Allseating has unveiled the Rühe collection. Rühe, a winner of the 2022 GOOD DESIGN® Award, is a minimalist, understated, and multi-range seating collection that was envisioned by award-winning industrial designer Mike Shields, Principal of Studio3.
Thoughtfully crafted to evoke a home-like feel that is calming and comforting, Rühe’s carefully selected design elements promote health, wellness, and cleanability, all while offering superior durability and support for all users. Suitable for a variety of public settings such as corporate waiting areas, hospitals, airports, and educational institutions, the Rühe collection comprises guest, patient, and lounge seating, as well as several table options. Last December, Rühe was the winner of a 2022 GOOD DESIGN® Award in the ‘Furniture’ category. The Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design’s annual GOOD DESIGN® Awards program announces the most innovative and cutting-edge industrial, product, and graphic designs produced around the world.
“Fashioned with user wellness in mind while embodying leisure and comfort in a comprehensive assortment, Rühe’s quality design and expert craftsmanship successfully meet the needs of a broad spectrum of businesses,” said Paul Vendittelli, President of Allseating. “Public spaces are diverse and organizations need adaptable seating solutions to accommodate this diversity. Rühe’s lighter scale, modest design, and multiple seat sizes ensure it will complement other furnishings in any environment.”
The light and thin profile frame does not deter from its resilience as the Rühe collection has a highly durable 14-gauge steel frame that provides strength and sturdiness and supports up to 400 pounds on most models. Rühe was engineered with seven support ladders and common arm components, adding consistency to the collection and contributing to a catalog of 15 seating configurations. Additionally, soft cleanouts between seats and backs are featured on all models to ease the cleaning process – a quality highly prized by facilities in all industries.
“True to its namesake, meaning “rest” in German, Rühe’s soft and residential ambiance focuses on minimalism and understated beauty, adding levity to any space,” said designer, Mike Shields. “Straying from conventional heavier looks for a truly elegant design, the modern aesthetic of this series is achieved by using gentle lines, soft colors, and natural wood accents, all culminating into a highly customizable public seating solution that provides consistency and longevity without sacrificing aesthetics. The shape of Rühe's arms was designed to mimic the gesture of welcoming arms that humans make in social situations and acts as a warm invitation for users to relax and take a seat.”
Each model in the Rühe collection features an inverted curve in the arms that provides a natural cradle to the forearm, while extended arm caps allow for ease of ingress and egress. Guest seating allows for the option of standard, plus size, or love seat sizes to accommodate a broader range of body types and situations. The double and triple guest configurations can be specified with intervening legs, intervening arms, or no intervening arms, allowing for more effective floor cleaning between and underneath units. The patient variation can be specified as a standard, rocker, or easy-access hip chair to ensure patients receive optimal comfort while being cared for. Furthermore, lounge options are available in single, double, and triple for enhanced relaxation. Finally, two stand-alone tables in both side and coffee table options are provided as well as two linking tables that come in either 120-degree, end, or mid-table choices.
Rühe’s arm cap options are featured in three polyurethane finishes, one solid surface finish, and three solid wood finishes, with tables offered in five laminate finishes. The metal frame can be specified in a silver, bronze, or matte smoke finish, and most components are field replaceable. Rühe was also designed with a wall-saver frame to prevent the back of the chair from making full contact with the wall and causing damage. For maximum user convenience, a power module is available in a white finish to offer electrical access via AC or USB connections.