FEATURED ARTICLE
Uncompromising Intuitive Design
"Today’s world of work simply doesn’t need yet another classic office chair, but rather precisely the opposite," says Markus Böhm, Head of the Development Department at Brunner. Not a "nine-to-five chair", because in this age of agile work, classic sedentary tasks are becoming rarer. Brunner brought jehs+laub on board for the design, two designers the company has collaborated with successfully for many years. "The idea for 'ray work' was to create a light, sculptural swivel chair, whose entire structure including the armrests is part of the movement mechanism," explain Markus Jehs and Jürgen Laub. The result is a groundbreaking design, whose intuitive use and elegant design make it equally ideal for conferences, co-working spaces or even for use working from home. "As the technical requirements for such a swivel chair are considerable, the challenge was to retain the clarity and simplicity of the first sketch through to the finished product. It is thanks to the Brunner team that this was possible," say the Stuttgart designers. "'ray work' can be anything at all, as long as it doesn’t require any explanation," emphasizes Böhm. The resistance of the backrest adjusts automatically to the body, while its angle is ergonomically aligned with the seat. The closed armrests and the barely noticeable plastic frame naturally follow the sitter’s movements, as does the slightly springy mesh: "ray mesh". As the breathable, high-performance mesh is elastic and retains its shape, its resilience provides support even when sitting for long periods and the delicate appearance is emphasized by the absence of visible seams. "What’s special is that the entire structure supports the synchronous mechanism, just like the human body where muscles, tendons and skeleton work together perfectly, everything is interdependent," explain jehs+laub.
Markus Böhm’s experienced team invested two years in development work to achieve the perfect realization and functionality of "ray work". Intelligent pivot points in the structure allow the components to work together and integrated, pre-tensioned suspension elements support the harmonious sequence of movements. "We didn’t include any metal springs. The entire mechanism and the gentle spring-back action are provided via a suspension spring and the armrests," explains Markus Böhm. And he adds: "It was important to us not to make any compromises at all, but to create a chair where everything was just right." That includes having the right height for the lumbar support, but also offering a wide range of color and material combinations: Depending on the shade, the light and color-fast mesh is contrasted by a lighter or darker monofilament producing a homely mélange effect. The specially developed color range featuring specific "ray work" tones for frame and cover underscore the modern look. If desired, "ray work" can also be configured with seat upholstery or full upholstery – drawing here on the numerous options offered by Brunner’s trusted range of fabrics and leather. You even have a choice of castors or glides for the base.
"ray work" is equally impressive when it comes to sustainability: All the materials that are used for the swivel chair can be separated by type, in keeping with the principles of a sustainable circular economy. With expertise, passion, and an eye for detail Brunner has come up with a delicate-looking swivel chair that makes sitting a comfortable experience – by working intuitively with the sitter and moving them into the perfect position at all times. As Markus Böhm sums up contentedly: "You can’t tell from looking at 'ray work' what it can do. That in itself is quite an art."
