GREEN BAY (May 14, 2026) – KI, a global leader in innovative furniture solutions, announced today that Cogni Seating has received a 2026 Red Dot Award: Product Design, one of the world’s most respected international honors for design excellence.

Selected annually by an international jury of design experts, the Red Dot Award recognizes products that demonstrate exceptional design quality across four key principles: function, aesthetic appeal, simplicity and intuitiveness, and responsibility. In a highly competitive field featuring entries from leading companies and design studios around the world, Cogni stood out for its thoughtful integration of ergonomics, movement, sensory engagement, and contemporary educational design.

Purpose-built for today’s evolving learning environments, Cogni reflects KI’s research-driven approach to designing products that support student engagement, focus, and comfort while also elevating the visual language of educational spaces.

“Receiving a Red Dot Award is a significant milestone that reinforces KI’s position at the forefront of global product innovation,” said Tony Besasie, chief sales and marketing officer at KI. “This honor validates our commitment to design excellence and our ability to compete at the highest level internationally. It’s a testament to the sophistication of our in-house design capabilities and our dedication to creating furniture that is as visually compelling as it is technically advanced.”

Developed by KI’s in-house design team, Cogni was intentionally created to move beyond traditional classroom seating by supporting a wider range of postures, movement, and sensory needs. The seating line was designed to address a growing challenge within education spaces: creating environments that support diverse learning styles while helping students remain engaged, comfortable, and attentive throughout the day.

Rather than treating physical motion and sensory input as distractions, Cogni incorporates these elements as intentional components of the learning experience. Subtle sensory and movement-based features are integrated throughout the line to help promote concentration, cognitive engagement, and physical comfort without disrupting the classroom environment.

“Cogni was designed to respond to what educators see every day in the classroom,” said Bryan Ballegeer, KI’s vice president of education markets. “Students don’t learn in one position or one way, so we focused on creating seating that supports movement, choice, and comfort without adding complexity for teachers. That balance is what makes it effective in real learning environments.”

The seating line features a sculptural one-piece injection-molded shell with ergonomic contouring, passive-flex back movement that adapts to both upright and reclined sitting positions. A wide molded handle is seamlessly integrated into the upper shell, supporting mobility while also accommodating alternative sitting positions often seen in active learning environments.

Cogni’s signature under-seat shroud introduces both functional and aesthetic innovation. Featuring tactile sensory dots of varying sizes, the patent-pending design encourages sensory engagement and regulation while also supporting chair stacking and desk nesting for efficient classroom transitions and floor maintenance. In cantilever models, KI engineered a responsive steel frame that subtly flexes with user movement to enhance comfort and circulation throughout the day.

Designed for versatility across learning environments, Cogni is available in cantilever, four-leg, stool, and task chair models with an extensive range of poly colors, upholstery options, frame finishes, and contrasting shroud combinations. The line’s customizable two-tone aesthetic allows schools and designers to create expressive, cohesive environments aligned with both educational goals and institutional identity, including the option for custom Pantone color matching.

“Cogni proves that high-performance educational furniture can also be visually compelling and emotionally engaging,” Ballegeer said. “Every element was designed to balance performance, comfort, and visual expression in a way that helps learning spaces feel more engaging, adaptable, and human-centered.”

This recognition further builds on Cogni’s growing momentum within the architecture and design community. Since its launch last year, the line has earned multiple industry honors, including a Silver Award at Best of NeoCon 2025, a finalist recognition in Interior Design magazine’s 2025 Best of Year Awards, and the 2025 Product Innovation Award at EDspaces.

While the Red Dot Award frequently spotlights products across consumer, technology, and workplace categories, recognition for education-focused furniture remains relatively rare—making Cogni’s achievement especially notable within the architecture and design community.

Additional details about Cogni can be found at ki.com/cogni.