GUBI presents the Keen Shelving System, designed by architect Linda Korndal’s studio Toko Among Friends

Keen offers a modular storage solution that adapts to changing spaces and needs through life’s various stages

Design Philosophy

The Keen Shelving System combines structural logic with personality, creating what Korndal describes as storage with a soul. The design embodies Toko Among Friends’ characteristic approach of imbuing furniture with human qualities to establish emotional connections with users.

“Keen pushes physical boundaries. We were dreaming of a super-light structure, elevated from the ground—a stable, sturdy shelf that feels as though it might float,” explains Linda Korndal. “The legs don’t just appear to defy the laws of physics. They are just at the tipping point.”

Modular Construction

The system comprises vertical metal rods, three lengths of open shelves, enclosed box shelves, oversized feet, and soft arches at the top. Shelves connect through specially engineered brackets that allow vertical expansion by piercing through and locking each layer. Horizontal expansion occurs through an interlocking pattern that creates stable, woven structures.

Seven core modules are available: three sets of low shelves and four sets of high shelves in varying lengths (96 cm, 160 cm, and 208 cm), with optional box shelves in medium-length configurations. The system functions as wall-mounted units, freestanding furniture, or room dividers.

Material Palette

Frame options include black brass or satin-polished stainless steel. Shelf materials feature FSC-certified black-brown stained ash, FSC-certified ALPI Sottsass Gray veneer (FSC C176589), or cool-gray tinted glass. The ALPI Sottsass veneer introduces swirling, fabric-like patterned gray surfaces, while glass shelves add semi-transparent layers that emphasize the structural rhythm.

Design Collaboration

“For GUBI, design has always meant more than just form and function—it’s a reflection of identity and a platform for personal expression,” states Marie Kristine Schmidt, CEO of GUBI. “Linda Korndal’s Keen brings this philosophy to life—setting a benchmark in modularity, materiality, and emotional expression.”

This marks the first product launch under the Toko Among Friends name. Korndal notes that GUBI holds a unique position, “looking both forward and backward in time,” where lasting designs emerge from innovation and prove themselves through longevity.

Architectural Character

The oversized feet provide stability while visually lifting the frame from the floor, creating architectural lightness. This detail contributes to the system’s animated presence—what GUBI characterizes as neither imposing nor minimal, but intentional.

The system’s name reflects this duality: eagerness to engage with surroundings and owners, balanced by the ability to quietly hold space for meaningful objects.