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04
04
Asia Pacific Newsletter
SAYL x Jambox
®
Two world-class innovations come together
Desirable Spaces >
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Regional.
Innovative.
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Contents.
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_ Product
_ Relationships
_ Events
_ What’s New
_ Authenticity
_ Desirable Spaces
_ Snap Shot
“Great design is a way
to tell people that you
value them.”
Yves Béhar
04
Broadening our scope
I can hardly believe we’re already celebrating our third New Year
of 2011 - January 1st, February 3rd (CNY) and of course the most
important – ‘Herman Miller’s New Year’ on May 30th.
As I speak, the results for last year are not finalised, but I think you
all know it’s been a spectacular year for growth and profitability in
Asia Pacific.
The economic environment has been really positive almost
everywhere and we have been able to reach out to more
customers than ever before.
“New products
have broadened
the appeal of our
offer.”
Jeremy Hocking
Vice President, Herman Miller
Asia Pacific
New products have broadened the appeal of our offer, and with
new dealers joining the family and existing dealers all recruiting
more staff, we have enjoyed our fastest growth ever in this region.
I’ve been really encouraged by the way in which our dealers
are investing in some of the best showrooms in Asia. We need
to inspire our customers to create world class workplaces
and beautiful homes, and now you can see these modelled in
wonderful Herman Miller dealer showrooms from Auckland,
New Zealand to Mumbai, India.
POSH have also had a year of very strong growth, and we have
wholeheartedly welcomed the positive response we’ve had to
news of our intended acquisition of this exceptional company.
We’re proud to offer the best portfolio of products in our industry.
Now all we have to do is make sure everyone in Asia knows it.
One last word. You must check out the special edition Eames
Lounge Chairs in ‘all black’, featured in this issue. They’re seriously
stylish - no dedicated Eames collector could go without one.
Jeremy Hocking,
Vice President, Herman Miller Asia Pacific
Product | Relationships | Events | What’s New | Authenticity | Desirable Spaces | Snapshot
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SAYL x Jambox
Charismatic designer Yves Béhar generated a lot of interest during
his recent tour of the Asia Pacific. Two of our favourite Béhar
designs, SAYL chair and Jambox are also united by the fact they
are both world first innovations.
Described as the “iMac of the chair world”, SAYL chair sets a
new benchmark in eco-conscious design, unrivalled in terms of
performance, quality and appearance. By rethinking every part of
the chair, Béhar created a better, smarter chair that encourages
a full range of movement while the innovative suspension back
material keeps you cool.
“SAYL chair and
Jambox are united
by the fact they
are both world
first innovations.”
Launched by Jawbone last year, Jambox is described as the
smallest, best sounding wireless speaker and speakerphone
on the planet. It fits into the palm of your hand, yet delivers a
rich, quality sound to fill even the largest room. It’s intelligent,
upgradable and has a built-in microphone that enables wireless
conference calls. All this and it looks good too.
This summer, Herman Miller is excited to offer a colourful Jambox
on purchase of selective SAYL chairs. The offer is available in
Australia, Hong Kong and Singapore for a limited time only.
Contact your local Herman Miller retailer for more information.
Product | Relationships | Events | What’s New | Authenticity | Desirable Spaces | Snapshot
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The limited edition Eames Lounge
Chair and Ottoman
Charles Eames wanted a chair that would have the “warm
receptive look of a well-used first baseman’s mitt”. In 1956 the
first Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman was born. Revolutionary
in design, its handsome good looks and unparalleled comfort
have since endured more than 50 years to become recognised
as one of the most significant designs of the 20th century.
“One of the
most significant
designs of the
20th century.”
This summer, we’re delighted to bring to you a limited edition
Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman.
Superb in its ‘all black’ design, the suite features chromefree leather upholstery, upon a satin-finish shell – a striking
combination no dedicated Eames collector could resist.
The ‘all black’ Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman is available in
Asia and for a limited time only. A ‘limited edition’ certificate will
be issued to customers upon purchase.
Product | Relationships | Events | What’s New | Authenticity | Desirable Spaces | Snapshot
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Interview with Japan’s
Yuko Nagayama
Herman Miller talks to Yuko Nagayama, founder of Yuko
Nagayama & Associates.
After working with renowned architects Jun Aoki and Associates,
Yuko Nagayama founded her own practice in 2002. Exploring
fields as diverse as product design, stage design as well as
architecture, Yuko’s most recognised creative projects include
the Louis Vuitton store in Daimaru, Kyoto (2004), A Hill on a
House (2006), ANTEPRIMA Shop (2009) and Kabaya Coffee
(2009). She has won several awards for her contribution to
design, including the Best Design Award at Nakanoshima
Shinsen Station Design Competition, and The Best Debutant
(MFU) - Award of Architect.
“Wonderful
natural
scenery and
the occurrence
of natural
phenomena
within that
scenery are my
inspiration.”
• What do you see as the emerging ‘workstyle’ trend?
