WELCOME TO HUMANSCALE
Contents
• WhatWeStandFor
• TheResult
• MeetNielsDiffrient
• TheHumanscaleDesignStudio
• OurDesignPhilosophy
• OurEnvironmentalStance
• OurProducts
WHAT WE STAND FOR
SuperiorPerformance
EffortlessOperation
ExcellentQuality
THE RESULT
Amorecomfortableplacetowork
Named a design “Tastemaker” by Forbes.com, Diffrient
has amassed an impressive roster of honors, including a
2005 Legend Award from Contract magazine, the 2002
National Design Award from the Smithsonian’s Cooper-
Hewitt, National Design Museum, the 1999 Chrysler Award
for Innovation, and a 1987 Honorary Royal Designer for
Industry designation from England.
MEET NIELS DIFFRIENT
A Beautiful Relationship
TherenowneddesignerNielsDiffrienthasworkedwithHumanscalefor12years.Asanengineer,
artistandpioneerinthefieldofergonomics,hisapproachmeshesperfectlywithourdesign
philosophy.Likeus,Diffrientispassionateaboutperformance,comfortandeaseofuse.Hebegins
byquestioningeveryaspectofconventionaldesign.Whydothingslookthewaytheylook?Whydo
theyoperatethewaytheyoperate?Howcanfunctionalityandperformancebeelevatedwithout
addingcumbersomecontrols?FromhisearlydaysworkingwithEeroSaarinen,MarcoZanusoand
HenryDreyfuss,hehasinsistedthatformfollowfunction.WhatsetsDiffrientapartishisabilityto
achievetimelessbeauty,exceptionalperformanceandunparalleledcomfortthroughremarkably
simpledesigns.Amonghisnumerousdesigninnovationsarethreeofthemostcomfortablechairs
imaginable—theFreedom,LibertyandDiffrientWorldchairsforHumanscale.
Simply Passionate
Humanscalestartswithpeople.Talentedpeople.Accomplisheddesignerswhobringexceptional
thinkingtoeverychallenge.Ourdesignersbelievelessisbest,andthatthehighestlevelofutility
isachievedthroughsimplicity.Thisbeliefoftenmakesthedesignprocesslongerandmoredifficult,
butdistillingcomplexfunctionsintotheirpurestformsisourpassion.Andbyapproachingour
workhonestly,wehaveforgedanaestheticthatisoriginalandtimeless.
THE HUMANSCALE DESIGN STUDIO
SIMPLE IS BETTER
Better for the User
Simpledesignswithfewmanualcontrolsandmoreautomaticfeaturesareeasiertouse.
Better for the Organization
Easy-to-useproductseliminatetheneedfortrainingforbothtoday’sandtomorrow’semployees,
whichimprovesproductivityandresultsinonelessthingfororganizationstomanage.Simple
designsalsoinvolvefewerparts,limitingtheneedforrepairsandongoingmaintenance.
Better for the Environment
Minimal-partdesignsrequirefarlessrawmaterialandfewermanufacturingprocesses—andthat
meanslessextraction,energy,waste,shippinganddisposalassociatedwithaproduct’slifecycle.
HUMANSCALE AND THE ENVIRONMENT
Humanscale’ssupportofsustainabilityismostevidentinoureco-friendlyproductdesign,
materialselection,manufacturingprocessesandshippingsolutions.Butwedon’tstopthere.
Inanefforttofurtherreduceourowncarbonfootprint,we’veadoptedamostlydigital
literatureprogram,whichcutsourprintedmaterialsby90%.Andaswerenovateouroffices
andshowrooms,andopennewones,webuildtoLEEDstandards.
Inaddition,HumanscaleisastaunchsupporterofWorldWildlifeFund,contributingmore
than$2milliontoWWFinthelast10years.OurannualFacesintheWildartauctionraises
bothfundsandawarenessforWWFinitiatives.AndourrecentpartnershipwithWWFwill
protect1.5millionacresofecologicallyrichwildernessinEasternCambodia.
“Civilizationadvancesbyextendingthenumberofimportantoperationswecanperformwithoutthinkingaboutthem.” Alfred North Whitehead, Philosopher, Mathematician
OUR PRODUCTS
Freedom Task Chair
Winnerof10internationaldesignawardsforitsmanyrevolutionaryfeaturesandunparalleled
easeofuse,Freedom’sgroundbreakingdesignisthegoldstandardbywhichothertaskchairs
arejudged.
“Chairs reflect the character of their designer.
Niels Diffrient is clever, pragmatic, honest, personal and
generous. I sit on his Freedom chair every day and itmakes me optimistic about the value of design.”
Rob Forbes, Founder, Design Within Reach
Liberty Task / Conference Chair
Thefirstmeshseatingsolutiontoachievefulllumbarsupportwithoutanexternaldevice,
LibertyoffersdynamicallyadjustingreclineandinnovativeForm-SensingMeshTechnologyfor
exceptionalbody-fittingcomfort.
