OSLO, Norway, Sept. 30, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- With pieces
featured in collections around the world, Herman Miller (NASDAQ:
MLHR) is no stranger to museums. This month, however, marked the
start of a new chapter with a look at the brand's first ever chair
specifically designed for a museum. At the 2021 Designer's
Saturday event in Oslo, Norway,
attendants were invited to take a sneak peek into the country's
much-anticipated National Museum (officially opening June 2022) while also getting a chance to see the
Portrait Chair, designed by Norwegian designer Andreas Engesvik and
exclusively manufactured by Herman Miller, in the space it was
originally designed for.
The origins of the Portrait Chair began four years ago, as part
of an open competition sponsored by Statsbygg (the National
Property Board), and co-organized with the National Museum of
Norway. The competition brief
called for a welcoming, multifunctional chair for use in the
museum's many public spaces including all of the galleries, the
Grand Hall, Prints and Drawings study rooms, restaurant and Lounge
café. The process began with an open prequalification
competition that attracted 26 applications. From these, 10
finalists were shortlisted, and their names were placed in sealed
envelopes to preclude bias. A jury headed by British designer
Jasper Morrison then worked to
narrow the entries down to a final winner. When the plans for the
Portrait Chair were ultimately selected, the remaining envelope
opened to reveal Andreas Engesvik as the chosen designer.
In the same way a painted portrait aims to display the likeness,
personality and even the mood of the subject, the Portrait Chair
was designed to embody the essence of Norway. "The chair is charged with symbolic
meaning," says Denise Hagströmer, Design Historian and Senior
Curator of Design at the National Museum of Art. "It has an
official identity, as it has, in effect, been commissioned by the
nation, and it will be the chair present in the museum's key public
spaces. It will be the museum's signature design object for
contemporary Norwegian design culture."
The forms and lines of the Portrait Chair relate to the forms
and lines of the seated human body, which makes the geometry of the
chair naturally thoughtful and relaxing. In addition to the simple
accents and natural materials that are common to contemporary
Scandinavian design, Portrait's sinuous lines and universal forms
bring forth the freer, more poetic aesthetic of its designer's
native Norway.
"I wanted this to be a generous and comfortable chair, but I
think it's also important, when you work in a familiar typology, to
differentiate the design," says Engesvik. "The Portrait Chair
builds on a familiar form (wood seat and backrest with tubular
steel) but it has been carefully proportioned and visually
softened."
"In the last couple of decades, Norwegian design has enjoyed
increased international attention," says Hagströmer. "This was a
golden opportunity for the museum to build on that by promoting
contemporary Norwegian design. The Portrait Chair is sophisticated,
taking its intended surroundings into consideration and manifests a
design historical lineage at the same time as being extremely
contemporary."
Once the design was selected, the process then turned to
picking the company to manufacture the design. The open
producer procurement procedure was also conducted by Statsbygg (the
National Property Board). "They concluded that Herman Miller's
century-long history and world repute stood out, as did Herman
Miller's acute understanding of the nature of this commission and
the importance of the collaboration with Statsbygg, the National
Museum and Andreas Engesvik," says Hagströmer. "Further aspects
that stood out include Herman Miller's competence, capacity and
attention to quality, research and development, as well as their
technical and environmental management."
"For me as a furniture designer, it's great recognition that an
old and prestigious brand like Herman Miller will be manufacturing
the Portrait Chair," says Engesvik. While this is Engesvik's first
project with the Herman Miller brand, it's far from his first with
the company. Engesvik has worked with other brands part of the
MillerKnoll collective, including Danish design brand HAY and
Scandinavian brand Muuto.
The Portrait Chair is available for purchase now as either a
side chair or an arm chair with several different finishes and
upholstery options through Herman Miller. The museum is planning to
offer an exclusive finish option of the chair in their gift shop.
Starting retail price is $630.00 USD.
Despite several setbacks due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Museum
plans to open in June 2022.
About The National Museum of Norway
The National Museum of Art,
Architecture and Design in Oslo,
Norway is the largest arts museum of the Nordic countries.
In the new purpose-built museum, historical, modern and
contemporary art, architecture and design will be showcased in the
same building in newly curated collection displays. The new
National Museum will open on June 11,
2022.
About Herman Miller
Herman Miller is a globally
recognized leader in design. Since its inception in 1905, the
company's innovative, problem-solving designs and furnishings have
inspired the best in people. Herman Miller is guided by an
enduring legacy of design, innovation, and social good. In 2021,
Herman Miller and Knoll created MillerKnoll, a collective
of dynamic brands that comes together to design the world
we live in.
About MillerKnoll
MillerKnoll is a collective of dynamic brands that comes together
to design the world we live in. MillerKnoll includes Herman Miller
and Knoll, plus Colebrook Bosson Saunders, DatesWeiser, Design
Within Reach, Edelman Leather,
Fully, Geiger, HAY, Holly Hunt,
KnollExtra, KnollStudio, KnollTextiles, Maars Living Walls,
Maharam, Muuto, naughtone, and Spinneybeck|FilzFelt. MillerKnoll is
an unparalleled platform that redefines modern for the 21st century
by building a more sustainable, equitable, and beautiful future for
everyone.
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SOURCE Herman Miller, Inc.