Liberty Side Chair from Humanscale
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 08.16.05
Designed by Niels Diffrient as a companion to his Liberty task and office chair, the Libery Side Chair seamlessly combines comfort, a timeless aesthetic and super-sustainable design. The chair, produced by Humanscale, was recently awarded the Best of NeoCon® 2005 Gold Award in the Guest Seating category, and has some impressive sustainability credentials. The chair frame is made predominantly from 100% recycled and 100% recyclable die-cast aluminum, and the mesh seat and back are created from "environmentally-friendly materials," according to a Humanscale press release. They also say that it is produced in such a way as to have minimal environmental impact, and judging by the prestigious awards and track record of Humanscale, they probably have. Overall, the Liberty side chair contains 80% recycled content and is 95% recyclable.
The chair's intended uses include guest seating, hospitality seating and secondary conference room seating, though the chair is designed to be very versatile and useful just about anywhere. It is available in multiple frame colors, mesh styles and colors, and upholstery options for the seat. Humanscale's other products are all intended to make the workplace a more comfortable place; they include keyboard systems, monitor arms, task lighting and various ergo tools like glare filters. I.D. Magazine named them as one of ten "Best Companies" worldwide "that help push design forward." ::Humanscale
