Spotlight: Osuu
‘Spotlight’ is a series that focuses on a single product developed by Foster + Partners Industrial Design – offering insights into the design process. Ranging from lighting, furniture to building systems, each edition celebrates a key milestone, award, anniversary or project installation.
This month we explore how a considered approach to form, comfort, and craftsmanship shaped the Osuu chair's journey from initial concept to award-winning design and architectural application.
The Osuu chair was developed in collaboration with German furniture manufacturer Walter Knoll, bringing together craftsmanship, precision, ergonomics and sustainability. Designed to accompany the Aion table, yet versatile to complement a wide range of environments, Osuu launched at Salone del Mobile in Milan 2024, and has since been specified in projects such as 50 Electric Boulevard near Battersea Power Station. Its simple form, curved seat, honest use of materials, and advanced contemporary technology, transforms spaces by inviting touch and creating a sense of comfort. Available in walnut or oak, Osuu is finished with a natural hard wax, creating a silky matt finish.
The design reflects a long-standing collaborative approach – combining research-led ‘design by making’ ethos with specialist knowledge. Supported by extensive research, the design process involved 1:1 prototyping, CNC machining, 3D printing, and ergonomic testing rigs to refine the curvature of the seat and backrest. Inspired by 1920s timber and rattan chairs, the team initially experimented with steam-bent timber dowels – an exceptionally challenging technique to achieve in oak or walnut.
Through close collaboration with skilled local craftsmen, the final design incorporated 3D-veneered plywood, offering precise ergonomics, subtle flexibility, and structural efficiency. The plywood shell structurally connects the front legs, backrest and underside, reducing material use while enhancing strength and performance. Each refinement was made millimetre by millimetre until the perfect balance of form and comfort was achieved.
Sustainability is central to Osuu and is reflected throughout the design and making process. The project minimises transport emissions through sourcing timber in the German Black Forest region. Additionally, the entirety of Osuu’s manufacturing process takes place within a 450-kilometer radius of Walter Knoll’s factory in Herrenberg. In terms of construction, the expertise of local craftsman – from bending and CNC-shaping, to assembly and oiling, helps to bolster regional craftmanship whilst also minimising key transport emissions.
Today, Osuu demonstrates its adaptability across residential, commercial, workplace and hospitality environments, operating as a refined, enduring element that responds to scale, use and architectural context.
Awards
2025 - 2025 - Red Dot Award - Winner, Product Design 2025, "Red Dot: Best of the Best"
2025 - Raum und Wohnen, Swiss magazine - Winner, Furniture of the Year 2024
2025 - iF Design Award - Gold, Product (Home Furniture)
