Schemel Stool - Naked Steel - Model I

In 1909, the world’s first stool made of riveted steel plate entered the market. Built for resilience and shaped by function, the Rowac stool soon became a fixture in workshops and educational institutions—including the Bauhaus—where practicality met a new design language. More than a century later, this industrial archetype is once again being produced, piece by piece, in the Ore Mountains of Germany. Every stool is handcrafted, staying true to the original specifications and spirit.

Naked Steel marks a quiet evolution in this legacy. After repeated inquiries about a raw steel version, Rowac developed a way to offer the material in its most honest form—without compromising longevity. Raw steel, though visually striking, is highly reactive to moisture. To meet this challenge, Rowac introduced a zinc-nickel finish: a nearly invisible protective layer that resists rust while allowing the surface to remain exposed. Unlike powder coatings, this treatment preserves the unique traces left by forming, riveting, and bending—each stool telling its own story through subtle imperfections and marks of its making.

About Rowac

Rowac, founded by Karl Robert Wagner in early 20th century in Chemnitz, Germany, is famous for the iconic 1909 Rowac-Schemel, known for its durable wooden seat and stamped steel legs. The design is regarded as the archetype of the modern workshop stool. Widely used in industrial and educational settings, including the Bauhaus, production stopped after World War II, but was revived in 2023 with sustainable updates, continuing its legacy of functional, durable and honest furniture.