Design Heritage: A Story Continued
Herman Miller has always believed in the importance of
supporting a variety of postures and encouraging healthy
movement while you work. An alternative to sitting down at
the desk is woven into our design history. In the 1960s both
Robert Propst and George Nelson pioneered the concept of
alternative working positions.
Propst, the creator of Action Office, the world’s first open-plan
office system, designed a hybrid of a stool and chair he termed
a ‘perch’. Nelson, who was appointed Design Director in 1947,
enjoyed standing around at work and thought others might
also. He designed a stand-up, roll-top desk for the Action
Office line. Both designers recognised the benefits of standing
whilst working, long before the term ‘ergonomics’ was widely
known or understood.
Robert Propst
George Nelson
Ratio 120 desks extend planning possibilities across the floorplate.
