We enjoyed this article Don't Put Your Neck on The Line (by Oliver Marks, ZDnet, January 18, 2012) that highlights the fact that many people are reluctant to spend on ergonomic office furniture what they will willingly spend on a new Apple computer. He talks of the huge medical cost of postural injuries from sitting incorrectly at the computer and how he has been converted to the benefits of a good ergonomic work chair by purchasing the Herman Miller Embody chair. He goes on to say;

"The Embody chair (principally designed by Jeff Weber and the late Bill Stumpf) I’m sitting in as I write this is a bit of a revelation: it’s one thing to spend a bit of time in a decent chair at a clients, quite another to calibrate your own chair to your body and then get used to spending most of your working day in it. Like good user interface design the chair no longer gets in the way - it’s comfortably supportive but otherwise invisible."

As Mark's points out, this is because of the huge amount of thought and investment Herman Miller makes in working out exactly what creates the most comfortable working environment. The article argues that Herman Miller is "the Apple of office furniture", but points out a good office chair will outlive your new computer tenfold. It's an interesting comparison and one we're very pleased is being made as we at Herman Miller know that ergonomic furniture really is an investment in your health and wellbeing. Check out the Embody product story at our website if you'd like to learn more about a work chair that is good for you.

Over 650 pieces of The Herman Miller Collection were previewed at Miami's Art Basel last week, furnishing the private collectors lounge and both restaurants at the art show. The idea behind The Collection comes from none other than George Nelson who in his introduction to the 1952 Herman Miller catalogue, spoke of "the continuing creation of a permanent collection designed to meet fully the requirements for modern living." Nelson's philosophy was the starting point for this new collection. The team behind it began by taking pieces from the Herman Miller archives and updating them to meet contemporary standards of sustainability and durability and it looks as though they might have had quite a bit of fun along the way.

For the first time new pieces from George Nelson have been presented including thin edge case goods and the Nelson Pedestal Stool. A stunning new version of the Eames shell chair that employs moulded plywood in place of the current coloured polypropylene is a highlight. You will also find Eames dining chairs upholstered in bright pink and orange (below), the Eames Lounge in white leather and ash and Tuxedo sofas upholstered in Alexander Girard fabric. Further archival pieces will be introduced as the Collection grows and new designs are being developed with the current generation of talented designers. Asia Pacific readers, you won't have to wait long to see for yourself, the Herman Miller Collection will be touring the region in 2012... so stay tuned!

Posted by Lauren Evans

The Design Farm is the centralised base for all of Herman Miller's design and development related activities, but it is so much more than that. The Design Farm is the culmination of our ideas about our environmental footprint, the work/life balance and the link between working and learning. Set in a 40 hectare cornfield in Holland, Michigan, architect Jeff Scherer (of Meyer, Schere and Rockcastle Ltd) has created a design inspired by a mid-western farmyard that blends in harmoniously with its surroundings. It's here that you might find employees picking fresh vegetables from the employee created garden to take home for dinner, or taking a stroll around the grounds during their lunchbreak. A recent renovation dubbed 'The Front Door' reconnects executives with the heart of the company, increasing collabration and inspiration. We're really proud of the culture the Design Farm is cultivating and of it's recognition by others. It has won numerous awards including LEED Gold Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).

You can learn more about The Design Farm over at the HM Discover blog.

Last week I had the pleasure of working with our colleagues, friends, and clients in both Singapore and Hong Kong in a series of workshops around creative process and agile working.  

In each location we learned about different modes of creativity, and the people, stimuli, tools, time, and places needed to enable and energize teams to be generative and collaborative.  As many organizations go through facility changes or move towards agile working scenarios, multi-stakeholder participation and ideation is necessary for the transparency and leverage to succeed.  

We all had a great time practicing our generative thinking techniques, and I know that I enjoyed listening and learning from everyone in attendance.  If you're interested in knowing more or joining the discussion, please let us know!  

In a week of firsts (my first visit to Germany, and to Orgatec - the renowned international trade fair), I'm very proud to have contributed to the international public launch of Herman Miller's Sayl chair.

Orgatec 2010 proved a fitting forum for the launch: Around 61,000 visitors from 110 countries came for a rare and comprehensive overview of global trends and innovations in offices and office facilities.

Central to the action, Sayl's designer Yves Béhar was kept busy with enquiries, providing a personal insight into the story of Sayl — the inspiration, its design, ergonomics, and engineering. The response? By all accounts, the feedback was resoundingly positive and highly encouraging. Importantly, it reinforced our conviction that Sayl is the right chair at the right time and at the right price.

Also on display, a sneak preview of yet-to-be-released additions to the Setu range seemed to ignite a 'must have now' reaction amongst visitors to our stand.

All in all, Orgatec 2010 presented us with an invaluable opportunity to exchange ideas and experiences and to view market trends. But more importantly, it brought us face to face with our customers, providing that vital check point that we're on track to meet new market needs.