With the expiration of its lease, the Ann Arbor Area Chamber of Commerce was looking for a new home and a fresh image. Its president, Jesse Bernstein, had clearly defined that image: "I don't want this to look like Grandpa's chamber, but I want Grandpa to feel comfortable here."

No wood-paneled private offices, then. No dark hallways leading to claustrophobic conference rooms. No seedy, secondhand look that whispers "nonprofit."

To reflect the community it serves, Mr. Bernstein wanted the chamber to "look as progressive as possible without going off the deep end." Ann Arbor is a veritable galaxy of high-tech satellites spun from the University of Michigan, so its chamber welcomes everyone from the 20-year-old computer geek to the veteran captain of industry.

While Mr. Bernstein knew that the timeless, high-design look of Herman Miller product would fit the image he was looking for, he did not expect that a visit to Herman Miller headquarters would so powerfully impact his decision. "I've been in hundreds of workplaces, from banks to factories. I was blown away by what I saw at Herman Miller." For one thing, he noticed a willingness to ask questions and listen to answers. He also saw manufacturing processes that performed "like a ballet" and that integrated environmental stewardship into every step. "After I visited, I had no doubts about doing business with this company," he said.

To the chamber's board of directors, Mr. Bernstein pointed out that, although it was entirely possible to buy cheaper furniture, "I guarantee that you'll be buying more soon and that the cheap stuff will end up looking dated and crappy. Herman Miller furniture will last for years, and if something goes wrong, it gets fixed."

Not only that, the Herman Miller brand itself is a differentiator. It communicates that the Ann Arbor Area Chamber is a serious organization that is proud of its community and that cares about its members, rather than looking like a "flimsy, shoestring nonprofit"--or like your grandfather's chamber.

The new Ann Arbor Area Chamber of Commerce office captures the innovative vigor of its community with a timeless sense of class. Visitors are greeted at an Ethospace reception station with glazed and perforated tiles that is accessorized with multiple-height Nelson tables and Celeste chairs. Herman Miller wall-mounted display shelves contain information about the chamber and the community.

A cluster of My Studio workstations in bronze metallic with loden cladding provides functional support and enclosure for staff while presenting a light, contemporary face to visitors. In another area, Vivo workstations in warm neutral tones are accessorized with Meridian Pedastools. Yet another cluster of workstations features the sleek European look of Abak product.

Mr. Bernstein's office is furnished with a Geiger Keyeira credenza, a standing height, wall-mounted Ethospace work surface with an Aeron stool, and his conversation piece--a multi-colored Nelson marshmallow sofa. "It's really a work of art," he says.

Art is also on the walls. Rotating exhibits from local artists showcases the creative work of the community and reinforces the vital, connected nature of its chamber.

The boardroom is furnished with tables and whiteboards from The Intersect Portfolio and with the Mirra chairs that are so popular "people stay for a long time after meetings because they don't want to get out of the chair," says Mr. Bernstein. Three smaller meeting areas are furnished with Intersect Foldaway Tables and either Aside or Mirra chairs. These areas offer a comfortable option for collaborative or solo work for staff who may occasionally seek out a more enclosed place to work.

A hurdle for the chamber's staff was the transition from private offices to open plan workstations with the accompanying loss of privacy. However, the move to a fresh, updated space that is suffused with daylight and that provides handy access to small, enclosed meeting spaces has helped ease the pain of transition.

With this new location, then, the Ann Arbor Area Chamber has honored Grandfather's sense of value while reflecting the progressive aesthetic of a new generation, and it has created an attractive space to welcome visitors and members in the process.