Humanscale to Showcase Timeless Design at ICFF
Ergonomics Pioneer Celebrates the Legacy of Design Partner Niels Diffrient through Products & Programming
This spring Humanscale brings its showcase of timeless design to ICFF, the anchor fair for NYCxDesign, New York City’s official citywide celebration of design engaging over 350,000 design enthusiasts from around the world. At ICFF, held from May 19-22, Humanscale will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the iconic Freedom chair and honor the legacy of its long-time design partner Niels Diffrient through three unique events. Humanscale’s booth (#2915) will feature the evolution of its line of ergonomic seating and highlight the partnership with Diffrient through the designs he developed for the brand over the years. The theme will continue as Humanscale presents an ICFF Talk exploring the philosophies of timeless design. Finally the ergonomics pioneer will host an open house at its new NYC headquarters, located in the nearby Grace Building, offering trade professionals an opportunity to test drive its full assortment of ergonomic solutions.
Humanscale’s most sought after seating options, including its iconic Freedom chair, will be on display at booth 2915. Designed by Niels Diffrient in 1999, Freedom revolutionized the seating industry as the first ever self-adjusting chair. Twenty years later it remains the gold standard and is revered for its elegant simplicity, functionality and timeless design. Humanscale’s partnership with the legendary designer also resulted in several other award-winning seating solutions, including the Diffrient Smart, Diffrient World and Liberty chairs. This year at ICFF, Humanscale is proud to showcase these chairs alongside the next addition to the award-winning line: Smart Conference. In today’s modern work environment, every seat at the table should make people feel comfortable and supported — even when they’re away from their desk. Bringing comfort to conference and boardrooms alike, Smart Conference features luxurious all leather upholstery, offering comfort and an elevated design aesthetic. Like all Humanscale chairs, Smart Conference is designed for function first, resulting in a product that is honest, long-lasting and globally appealing. It uses form-sensing mesh technology to automatically adjust to each individual user as it if were custom-made for them. Additionally, its mechanism-free recline adapts to each user’s body weight for the perfect amount of support and maximum comfort in any position.
To mark the 20th anniversary of the Freedom chair, Humanscale founder & CEO Bob King will sit down with design journalist, editor and critic Julie Lasky for an ICFF talk on the iconic chair. Entitled “Why Some Designs Stand the Test of Time,” the conversation will explore Diffrient’s revolutionary philosophies and how they can impact all facets of design. While many elements in the office have changed, some pieces stand the test of time. Diffrient believed that solving a functional problem simply and efficiently results in a beautiful and lasting form – not the other way around. The talk will take place on Sunday, May 19 from 1:30-2:30PM.
The A&D community and NYCxDesign attendees are also invited to Humanscale’s open house hours from 12:00-6:00PM on May 20-21 to relax, recharge and enjoy sweeping views of Bryant Park at its new headquarters (1114 6th Ave, Floor 15, New York, NY – a quick subway stop from ICFF). At 5:30pm each day, Humanscale will hold a toast to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Freedom chair. Guests are encouraged to RSVP to icff@humanscale.com to confirm their attendance and pre-register.
About Humanscale
Humanscale leverages new technology and functional design to transform traditional offices into active, intelligent workspaces. As the leading designer and manufacturer of high-performance ergonomic products, Humanscale improves the health and comfort of work life. Committed to making a net-positive impact on the earth as well as our customers, Humanscale offers award-winning products designed with a focus on function, simplicity and longevity. For more information, visit www.humanscale.com.
