steelcase: cradle to cradle and ergonomic office furniture

where people work: steelcase ergonomic gesture office furnitureall images courtesy steelcase

conceived by german designer glen oliver loew for steelcase as the first cradle to cradle certified production furniture piece in 2004, the ‘think chair’ opened the door to a higher sustainability standard across industries. intuitively responding to the movement of the body to provide optimal comfort, the office seating has been fully re-designed and re-engineered, adapting to the demanding working conditions found in an intensive workplace. showcased at neocon 2013 in chicago alongside the ‘gesture chair’, the collective seating products support the interactions of today’s technologies, accommodating a wide range of postures in an ergonomically optimized design.

this kind of support has become increasingly important in today’s workplace, in which smartphones and tablets take as great a role as desktop monitors. traditional office furniture is not designed for the postures and range of arm motion of mobile device users, but the ‘gesture chair’ rethinks the foundational structure of a chair to address these needs.

influenced by the movement of the human body, the chair is designed to support our interactions with today’s technologies

gesture is designed as a system of synchronized interfaces; it features a core, limb and seat interface that move together to continuously support the user regardless the posture. the armrest moves on four pivot points to mimic the human arm, allowing users to be supported in any position. the seat pan is flexible at the perimeter, so users are free to sit in a range of postures without obstruction.

gesture supports posture changes specifically influenced by technology devices we use today

like the human body, gesture is designed as a system of synchronized interfaces

the office chair takes into account various body types and sitting preferences

the design uncovers nine new postures as a result of research into new technologies and behavior

the think chair intuitively responds to the movement of the body to provide comfort

‘design isn’t just about style. it’s about integrity of materials, functional integrity and intent. ‘think is a truthful chair – the result of open dialogue between engineers, environmentalists, and the designer.’ says glen oliver loew

think re-imagined: a design story

disassembly for recycling takes about five minutes using common hand tools (hammer, screwdriver, etc.)

a complete life cycle assessment has been completed for think, evaluating the chair’s lifelong impact on the environment – from materials used through production, shipping, use and end of life. the ‘think chair’ is the first product ever to be level 3 certified to the bifma e3 sustainability standard. according to bifma, the level™ conformance mark ensures a comprehensive, independent and impartial assessment of the environmental and social impacts of a product’s manufacture.