Y INTRODUCTION Art & SciENCE OF SEATING CHAIRS MAtriX Z Work Chairs Designed for YouTM hermanmiller.com/seating Y INTRODUCTION Art & SciENCE OF SEATING CHAIRS MAtriX How do you sit? That’s a question you’re unlikely to ask; it’s one we never stop asking. We’ve been studying how people sit for more than 60 years. We turn that research-based knowledge into the best work chairs in the world. hermanmiller.com/seating Y INTRODUCTION Art & SciENCE OF SEATING CHAIRS MAtriX Advancing the Art and Science of Seating The search for the next advance, while incorporating innovations that have come before, has marked the Herman Miller problem-solving, person-centered approach to chair design for over 60 years. hermanmiller.com/seating Y INTRODUCTION Art & SciENCE OF SEATING CHAIRS MAtriX Advancing the Art and Science of Seating Eames Molded Plywood Chair Charles and Ray Eames, 1946 Charles and Ray Eames began experimenting with molding plywood in 1941 as part of their search for new ways to create three-dimensional forms. By inventing a new method for molding plywood, they found a creative use for a common material that allowed them to shape a chair to the contours of the body. It also set a precedent for always putting the person at the center of the design process. hermanmiller.com/seating Y INTRODUCTION Art & SciENCE OF SEATING CHAIRS MAtriX Advancing the Art and Science of Seating Ergon 3 Work Chair Bill Stumpf, 1976, updated 1988, 1995 In 1965, designer Bill Stumpf began researching how people sit at work. Increasing use of office equipment by the growing number of white collar workers fostered a tendency to sit longer, which caused back and neck pain. In designing Ergon, Stumpf applied the principles of ergonomics. This made Ergon the first chair to fit both person and task and allow postural change. It also introduced the science of ergonomics to the contract furniture industry. hermanmiller.com/seating Y INTRODUCTION Art & SciENCE OF SEATING CHAIRS MAtriX Advancing the Art and Science of Seating Equa 2 Work Chair Bill Stumpf & Don Chadwick, 1984 The Equa chair design began its evolution in 1979. Early prototypes showed that by using an H-shaped cut-out the seat and back could act independently, flexing separately to respond automatically to a person’s movements and postures. Inherent in Equa’s design was a new idea: Everyone—regardless of rank or status—deserves a good chair. This approach broke with the tradition of designing chairs for a particular function. hermanmiller.com/seating Y INTRODUCTION Art & SciENCE OF SEATING CHAIRS MAtriX Advancing the Art and Science of Seating Aeron Work Chair Bill Stumpf & Don Chadwick, 1994 The Aeron chair was the first departure from foam and fabric in office chair design. Its patented, breathable Pellicle suspension material lets heat and moisture dissipate, hence the chair’s name, Aeron, adapted from the verb “aerate,” to supply with air. Another advance—the Kinemat® tilt mechanism—added comfort by supporting the body’s natural linkages at the hips, knees, and ankles and in all positions. hermanmiller.com/seating Y INTRODUCTION Art & SciENCE OF SEATING CHAIRS MAtriX Advancing the Art and Science of Seating Mirra Work Chair Studio 7.5, 2003 Mirra was the first chair to provide zoned support in its back design. It was also the first commercial furniture product developed from the outset according to Cradle-to-CradleSM principles. While a consideration of sustainability had been present in earlier Herman Miller chair designs, the work on Mirra established a new standard and set a precedent for subsequent designs. hermanmiller.com/seating Y INTRODUCTION Art & SciENCE OF SEATING CHAIRS MAtriX Advancing the Art and Science of Seating Celle Work Chair Jerome Caruso, 2005 Each cell in a Celle chair acts like the egg-crate foot bed of some shoes, but with an important difference: Cells are suspended by a system of loops to achieve remarkable pliability. As Herman Miller chairs have done in the past, Celle reimagines a rigid material, in this case polypropylene, in an innovative way. hermanmiller.com/seating Y INTRODUCTION Art & SciENCE OF SEATING CHAIRS MAtriX Advancing the Art and Science of Seating Embody Work Chair Jeff Weber & Bill Stumpf, 2008 Herman Miller and its university partners conducted laboratory experiments on kinematics, preferred postures, pressure distribution, seated tasks, and metabolics. This work guided Weber and Stumpf in the development of Embody and confirmed its health-positive benefits: It allows blood and oxygen to flow more freely in the lower extremities, so the heart works easier and beats fewer times per minute. That, in turn, helps people stay focused and alert. hermanmiller.com/seating Y INTRODUCTION Art & SciENCE OF SEATING CHAIRS MAtriX Advancing the Art and Science of Seating Setu Multipurpose Chair Studio 7.5, 2009 In 1965, designer Bill Stumpf began researching how people sit at work. Studio 7.5 advanced the science of dematerialization with a thorough examination of every component of a chair. This is most evident in Setu’s Kinematic Spine™. A combination of