Contract - March 2010 - (Page 62)

essay: from the past September 1970 research reveals proper height, width, depth of furniture, from office chairs to library tables By Dr. Adolph Yilo Consultant in work physiology Volvo Stockholm, Sweden D uring the last three decades, a new research area has been developed where the man is investigated in his working environment. This research deals with how different work loads and environmental factors may influence the human organism and create unnatural fatigue and exhaustion. Scientists also have formulated norms for optimum working conditions, adapted to human limitations, bodily structure, and functional capacities. All this summarized knowledge on the man at work, as well as the techniques for fitting the job to the man, has been given the name â€œergonomicsâ€ As synonymsâ€”more or less covering the content of ergonomicsâ€”the terms â€œhuman engineering,â€ â€œhuman factors,â€ â€œbiotechnology,â€ â€œapplied physiology,â€ â€œexperimental psychology,â€ to name a few, have been used. This multitude of terms indicates that our knowledge of ergonomics has sources in many different research areas: anthropology, functional anatomy, work physiology, psychology, technical hygience, industrial medicine, technology, etc. Man adjusts to his work In one way, man always has tried to facilitate his work by ergonomic applications. The first crude hammer was designed by the prehistoric man and certainly he would use the implement and consequently provided the handle. During thousands of years, the common sense of man and some ingenious inventions provided him with levers, shafted hand tools, tongs, wheels, etc., he learned to utilize the energy of fire, running water, and wind. Owing to these aids and the fairly wide range of human capacities, it has been possible for man to adjust himself and his working methods to a continuously changing external working environment and increased demands of the work. Select No. 27 at ContractDesign.com/readerservice http://www.cascadecoil.com http://www.cascadecoil.com http://www.ContractDesign.com/readerservice

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Contract - March 2010

Contract 3/10
Contents
Editor’s Note
Introduction
Resources
Perspectives
Essays from the Past:
The Contract Design Dilemma (May 1962)
Space Planning Symposium (July 1963)
Changes in Workplaces Reflect Changes in Task Structure (June 1970)
Women Need Feminine Desks (June 1970)
Name “Interior Designer” Is a Misnomer Because of Broader Duties (August 1970)
Research Reveals Proper Height, Width, Depth of Furniture, from Office Chairs to Library Tables (September 1970)
Astounding Technology Portends Drastic Office Changes in the ’80s (January 1980)
Is the Office Really Necessary? (January 1989)
If You Cut Your Fee, Do You Bleed? (June 1990)
Design: Retrospective
Essays on the Future:
More Happiness, Less Stuff: By Ray C. Anderson
The Social Aspect of Social Responsibility: By John Cary
Leading in the Global Market: By Ross Donaldson
Technology Trends: By Cathryn Barrett
Inadmissible Evidence: By Michael Berens
Practice
Designers Rate: Eight Designers Pick Their Favorite Three Commercial Interiors Products of the Last 50 Years
Ad Index

Contract - March 2010