Name: Rethinking the way we sit down
Uploaded: 2009-04-21T07:16:00Z
Duration: 17 min 6 s
Description: Design legend Niels Diffrient talks about his life in industrial design (and the reason he became a designer instead of a jet pilot). He details his quest to completely rethink the office chair starting from one fundamental data set: the human body.

Design legend Niels Diffrient talks about his life in industrial design (and the reason he became a designer instead of a jet pilot). He details his quest to completely rethink the office chair starting from one fundamental data set: the human body.

Rethinking the way we sit down

Great design springs from empathy for real human needs, not just surface style. Inspired by the romance of aviation, the speaker spent years reimagining the humble office chair by starting with the human body, not mechanical trends. He created a chair that automatically adjusts to a sitter's weight and posture, removing the need for complicated controls. Details like gel cushions and headrests prove that deep comfort emerges from understanding both body mechanics and daily life.