Falling into place: Interstuhl

He has designed quite a few office chairs and likes to try out his ideas, constructions and prototypes in his own studio, Daniel Figueroa says. The designer, based in Bad Münder, Lower Saxony, knows how to create a broad range of possible configurations with a limited number of components – as his new office swivel chair JOYCEis3 for Interstuhl demonstrates. The idea: a modular kit out of which anyone can assemble the office chair that best suits them.

JOYCEis3 is a true all-rounder: flexible, adaptable, usable anywhere. An amazing number of possible combinations yields a high degree of individualisation, while the distinctive design ensures product recognition. The office swivel chair is available in three different versions: upholstered, mesh and Softback. Further variety comes from the palette of colours, fabrics and leathers, the optional headrest, different medium-height or high armrests, various backrest versions and the base in black, light grey or polished aluminium. The most conspicuous design feature is the newly developed FlexGrid lordosis support, which models the human anatomy in abstract form and is adjustable in height.

The classic upholstered JOYCEis3 model has a cushioned backrest and seat, with characteristic piping forming a transition to the black technical fabric. The mesh model is diaphanous and contemporary in its design and comes in nine different colours. The striking lordosis support is visible through the mesh backrest. It provides not only outstanding ergonomic characteristics, but is a real design highlight as well. The Softback model is available in the Chillback version with thin upholstery, and in the thicker mesh version with a three-dimensional knitted fabric that keeps the user’s back dry and comfortable. Whereas the backrest frame, the backrest connection, the column and the base are available in reserved black and light grey, the upholstery comes in a wide range of fabrics and colours, making the chair well-suited to many interiors – from the understated to the vividly coloured.

With its distinctive design vocabulary, the JOYCEis3 sets aesthetic accents in open-plan as well as individual offices, without being overbearing. The precisely coordinated combination of backrest versions, upholstery and colours forms a modular system of components that allows great individualisation of the swivel chair. The JOYCEis3 supports focused work through comfortable, healthy sitting. It is so comfortable that once you have sat down, you won’t ever want to stand up again!

On chair prototypes. I’m kind of a “chair tester” – I test my own ideas and designs, and when I’m really lucky, I get to develop them for series production.

Designing a sitting machine in human terms – that is, making something complicated understandable and simple to use.

Ergonomics is the primary task in designing a swivel chair. The product should support the user in every sitting position and easily adjust to their needs. A swivel chair is a technically complex tool for sitting. Tools are functionally oriented artefacts, logical constructions. Aesthetics isn’t random – but intelligent, technically functional solutions are often automatically of high aesthetic quality.

The backrest is the most important element of a swivel chair, because it supports the body in any position and contributes to one’s ability to sit comfortably for hours at a time. The backrest also has the largest area of contact with the body, which means the design is essential. The outstanding feature of the JOYCEis3 is its backrest concept: a multilayered construction of bearing frame, flexible cushioning element and spanning membrane.

Sometimes, yes, but personally, I can’t sit down for long. Everybody has their own way of working – what’s important is the result!

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