15 Herman Miller Projects That Have Changed Our Way of Living

The Action Office line was one of the company's pioneering series of office furniture that sought to provide office workers with flexibility and the ability to move. A variety of postures was considered: stand-up desks, perching seats, and smaller sit-down units were all developed for the average worker who spends one-third of their day in an office, seated before a desk. As forward-looking and well-considered as the concepts and designs were, the line unfortunately met only modest success and hinted at the growing tensions within the company, particularly between George Nelson's office and cross-disciplinary designer Robert Propst. (George Nelson portrait for Alcoa Design Award feature in Fortune, 1965)