Commercial Furniture Services

Originally Posted on www.interiordesign.net

 July 21st 2008

One of best movies of the summer hasn’t a bit of traditional dialogue in it for the first 40 minutes yet its multiple messages are perfectly communicated.

WALL-E, from Pixarand Disney, is set on a derelict post-apocalyptic Earth that has been over-burdened with smog, heat and trash. A little robot and his cockroach sidekick are seemingly the only survivors while the humans have relocated to a sterile, Disney-esque space station. Love – between two machines – and a lone seedling eventually save civilization.

(Apologies if I’ve spoiled the ending but I find it hard to believe there’s anyone who doesn’t know going in that this tale will end happily. See: Toy Story, Finding Nemo, Ratatouille, etc., etc.)

The-end-of-the-world-as-we-know-it doomsday scenario is lovingly embellished with artifacts collected by Wall-E from our ruined civilization – a Rubix Cube, Zippo lighter, Christmas lights and, most charmingly, a snippet of tape from Hello Dolly – that he enjoys and so do we. It’s a poignant pleasure however, a reminder of all we have to lose.

The day after I saw WALL-E, Al Gore delivered his speech at Constitution Hall in Washington on renewable energy. See a highlights video or read the full text  in which Mr. Gore succinctly defined the problem  – “We’re borrowing money from China to buy oil from the Persian Gulf to burn it in ways that destroy the planet.” Then he did what no politician has had the courage to do since JFK called upon the ingenuity and perseverance of our nation to land a man on the moon in 10 years.

Mr. Gore’s challenge is equally clear – a transition to 100% renewable clean electricity within 10 years. It’s doable, Gore insists. “The sun and the wind and geothermal are not going to run out, and we don’t have to export them from the Persian Gulf, and they are not increasing in price.”

It will take every bit of inventiveness and dedication that we, as a nation, can muster – from each one of us.
Wall-E did it. So can we.

Posted by Penny Bonda on July 21, 2008 |

Originally posted on HermanMilller.com on May 30, 2008

New storage collection defines the beauty of being organized

Herman Miller is enhancing the filing and storage market with Teneo, a charismatic set of products that offer variety and visual harmony to the workplace. Teneo was designed to provide and maintain a consistent aesthetic within open work environments, while creating a unified, yet flexible space.

Teneo will be displayed in Herman Miller’s third floor showroom during the NeoCon World’s Trade Fair at Chicago’s Merchandise Mart, June 9-11, 2008.

Teneo is a result of the collaboration between Herman Miller and designers Ayse Birsel and Bibi Seck of the New York-based design firm Birsel + Seck. Because storage is one of the largest factors in workplace satisfaction, Birsel and Seck sought to design one product solution that could meet a wide range of storage needs, including those of the individual, group, and workplace community.

Experience our Teneo Color Tool where you are the artist.

“What fascinates us is putting ourselves in the shoes of the user and thinking of what’s going to solve problems for them,” explains Birsel. “Storage tends to be a metal box or a wood case–nothing in between. Teneo represents a new paradigm in storage. It’s an active partner in the places where people gather and collaborate.”

Birsel and Seck identified three core elements of storage: structure, utility and cladding. They determined these could become modular components–assembled to create a variety of products that may be applied in the office, home, higher education, and healthcare.

Rather than relying on the monolithic metal box approach, Birsel and Seck created a new shape and structure using anodized aluminum rings of four heights. Teneo products are meant to be viewed from all sides in open environments. The rings support utility elements, such as drawers, shelves, work surfaces, and cladding.

A result of systemic thinking, Teneo products were designed to create a variety of configurations that produce a holistic solution. The core products include single islands, side-by-side islands, presentation units, wall units, individual storage, and surfaces. The systemic concept allows the product to be restructured, yet remain consistent with the surrounding design elements.

“Teneo’s flexibility supports individual work styles and it also creates an engaging community environment, says Katie Lane, Herman Miller’s product marketing director for filing and storage. “Even as our reliance on wireless technology increases, there still is a need to meet, greet, share, collaborate, and support hospitality. Teneo supports those needs beautifully.”

The products are available in a range of colors, veneers, and customizable finishes. Door and drawer fronts are defined by an integrated, graceful curve to be used as a handle or pull, available in painted metal or veneer.

