Summa by Humanscale: an executive chair on the move
Brand story by Emma Moore
London, United Kingdom
16.04.24
Carefully engineered and fully adjustable, the contemporary Summa chair once again reveals Humanscale’s mission to furnish the ever-evolving workplace – all while boasting a refined, timeless aesthetic that exudes pure luxury.
Summa is an executive chair that is adapting to the softer settings of offices both at home and in the workplace. New options see warm textural fabrics replacing woods and leathers of the original
Summa is an executive chair that is adapting to the softer settings of offices both at home and in the workplace. New options see warm textural fabrics replacing woods and leathers of the original
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Summa Chair
Humanscale
Conceived for the comfort of the working world’s most senior posteriors, Summa is styled as an executive chair. Designed in 2019 by Humanscale’s in-house team, in collaboration with world-renowned architectural consultancy Gensler, the idea was to create a boardroom chair for the 21st century. It would take in Humanscale’s most up-to-date personalisation technology and assume the sort of refined materials and exquisite crafting that would make it a future classic.
Behind the soft exterior is all Humanscale’s signature ergonomic technology, including automatic adjustments to shape and weight, and a discrete height adjusting lever
Behind the soft exterior is all Humanscale’s signature ergonomic technology, including automatic adjustments to shape and weight, and a discrete height adjusting lever
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Summa Chair
Humanscale
An icon in the making
This was achieved, after a rigorous design process, by incorporating a height-adjustment lever discretely into Summa’s seat, as well as Humanscale’s signature mechanics that allow recline tension to adjust automatically according to the sitters. The sense of timeless luxury comes from a smoothly moulded bentwood back (alternative materials are also available) that integrates the arms ergonomically, and a seat crafted in environmentally-friendly chrome-free leather.
A shift in power
With working habits quite literally on the move, Summa is now adapting to a wider range of settings. Today’s executives might not always be found filling boardrooms, so Humanscale’s most distinguished chair is spreading its wings. ‘While initially conceived for the boardroom setting, Summa’s versatility and sleek aesthetic seamlessly transition from the executive suite to the home office,’ affirms Sergio Silva, director of design and Innovation at Humanscale.
Humanscale’s new collaboration with Kvadrat opens the door to upholstery in a wide choice of richly textured, hard-wearing fabrics, in a varied palette of colours
Humanscale’s new collaboration with Kvadrat opens the door to upholstery in a wide choice of richly textured, hard-wearing fabrics, in a varied palette of colours
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Summa Chair
Humanscale
With leaders leading from less formal environments, the design codes of seniority are changing. While leather still denotes luxury, less tailored executives might prefer softer seating. Humanscale’s new innovative textile partner, Kvadrat, is stepping into the arena to bring more adaptable colours, warm textures and an altogether more homely profile to Summa. It’s a move that perfectly suits today’s mood for work – at all levels – to take on the gentler trappings of domestic life.
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