Tell us about yourself and your work: what you’re passionate about, what inspires you, and where you’re going. I focus on responsive, future-friendly, front-end design and development. This means I design and code websites that flex and adapt to the device the user is viewing them on. Progressive enhancement ensures that users visiting a site from their phone on a congested mobile network aren’t forced to download the same site assets they would see on their 30″ display at the office. Future-friendly development means writing flexible, modular code structure that is mindful of what’s next in tech.

I’m inspired by quality craft, regardless of medium. It is endearing to witness a maker who is good at what he or she is making. I’m also inspired by my city and the people who call it home. Winnipeg has an incredibly rich arts and cultural scene, especially for a city of relatively small size. In the past few years our downtown has seen some really cool architectural installations, like a huge steel/LED sculpture called “Emptyful” that’s shaped like an Erlenmeyer flask, and OMS Stage, an open-air performing arts venue that looks like it’s straight out of a science-fiction movie. When the rivers freeze in the winter, we clear the longest skating trail in the world and line it with warming huts designed in an annual architectural competition. I think there’s something to be said for the resilience and outward thinking this city embraces.

Tell us about your space. What’s your aesthetic? What do you like or dislike? My space is a bit of an audio playground, with instruments and recording gear and a life-size cardboard cutout of Raj Koothrappali from the TV show ”Big Bang Theory” (he’s camera shy). I have a flawless Fender Rhodes piano that was built in March of 1972, and will forever be the coolest thing I own.

The studio monitors on my desk sit on foam/steel wedges that isolate the speaker vibrations from my work surface. These are my go-to for listening to most music, but if I’m listening to a concert recording I’ll also bring up the mono speaker stack for a different timbre. If I’m listening to something with poor quality sound, I’ll route the audio through an old GE stereo I modded a few years ago that can plug directly into my mixer. This is kind of like the aural equivalent of taking a mediocre picture of your feet with Instagram and applying a filter to make it “better.”

The big white pillow things on my walls are broadband absorbers that help eliminate sound reflections and frequency nodes. Each panel is 4″ of rigid fiberglass insulation and an open wood frame that is wrapped in fabric and hung with picture frame wire.

My window treatment (if I can even call it that) is several layers of translucent plastic tablecloth, held in place with binder clips and magnets. It turns my basement window well into a big softbox. When rabbits hop in the garden above it’s like a shadow puppet show without the puppets.

I’m constantly exploring ergonomics, and love finding new ways to make working better. Currently my wrists rest on a water-damaged piece of hardboard from an old drawer. This sits atop a stack of dollar-store craft foam that raises the leading edge of my keyboard and trackpad so they parallel my desk. I think most people have increased fidelity in their fingers and thumbs with their wrists either parallel to their desks or relaxed forward, instead of pulled back as most keyboard designs imply. This is in part why pianists are trained not to drop their wrists while playing.

My display sits on a 3″ roll of black duct tape, the underside of which is covered by parchment paper. Parchment paper has a low coefficient of friction, so slides around my glass desk with ease.

If I could change anything about my current setup, I definitely wouldn’t be working on a black glass desk. It is an incredible pain to keep clean. I’d like to try a sit-stand desk with a wood surface and motorized legs.

You have both an Embody and an Aeron in your space. Why did you choose them, and how do they differ for you? I like them both, and they are very different. I typically start the work day in the Aeron because I love its forward tilt. It arches my back and keeps my body in attentive posture, which helps me kick-start productivity if I stayed up too late writing code or playing hockey. The Embody feels more relaxed to me, and I’m most comfortable in it slightly reclined. I usually tackle less intensive tasks in the Embody, like long-form reading or answering email. The Embody’s arm rests adjust closer to my body than the Aeron’s, which I find helpful in reducing shoulder strain.

It may seem excessive to have two high-end chairs in such close proximity, but an investment in design and comfort is easily justifiable to someone who spends as much time at a desk as I do.

Photos: Brad Cerasani

Original post and photos by Pablo Enriquez. Used in partnership with Apartment Therapy Tech.

Give us a little information on your background. I’ve been a freelance illustrator and letterer since graduating from Sheridan College’s renowned Illustration program in 2001. Like most young illustrators starting out I needed a day job in order to make ends meet. So for a few years, I worked full-time as a wiretapper with one of Canada’s largest police forces and moonlighted as an illustrator. Talk about a contrast of worlds. Eventually the illustration gigs picked up enough that I could leave the day job and completely focus on my career.