Updated Filing and Storage
Herman Miller has also reinvigorated its broader filing and storage offering with Tu, a fresh approach to products formerly under the Quadrant brand. The new identity brings with it new products and pull style changes, as well as enhanced aesthetics and functionality.

“As plans for Teneo storage furniture developed, we realized it was the right time to address the opportunities within our current filing and storage program,” said Katie Lane, product marketing director for filing and storage. “Tu products have been refined to address the needs of customers who seek a variety of highly functional storage options with a fresh look at a lower cost.”

Designed to accommodate the individual workspace, Tu’s enhanced portfolio now includes towers with a new side-facing bookcase configuration, bookcases, storage cases, and overfiles, in addition to lateral files and pedestals. The broad range of finish colors, veneers, and pull styles complement a variety of surroundings, as well as other Herman Miller products.

For higher density storage needs, Herman Miller’s Meridian filing and storage products lead the industry with a comprehensive portfolio, including stackable modules and extra-capacity file drawers. Meridian is ideal for high-volume filing areas that require easy accessibility among workers.

A new, anodized aluminum pull, similar to the pull available on Teneo products, also will be available with Tu and Meridian pedestal and lateral files. Additionally, Meridian and Tu will share other visually compatible pull styles.

Designed with the Environment in Mind
Teneo, Tu, and Meridian products have been evaluated by Herman Miller’s rigorous Design for the Environment protocol, emphasizing safe materials, recyclability and ease of disassembly. Additionally, Teneo products are readily repurposed and reconfigured to extend their use, while the steel cases in Tu and Meridian are 100 percent recyclable and use powder coating for all metal parts. All product lines are GREENGUARD certified and pending McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry (MBDC) certification.

Originally posted at HermanMiller.com on June 11, 2008

Accolades include multiple product honors, Best of Competition, and Manufacturer of the Year

Herman Miller, Inc., won with both customers and dealers at the NeoCon 2008 World’s Trade Fair, North America’s largest exhibition of contract furnishings for the design and management of the built environment, held in Chicago, June 9-11. The annual gathering of design professionals, corporate end users, and furniture dealers recognized the company in two separate awards programs, reviewing both new product introductions and also manufacturers’ reputations among independent furniture dealers.

The annual Best of NeoCon Awards for product, juried by more than 50 interior design and real estate management professionals who reviewed more than 400 entries, recognized Herman Miller’s Teneo Storage Furniture with both a Gold award in the Filing and Storage category and the coveted overall “Best of Competition” among all category entries. Additionally, Herman Miller received a Silver award in the Healthcare Seating category for its ergonomically advanced Nala patient room chair, introduced through its Brandrud healthcare subsidiary, while subsidiary Geiger International garnered two Silver awards in Conference Room Casegoods and in Occasional Tables for its Caucus conferencing suite and Lissome table.

The Best of NeoCon awards, now in their 19th year, are sponsored and organized by the International Interior Design Association, the International Facility Management Association, Contract magazine, the McMorrow Report, and Merchandise Mart Properties, Inc.

Herman Miller President and CEO Brian Walker noted, “These awards reflect both our expanding markets strategy and Herman Miller’s continuing investment in innovation, across our office furniture business and in new growth areas like healthcare. It’s particularly meaningful to be recognized by representatives of our key customer audiences–and a testimony to the talent and dedication of the people of Herman Miller, working closely with a great network of independent designers and suppliers.”

In addition to product accolades, Herman Miller also received the “2008 Manufacturer of the Year Gold Award,” presented by the Office Furniture Dealers Alliance (OFDA). The industry association for independent U.S. and Canadian office furniture dealers annually surveys its membership for their opinions on industry manufacturers. The awards are then presented in conjunction with the NeoCon gathering. This is the second time in three years that Herman Miller has received the top prize among major manufacturers.

Walker concluded, “Herman Miller’s innovation quest goes beyond great product. We think in terms of ‘performance innovation,’ and strive to continually raise the bar in every aspect of our business and in our larger value chain, from supply to distribution. The OFDA’s award is evidence that our efforts are valued by dealers, and we see even greater potential in our shared future.”