The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design, together with The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies, has distinguished Kimball Office with a 2008 Good Design Award for the Company's Hum. Minds At Work. desk system. The award reflects Kimball's growing reputation as a leader in problem-solving design and workplace efficiency. Kimball was previously honored with Good Design awards for its Scenario table line in 2008 and its Adagiato guest seating line in 2007.
The Good Design program honors products, designers and industry leaders for excellent, innovative and visionary design. Criteria for award selection is based on function and aesthetic, with a contemporary emphasis on environmental concerns, and stretching beyond what is considered basic product and consumer design.
The Hum product was designed in coordination with Formway Design Studio, New Zealand for Kimball Office and introduced to the marketplace last June during the annual NeoCon trade show in Chicago. Designed to address the global demand for collaborative workspaces, Hum is the result of three years of "cognitive ergonomics" research, studying how people actually work, mentally as well as physically, as they continually shift between concentration and collaboration. Breaking new ground as a workplace desk system that facilitates easy shifts between individual work to team interaction and back again, Hum helps users attain peak productivity.
Hum was also designed with the environment in mind, containing significant recycled content, rapidly-renewable resources, low-energy consumption lights and is easily refurbished or taken apart for end-of-life recycling. Hum is certified to meet the U.S. Green Building Council LEED Indoor Air Quality requirements.
Since its introduction, Hum has earned numerous accolades in the office furniture industry, including Interior Design magazine's Green Star award for environmental excellence; Designers Institute of New Zealand's 2008 BeST Design Awards; a Silver Innovation award at IIDEX/NeoCon Canada; and Buildings magazine's Citation of Excellence in the Workplace Productivity category.
The Good Design awards program was founded in 1950 by architects Eero Saarinen, Charles and Ray Eames, and Edgar J. Kaufmann, Jr., former curator of the Museum of Modern Art. Now in its 58th year, the exclusive awards program is one of the oldest and most important design competitions in the world, annually honoring innovation and creativity in 23 categories such as furniture, textiles, bath fixtures and accessories, transportation, brand identity, packaging, kitchen appliances, household products, electronics, tools, and sports equipment.
The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design and the European Centre for Architecture, Art, Design and Urban Studies announced this year's winners after screening entries from among the thousands of industrial, product and graphic design entries submitted by leading companies and designers from 34 nations around the globe.