As the year progresses and our way to work is finding a new equilibrium, it is crystal clear that the tools we use to achieve our very best in the office are of the greatest importance. Having the correct chair, the most efficient desking system and optimising space for health and safety allows for greater productivity and comfort, and in this Herman Miller leads the way.

As the preeminent supplier of products to the commercial sector Herman Miller provides the support we need in these days of flux and it’s good to know we can count on that.

As sponsor of The Design Studio in the 2020 INDE.Awards, Herman Miller is intimately connected to designers and understands what is required for all commercial projects. Anticipating needs and requirements in the workplace is what Herman Miller has been doing for more than 100 years and that experience makes all the difference in the challenging times of today.

Herman Miller Aeron Office Chair

As Mike Radda, Australian and New Zealand Sales Director, Herman Miller commented, “Herman Miller has always had a strong connection with design and the people that work in design. Designers are important contributors in making our world a better place to live in. So, we believe in supporting these design individuals as they support creating a better world for all of us.”

One of the shortlisted practices in The Design Studio category this year is Biasol, a design practice that is a leader in its field, just like Herman Miller. Established in 2012, Biasol creates outstanding design and over the past eight years has received many accolades for its projects. Speaking about Herman Miller, Jean-Pierre Biasol, founder and director of Biasol commented that, “Right from its very existence Herman Miller has always been at the forefront of design, shaping our perceptions in the workplace with ergonomics and a human-centred approach. Its innovative approach throughout the ages has seen it embrace social change with new products that can profoundly contribute to people and the organisations they work for.”

Bisaol continued, “Herman Miller understands what it means to design a human experience, which is something that resonates strongly with myself and our studio. Particularly in challenging times like this, its values remain at the forefront of everything it does, and that’s something you can physically see, touch and feel as it all revolves around people and building better communities with design.” 

Biasol Studio, Shortlisted for The Design Studio in the 2020 INDE.Awards

High praise indeed, from one innovator to another, however words deserve actions and it is the ability to provide solutions to the challenges of the day where Herman Miller shines.

Biasol commented on the future of the workplace saying, “At Biasol our people are always at the heart of everything we do, given recent events it’s clear that we need to keep an open mind to evolve and learn, to adapt with empathy in order to become resilient in the challenges we face. While technological aspects advance, and businesses prepare for safe and flexible working arrangements, in my mind the importance of the human touch has never been more crucial. Workplaces need to be nimble and agile to advance as we’ll be faced with more and possibly greater challenges in the future. We will see various hybrid working models; however, the most important aspect of these arrangements will revolve around balance — safety, fulfillment, happiness and purpose in workplace culture will continue to be front of mind.”

With these words in mind, Herman Miller presents products that provide an adaptable human touch and are perfectly in sync with today’s working needs. Take the Catena Office Landscape, a partitioning system that is easy to reconfigure and repurpose as the workplace changes during and after COVID-19. The title of the system, the Italian word Catena, translated means ‘chain’ or ‘connected series’ and depicts the essence of this lightweight and innovative product. With no fixture to the floor and an ultra slim spine Catena’s ability to adapt is assured. As needs change so too can Catena whether the form is a rectangular and grid formation or triangular and honeycomb settings. Not only is the system supreme for adaptability but it also provides acoustic and visual privacy benefits, an imperative in these times.

Herman Miller Atlas Office Landscape

Another product that reflects the words of Biasol and his vision for the future of work is Herman Milller’s Atlas Office Landscape. As adaptable as the Catena, the Atlas Office Landscape offers other essential elements through its customisation and flexibility. With social distancing in mind and the safety of workers paramount, this system features height-adjustability and allows for physical distancing with workstation orientations that can provide a staggered desk formation. Atlas is not just another sit stand desk but so much more through the opportunity to configure and re-configure to meet individual needs and workplace design requirements. The Atlas Office landscape is just that, a landscape of products with a combination of screens, desks, tables and storage elements that make it a necessity for every office.  

Talking about the two state-of-the-art systems, Atlas and Catena, Radda elaborated, “How to navigate the “new normal” feels like a topic we speak about daily. I feel lucky and proud that we have products such as Atlas and Catena that can help designers create solutions for their clients that aid in reshaping floorplates. Employees need to feel safe and secure while returning to the workplace and I am delighted that Herman Miller can help with this.”

Herman Miller Cosm

It’s always a challenge to find the correct chair for your body and, as we sit for hours on end, it is vital that we make the right choice when purchasing an ergonomic task chair. As the perfect accompaniment to both the Atlas and Catena Office Landscape systems, Cosm brings a new direction to the office chair that is at the cutting edge of technology and comfort. With Cosm’s Auto-Harmonic Tilt, balanced support and movement is automatically provided for the body and posture. The thin, strong frame also features Intercept Suspension that is breathable and temperature neutral. However it is the continuous form of the elastometric suspension that eliminates the gap between seat and back that provides the ultimate in spinal support. To prove the point, not only was Cosm listed by TIME as one of the 100 Best Inventions in 2019 but the design was awarded an iF Gold Award in the Office and Industry category at the iF World Design Awards this year.

Herman Miller provides the total package for todays changing workplace. From the expert systems of Atlas and Catena Office Landscapes and the revolutionary Cosm there is the opportunity to reside comfortably in today’s workplace with the assurance that future requirements will also be met.

As Herman Miller supports The Design Studio category in the 2020 INDE.Awards it reinforces its place as a partner to designers and cements its authority as a leader in the workplace design sector. As Herman Miller has the solution for every office it is good to know that in our ever-changing world the office products we choose and use are the best. It’s one less thing to think about because Herman Miller has done the thinking for us.