A New Generation Of Design Superstars From Around the World

I've always loved the international spirit and flavor of the Olympics Games, especially when otherwise unknown athletes display amazing prowess in unique sports. At least for a while they get to bask in the glory of worldwide public attention and acclaim.

That got me thinking about another group of international superstars who affect our lives much more directly every day, but whose names most people will never know. I'm talking about the designers who have given us the ergonomic and eco-friendly work chairs we rely on day in and day out.

A Legacy To Live Up To

Most of us are at least somewhat familiar with the previous generation of towering giants of modern design: Charles & Ray Eames, Isamu Noguchi, Alvar Aalto, George Nelson, etc.

But what about today's generation? Who's behind the incredible advances we're seeing in ergonomics, aesthetics and environmental sensitivity?

Click the images to read their bios

Let's Start With The Aeron Chair

I've written extensively about the impact the Aeron has had. The design geniuses behind this revolutionary product are Don Chadwick and Bill Stumpf.

Don, who hails from Santa Monica, CA, has been raking in design awards since the early '70s. So has Bill Stumpf, who is based in Minneapolis, MN.

Don and Bill's first collaboration was on the ground-breaking Equa chair in 1984. That experience set the stage for their crowning achievement, the Aeron chair. Both of these guys are still very active in the field of furniture design.

Passing the Baton to the Mirra Design Team

The Mirra chair is, in many ways, the direct descendant of the Aeron. The young design team responsible for this new marvel calls themselves Studio 7.5 and are based in Berlin, Germany.

The Studio 7.5 team includes Burkhard Schmitz, Claudia Plikat, Nicolai Neubert, Carola Zwick and her brother Roland Zwick. Like their Aeron predecessors, these designers rely less on computer models and more on the building and testing numerous physical prototypes to work out every detail of every design concept.

And they clearly love what they do. Burkhard, Nicolai, and Carola, who are also university professors, often tell their students, "If you want to be rich, go work in a bank. If you want to be famous, go rob the bank. But if creating things is fun for you, become a designer and you'll be a king. It's the best profession in the world."

The International Collaboration Behind The New Think™ Chair

The biggest news this summer in ergonomic seating is the innovative Think Chair from Steelcase.

Talk about a product of international origin, the Think Chair emerged from a three-year collaboration between German designer Glen Oliver Löw and environmental consultants McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry (based in Virginia and Hamburg) and the Institute of Product Development (Copenhagen, Denmark).

The Think Chair is not only a marvel of simplicity and ergonomic support, it's also sets a new high bar for environmental sustainability.

Thanks to great minds like these from around the world getting together, our well-being and productivity are enhanced every single work day.

PS: Steelcase expects to make the Think Chair available in October. We'll be at the receiving end of one of the very first shipments from the factory. If you'd like to find out more about it — or even have us reserve one for you —- call one of our experts toll-free at 1-877-MY-OFFICE.