Herman Miller’s Setu Chair, designed by Studio 7.5, addresses the mobile workplace and the fact that work is now done in the most unexpected of places. The 7.5 team realized that multipurpose seating should reflect these changing needs, and devised — over several years and many exploratory prototypes — a chair that combines work-chair principles of motion and comfort with sleak lines, simplicity, and an affordable price ($650 list). Here is a look at Claudia Plikat, Roland Zwick, Burkhard Schmitz, and Carola Zwick’s processes leading up to Setu, and their favorite (and least favorite) places to do work.
Early concepts
In-house prototyping
An early iteration of the Setu spine
Setu spine concept
In-house prototyping
Testing an early prototype of Setu
In the studio
Roland Zwick, Claudia Plikat, Burkhard Schmitz, and Carola Zwick
Herman Miller: Setu by Studio 7.5
What are your top 3 favorite places to do work?
- Lunch time at the studio makes for vivid, but relaxed conferences while eating. Sometimes great ideas are born over espressos.
- The model shop, because hands sometimes grasp answers quicker than the brain.
- Sofa/shower/public swimming pool/autobahn. Sometimes it’s more productive to not chase for a solution, these places offer a meditative quality: work is where your mind can travel. Of course you need to sit down afterwards and process the outcome.
What is your least favorite place to do work?
Checking emails on the iPhone on the way to the restrooms.
by Jean Lin
2 Comments
fascinating …
Everyday I see designs for new chairs, this one looks great. Now that you’ve solved the problem on where well-to-do people can park their well-fed butts, can [we] designers put SOME effort into designing something a little more useful?