Learn more about Real Choices at NeoCon 2006.
Yves Behar describes his lighting design for Herman Miller, Inc., as a "fusion of technology with humanity." The elegant light, a result of more than three years of collaborative engineering and design development between Herman Miller and Yves Behar's San Francisco-based studio, fuseproject, will be on radiant display in the Herman Miller National Design Center in Chicago's Merchandise Mart during NeoCon 2006.
Leaf, a new LED (light emitting diode) table-top light, was officially launched last month at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair in New York City. The light represents the first time Herman Miller has worked with Behar and his team at fuseproject.
Powerful aesthetics, industry-leading technology, and unmatched user control--enhancing both home and office environments--define Leaf. Its thin profile is derived from a lower blade that extends and swivels 180 degrees while supporting a matching upper blade that can be folded close for subtle, ambient light or raised vertically for wall illumination. | | 
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It offers maximum lighting options with minimal mass in an intriguing organic form and with controls that invite human connection. The underlying proprietary technology also addresses the most vexing problems in existing LED solutions--heat build-up and light intensity.
"This is another example of Herman Miller's aspiration to be an innovation company," said Don Goeman, Executive Vice President of Research, Design and Development for Herman Miller. "We are at our best when we cultivate an open environment for the best creative minds around the globe. Yves Behar is a terrific example of a designer who understands the mix of problem-solving and creativity."
High-intensity LEDs produce intense heat, complicating design and typically requiring a motorized fan for heat dissipation. Leaf manages heat differently. Its LEDs stay cool to the touch through the use of a patent-pending heat distribution system, achieved through an engineered heat sink and the stamp-formed, sculptural aluminum blade that allows heat to be dispersed and released without the use of a cooling fan.
The main PCB (printed circuit board) has an integrated microprocessor which allows the user to control both the light intensity and warm-to-cool light color within the LED driver circuits, using separate touch controls on the base. The microprocessor also remembers the intensity and color variation setting that the user last selected when the light is reactivated.
"Leaf is designed to give the user a full spectrum of choices to express light's magical and sensory variations," says Behar, a recipient of the 2004 National Design Award for his product designs from the Smithsonian Institution's Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum. "It allows the human senses to become engaged by allowing the user to choose the intensity and color of light which best suits a functional need, mood or location."
Advancing sustainability
Leaf has been developed according to Herman Miller's demanding Design for the Environment (DfE) protocol, emphasizing sustainable processes, materials, and recyclability. Leaf's environmental impact is perhaps most profound through its use. On average, Leaf's LEDs consume approximately eight to nine watts of power, carry a lifespan up to 100,000 hours and cut energy use by 40 percent compared to compact fluorescent lights.
Its list price is $525 for standard colors including red, white, nickel, and black. A polished aluminum option is available for $545. A country-specific plug-in cord will also be available to facilitate the application of the product beyond North American, shortly after its United States introduction.
Leaf's design was conceived in the studio of Yves Behar, the founder of fuseproject, an integrated design firm dedicated to the development of the emotional experience of brands through story-telling. The diverse experience and mediums practiced by the fuseproject design teams span products, environments, graphics, packaging, apparel, and strategy. Behar's designs and creative positioning is contributing in areas as diverse as technology, sports, lifestyle, and fashion.
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