Aeron Chair
Brooklyn Museum photograph
Object Label
Thomas E. Warren’s “Centripetal Spring” chair is the forerunner of Don Chadwick and Bill Stumpf’s Aeron chair, designed nearly 150 years later. Both are made principally of metal, raised on casters for mobility, rotate on a central column, and allow for adjustment of the angle of the seat. The very different look of the chairs suggests the ways that consumer attitudes toward industrial invention and modernity have evolved over the centuries. Although Warren’s chair bears a patent mark (on the bottom of the seat), he felt the need to mitigate the newness of his invention by concealing its ingenious metal spring system beneath a dense, soft curtain of luxurious passementerie (elaborate trim). Similarly, he disguised his progressive use of cast iron for the frame by rendering it in the backward-looking Rococo Revival style and gilding it. In contrast, the makers of the Aeron chair reveal its mechanical elements, celebrate its recycled man-made materials, and use a monochromatic black to underline the seriousness of the design, all without fear of losing customers.
Caption
Don Chadwick American, born 1936; Bill Stumpf American, 1935–2006. Aeron Chair, designed 1994. Recycled aluminum, recycled polymer, 40 3/4 x 28 1/4 x 21 3/4 in. (103.5 x 71.8 x 55.2 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Herman Miller Inc., 2005.65. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 2005.65_PS2.jpg)
Gallery
Not on view
Collection
Gallery
Not on view
Collection
Designers
Title
Aeron Chair
Date
designed 1994
Geography
Place manufactured: Zeeland, Michigan, United States
Medium
Recycled aluminum, recycled polymer
Classification
Dimensions
40 3/4 x 28 1/4 x 21 3/4 in. (103.5 x 71.8 x 55.2 cm)
Markings
"Herman Miller" molded into back of chair crest, at center. Underneath chair seat: White paper adhesive label indicating product's conformation to California's laws regarding flammability.
Credit Line
Gift of Herman Miller Inc.
Accession Number
2005.65
Rights
Creative Commons-BY
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Frequent Art Questions
This chair looks very familiar. Is it common?
Yes! It's a very popular model. Have you ever sat in or owned an Aeron chair?Sure I have the same one in my office they are the best!Lucky you--the most comfortable office chair ever made! I think it's amazing to see the Centripetal Spring Chair next to it, to see where the base technology for the Aeron came from. The spring system in the Aeron is similar in spirit to that of the Centripetal chair.What is this chair and what is its history?
This is the Aeron chair. Maybe you've seen one before!The design is very popular, especially in offices. Once upon a time, office chairs like this did not exist. The Aeron chair is a part of this exhibition because it is considered an early masterpiece of ergonomic furniture design. The designer, Don Chadwick, developed it in collaboration with orthopedic specialists.It is displayed with the Centripetal Spring Chair (to the right) to illustrate the evolution of the office chair over the course of 150 years. Both chairs roll, swivel, tilt and have a built in spring mechanism, really highlighting how aesthetics is what has most drastically changed over timeThank you so muchWhy is this in the museum?
The Aeron chair is part of this exhibit because it is considered a masterpiece of ergonomic design - objects designed especially for the human body!It is displayed next to the Centripetal Spring Chair to illustrate the evolution of the office chair over time. Both chairs were innovative in their day!The Centripetal Spring Chair used seat suspension springs that were originally developed for train seats. The designer was nervous that the spring would look too industrial for a private home, so it was concealed with elaborate fringes.How come my office chair is in a museum? If I sold it could I retire?
Clever thought! But probably not. Not everything in a museum is there for its monetary value. In the case of this Aeron chair it is an example of the great strides made in the design of desk chairs! Though commonplace today, there was a time when this chair was revolutionary for its curves and materials. For comparison, it's placed next to a desk chair from about 150 years earlier.What's the age difference in these two chairs?
The Aeron chair was designed in 1994 and the Centripetal Spring chair was created around 1850, so almost 150 years.Though the Aeron chair is common in many offices today, its ergonomic, multi-adjustable design was revolutionary when it was first produced!Agree - I sold many of the Aeron’s - thanks.
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