PRODUCT FOCUS French Connection Studio TK partners with Basque-based Alki on the comfortable and stylish Kuskoa chair and Lasai lounge seating collections Based in the northern Basque region of France, the furniture design company Alki-which means "chair" in Basque-has partnered with Studio TK to introduce two seating collections: Kuskoa and Lasai. "Formed in 1981 in the small village of Itsasu in the northern Basque Country, Alki combines ancestral tradition and modern technology," says Charlie Bell, president of Studio TK. "Alki furniture brings conviviality in a very contemporary style to the Studio TK portfolio." 28 The Kuskoa collection comprises the Bi chair (above), which features a bioplastic shell derived from plant-based renewable resources that optimizes back and arm support. The shell can be enhanced with a seat pad or be fully upholstered. Bi comes in two task chair versions-with a four-star swivel or five-star caster base in two powdercoat finishes-as well as a guest version with a solid-oak trestle base available in five finishes. The Kuskoa collection also includes bar stools with mid-back support and metal footrests. With a low-profile, Hans Wegner-inspired recline, the Lasai collection of lounge seating (below) features an upholstered outer shell and seat cushions supported by a solid oak frame. Lasai is offered in both single- and double-seat configurations with a variety of upholstery options and five wood-frame finishes. -MURRYE BERNARD studiotk.com contractdesign.com OCTOBER 2017http://www.studiotk.com http://www.contractdesign.com