Don Chadwick's Herman Miller seating aims to "improve the way people live and work"

Aeron chairs in a workspace

Promotion: the Aeron chair and Chadwick Modular Seating are among the furniture created by US designer Don Chadwick for workplace brand Herman Miller.

Since the 1970s Chadwick has collaborated with Herman Miller and his designs aim to “improve the way people live and work”.

Don Chadwick and Bill Stumpf collaborated on the Aeron chair that was launched in 1994

In 1994 Chadwick launched the Aeron chair, which he codesigned with US designer Bill Stumpf.

Chadwick and Stumpf’s chair was one of the first furniture pieces to incorporate ergonomic design principles and support users’ postures, according to Herman Miller. It was designed to evenly distribute weight and is adjustable for spinal support while taking into account natural body movements.

Described by Herman Miller as an “ergonomic icon” Aeron was accepted as part of the Museum of Modern Art’s permanent design collection.

Aeron was launched in 1994

In 2016, Aeron was relaunched in a bid to make it increasingly responsive to different body types and its mesh-like material covering its seat and back – the 8Z Pellicle elastomeric suspension – was redesigned for better support.

In 2021, Herman Miller launched a new version of Aeron – Aeron Onyx – adding material derived from ocean-bound plastic to the body of the chair.

The chair made with ocean-bound plastic was available in Onyx – a dramatic ultra-black shade, and in 2022 it was launched in three additional colours with names also derived from “elements pulled from the earth”.

This includes Graphite, a dark grey hue; Carbon, a neutral grey shade; and Mineral – a light neutral colour “ideal for open floor plans and spaces”.

Aeron chair in Mineral alongside Cosm chair designed by Studio 7.5

“Each component of the chair was thoughtfully designed, creating a fundamentally harmonious colour palette,” said Herman Miller.

The chair was designed to provide people with the comfort and back support needed when working at a desk. Herman Miller recommends the chair paired with a sit-stand desk such as the Ratio or Nevi Link, which allows people to choose to sit or stand while working.

The Chadwick Modular Seating System was designed in 1974

Another example of Chadwick’s collaboration with Herman Miller is the Chadwick Modular Seating System designed in 1974, which “embodies the ideal benefit of a modular system – vast variety from just a few parts”.

The design consists of five units that enable the user to configure the system in various forms depending on preference. The system comes in various colours and textile choices and includes deep pockets that allow air to circulate the sitter.

“Units link together securely with simple connectors and unlock for quick rearrangement,” said the brand.

According to Herman Miller, the seating system is still influential to the modular furniture design that is launched today.

Aeron was codesigned with US designer Bill Stumpf

Chadwick has won a number of awards, including Product Design Winner as part of the National Design Awards 2006. Aeron has also won numerous awards, such as Design of the Decade in 2000 awarded by Business Week magazine and Industrial Designers Society of America.

“Having nearly half a century of celebrated innovations, he [Don Chadwick] remains influential to industrial designers and furniture manufacturers the world over,” said the brand. “Even though Chadwick has achieved acclaim for his work on some of the world’s most iconic furniture, he’s still at it.”

“He’s still in Southern California,” continued the brand. “He’s still getting his hands dirty. He’s still refining his process and sharpening his eye for design. He’s still having fun.”

Bill Stumpf joined the staff of the Herman Miller Research Corporation in 1970. In 1972 he established his studio and launched the Ergon chair in 1976 – the first ergonomic work chair from Herman Miller. Later, in collaboration with Chadwick, he co-designed the Equa and iconic Aeron chairs.

To learn more about Don Chadwick’s designs for Herman Miller, visit the brand’s website.

Partnership content

This article was written by Dezeen for Herman Miller as part of a partnership. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.