Herman Miller's Aeron chair wins 'design of the decade' gold award

Citation

(2000), "Herman Miller's Aeron chair wins 'design of the decade' gold award", Facilities, Vol. 18 No. 5/6. https://doi.org/10.1108/f.2000.06918eaf.005

Herman Miller's Aeron chair wins 'design of the decade' gold award

Keywords Furniture industry, Awards, Design

Herman Miller's Aeron chair, designed by Bill Stumpf and Don Chadwick, has won the "design of the decade" gold award, in a competition sponsored by American Business Week magazine and the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA). The Design of the Decade award recognises the most compelling commercial and industrial designs and business successes of the 1990s.

A total of 189 entries from around the world were reviewed and Aeron was the only furniture product which won one of the 12 gold awards. Twelve silver and 12 bronze awards were also given. This is the second time a Herman Miller product has been given this prestigious title - the Equa chair was also recognised by Time Magazine in 1989 as a "design of the decade".

"The Aeron chair evolved to become a design classic, one of the first to successfully combine ergonomics, aesthetics, and quality manufacturing and materials; it adds to the quality of work life", said jury member Lorraine Justice, when announcing the award.

From virtually every perspective, financial, design reputation or visibility, the Aeron chair has had a significant impact on Herman Miller's growth in sales and brand identity. "In every era there are products that speak to a culture. Aeron has become an icon of cultural change", said the chair's co-designer Bill Stumpf.

A gallery of the winners is on ISDA's Web site, www.idsa.org