Top US award for Melbourne design
A Melbourne designed ergonomic office chair has taken out the Good Design Award at the latest annual awards from the Chicago Athenaeum, Museum of Architecture and Design.
The Cpod is the first ergonomic seating product to win an award in the institute’s 57-year awards history.
“In taking over five years to develop, this is Australia’s largest investment in an ergonomic office chair,” says designer Kumar Rajaratnam of Backcare & Seating group based in Carlton.
The seat is part of the Melbourne-based Backcare & Seating ergonomic range, which is designed locally and made in Coburg. Due to be released in April, the Cpod uses an easy to set smart back adjustment system, which provides optimal comfort and ergonomic support.
“Such innovative ergonomic chairs are meeting with tremendous response and this Cpod is part of our expanding range, which will be sold in our expanding stores as we expand throughout Australia,” says Rajaratnam.
Cpod is set to be launched internationally in the US, Europe and Asia, while two other patented ergonomic chair designs are set for release in 2008 and 2009.
The awards, that give international recognition to innovative product concepts included submissions from Adidas, 3M, Apple Computer, Black & Decker, BMW, Boeing, Daimler Chrysler, Kodak, Electrolux, Ford, General Motors, Fujitsu, Hewlett Packard, Intel, LG, Mercedes, Microsoft, Olympus, Samsung, Siemens, Unilever and Whirlpool.
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