Tell us about yourself and your work: what you’re passionate about, what inspires you, and where you’re going. For as long as I can remember, I’ve always been drawn to vintage things that have character, good design, and a story, whether it be a guitar, tools, products, or random found objects. I like keeping myself surrounded by those types of things because I find them inspiring and they’re kind of like a receipt for a good story. I guess that’s the artist in me coming out, as well as my upbringing. Coming from a family full of carpenters and woodworkers has heavily influenced the way I create; layering and meticulously working with my chosen materials. The deeper into the digital world we get, the more I desire to produce hand-crafted work. Lately, my focus has been on combining the illustrator side of me with the carpenter side of me, hoping that I can satisfy both of those needs while still making the kind of art that I enjoy making. I’m not sure where it will lead to, but that’s the direction I’m currently heading.

Tell us about your space. What’s your aesthetic? What do you like or dislike? What would you change if you could? For years my workspaces were always tucked away in a corner of my living room. So when I bought my house four years ago, it had an unfinished basement which I renovated in order to give myself a dedicated studio. I also built a larger work area for miscellaneous projects, as well as a workshop. My actual studio space is fairly basic but I love it because it’s comfortable enough to hold everything I need to create work and to relax when I need to. As much as I love having my studio in the house, it’s getting tougher and tougher as my young family grows.

You have an Aeron Chair in your space. What do you like about it? Why did you choose it? I love the Aeron. Without a doubt, it saved my back. The vintage wooden secretary’s chair that I used to use looked amazing, but it was causing damage to my back. A friend turned me onto the Aeron convincing me a good ergonomic chair was a wise investment; he couldn’t have been more right. I also use an Eames Molded Plastic Chair at my painting station.

Photos: Darren Booth; bottom photo – Todd Fraser

Tell us about yourself and your work: what you’re passionate about, what inspires you, and where you’re going. I recently finished directing and producing my first documentary film called “Linotype: The Film.” It is about the Linotype typecasting machine and its impact on communication and the modern news media. It is also about a bunch of awesome old guys that work with crazy machines.

As trite as this answer will be, I find my inspiration all around me. I love travel and find my clearest thinking at 30,000 feet with my computer off. Most of my favorite projects have started as a result of traveling.

I am currently teaching typography and letterpress classes at Missouri State University and working on freelance design and video projects. I just finished two years of traveling around the world with the film, so I am trying to slow down and decide what is next. I have a few ideas about upcoming films, but I don’t have a direction just yet.

Tell us about your space. What’s your aesthetic? What do you like or dislike about it? I share the office with filmmaker (and “Linotype: The Film” cinematographer) Brandon Goodwin. It is in an old brick building in downtown Springfield, Missouri and we share the building with a few other creatives.

My aesthetic is a mix of trying to be clean and modern but also accepting that I am a collector of vintage ephemera and objects. I decorate with many letterpress-printed posters along with objects found at flea markets.

Brandon and I built our own desks using solid-core doors and legs. This kept our costs down as well as gave us a hand-built feel to the space. As a collector, I can never have enough flat files to organize and sort my vintage finds.

One perk of the office is our single-malt scotch collection that everyone shares. This keeps things relaxed around the office. My current favorite is Lagavulin 16 or Glenmorangie Finealta.

Photos: Doug Wilson. See the short film of the office’s Mirra vs. Aeron competition here.

There’s a quiet battle brewing in Springfield, Missouri, where designer and filmmaker Doug Wilson shares an office with Brandon Goodwin, also a filmmaker and Doug’s co-conspirator on “Linotype: The Film – In Search of the Eighth Wonder of the World.” When we asked Doug to report in from the scene, he not only sent over an explanation, but also gave us a first-hand look with the above short film.

Doug states: “I worked previously in an ad agency with Aeron chairs and learned that a good chair is worth the investment. When we moved into our office, Brandon and I went to our local Herman Miller dealer to test out chairs. I thought I would simply purchase an Aeron, but I found the Mirra chair to be more comfortable for me and I ended up choosing my own colors and features. Brandon purchased an Aeron.”

