Contents
1 WHY- BACKDROP 11
Our active past 12
Our passive present 13
Post-industrialized societies 14
Tools 15
Sitting postures 18
"Homo sapiens" has become "Homo sedens" 20
Sitting on a seat- the message of language 21
The chair and authority 22
The industrial revolution and social mobility 24
How functional was functionalism? 25
Learning from the first long-term sitters 26
Rituals- the solution to an ergonomic problem? 28
Are our lifestyles changing us physically? 29
2 HOW- THEORY
Movement 33
Why movement? 35
Oscillations 36
Variation 37
Why variation? 37
Bodily impulses and psychological obstacles 38
Bodily impulses and physical obstacles 39
The chairs we "wear" 40
Control 41
Balance 42
Foot control 43
3 FAVOURITE POSTURES
The feet 47
The middle regions 49
The torso 52
Arms and hands 53
The head 54
Chair profiles 55
4 TILTING- FOUR CONCEPTS 59
The wheel 60
A pendulum upside down 61
Residential sitting 62
Seat+ shin support 64
Seat+ shin support+ back support 66
Seat+ shin support+ back support
+armrest+ headrest 68
How many body postures on a single chair? 70
Activities and relaxation 76
The balanced tilt 77
"A chair for every position" 79
Making it simple to get into balance 80
Chairs for general use 85
A simple solution 86
Torsion in wood 88
Play with plywood 92
C11airs with wings 93
Sp1ral springs 95
Released from the floor 96
Suspended from above 101
Almost impossible to remain static 102
Factor 10 104
Natural rhythm 105
5 SUPPORT
Students work 113
"Lay out" 114
Liberation 115
Balans® 116
Sitting unconventionally on a conventional chair 118
Shin support rather than back support 119
"''m bringing my own" 120
Providing support where it is needed 121
On the borderline between sitting and standing 122
Relax while standing 124
Is it merely the "backside" of the body
that needs support? 126
Can freedom be as important as support? 128
Taking the "desires" of your feet seriously 132
Feet "on" the table 134
"Floors" of different heights 136
Our ancestors lived in the trees 138
Wilderness 142
Is a sofa merely for reclining? 144
Alternative sofa 146
Stressful working postures 147
Sitting while being transported 150
Dynamic automotive seating 152
6 SIZE
Mini Max 157
Growing with the child 158
Easy to climb, easy to adjust 164
"Adjust to your own measurements in 10 seconds" 166
7 OTHER QUALITIES THAN
THE ERGONOMIC
Cubistic forms 171
Sculpture or furniture? 172
Transformable objects 176
Four kilos of comfort 182
A symbol of movement 183
8 OBSERVATIONS AND INSPIRATIONS
Areas of use for sitting devices 187
The living room 188
The home office 191
The office in focus 193
What is work? 194
The working environment 195
Ways of working 197
How ideas come about 197
The act of observing 198
Mentally in the chair 199
Environmental values 200
A global matter- our responsibility 201
Anti-furnishing 201
Fashion and the carousel of consumption 202
Heirlooms 203
Surface treatment for lasting beauty 203
Replace or keep? 204
Paradox 205
Credits 207