EOOS and the new balance of the outdoor

3 July 2026

The project by Harald Gründl, Martin Bergmann, and Gernot Bohmann of the Vienna-based studio EOOS combines poetic thought, precision construction, and constant reflection on how objects enter into everyday life.

With the expansion of the Embrace Outdoor collection for Carl Hansen & Søn, the studio explores the dialogue between perfection and imperfection through furnishings that bring together indoor comfort and the outdoors. Authentic materials, artisanal details, and visual lightness define a series in which function and emotion are naturally intertwined. This is how EOOS illustrates the value of process, material, and design continuity with one of the iconic brands of Danish design.

The Embrace Outdoor series was born from the encounter between “perfection and imperfection.” How does this philosophy translate concretely into the new Lounge Chair and Lounge Table, both in terms of form and user experience?

In the indoor series, it was a poetic idea to fold the cushion and place it inside the wooden frame, which creates a tension between perfection and imperfection.
In the outdoor series, this becomes a reality through the user. The user brings the poetic idea to life – the cushion is placed over the upper backrest and over the front of the seat, then secured. The result is the appearance of an upholstered Lounge chair, although it is only a cushion which could be taken away within seconds.

The Lounge Chair offers an almost hybrid approach between indoor and outdoor. What was the greatest challenge in creating an outdoor product that evokes the comfort and softness typical of interiors?

The biggest challenge was to create something in a kind of in-between typology:
The lounge chair is halfway between an upholstered chair and a wooden chair. Seen from front it looks fully upholstered (completely unusual for outdoor), seen from the side you see the Teak seat and you recognize that the upholstery is detachable.

Second challenge was to create a lounge chair that is stackable without the stackability being visible: for winter, for transport, or simply to make it easy to store.

Untreated teak and artisanal details—such as finger joints and the lattice structure—are central elements of the project. How did you work to enhance the raw material while ensuring durability and visual lightness?

We intentionally made the finger joints large to reflect the significance and rawness of the outdoor setting. As the teak wood weathers to a gray color, they develop a beautiful patina. Visual lightness means for us using as little material as possible, but just enough to ensure durability.

The Lounge Table is inspired by the shape of a kite and features a top composed of 37 hand-crafted slats. Where does this formal choice come from, and what role does craftsmanship play in defining the series’ identity?

The poetic image of the lounge table is a kite in the wind which results in the elimination of the typical center column. The strongest wind can blow through the object, and the view and space are not blocked by a disturbing vertical column
The tabletop is a very complex play of slots and lines, which also allows the water to flow through the top. The wooden base is reflected by the main cross structure of the top. The bars in between the cross structure are thinner to save material. All this is only possible by a high degree of craftmanship.

You have collaborated with Carl Hansen & Søn for several years. What was the experience of developing this new extension of the Embrace Outdoor series like, and how did the dialogue with the company influence your design decisions?

Carl Hansen & Søn was shaped by the founding fathers of danish design, and for us it was the most difficult thing to identify the field where we can work. Since we found our space, we are not standing still, and we do not start working from zero when doing something new (which is the hardest). Now we are moving constantly, which means we are in flow with the company. It is this continuous thinking and discussion which always leads to something new.

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