flex and strength, the spine eliminates the need for a tilt mechanism by mimicking the synchronized movement needed to fully support the body in any reclined or upright position. By incorporating work-chair attributes into a multipurpose chair, Setu redefined expectations for the category. hermanmiller.com/seating Y INTRODUCTION Art & SciENCE OF SEATING CHAIRS MAtriX Advancing the Art and Science of Seating SAYL Work Chair Yves Béhar, 2010 Yves Béhar pushes the boundaries of technology and design to make both more attainable. Inspired by the principles of the suspension bridge, in which each component is refined to its essential function, Béhar created SAYL with a Y-Tower that supports an unframed back made of 3D Intelligent suspension material. Each element of the chair is in its essential form, which reduces material requirements and weight that, in turn, lessens costs. hermanmiller.com/seating INTRODUCTION Art & SciENCE OF SEATING CHAIRS MAtriX Y Aeron Embody SAYL Mirra Celle Equa 2 Ergon 3 Work Chairs No matter what posture you’re in, you’ll sit comfortably with proper support in our work chairs. They’re designed to make you feel so good you’ll be unaware of anything except the work you’re focusing on. hermanmiller.com/seating INTRODUCTION Art & SciENCE OF SEATING CHAIRS MAtriX Y Aeron Embody SAYL Mirra Celle Equa 2 Ergon 3 Overview ® Highlights Aeron Designers Materials hermanmiller.com/seating INTRODUCTION Art & SciENCE OF SEATING CHAIRS MAtriX Y Aeron Embody SAYL Mirra Celle Equa 2 Ergon 3 Aeron Overview Studying how people sit, Bill Stumpf and Don Chadwick noted that heat and moisture buildup from sitting for long periods are major factors in causing discomfort. Their design for the Aeron chair solves the problem with a patented, breathable suspension material that lets heat and moisture dissipate. At the same time, the material gives your body dynamic support as you move. Aeron product page Overview Highlights Designers Materials hermanmiller.com/seating INTRODUCTION Art & SciENCE OF SEATING CHAIRS MAtriX Y Aeron Embody SAYL Mirra Celle Equa 2 Ergon 3 Aeron Highlights ® Pellicle is a patented suspension material that redefined the look and function of work chairs. It naturally conforms to your body, providing varied degrees of support and eliminating pressure points wherever your body contacts it. PostureFit® supports the way the pelvis tilts naturally forward, decreasing muscle fatigue and improving your endurance, even when sitting for hours on end. Overview Highlights Designers Materials hermanmiller.com/seating INTRODUCTION Art & SciENCE OF SEATING CHAIRS MAtriX Y Aeron Embody SAYL Mirra Celle Equa 2 Ergon 3 Aeron Designers Bill Stumpf and Don Chadwick analyzed the pressure distribution maps of hundreds of sitters. They used the data to design a Designers chair that provides dynamic support for people of different proportions. Overview Highlights Designers Materials hermanmiller.com/seating INTRODUCTION Art & SciENCE OF SEATING CHAIRS MAtriX Y Aeron Embody SAYL Mirra Celle Equa 2 Ergon 3 Honesty and innovation in materials are the foundations of design at Herman Miller, and they are hallmarks of our work chairs. Visit Aeron hermanmiller.com/materials to see our complete textile and materials Materials offering and application information. Overview Highlights Designers Materials hermanmiller.com/seating INTRODUCTION Art & SciENCE OF SEATING CHAIRS MAtriX Y Aeron Embody SAYL Mirra Celle Equa 2 Ergon 3 Overview ® Highlights Embody Designers Materials hermanmiller.com/seating INTRODUCTION Art & SciENCE OF SEATING CHAIRS MAtriX Y Aeron Embody SAYL Mirra Celle Equa 2 Ergon 3 Embody Overview Embody began when Jeff Weber and BillS tumpf saw an unsolved problem: the lack of physical harmony between us and our technology. They came up with a radical idea: design an agile, health-positive chair that benefits both body and mind. The result is Embody. Its design features have been shown in clinical tests to lower heart rates and stimulate blood and oxygen flow. That, in turn, helps people stay focused and alert. Embody product page Overview Highlights Designers Materials hermanmiller.com/seating INTRODUCTION Art & SciENCE OF SEATING CHAIRS MAtriX Y Aeron Embody SAYL Mirra Celle Equa 2 Ergon 3 Embody Highlights Embody’s back is a central spine that joins rib-like H-flexors and Pixelated SupportTM to create a dynamic surface that mimics the natural movement of your back. As you twist and turn, Embody moves with you. Embody’s narrow upper back allows arms and shoulders to move freely, letting you breathe deeper. The BackfitTM adjustment lets the chair’s back embrace your spine’s unique curvature, holding your head in alignment to your technology and giving you continuous support as you change postures. Overview Highlights Designers Materials hermanmiller.com/seating INTRODUCTION Art & SciENCE OF SEATING CHAIRS MAtriX Y Aeron Embody SAYL Mirra Celle Equa 2 Ergon 3 Embody To design Embody, Jeff Weber and BillS tumpf augmented their insights with those from experts in biomechanics, physical therapy, Designers vision, and ergonomics.