with a circular economy. Mono-material sorting of the components and ease of repair are key criteria, which we achieve by providing full upholstery that requires no adhesives.’

The conference series is a complement to Wilkhahn’s range of Yonda shell-structure chairs. The chairs’ four- and five-star bases are fixed with 3D springs forged from high-performance steel, providing dynamic movement and premium comfort. Clients can also select the design in a four-leg frame and solid oak frame, giving more of a residential feel. And extra cushioning on the seat and bottom of the backrest encourage people to adopt healthy sitting habits.

Yonda Conference’s innovation also lies in upholstery with 50 per cent recycled fibres and customized seams, which allow the textile to adhere perfectly to the design’s concave form. Bonding is not needed for affixing the foam to the shell, either – rather it is screwed on top. This means that all components can be separated by material and are therefore simple to recycle. Furthermore, Yonda Conference’s cover is easy to remove and replace. Should users not want a whole new chair, they need only to turn back to Wilkhahn’s team.