The Free Address Office. The SISII (fashion brand) project I
completed in Kobe City incorporated this concept. If you look
at current office environments, you’ll see teams are now set
up in a flexible manner, accommodating the requirements and
demands of the moment. Where fixed workstations can be
limiting and cause inconvenience, Free Address is a liberating
alternative. And with wireless technology and laptops, it’s quite
easy to move around an office space. Free Address is the
perfect workstyle.
• What is unique about the SISII project?
SISII occupies a street level space, where we’ve used glass
panels to divide the office and showroom. The project’s
focal point is the steel floor plate that we’ve converted into a
huge shared desk surface by dropping the surrounding area,
enabling the employees to be seated comfortably at the desk.
From the street level, it looks like the employees have been
sunken into the floor. There is a comfortable balance between
the employees and the street.
Product | Relationships | Events | What’s New | Authenticity | Desirable Spaces | Snapshot
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• What inspires you?
Nature. Natural phenomena. Wonderful natural scenery and
the occurrence of natural phenomena within that scenery are
my inspiration. I also get inspired by watching people and the
everyday activities of the town.
• At the SAYL launch event, you created your ideal space.
Who did you envisage would use the space?
I used the stools as table legs and hung the desk lights from the
ceiling like chandeliers. I wanted to create a drastically evolved
office space by using the furniture in an unconventional way. The
user of this space is someone who sees work as a hobby. I know
it sounds quite self-indulgent, but what I mean is that I wanted
to create a workspace that is like a playground to someone who
enjoys their work.
Product | Relationships | Events | What’s New | Authenticity | Desirable Spaces | Snapshot
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Design and Alexandar Girard
Born in New York in 1907, raised in Florence and educated in
Rome and London, Girard began his career as an architect and
interior designer. Within a few short years of opening his New York
office in 1932, he was well on his way to forging an international
reputation. In 1949, following his design ‘For Modern Living’ — an
exhibition on post-war modernism at the Detroit Institute of Art —
Girard had established himself as a major force in the American
design scene.
With a love for colour, pattern, texture and a keen sense of play,
Alexander Girard’s iconic folk art prints must be acknowledged for
breathing life back into a bleak, monochromatic, post-war America.
“His relationship
with Herman
Miller saw the
development
of more than
300 fabric
and wallpaper
designs.”
In 1952, as director of design for Herman Miller’s textile
division, Girard’s passions were given the scope for expression
they yearned for. His relationship with Herman Miller saw the
development of more than 300 fabric and wallpaper designs. A
dedicated collector, he drew inspiration from folk art: Japanese
textiles are reinterpreted within his Mikado pattern, while his Palio
pattern takes its colours, motifs and name from famous Sienna’s
horse race.
Girard’s sense of fun and frivolity brought a new dimension to
his collaborations with colleagues including George Nelson,
and Charles and Ray Eames. While at first, his riotous colour
palette and bold patterns rocked the mainstream, Herman Miller
was unapologetic in promoting Girard’s designs. Soon the fabric
appeared in commercial quantities, reinvigorating a lacklustre
American workplace.
Product | Relationships | Events | What’s New | Authenticity | Desirable Spaces | Snapshot
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The revolutionary treatment of La Fonda Del Sol, a restaurant in
New York’s Time Life Building, saw Girard venture into furniture
design. The immense success of the project also earnt the
designer another series of high-profile commissions including that
of the Braniff airline company. Together with Herman Miller, Girard
created a line of custom furniture for Braniff, including rosewood
and aluminium tables, and upholstered chairs.
Girard’s work with Herman Miller continued into the 70s with his
Environmental Enrichment Panels. Herman Miller’s current range
of Resolve system panels, reinterprets Girard’s original.
But it was Girard’s fascination with folk art that was legendary. In
1978, he contributed his collection to the Santa Fe Museum of
International Folk Art, home to the world’s largest collection of folk
art. In reflecting upon his love of folk art, Girard said, “I think that
I saw it as a way to recapture all the wonderful enthusiasm and
the spirit of discovery that we experience as children but generally
lose as we grow older.” Indeed it is the warmth, humanity and
playfulness of Girard’s work that continues to inspire us today.
Product | Relationships | Events | What’s New | Authenticity | Desirable Spaces | Snapshot
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Saturday in Design, Singapore
The design community of Singapore was out in force on May
21 for the inaugural Saturday in Design – a premier trade
show featuring designer furniture, finishes, fixtures and lighting
presented in a showroom environment.
The weekend offered an amazing opportunity for design
enthusiasts to explore some very inspiring installations by
MMoser, Woodhead International, and HBO + EMTB.
Herman Miller, InterfaceFLOR and co-sponsors XTRA and
Contrac-Image collaborated with leading design firms to create
new, out-of-this-world work environments at the Xtra showroom.
The Project was a brilliant success – captivating visitors and
staff alike. PDM International used Herman Miller furniture to
create an inspiring work environment that took us all back to a
‘happy place’ of memories, laughter, fun, friends and play. Their
installation for ALT.WORK.SPACE motivated users to rethink the
workplace as a centre for connecting and exchange.
“We’d like to
thank everyone
who came along
to the inaugural
Saturday in
Design and
made it a huge
success.”
