MEDIA RELEASE PR34924
Designed for Where You Want to Sit. Herman Miller Introduces Setu(TM) Chairs: The Next Generation of
Multipurpose Seating
ZEELAND, Michigan, June 15 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ --
Herman Miller, the international leader in ergonomic seating
design, announces the next generation of multipurpose chair for all the
places we work and live now. With Setu chairs, designed by Studio 7.5 of
Berlin, Herman Miller applies its award-winning seating expertise to a major
chair category that has seen little innovation in years.
"The Setu family of chairs provides new standards of comfort,
performance, and value," says Jack Schreur, Herman Miller's director for
seating products. "It's made from an innovative combination of materials to
provide remarkable levels of strength, flexibility and simplicity."
Setu will be introduced at NeoCon 2009 in Chicago, June 15-17.
The initial offering will include the Setu 5-star, 4-star, butterfly,
butterfly stool, and lounge and ottoman. Future models are planned that will
further extend the Setu family's range of application.
Multipurpose chairs are used where people sit for shorter
periods and frequently move, such as conference rooms, touchdown
workstations, and collaborative spaces. However, these so-called "temporary
spaces" are now less temporary. For many of us, all the places we sit are
temporary as we move throughout the day, spending an hour or two at a time in
different places.
The problem is existing multipurpose chairs aren't designed to handle
longer-term sitting and more active use. This was recognised by Studio 7.5,
who also designed Herman Miller's award-winning Mirra work chair in 2003.
During their global travels in support of that chair's international launch,
they sat in many different multipurpose chairs along the way. The 7.5 team
found the one-piece seat and back typical of multipurpose chairs is not very
comfortable; instead comfort is compromised for affordability. Coming home,
they recognised a need for a new kind of multipurpose chair-one combining
work-chair principles of motion and comfort with good looks, and a compelling
price.
Herman Miller and Studio 7.5 created Setu to answer those
needs, with key inventions that greatly improve on comfort and support: the
Kinematic Spine(TM) and the Lyris(TM) seat suspension material.
Throughout Setu's development, Studio 7.5 were guided by their
quest for simplicity. "We want everything as simple as possible, but no
simpler," noted the designers, paraphrasing Einstein. Simplicity is
especially important in multipurpose seating, where chairs may be used in
many places, and many different people may use the same chair during the day.
Setu is elegant and organic, yet is simple and easy to use. To
achieve that, it contains embedded design intelligence, with form and
function working in harmony.
Setu is Motion: The Kinematic Spine
The first thing you'll notice once you sit in Setu? Nothing,
but instant comfort. There's nothing to tilt, nothing to tweak, nothing to
think about. It's mathematics in place of mechanisms. From the moment you sit
down, you and the chair move as one. It is elegant form and performance
working together in harmony.
Setu's Kinematic Spine is the primary reason. It has tilt-like
kinematics in one continuous seat and back, rather than in a separate seat
pan, back rest, and tilt. Because of living hinges in the spine, there is no
tilt mechanism on the chair, and the only adjustment is seat height.
The spine works together with Setu's Lyris seating suspension
material. This unique suspension has no rigid frame structure on the top and
bottom edges of the chair, but is only suspended between the two Kinematic
Spines. It conforms to your contours as you move, whilst providing aeration
and minimising heat build-up.
Setu is Simple: One adjustment
Because there is only one adjustment (height), Setu is simple
to use. This makes it ideal for places where many different people use the
same chair. Everyone gets the full ergonomic benefit without adjustment.
Setu is Adaptable: Wide application
Where Setu is, it belongs. The clean, light-scaled aesthetic
complements a wide range of environments. It is designed to fit most shapes
and sizes. But, equally important, Setu is designed to fit all spaces and
places. Adaptable like no other chair in its category, Setu appeals to
functional needs as well as design aesthetics.
Because the spine provides the chair's motion within the seat
and back, multiple different bases can be applied for a wide range of future
applications. With its light aesthetic, Setu is equally stylish and
comfortable in office, home, healthcare, education, and hospitality
environments, anywhere in the world.
Setu contract list prices start at $650 (GBP464/EUR613). Setu
chairs will be orderable in the commercial market beginning June 15 for North
America, and from mid-July in all other countries and regions. Retail
distribution will begin in September for North America, with other regions to
be determined.
Setu is Responsible: Fewer materials
Thanks to Setu's Kinematic Spine, chair components are greatly
minimised. Setu contains only the materials needed and not a molecule more.
The Setu basic chair has few parts and weighs less than 20 pounds (9kg). This
means less material, time, and energy needed to build and ship it. Setu's
H-Alloy aluminium base is another example of less equals more. Durable,
anti-corrosive, uncoated and unpolished with no added labour or harmful
toxins, it has less eco-impact than traditionally finished bases.
Setu adheres to the McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry
(MBDC) Cradle to Cradle protocol. The chair has 48 percent recycled content,
is 92 percent recyclable, and contains no PVCs. Setu is under review for MBDC
Cradle to Cradle Gold certification and GREENGUARD(R) certification. Setu
carries Herman Miller's 12-year, 24 hour use, warranty.
About Herman Miller
Herman Miller works for a better world around you-with
inventive designs, technologies and related services that improve the human
experience wherever people work, heal, learn, and live. Its curiosity,
ingenuity, and design excellence create award-winning products and services,
resulting in more than $2 billion in revenue in fiscal 2008. Innovative
business practices and a commitment to social responsibility have also
established Herman Miller as a recognized global company. In 2009, Herman
Miller was again cited by FORTUNE as both the "Most Admired" in its industry
and among the "100 Best Companies to Work For" in America, while Fast Company
named Herman Miller among the innovative "Companies to Watch." Herman Miller
trades on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol MLHR.
Contact Luke Dawson +44(0)1249-707469; luke_dawson@hermanmiller.com
Address Herman Miller, Methuen Park, Chippenham, Wiltshire, SN14 0FG
A picture accompanying this release is available on AP Archive:
SOURCE: Herman Miller Ltd
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