VEREINIGTE SPEZIALMÖBELFABRIKEN GMBH & CO. KG
Playing, moving, sitting: the Hokki from VS.
The product: The Hokki from VS is a new type of stool for use in kindergartens, day-care centres and elementary schools. It resolves the old conflict – which is also unergonomic and restricts the development of children – of sitting and moving: sitting no longer means just sitting rigidly still; now much more it involves elementary, playful movement. In this way the Hokki helps towards the natural, healthy development of children.
Design quality: The Hokki is a product with a simple and clear basic shape which in its very simplicity opens up to children a whole range of options for use and gives free rein to their childlike imagination. It is designed as an easy-to-handle product which is intuitively understood by children and is directly integrated into their daily routine. With its four cheerfully bright colours the Hokki makes a bold statement and blends perfectly into today’s world of children.
Functionality: The convex shape of the base surface allows the Hokki to move in all directions. The polypropylene body is highly stable, but at the same time extremely light. The soft base padding (TPE) prevents slipping during dynamic sitting. The PE foam sitting surface ensures increased safety for the child when sitting. The recessed structure of the rounded sitting-surface edge offers the child a varied grip. For stacking, some of the Hokkis are turned on their heads, while the others are suspended in the gap created in between. This in itself becomes a memorable game for the children.
Innovation factor: The Hokki turns sitting for children into something active. It thus opens up to them a whole new possibility – a more animated form of sitting.
Ergonomics: The Hokki offers children free mobility under controlled conditions, stimulating the full apparatus of movement in a variety of ways. Such activity not only increases their wellbeing, but also encourages physical and intellectual maturing processes. With the Hokki children are not held back in their natural urge to be active; rather, they are productively supported in this impulse.
Ecology/sustainability: The Hokki’s body is made from 100% recyclable polypropylene; it is therefore extremely scratch-resistant, even under the toughest conditions of everyday use it is not easy to damage the product. Such tough durability means that the product will last a long time, thus helping to conserve natural resources.
Value/first impression: Solidity and value of the materials.
Emotionality: An item of furniture for children to touch, sit on, play with, move on and experiment with which makes their day more varied and interesting: the Hokki is more than just a simple stool – it is also emotionally integrated into the world of children.
Brand conformity: For more than 110 years VS – founded in 1898 as Vereinigte Schulbankfabriken (United School Desk Factories) – has featured on the market with ergonomically sophisticated furniture. Even in the early days VS was already creating school desks with pioneering functions such as angle and height adjustment. Today VS offers a wide range of innovative, ergonomically exemplary school furniture. This range optimally accommodates the healthy need for children to combine sitting and moving. The Hokki slots seamlessly into this product range.
Technical description
Seat heights and weights:
Size 2: 310 mm / 2016 grams
Size 4: 380 mm / 2137 grams
Size 6: 460 mm / 2260 grams
Largest diameter:
346 mm (for all three sizes).
Materials:
Hard plastic parts / PP (polypropylene)
Soft plastic parts / TPE (thermoplastic elastomer)
Sitting surface / PE foam (polyethylene)
The plastic parts are fastened to each other with screws. The sitting surface is glued on. The soft base padding (TPE) is bonded in a 2C process with PP. It prevents slipping during dynamic sitting in a range of controlled free mobility.
Colours:
Yellow-orange - NCS S 0585-Y30R
Dark red - NCS S 2570-R
Dark green - NCS S 4550-G10Y
Dark blue - NCS S 6030-R80B
Design:
John Harding
First presented:
didacta education trade fair Cologne/Germany, March 2010
