Thonet’s Genus Defines the Company’s Vision

“Bentwood” furniture has been synonymous with Thonet since the company’s inception in 1830. So it’s appropriate that the firm’s new Genus chair—which features a slick bent plywood seat and back—is a distillation of the elements that helped establish Thonet’s reputation. Available in either a natural birch finish or durable white, red, or black melamine, the chair has a thin shell that offers enough flex to make for a comfortable seat.

All variations of the Genus are stackable, and the seat’s sled base makes it possible to connect the units. The basic version of the chair features an elegant thin chrome piece that evokes an arm without actually providing the function; an optional version fashions the arm out of molded urethane. The cartoonish curve on the latter isn’t merely whimsical and comfy: It’s also practical, allowing for the chair to be hung from a table for easy cleaning.