Since the purchases, their workspace has been enthralled in an unending contest. “Any time we have friends visit the office, we have a competition to see which chair they prefer,” Doug says. “It is a friendly rivalry, but obviously I think I made the better decision. Currently, Brandon’s Aeron is winning, but the Mirra is staging a comeback.”

Which chair do you prefer? Weigh in with your comments or tell us about it on Twitter.

Video courtesy Doug Wilson and Brandon Goodwin

A number of years ago, Herman Miller conducted research on the “natural preferred habitat,” which are places that our prehistoric ancestors sought to settle in while they were hunting and gathering. In these spaces, they looked for certain features with benefits. One of these was a wide, distant view. With this view from your habitat, you would get a lot of information, like where your resources were located; whether or not danger was approaching; and if there was a clear path available if you needed to move.

As part of the research, we applied this attribute — a view from the natural preferred habitat — inside that of a built environment. We found humans still have this longing for a wide, distant view, just like our prehistoric ancestors. We still want to put ourselves in a place where we can see out and not be seen. This is due to all the helpful information that a view can give you.

As humans, we are also innately attracted to nature (biologist and researcher E.O. Wilson coined the term “biophilia”)—it’s in our genetic makeup and our genetic memory. We have an affinity to and seek comfort in nature, and when we have views of it, it enhances our well being. In fact, there have been studies done in the healthcare arena that indicate that when patients have a view of nature, they heal a lot quicker and don’t need as much medication.

There may be more attention given to nature nowadays because our lives are more hectic. We are always online, always connected, always on, 24/7. It has put us in this continual state of partial attention to everything, without focusing on anything. And that does cause stress. Anything you can change in your surroundings to alleviate stress is healthy — and making sure you have a window view to nature is one of the best, most human things you can do.

- As told to Amy Feezor

Find the above featured Nelson Swag Leg Desk, Eames Molded Plastic Chair, Aeron Chair, Setu Chair and other inspiring furnishings for an elegant and intelligent office in the Herman Miller Store.

1. “The Untold Story of How the Aeron Chair Was Born” at Co.Design.

2. 12 backyard office pods from Inthralld.

3. Designs by Charles and Ray Eames (molded plastic chairs, an Eames Aluminum Group Side Chair) found by Automatism.

4. Jauntsetter’s tour of Zubehaus, the upstate New York home owned by Fab.com founder Bradford Shellhammer.

5. This clip from 1967 featuring Walter Cronkite previewing 21st-century technology — and his foreshadowing of how it could change the way we work at home — via FORA.tv.

6. Six things to know when setting up a home office from Kiplinger.

7. The light and airy home of Jesper and Majbritt in Copenhagen, Denmark, spotted by Lovenordic Design Blog.

8. ArchDaily’s look at Interstice, a settlement house from the 1930s rehabilitated by Fabi Architekten BDA in Regensburg, Germany.

9. The just-opened AETHER shop in San Francisco made entirely of shipping containers (and decorated with a pair of Eames Lounge Chairs) via The Fox Is Black.

10. Normann Szkop’s inspiring aerial photos of tulip fields in the Netherlands at Colossal.

Featured in photo: Eames Sofa; Eames Wire Base Elliptical Table; Eames Molded Plywood Lounge Chair with upholstered seat and back

Tell us a little about your background. Prior to starting Basik Design a decade ago, I worked at various movie studios in LA. I started as a photo editor, but through the years, gradually transitioned my position into an in-house designer before eventually going out on my own. Liz also worked as a photo editor at several film studios, her final position being a Senior Photo Editor at Paramount Pictures prior to our move to Nebraska. She continues to edit photography for studios but on a freelance basis.

What are you passionate about, what inspires you, and where are you going? Liz and I both love design in the general sense, as in we just like well-designed stuff. Whether it’s a car, clothes, a room, a poster, a house, a computer (we’re huge Apple fans, surprise) or a piece of furniture (also huge Herman Miller fans, surprise), anything that is well designed is interesting to us and inspires us. We truly feel fortunate to make a living in a creative field.

Tell us about your space. What’s your aesthetic? What do you like or dislike about it? What would you change if you could? I’m a little neurotic, so less is more for me. Liz likes to fill a room with lots of stuff, so we’ve had to do some compromising! But living in the Midwest means having more space, which means having more of the furniture and accessories we love without cluttering up the room. If we could just do something about all the cords, it would be awesome.