Adding some fierce action to the event, the Aeron Hockey
Championships worked to a spectacular final between
Woodhead and WOHA, with Woodhead emerging the winner.
Congratulations must go to everyone who competed, but a
special congratulations must go to Woodhead who will be
joining us in Hong Kong this September for the first-ever Pan
Asia Aeron Hockey Championship.
We’d like to thank everyone who came along to the inaugural
Saturday in Design and made it such a huge success.
Product | Relationships | Events | What’s New | Authenticity | Desirable Spaces | Snapshot
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Make A Difference - Eastern Japan
disaster relief program
March 11, 2011 marked a day of unimaginable destruction, when a
magnitude 9.0 earthquake struck the coast of northeastern Japan,
some 81 miles east of the city of Sendai. Triggering a catastrophic
tsunami and a series of severe aftershocks, the event was the
worst crisis Japan has faced since World War II.
Representatives from Herman Miller including Jeremy Hocking,
Vice President Asia Pacific, Andy Lock, President of Herman Miller
International and Ben Matsuzaki of Herman Miller Japan, travelled
to Sendai’s Ergokiosk, where they joined local government officials
and volunteers, and experienced the aftermath first hand.
In response to the event, Herman Miller initiated a worldwide
disaster relief program – ‘Make A Difference’ – in addition to a
series of charity auctions, in an effort to raise funds for the Red
Cross and other not-for-profit organisations.
“Herman Miller
initiated a
worldwide
disaster relief
program – ‘Make
A Difference’ – in
response to the
March 11 quake.”
May 20th marked the first of the charity auctions, and saw
renowned brands including Bally, Moet Hennessy Diageo Japan,
Entropy Design, El Bosco Hotel, and Century Court Restaurant
gathered together at Herman Miller’s Tokyo showroom. Miyagi
University’s Associate Professor Senhiko Nakata (who had
personally been affected by the disaster) opened the auction
with a minute’s silence. Led by Shinwa Art Auction, the evening’s
proceedings raised a total of 5,700 USD. Two additional charity
auctions are scheduled for June and July.
Product | Relationships | Events | What’s New | Authenticity | Desirable Spaces | Snapshot
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Introducing the first Herman Miller
Asia design exhibition - REACH
We are thrilled to introduce to you REACH, a unique design
festival taking place in Hong Kong from September 15.
REACH is the first Herman Miller exhibition to be held in
Asia. In collaboration with the Hong Kong Design Institute,
the event will showcase a range of visual, interactive and
educational features, promising to fascinate, inspire and
delight those with a passion for design.
Guests will be able to wander through RETREAT - a series of
beautifully designed spaces for the home featuring Herman
Miller’s iconic range of furniture.
“REACH promises
to fascinate,
inspire and
delight those
with a passion for
design.”
For those with a love of the classic, learn more about
Charles and Ray Eames through the new travelling exhibition
‘Essential Eames’. Curated by the legendary couple’s
grandson, Eames Demetrious, the exhibition features a
series of lectures, photographs and films.
Throughout the festival there will be a series of lectures
presented by renowned leaders in design including Don
Chadwick and our own Marc Fong, providing the opportunity
to learn, share and debate.
And for the adventurous, take in the live action of the Pan
Asia Aeron Hockey Championships where the stakes are
high as each member of the winning team will walk away
with their very own Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman.
Product | Relationships | Events | What’s New | Authenticity | Desirable Spaces | Snapshot
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Did you know?
The iconic Marshmallow Sofa was conceived in 1954 specifically
to explore a production method of injecting molded plastic
cushions. The production method proved unsuccessful, but a
revolutionary design was born.
This sofa is one of the earliest manifestations of Pop Art in
furniture design. Its unique form makes it one of the most
unconventional sofas in design history. George Nelson and Irving
Harper, a young designer working in Nelson’s design firm, were
approached by an inventor who had created an injection plastic
disc that he insisted would be durable and able to be produced
inexpensively. The designers took a look and arranged 18 of them
on a steel frame - the origin of the Marshmallow sofa.
“A design that
even to this
date symbolises
colourful fun and
one-of-a-kind
design.”
The inventor’s cushions turned out to be impractical, but Nelson
and Harper were intrigued by the design they had created so
casually. And hence came into being a signature piece from
Herman Miller. A design that even to this date symbolises colourful
fun and one-of-a-kind design.
Product | Relationships | Events | What’s New | Authenticity | Desirable Spaces | Snapshot
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Express your workspace with
Herman Miller’s extensive portfolio
of furniture solutions. We showcase
our recent accomplishment.
Company: Stryker Global Technology Center
Location: Gurgaon, India
Project Scope: 550 Workstation and Cabins Featured
Featured Products: Arras Desking System / AbakEnvironmentsTM
POSH SL8 Boardroom Tables
Product | Relationships | Events | What’s New | Authenticity | Desirable Spaces | Snapshot
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A view of Lakshadweep Island
Snap Shot >
For more information or to receive the Herman Miller Reach
Newsletter, please contact us.
reach@hermanmiller.com
Product | Relationships | Events | What’s New | Authenticity | Desirable Spaces | Snapshot
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