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Bespoke: size, colour, finish
Niels Diffrient found the answer to lumbar support in a tailor's studio, not in a mechanism catalogue. Clothing designers build three-dimensional shapes out of flat panels of fabric — so the backrest of World LM is cut the same way: three panels of Form Sensing Mesh, joined so that the surface takes on whatever shape is pressed against it. Where a single stretched panel pushes back with one generic curve, the tri-panel back reads the sitter's spine and fits it, as Humanscale puts it, as if it were made just for them. The backrest also pivots, so the fit survives every change of posture.
The rest of the task chair keeps the tailoring lean: 78 components in total, a weight-compensated recline with no tension knobs, and a seat that comes in low-abrasion mesh or contoured foam upholstered in fabrics including Kvadrat's Autumn range. Beyond the task version there are a Meeting edition, whose cylinder returns the seat to its set height, and a counter-height Stool. La Mercanti specifies World LM where an ergonomic task chair has to fit many backs without a fitting session.
Collection: World LM
Manufacturer: Humanscale
Design: Niels Diffrient
Origin: streamlined edition of the original World chair, keeping its tri-panel backrest and self-adjusting recline; the original World received the Red Dot Design Award, Interior Design Best of Year, the Chicago Athenaeum Good Design Award, the GIO Design Award and the Mixology People's Choice Award
Construction: 78 components, against the 200+ of the average task chair according to the manufacturer
Versions: Task; Meeting, with a cylinder that returns the seat to its starting height; Stool, with a 203 mm (8 in) cylinder and a 508 mm (20 in) foot ring
Backrest: tri-panel Form Sensing Mesh, pivoting with the sitter through posture changes; 572 mm (22.5 in) high, 483 mm (19 in) wide
Recline: weight-compensated, 17° of travel plus 8° of backrest tilt, with no tension knobs
Seat: low-abrasion mesh (416 mm (16.4 in) deep, 513 mm (20.2 in) wide) or upholstered contoured foam (454 mm (17.9 in) deep, 528 mm (20.8 in) wide), sculpted to reduce pressure points and distribute weight
Seat height: 397-527 mm (15.6-20.7 in) with mesh seat and standard cylinder, 425-545 mm (16.7-21.5 in) upholstered, 460-651 mm (18.1-25.6 in) on the Stool version
Armrests: attached to the backrest and moving with the sitter; fixed at 241 mm (9.5 in) or adjustable from 183 to 273 mm (7.2 to 10.7 in), with multi-layer Duron pads; also available armless
Base: Ø 635 mm (25 in) with arms, Ø 533 mm (21 in) without; hard or soft castors
Cylinder: grease sealed in the lower unit
Weight: 11.8 kg (26 lb) armless, 12.2 kg (27 lb) with arms
Fit: designed for 95% of the population, 152-193 cm (59.8-76 in) in height, 45.4-181.4 kg (100-400 lb) in weight
Frame: Black or Gray
Coverings: Catena mesh in five colours or Cascade; upholstered seat in Kvadrat Autumn (14 colours), Corde 4 (11 colours), coated Lotus (9 colours) or Brisa leather alternative (12 colours)
Sustainability: 38% pre-consumer recycled content, 95% recyclable at end of life
Certifications: SCS Indoor Advantage Gold, BIFMA LEVEL 3, DECLARE Red List Free, Health Product Declaration
Warranty: 12 years on components and parts, 5 years on fabrics and cushions
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