You have quite a collection of Herman Miller pieces in your space. What are some of your favorites? One of our favorite possessions is our Nelson Marshmallow Sofa. It’s iconic, fun, comfortable, and it just makes us smile. I also love my Aeron Chair. It’s super comfortable and looks great. It’s an office classic. Liz has a SAYL Chair that she loves. It’s also very comfortable and totally unique — there’s no mistaking it. I would highly recommend any of these pieces — the design, the build quality, the classic nature, and the general feeling of delight you get from using (and staring at) them make it all worth it. And as a bonus, they’re made in America.

Photos: Paul David

Last week, just before “Shatner’s World” was wrapping up the latest leg of its national tour, we got word that the truck carrying all the show’s equipment had broken down — and Mr. Shatner’s team needed to rent one of their regular props, an Aeron Chair, for his East Lansing, MI, performance. Like any good crew, we, of course, got to work immediately. And quite quickly that same day, thanks to the help of Herman Miller Certified Network Member WorkSquared in Lansing, we were able to deliver an Aeron to the stage right on time.

The show must and did go on. But it just proves that, even if you’ve made your living off helping save the universe, you still need a little support yourself sometimes.

“Shatner’s World: We Just Live In It” has finished its national tour for the time being, but will show again in 20 more cities in December 2013 and January 2014. Stay tuned to shatnersworld.com for details.

Photo: Joan Marcus, taken on the show’s opening night on Broadway, February 16, 2012, at the Music Box Theatre in New York City.

Don’t Forget To Blink
Many of us dramatically slow down our rate of blinking when we’re staring at a glowing computer monitor. Blinking helps to naturally lubricate your eyes, and not doing so makes you dry out and feel uncomfortable. Force yourself to blink frequently as you’re working on the screen. You can even get some help blinking if you must.

Drink (Water)
Help your body by staying hydrated. It’s even easier when you’re working from home, where you can use your favorite glass and always get chilled water instead of a drink from a communal water fountain. If you’re finding yourself hankering for a drink, it’s already been too long. Set “hydration nudges” to remind yourself if you’re not getting enough liquids.

Posture and Ergonomics
If you’re going to be sitting at your desk for a while, make sure you’re comfortably and properly doing so. Find yourself a good ergonomic chair and sit properly at your desk. Keep your wrists and hands comfortable as well with an ergonomic keyboard. (Check out this roundup of ergonomic keyboards highlighted by Apartment Therapy several years ago.)

Clean Air For All
If you’re seeing floating dust particles in the glow of your computer monitor, it’s time to get yourself an air purifier. If it’s stuffy and dry, you’ll need a humidifier. You can even bring a little green into your office to help with the air quality and make yourself feel better.

Get Up And Walk Around
Don’t just sit in your chair all day. Move and stretch a bit. You can even exercise directly from your chair. Keep your body healthy and your blood flowing to your head for a healthy day at the office. Here’s got a great set of 10 exercises you can easily do in the office in just a few minutes.

For more tips on ergonomics and staying healthier in the office, click here.
Original post by Jason Yang. Used in partnership with Apartment Therapy Tech.

Give us a glimpse into your background. When I first came to New York, I worked in fashion in a showroom on Seventh Avenue. I became very interested in photography, and through a stylist I met at the showroom, I got a job as a studio manager for a well-known celebrity photographer. After years of producing and casting jobs for this photographer, I went out on my own. During this time, I started taking my own photographs. I was shooting with Polaroid Land Cameras and was the recipient of many Polaroid Artist Grants. For 10 years, I showed my work in galleries and shot CD artwork and book covers. Wanting to try something different, I took up needlepoint. At first, I stitched homages to my favorite artists, then created my own designs using my photography, psychedelia, and pop culture as inspiration. This obsession with “thread” led to my blog, Meanderings in Thread.

What year was your business established? I made it official in 1990. I knew I would have many pursuits, so named my studio Laura Hughes Productions. This was the umbrella for production, casting, and art. I got to the point where I wanted to take the leap and do my own thing. I figured if I did a few different things, I would never be bored or broke. There were times when I was busy with everything at once and that was very stressful. Four years ago, I decided to stop producing and casting and just focus on my creative endeavors.

