Shinzo,
Walter Knoll

As with Isanka, a simple cut and folding technique gave this armchair its bold and distinctive contours. However, the design of the front, the face of the object, proved to be much more difficult. We experimented with many variants with different indentations, seams and curves to match the armchair’s unmistakable aesthetic from the back. Walter Knoll’s development department went to great lengths to ensure the sculptural quality of the upholstered surfaces for potential serial production.

The armchair was ready for production in 2019, but the presentation was postponed shortly before the Salone del Mobile furniture fair in Milan: in Markus Benz’s opinion, the owner of Walter Knoll, something was missing. Nobody knew what. The armchair was shelved. It wasn’t until a few years later that Benz approached us with the idea of fitting castors to the front legs. All that was left to do was modify the back to accommodate a grip. Now the chair could be easily grasped, moved and turned. It was presented to the public in 2022.