Ad-Lib chair

Client: Senator
Project: Multi-purpose chair programme
Sector: Contract
Commission: 2009
Launch: 2011

Brief

British manufacturer Senator asked PearsonLloyd to develop a new multi-purpose chair programme that would respond to current changes in working practices. The aim was to produce a programme offering the maximum number of variants with minimum functional compromise and componentry. A multi chair programme, while optimizing investment, would also unify sales and marketing in this sector and reduce purchasing complexity.

Context

Over the past 10 years, changes in working practices have made fixed workstations less desirable. Indeed, work today tends to be carried out in a variety of environments that cater to different needs – from formal presentations and group workshops to light task work. The emergence of non owned collaborative work settings which are occupied for short periods have also challenged the need for complex user adjusted task seating. These various needs place different demands on today’s seating, which a single product cannot cater to. At the same time, a programme incorporating a number of variants has the potential to make the office landscape visually confusing. This is something the new programme would need to avoid.

Aim

PearsonLloyd’s objective was to produce a unified programme offering a range of seating solutions based around a single-core structure. Ergonomic specificity would be achieved by swapping various components without compromising each of the variants in terms of cost, performance or build. These variants range from stacking and light-task work to collaborative seating.

Design process

From early on in the process, it became clear that a main frame that would support these variants was needed. The team analysed traditional seating formats to establish which would provide us with the desired functional range, while acknowledging that one of the final typologies would need to drive the process. Ergonomic testing, scoping and parallel engineering assured us that the final solutions would not be compromised.

Solution

The resulting design comprised a modular build with a frame that accommodates different panels as seating surfaces. These optimise both seating comfort and build for each need and environment. This frame can be fitted with or without arms, and leg frames all fit on to the outer frame in the same way, thus keeping the mechanical elements to a minimum . Upholstery is fitted over the seating panels without the need for any mechanical features to be added. A high-performance version can be created with a tilting base frame in moulded plastic and a high-performance TFE back and ergonomically defined pattern, which controls and manages the micro-movements of the user’s back.

Impact

The programme allows Senator to sell one product family to clients since it combines a congruent landscape with multiple functionality. Minimal tooling kept both investment costs and the product’s environmental impact as low as possible.