Tell us about those endeavors — what you’re passionate about, what inspires you, and where you’re going. Right now I am passionate about crochet. I’m new to it, and though it’s popular in Japan and Eastern Europe, it doesn’t have the following knitting has. I started Meanderings in Thread in 2008. It is an archive of artists and designers I’m inspired by who use thread in their work. I also love to travel, take photos, and discover new artists and designers

I am focusing on a few crochet projects; designing bespoke sweaters that are wool free (I’m allergic), and creating a home collection of coasters, place mats, and table runners (PDF patterns will be available for the home collection; I won’t be manufacturing them at this point. The sweater collection will be available as PDF patterns, too.)

I will also be representing a truly unique property in Red Hook, Brooklyn, for film, TV, photo shoots, and events. The property takes up half a city block and has an in-ground pool, ivy-covered courtyards, cobblestone paths, large finished and unfinished rooms, and the best views of the city from the rooftop. This brings my past work full circle, and I am very excited to be in touch with my old contacts.

Tell us about your home office. What do you like or dislike? What would you change if you could? My space is small — 550 square feet — and I live and work there. I decided to go minimal with lots of storage via built-ins. The space looks like a gallery with white walls and lots of natural light; not only is it my office, it’s also a showcase for my art. I didn’t want it to look too sterile because I live in it, yet I wanted it to look professional for clients. I am very happy with the balance.

I like my workspace since I re-designed it. When clients come to visit, they can’t believe how efficient it is. But I wouldn’t mind more windows since light is so important to what I do.

You have an Aeron Chair in your space. Why did you choose it? The Aeron is the piece of furniture I use the most. I have had the same chair for 12 years and it is still like new. I suffer from arthritis in my hips, and this chair has been a lifesaver as I am able to sit in it for hours. I would, and have, recommended it to anyone who is looking for an office chair — the investment is worth it. I needed seating that would give me lumber support and that could adjust to my body. So many chairs might have lumber support, but are lacking in the adjustment details. I find my Aeron to have it all.

Photos: Laura Hughes

Ample desk space and a flexible Mirra Chair help a busy business traveler stay on task at the Hilton Garden Inn Frankfurt Airport. Photo: hiltongardeninn3.hilton.com

Designed by Terence Conran, the Charles and Ray Eames Room in London’s Boundary hotel lives up to its name: an Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman, Aluminum Group Management Chair, Wire Base Low Table, and Hang-It-All all call the space home. Photo: Paul Raeside and Lisa Linder / theboundary.co.uk

Once home to 19th-century tobacco and Bourbon warehouses, the very artsy 21c Museum Hotel now keeps Aeron Chairs in its spacious guest rooms and suites in Louisville, KY. Photo: 21cmuseumhotels.com

A collection of Aeron Chairs keep meetings comfortable in the business center of downtown Chicago’s Sofitel Chicago Water Tower. Photo: sofitel.com

A compact (yet efficient) guest-room workspace offers the use of a Mirra Chair in New York’s Wyndham Garden Chelsea Hotel. Photo: wyndham.com

The luxe Gene Autry Residence (yes, that Gene Autry) at the Parker Palm Springs contains an Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman to keep guests, ahem, humming right along. Photo: theparkerpalmsprings.com

Have you spotted any Herman Miller furnishings during your business travels? Let us know about it in the Comments section now.

Companies like Amazon, Google, P&G Pet Care, Clif Bar & Company, and Ben & Jerry’s already have open-dog policies. What about your place of business? Would you welcome a dog in your workplace? Why or why not?

Let us know your thoughts in the comments section. And in the meantime, take a look at a few furry friends that made it into the office on Friday.