®
“Beautiful, simple, functional ... industrial design at its best.”
Susan S. Szenasy, Editor in Chief, Metropolis
Liberty Side Chair
RevolutionarymeshtechnologymeetstimelessdesignintheLibertySidechair,featuringa
pivotingbackandautomaticlumbarsupportforultimatecomfort.
®
Diffrient World Chair
Amasterpieceofdesignsimplicity,NielsDiffrient’slatestcreationcombinesmaximum
performanceandfunctionalityinadesignthatutilizesone-thirdthepartsandlessthanhalf
therawmaterialsofcompetinghigh-performancetaskchairs.
“Striking design … nearly flawless. Buy it now.”
WiredUK
Cinto Chair
Offeringunprecedentedcomfortandergonomicfeaturesforachairinitsclass,Cintomoveswith
thebodyandminimizespressurepointsforall-daysittingcomfortinaconvenientstackingchair.
“A decade of ergonomics research shows that using a negatively sloped
adjustable keyboard tray maximizes the time spent working in neutral hand,
wrist and upper body postures. These postural benefits can’t be achieved
by just using a keyboard on a height-adjustable work surface.”
Dr. Alan Hedge, Cornell University
Keyboard Supports
Thelong-timemarketleader,Humanscalecontinuestorevolutionizethekeyboardsupport
categorywithintuitiveadjustability,advanceddesign,andexceptionalconstruction.
Lighting
UtilizingthelatestadvancementsinLEDtechnology,Humanscalehasemergedasthe
innovationleaderinhigh-performancetasklighting.Ourtasklightsoffersuperiorfunctionand
unparalleledlightoutputandenergyefficiency.
“Humanscale proves that form, function, and
energy efficiency can coexist in design innovation.”
Buildings Magazine
Flat Panel Monitor Arms
Offeringeffortlessadjustment,perfectstability,andsleekaesthetics,Humanscale’sextensive
rangeofmonitorarmsolutionssuitanyworkplaceenvironment.
Humanair Air Purifier
Usingjust22wattsofpowerwhileofferingsilent,breeze-freeandozone-freeoperation,
Humanairremovesmorethan99%oftoxins,virusesandothercontaminantsfromtheairto
createaCleanAirZonerightwhereyoubreathe.
Personal Zone Air Purifier
Access Rail
Aseriesofinfinitelyconfigurablerails,posts,andspecializedcomponents,theAccessRail
providesaflexibleergonomicmountingsolutionforofficeaccessoriesandtools.
L6 Notebook Manager
Featuringintegratedcablemanagement,intuitiveheightadjustment
andanoptional,removableUSBhub,theL6allowslaptopusersto
enjoydesktopcomfort.
Switch Mouse™
TheSwitchMouserepresentsarevolutionaryadvancementin
ergonomicmousedesignwithfeaturesincludingsizeadjustability,
anangledpalmsupport,andleft-orright-handeduse.
CPU Holders
Humanscale’ssleekandsturdyCPUstoragesolutionshelpkeep
valuablehardwaresafeandsecure,andports,cables,anddrives
withinconvenientreach.
FM500
Tooffsetthenegativeeffectsofsedentarywork,theFM500
footrestencouragesagentlerockingmotiontoimprove
circulation,reduceankleswelling,andrelievelowerbackpressure.
Humanscale Healthcare
DrawingfromHumanscale’sindustry-leadingexpertiseinworkplaceergonomics,Humanscale
Healthcare’saward-winningtechnologysolutionscreatealessphysicallystressfulandmore
comfortableworkingenvironmentforcaregivers.
Technologycanmakesimplethingscomplicatedorcomplicatedthingssimple.
Wepreferthelatter.
Distribution Partners
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IsraelKuwaitUnited Arab Emirates
Office Locations
North AmericaAtlanta BostonChicagoDallasDenverHoustonLos AngelesNew York CityParsippany, NJPhiladelphiaSan DiegoSan FranciscoTorontoWashington, D.C.
EuropeDublinLondonParisPrague
AsiaHong Kong
Headquarters
North America11 East 26th Street8th FloorNew York, NY 10010+1 212 725 [email protected]
Europe13 Northburgh StreetLondon ECIV 0JPUnited Kingdom+44 (0)20 7566 [email protected]
Asia Pacific/Middle East 1304 Kinwick Centre32 Hollywood Road Central Hong Kong+852 2581 [email protected]
Latin America Av. Bernardo Quintana #79 PH 601 ALa Loma Santa FeMexico City, DF 01210Mexico+52 [email protected]
Factories
Dublin, IrelandFresno, CAHong KongPiscataway, NJ
AWARDS
GOODDESIGN
GOLD
2009 AWARD
HS
PB
0510
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