nendo updates eco-concrete chair for emeco with 86% eco-materials

with the invisible values of design, engineering and strength, the su collection by nendo for emeco follows the japanese aesthetic of ‘su‘ — meaning plain or unadorned. first presented at salone del mobile in 2014, the set of chairs is all about eco-minded materials. and with that in mind, the eco-concrete seat has just received a remake, offering enhanced durability and surface quality with increased recycled content.

the su collection by nendo for emeco embodies the company’s bones, both in form and choice of materials, discovered through an ongoing exploration of eco-conscious resources. the eco-concrete seat is now made from 86% eco-materials — csa cement mixed with recycled glass. CSA cement is a mixture that requires less energy to produce, lowering the carbon footprint. the sears are polished and finished with a low-voc sealer and it is ANSI/BIFMA x5.1 approved.

‘gregg buchbinder, emeco’s CEO contacted us when he saw a photo of the starbucks pop-up store in tokyo we designed in 2012,’ says oki sato, nendo. ‘we placed several white 111 navy chairs in the space, and we were happy about the fact gregg liked the way we used them. the emeco navy chair is ‘the chair’, and has always been inspiring many architects and designers around the world including ourselves. it is amazing that the chair has such a strong character, yet blends into so many different spaces. we are proud to present a stool – “su”, which is strongly linked with the navy chair. it is for us, definitely the stool.’

‘it was rewarding to work with nendo – a designer who has a philosophy of stripping things down, eliminating excess, and finding the beauty in simplicity. this strong tradition found in japan fits both the past and the future of emeco.’ –gregg buchbinder, emeco

project info:

name: su collection

designer: nendo

company: emeco