Work anywhere, ‘Ergonomics Everywhere’: Humanscale’s vision for flexible, healthy workspaces

When it comes to a productive, future-facing work environment, ergonomics – the way furniture supports and tools the body – is everything. The modern workspace has transcended conventional office set-ups, evolving to include ‘ancillary’ or ‘third spaces’ for informal interactions and collaboration, adapting to the needs of a more flexible and mobile working community. The ‘work station’, as we once understood it, is a defunct concept; today’s workers need more reactive solutions in comfort and support, and that are easy to use.

Humanscale understands this implicitly. Their NYC based 'Design Studio' – a dynamic hub of designers and engineers from around the globe – works to the philosophy that ergonomics is essential not just at the desk, but across the permuting face of new office environments, activities and styles. Bolstered by extensive research into workplace trends and collaboration with in-house ergonomics consultants, the brand’s approach to design places user experience and product interaction at the forefront of its remit.

The new 'Meeting Collection' by Humanscale, which promotes the principle of ‘Ergonomics Everywhere’, directly responds to the needs of these ancillary spaces – whether huddle rooms, cafés or an open-plan office. The products are distinct in their aesthetics but designed to complement each other – all while encouraging posture change, improving circulation, reducing muscle strain and preventing other health issues that come with prolonged sitting still.

Take the Float Gather and Float Mini tables: small-scale, sit-to-stand solutions, smoothly controlled with subtle analog levers and non-powered pneumatic cylinders, designed to enhance the profound health benefits of intermittent standing throughout the day. With the Float Gather available with a round or square top and the Float Mini being a compact rectangular form in a muted panoply of colours, the moveable designs are adaptive to workspaces of all sizes and unhindered by power cables.

Being available in both natural linoleum – made from a granulate composed of oxidised vegetable linseed oil, natural pine rosin and wood flour – and an eco-friendly, renewable bamboo surface, the Float Mini is also a fine example of the sustainability nous that underpins Humanscale’s wares.

A more ascetic still is the Active Pony stool, an ergonomic seat with a unique triangular cushion that reduces pressure points and – by lowering the thighs and opening the hips – places the spine into a healthy S-curve. The ‘Ergonomics Everywhere’ remit arrives in the ‘Active’ part of the design, manifested in a seven-degree movement that adapts seamlessly to the body’s movements – ideal, Humanscale explains, ‘for short-duration computer work, meetings, professional settings, guest seating, or even as an ottoman to get your feet off the ground’.

Path, meanwhile, eschews the office chair’s tendency to be made for an ‘average’ body type, that the user has to retrofit themselves via levers and controls. Its innocuous, rounded aesthetic belies a chameleon-like adaptability, harnessing a patented ‘Gravity Mechanism’ that engages with the body, which – by acting as a natural counterbalance – is then supported in all positions and movements.

The coolly minimalist Trea Task Lite, designed by Todd Bracher, is a customisable chair with a waterfall-edge seat to soften pressure on the back of the knees and a contoured backrest, which cradles the body’s natural pivot points, allowing for seamless movement without any mechanical or dial adjustment.

Finally, the contours of the Sedeo stool – created by design icon Don Chadwick, available in bar and counter heights, and partly crafted from 94% recycled aluminium and farm-sourced woods – has been conceived with sacral support in mind, as a means of improving posture with the chicest possible aesthetic.

It’s a well-rounded collection with an undeniable synergy; each piece is not only highly functional but also aesthetically pleasing, showcasing a commitment to creating inviting and effective work environments that prioritise well-being and productivity.

‘In today's work environment, it's not just about style, comfort, or support – people want the freedom to instantly adjust their workspace to suit their needs,’ explains Sergio Silva, VP Design & Innovation, in conclusion. ‘At Humanscale, we’ve always known that if adjustments are complicated, they simply won’t happen. That’s why our seating and table products are designed to adapt instantly to the user, making it effortless to stay active and comfortable.’ Ergonomics Everywhere: a holistic ideal, beautifully fulfilled.

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