Zeph Chair is the latest creation born from the legendary collaboration between Studio 7.5 and Herman Miller, the global leader in innovative design and furnishing solutions of the MillerKnoll collective.
After the successes of Cosm, Mirra and Setu, the well-known Berlin based studio designs a new seat inspired by the iconic Eames Shell Chair, applying new technologies to meet the new needs of hybrid work, between home and office.
Elegant with its slim profile, customizable thanks to a vibrant color palette and a design capable of supporting a variety of needs, ergonomic thanks to a dynamic movement adjustment system, Zeph announces itself as a versatile and colorful companion that perfectly matches any environment , from the traditional office to the most innovative one, up to the home office.
Design and technology for a kinematic mono shell.
Zeph’s mono shell seat with a clean silhouette is inspired by mid-century classics that it reinterprets in a lively and ergonomically evolved way.
The simple design hides a technology that follows the movement of the user and create a natural, fluid motion that works for all body types.
While most chairs are static, the kinematic plastic mono shell on Zeph offers a natural recline that uses the sitter’s pivot points to create the right counterbalance and change posture seamlessly.
“Our ambition was to create an animated shell chair. What first sounds like a contradiction became possible by utilizing the inherent materiality of plastic: being flexible and capable of providing a spring- loaded mechanism. Zeph’s joyful aesthetics provides surprising ergonomic benefits, too.” said Burkhard Schmitz, who helms Studio 7.5 with Carola Zwick and her brother Roland Zwick.
Color and surface design.
The bright color palette is also inspired by the optimistic view from the past.
The uniform hue design, achieved by pioneering dipped-in color options, was first introduced to Herman Miller by Studio 7.5 through the launch of the Cosm chair.
Through this process, color is applied purposefully to the entire chair, all the way down to the casters, accentuating the sculptural beauty of its form.
To offer maximum customization, Zeph is available in 8 distinct colors with 20 seat pad upholstery, either as a seat pad or a unibody (which covers the entire front of the shell).
The upholstery can easily be mounted and replaced without tools for easy cleaning or to swap different colors, and it utilizes revolutionary 3-D knit technology, with each seat option made of 50% recycled polyester yarn, offering sophisticated color choices and cushioned comfort.
A side chair version of Zeph with the same kinematic mono shell, will also be introduced early next year.