Yarra, an Australian Cattle Dog, stares down a coworker from the opposite desk. (Photo: takeyourdog.com)

The flexible Mirra Chair lends some support to Hagen’s workday. (Photo: Leah Lazarz at today.msnbc.msn.com)

Lucy and Cassius do what they do best. (Photo: takeyourdog.com)

At Foursquare, Muchacho checks in next to a sculptural Noguchi Table. (Photo: Business Insider/Foursquare)

Widget, product manager Dimas Kumets’ 12-year-old adopted dog, couches it at OpenDNS in San Francisco, CA. (Photo: Liz Hafalia, The Chronicle/SF)

Ginger, Will Pisnieski’s English Bulldog, hangs out in his owner’s workspace — which includes a Mirra Chair — at Authentic Entertainment in Burbank, CA. (Photo: Grant Hindsley/AP/WashingtonPost.com)

Top Photo: Mr. Tom, a Jack Russell Terrier, by his owner Rilla Alexander

1. A hidden home office created from a spare closet, featured on the Home & Garden blog of the Los Angeles Times.

2. “A Love Letter to Plywood,” a short video by sculptor Tom Sachs, in which he declares plywood “a delicious wood sandwich” (via swissmiss).

3. 20 gadgets to help you make the most of the summer — including some great items to help you take your work outdoors — from Netted.

4. Colorful ideas for waking up your home-office decor from Real Living.

5. An artistic way to deal with unsightly cords at Dwell.

6. Architect Sigund Larsen‘s “Shrine” project, a mini multitasking storage solution, detailed at Architizer.

7. Have you ever tried to go paperless in the office? (Via Apartment Therapy).

8. We spy a smart white Eames molded plastic side chair in the home of Mary Jo and Steve Hoffman at Design*Sponge (and also in the photo above, by Mark Andrew of Studio 306).

9. The Ridge House, a rural Canadian hideaway designed by Bohlin Cywinski Jackson, at ArchDaily.

10. A fascinating aerial photo tour of New York City’s rooftops at Co.Design.

Photo: Design*Sponge / Mark Andrew of Studio 306

For the past few weeks Susan Lyons, our Materials Creative Director, has covered Herman Miller’s five material design principles over on our Discover blog. We’ve heard about honesty, utility, economy, pleasure, and possibility and the role these principles play in helping us choose the materials for our designs.

One principle is particularly relevant to Lifework readers: It’s the idea of utility. Lyons talks about utility in connection to Embody – a chair that finds its way into many a home office. “When we talk about material utility,” Lyons says, “what we really mean is that we use materials to solve problems.”

To hear Lyons talk about the rest of the principles simply follow these links: honesty, economy, pleasure, possibility.

To find a home office chair check out our tips on how to choose the right one for you. (And FYI – we’re now shipping our most popular office chairs for $29. Read all about that here.)

Clockwise from top left: Aeron, SAYL, Mirra, Embody

And of course, it needed to look good. It’s part of your home and for a lot of us who aren’t lucky enough to have dedicated home office this chair will be in public view. So what’s the answer. I recently got an Aeron chair and have never been so happy. It ticks the ergonomics box and looks great in our hard working office/family room/guest bedroom. The nice news for Lifework readers is Herman Miller is now shipping Aeron, Embody, SAYL, Mirra and Setu for just $29. Welcome to 2012!

Above: The joys of Aeron Hockey – this game was played in Melbourne, Australia.

Today Gretchen Gscheidle, Director of Insight and Exploration, for Herman Miller, who helped Bill Stumpf and Jeff Weber develop products including the Aeron and Embody, continues our research into ergonomics. Gscheidle, who trained as an industrial designer and product developer, is a member of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society and represents Herman Miller on the Office Ergonomics Research Committee. She knows a thing or two about sitting.

Clockwise from top left: Aeron, SAYL, Mirra, Embody

1. How do you choose an ergonomically-correct chair? Should you match the chair to the kind of back problem you may have? There are 3 rules in ergonomics, seating and otherwise: fit the user, fit the task, allow postural change and movement. The fitting depends on your body – size, shape, proportions. I for one have a long torso, short arms, so I’m extra focused on armrest height.

You must sit in the chair. If you have chronic issues or even temporary discomforts, yes, you’re going to gravitate toward those chairs that deliver the support where you need it. Fitting also requires “tuning” the chair’s adjustments. There’s often an “ah-ha” when you know everything just feels “right.”

There are plenty of pre-conceptions about what that should be. I encourage people to approach seating with an open mind – there are some amazing technologies in seating – and get some expert advice in the process.

Then you also have to take into consideration what tasks you’re going to be doing in the chair. Reclining is healthy for the back in that it offloads the weight of the upper back onto the chair – but you can’t do that if you’re sitting on an exercise ball, as some people choose to at work. Conversely, if you’re looking through a microscope or needing to look down at your hands as you’re sorting materials, reclining doesn’t do you much good there.

