Does the world need another chair? Certainly that’s a reasonable question to ask when the planet is already populated by hundreds, if not thousands, of different chairs—chairs for working, dining, relaxing, playing, napping, waiting, or, even, admiring—some are a wonder to behold but awkward to sit in and some are so comfortable that one is reluctant to get up again.

That legacy continues today, as seen in this latest release by Knoll™, and their collaboration with Formway Design, the Wellington, New Zealand-based collaborative. It’s not a chair. It’s a movement. Introducing Generation by Knoll™. The first chair that lets you sit how you want. The Generation chair offers a new standard of comfort and unrestrained movement, supporting the range of postures and work styles typical of today’s workplace. Discover how Generation’s flexing and supportive features enable individual expression, and explore how this revolutionary work chair reflects our commitment to environmental sustainability.

It’s worth noting that the concept of seating that moves as you move was not entirely new. In fact, one could argue that the bean bag chair of the 1960s, which quickly became a ubiquitous symbol of hippie informality, could be considered a forerunner of Generation by Knoll: each time the user shifts position on the bean bag chair, the “beans” (actually polystyrene beads) rearrange themselves to support you—comfort is entirely a result of automatic responsiveness. For Knoll, it was time to take this idea of elastic design—where the product rearranges itself in response to its user—to a new level.

I was recently introduced to a really inspiring video on Emeco’s website, www.emeco.net.  I always knew that the Navy chair was designed for the US Navy, and that it has a 150 year warranty… but I never really knew what a cool all around company Emeco is until I explored their website in more detail.  These chairs are handbuilt and quality tested to the nines.  It takes 77 steps and 116 hands to make a single Navy 1006 chair.  As said in one of the video clips… “These chairs are made from blood, sweat, tears and love” and they’re built for life… err… two lives.  Green?  Any chair that lasts more than a lifetime is the earth’s friend… especially when it’s also made of 80% recycled aluminum.

I used to want one of these chairs because I loved the way it looked… now I want one because I love the way it’s made. 

Emeco 1006 Navy Chair

It’s a new finish by Cherner Chair Co. and it looks delicious:

The high contrast coloured grain reminds me of the beautiful markings on the back of my cat’s neck… and simililary, I’m also strongly compelled to pet this chair!  purrrrrrrrrrrr.  Complimented by natural beech arms and legs, this wood will be an easy link for homes with varities of wood finishes.  An added bonus… Cherner’s also gone green by reducing VOC’s by switching to water base stains and clear coats.  Yay Cherner! … all around.