The 270-Year History Of Office Chairs
There are many everyday items that we almost take for granted given that they have been part of our lives for so long, and it is the case that commercial furniture can be placed in that category, especially office chairs.
From our earliest days, we’ve seen office chairs on TV, in our homes, at school, at college, and almost certainly at our place of work, especially if there is an office within the business premises.
The question we wish to ask at this point is “Have you ever considered the history of office chairs?”.
If not, then you may be surprised by some of the facts surrounding them, and if that has whetted your appetite to find out more about the history of office chairs, then read on for a brief office chair history lesson.
The Earliest Office Chairs
As with most products, there will be arguments as to who created the first of them, but when it comes to office chairs there seems to be a consensus that the earliest examples of office chairs as we would describe them today, were in the early 1800s.
Whilst there will certainly be examples of chairs that date much further back, possibly even to Roman times, as for a chair that was specifically designed for use in an office, the first office chairs were created in the early 1800s.
As for who was responsible for creating those first office chairs, that is also open to debate.
Some people credit none other than Charles Darwin, the man who first put forward the theory of evolution, and it seems he may also be an integral part of the evolution of office furniture.
It is claimed he added wheels to an armchair as it enabled him to move around his office with greater speed and ease.
Industrial Revolution
As technology accelerated at an exponential rate through the 19th century, the desire for a comfortable and adjustable chair suitable for working for several hours grew.
One of the first such office chairs, the “Centrifugal Spring Armchair”, was exhibited at London’s World Fair in 1851, although it was not without its Victorian-era critics.
Such comfort for workers was regarded as unrefined and contrary to the norm of harsh working conditions, even for senior positions.
The chair itself was mainly constructed from cast iron which had castors on the feet to allow movement.
The back and arms were upholstered as was the seat which had springs for added comfort. A swivel mechanism also formed part of the chair.
The Early 1900s
Moving into the early 20th century, new designs for office chairs were plentiful which was a reflection of the increased number of people employed in offices and desk jobs.
The desire to provide them with comfortable chairs which also provided a good level of support was unfortunately not as prevalent then, as it is today, and the focus tended to be on the aesthetics of the office chairs rather than their suitability for employee welfare.
One famous example of such an office chair was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and was known as the ‘Larkin Chair’ after the office building it was designed to be used in.
It matched the art-deco period of the time but in no way was the health or comfort of the person who would be using the chair considered, other than a padded seat.
20th Century Progress
From the 1920s and onwards throughout the 20th century, employers and office chair designers finally woke up to the need to provide office workers with office chairs that provided proper support and comfort, especially if those employees had to sit in the chair for several hours per day.
This led to features such as moulded chair backs, cushioning for the back, seat, and arms, multiple adjustment options, and through to the widespread use of the ‘ergonomic’ office chairs of today.
