With ergonomics and innovation in the genesis of all its products, Herman Miller is the giant of office furniture.
Herman Miller is one of the largest and most influential producers of lounge and office furniture that has become legendary due to the ergonomic vision of the entire office space. With over 100 years of history, the North American brand continues to surprise in a daily basis.
Herman Miller – More than 100 years in office furniture market
Originally founded in 1905 as Star Furniture Company in Michigan, this company started by producing high quality furniture pieces and revivalist style bedroom sets until approximately 1923. It was at that time, that 51% of the company was acquired by Herman Miller and Dirk Jan De Pree. From that moment on, the company focus truly began on creating genuine american designs using all natural wood from the region. In addition to this essential detail, the focus on the design of the pieces led these legendary pieces to become popular all over the world.
At that time the company hired some great genius architects who greatly influenced the furniture designers who worked in the company. It was in 1945, that Charles and Ray Eames were hired. In that year the iconic chair “Eames Chair” was released and it was then that Herman Miller began to be recognized internationally.
The Eames collection is one of the most iconic American office furniture pieces ever made. This chair has been used countless times in television series and movies, so it is impossible not to be recognized. This chair was featured in the series Mad Men and The Simpsons, but as well represented on the Wall Street Wolf.
The department of research and ergonomics
It was in the 60s that Herman Miller Research Department was created. This department was essentially intended to combine the new technologies with the current working methods. This new department has been responsible for new pieces of innovative office furniture like the Aeron Chair. Regarded by many as the most ergonomic and comfortable office chair available in the market, a whole generation of American business owners, designers, real estate owners and furniture connoisseurs, are truly surrendered to the most contemporary Herman Miller designs.
With this department, Herman Miller intends to create solutions that provide greater comfort and well being.
In this context of health and well being, ergonomics and design are the DNA of the brand. Thinking about the hours that many corporate employees spend seated, having a chair that fits perfectly in any position and that provides a feeling of comfort when working, is therefore crucial. In this way, one work better and you produce more. Each chair is subjected to rigorous wear tests by simulators that replicate their daily use to the limit.
Taking into account the way people work in an office, the brand has been developing the innovative concept of “Living Office”. This concept consists of spaces with innovative office furniture where working is become a pleasant experience and not a sacrifice.
Living Office – A office for each and everyone
This new concept was originally created by Herman Miller in 2013. The Living Office is based on a simple premise: the way we work has changed, but offices not.
The paradigm shift in the workplace had implications at the departmental level, but also at the individual level. Today’s functions go much further by collaborative work and uninterrupted contact with new technologies. Thus, the need for modern workplaces to adapt to new ways of working rather than the other way around is born, since all employees have a greater need for a more flexible working space and friendly environment.
Living Office design solutions took years of research from Herman Miller side. After realizing that all changes are being felt around the world, the american company has dedicated itself to creating something besides high-quality, ergonomic office furniture. It was necessary to rethink the concept of office in a holistic way, and so Herman Miller then set about creating solutions for the office, interpreting it as a whole. And so, the brand created the new concept “Living Office”
“Living Office” office furniture vs the needs of employees
Herman Miller’s research allowed the brand to identify six fundamental needs that modern workers share:
- Safety;
- Autonomy;
- Feeling of belonging;
- Status;
- Purpose;
- Realization.
Living Office concept is designed to serve these needs, helping workers to have an friendly environment to achieve them.
Herman Miller’s Living Office is a true philosophy. It addresses a new way of being in an office, as well as cooperative interaction between teams and new technologies. This concept represents a work space of high performance and with office furniture that elevates the work experience, mainly for promoting creativity and collaboration. In doing so, the companies themselves also benefit, as it helps to easily achieve their objectives.
The Living Office is adapted differently to all companies by becoming an instrument in itself. Because, companies also express their values in a unique way.
The benefits of having a work environment focused on people well being.
The adoption of Herman Miller’s Living Office philosophy brings undoubtedly countless benefits to a company’s employees. Workers gain a sense of belonging, as the work spaces starts to promote social interaction and well being. Because is this reasons, they are equally inclusive for all worker profiles. This work environment – and all office furniture – also facilitates the transition between teamwork and individual work in a natural way.
Through a more humanized work space, people undoubtedly feel fulfilled and happy. Consequently, a high performance and maximum productivity of each worker is achieved. Here is the great competitive advantage that Herman Miller and the Living Office concept represents for companies. Ultimately, it promotes achievement and success, because employees are the most valuable asset of the company.
Herman Miller – Iconic pieces and awards of the office furniture giant
Throughout its century of existence Herman Miller has already proven its quality and iconic designs through numerous awards. These can be divided into three broad categories:
- Company Awards;
- Product Awards;
- Consciência ambiental.
The American brand has already raised 70 awards for its products, 13 environmental awards and 30 awards for the company. The awards for human resources, labor equity, benefits and leadership as well Company of the Year are just a few of them.
The first iconic design to receive a “Good Design Award” was the Aeron ergonomic chair in 1996. In that year, Aeron received nine more awards until, in 2017, with its remastering, received yet another industry award. In total, the Aeron chair itself allowed Herman Miller to win 11 prizes.
Not only that, also Eames chair, an iconic design of the company, has won several awards over time. In a total of 6 awards in all its variations, the chair Eames as one of the most outstanding prize the “Design of the Century” award. The designer of the piece – Charles Eames – was equally distinguished as designer of the century.
Other pieces of office furniture with unmistakable and innovative designs that have also been awarded are the Ava chair, the Chadwick modular sofa, the Kivo modular pieces, the Sayl, Setu, Mirra and Embody office chairs. This last one won the prize of best chair of 2008, the arm of monitor Flo, among many other pieces.