Finally, you need to keep moving so you don’t want to be locked into one posture the way that, say a race car driver is in a custom-molded seat.

2. You’ve used pressure map technology to help develop better chairs for Herman Miller. Can you tell us how that technology works? We use very thin, pressure-sensitive “blankets”, that aren’t much thicker than a bed sheet. They are draped over the seat or backrest of a chair while connected to a computer and the associated software. When a person sits down on the mat, a pressure pattern appears on screen. It is a dynamic process, so there’s a “movie” that is captured, or you can review individual frames.

The pattern changes depending on who is sitting in the chair, what they’re sitting on, and how they’re sitting. Like on a weather map, the colors in the map indicate intensity. When reading the map, you’re looking for symmetry as well as more intense pressure to be in some places, like under the sitting bones of the pelvis, and less pressure in other places like behind the knee. Beyond that, you’re taking into consideration the sitter, the sitter’s posture and construction of the chair in interpreting where on the scale between “good” and “bad” a particular map falls. It’s why we consider the exercise as much “art” as “science.” Believe it or not, Aeron and SAYL would be fairly indistinguishable in a pressure map.

Above: Three different pressure maps; on the left, a slight imbalance in pressure, inclusive of the suggestion of a wallet in the back pocket; middle intense pressure under the sitting bones, suggesting a very firm seat; right, more uniform pressure across the seat, but still a suggestion of more pressure where you do want it – under the sitting bones.

3. Tell us about the importance of blood and oxygen when it comes to sitting. There has been a bit of talk lately about standing desks but that must have ergonomic hazards as well? Well, cells need oxygen, transported by blood, to burn energy – metabolize – and stay healthy. Blood also carries carbon dioxide – waste from the body’s burned energy – out of the cells. The effectiveness of this process is facilitated through tissue perfusion, a measure of the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide within the body’s tissues. It’s the basis for keeping individual cells and ultimately human beings alive.

Compressed soft tissue reduces blood flow and thus tissue perfusion. Over time static loads on soft tissues trigger the body’s natural defense mechanism. The discomfort that is experienced results in fidgeting or macro movements like the feeling of, “I’ve got to get up.” Both extremes allow blood to circulate again and health to be restored. In individuals with compromised nervous systems that discomfort is not felt and therefore the body is very vulnerable to serious issues because the cells die from a lack of oxygen.

As for standing desks, it is a function of conditioning – if you aren’t accustomed to being on your feet, you’re going to lean and offload your body weight elsewhere. And, it’s also a question again of tasks. Can you stand for the tasks that you’re needing to accomplish? Sit-to-stand desks are a nice solution because at times you can stand, others you can sit – forward, upright, or reclined – assuming your chair has that range of accommodation.

4. What do you sit in when you’re working? It depends. I’m a mobile worker, so it depends on where I’m at, and what’s waiting for me there. In my home office, I sit in a prototype Embody chair.

It was wonderful to return to Los Angeles last week with so many great stories from ICFF. What wasn’t so wonderful was returning with a bad back. A combination of lugging heavy luggage and blogging from the ICFF lounge threw my back into spasm. (I really hope they get some work stations set up on the fair floor next year!) Writing from a sofa chair each day, shoulders stooped, forearms at a slope, neck bent – it’s a recipe for disaster. And I am paying for it now.

It brought home the importance of a good office chair and the joy I get from my black leather Eames Aluminum Group management chair – which I realize I’ve taken for granted all these years. Although now my back is out I am seriously thinking of moving on to an Aeron. I had found myself at the Room & Board showroom in Culver City yesterday. They’ve got a whole area set up with Herman Miller office chairs. The Aeron was bliss! That higher back felt really good. As did the extra lumbar support.

I’d love to know what you are sitting on as you read this. Has anyone else made the transition from EAG to Aeron?

Private Library from A Space In Time on Vimeo.

I mentioned this site on Friday but just in case you didn’t click through I couldn’t resist posting the short video here on Lifework.  New York architect Andrew Berman talks about the writing room he designed in the woods. Certainly makes a nice home for one of our Aeron chairs!