Herman Miller
Aeron chair (1994), Don Chadwick and Bill StumpfDesigned in 1994 by Don Chadwick and Bill Stumpf, and manufactured by Herman Miller, the Aeron chair is the benchmark office chair. You can argue about its looks, but given that competitive ergonomic chairs became look-alikes, Bill Stumpf did a pretty good job in creating an aesthetic all of its own. He wanted the functionality to show through, inviting you to sit and experience the chair for yourself. The transparency of the chair as a visual element was in keeping with the idea of transparent architecture and technology, which Aeron pioneered in advance of Apple’s transparent iMac computers.
As the first office chair in which fabric and foam were replaced with a breathable, woven suspension membrane — its innovative Pellicle seat and back — Aeron distributes your weight evenly, eliminating pressure points and heat buildup. The Aeron started a revolution in ergonomics. Aeron chairs were popular with web startups during the late 1990s, earning the nickname ‘the Dot-Com Throne’. Made largely of recycled materials, the Aeron chair is designed to last a long time, and it’s no wonder the chair was added to the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
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