Herman Miller is credited with the invention of the office cubicle originally known as the "Action Office" which was stated today from a Herman Miller sales representative. Herman Miller is a leading manufacturer of office furniture and equipment. (hermanmiller.com), They research, design, and create furniture systems that are efficient and functional. They take the process of cradle-to-cradle very seriously to make the world better.(hermanmiller.com) Cradle-to-cradle, which is a term we have learned in our Building Systems and Codes class, is essentially taking a product from its origination and recycling it back to a new identical product. What this company really focuses in on is the idea of creating a big effect in an office space while having a small impact on our planet. Herman Miller is meticulous about the importance of this process and all products are designed to reflect this view.
For example, ‘the Sayl Chair is 93% recyclable’ (www.hermanmiller.com/Products/SAYL-Chairs). This is one of their newest products as well. That says a lot. They really prove what they talk about. “The design inspiration came from Yves Béhar and his fascination for the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. As affordable as it is inventive, SAYL disproves the notion that a reasonably priced chair means offhand design and minimal ergonomics” (www.hermanmiller.com/Products/SAYL-Chairs). This in turn, is another reason why this company deserves recognition. They take what they do very seriously. Below is the masterpiece.
Here is a detailed description of why it was made. “The suspension material is stretched from the Y-Tower at the back of the chair just as cables are stretched from the towers of a suspension bridge. The name reflects the sailing vessels that pass beneath the bridges that inspired the original design. Replacing the "i" in "sail" with a "y" is a nod to the innovative Y-tower structure of the work chair, (www.hermanmiller.com/Products/SAYL-Chairs)”.
Moving into another interesting contribution to their reputation is a certain office system that is quite amazing actually. This system is known as the Resolve system. It was designed by Ayse Birsel and its key component is that it is a human-centered system. What does that means? In a nutshell, “it is based on the size, reach, and movements of people. Resolve creates friendly work spaces; its shapes and openness encourage people to connect, interact, and collaborate. Air and light pass through; people can see in and out and don't feel confined. Acoustical inserts absorb and block sound, and Qt Quiet technology reduces noise distractions” (hermanmiller.com/Products/Resolve-System). You couldn’t get a better system than that. It solves a lot of common office problems. Below are some pictures that I found.
Another interesting point is that it is known for having a natural approach in its design. By this, I found that it mimics the natural world, starting with the 120-degree angle, the most common angle in nature (www.hermanmiller.com/Products/Resolve-System). Who finds this stuff out? Herman Miller does and this puts them on the map.
Another aspect of this company is the extensive research on ergonomics solutions to the office space. This is where the Embody chair takes the scene. Below is a picture.
This chair was ‘specifically designed for people who work for hours at computers’, period (www.hermanmiller.com/Products/Embody-Chairs). So basically, the typical clients for this chair are computer engineers and techs, software designers, and even clients such as Landor. “The back of the chair looks like a spine which is entirely intentional. Embody's instinctive back adapts to your movement, adjusting automatically to your shifting positions, keeping your spine aligned and healthy. Whether you lean forward or recline, your lower back support remains constant—no adjustments needed” (www.hermanmiller.com/Products/Embody-Chairs).
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