Office furniture supplier Herman Miller uses New York Design Week to present AGL Table Group, available in eight sizes, powered or unpowered, with surface options including laminates, natural stone tops, veneers

Allison Oesterle

ZEELAND, Michigan , May 20, 2013 (press release) – Elegant and practical tables demonstrate Herman Miller Collection’s commitment to new design serving a broad range of application.

On the first anniversary of the launch of the Herman Miller Collection the company returns to New York Design Week to present some of their latest designs including the AGL Table Group. Designed by Leon Ransmeier, the AGL Table Group draws inspiration for material efficiency from aircraft design and the uncompromising structural economy required for flight. The design goes well beyond mere aeronautical styling, supporting the full scope of user needs without unnecessary waste or superfluous detailing.

“AGL is a great example of the Herman Miller Collection’s mission—beautiful and enduring design with a purpose, serving a wide range of needs and spaces. Leon Ransmeier gave careful consideration to individuals and teams and their technologies, creating a form that is inviting and practical,” said Jack Schreur, Herman Miller’s Vice President of Specialty and Retail.

Ransmeier notes, “While the length of a table surface is determined by seating accommodations, the ideal depth is distinguished by social cues- there should be enough space to feel comfortable without isolating the users. The AGL Table Group is designed to enable creative collaboration rather than detached competition- the end result appears long and slightly more narrow than standard tables of its size.”

The softly tapered table surface appears as a wing- it is literally “Above Ground Level” and affords working, dining, and convenient use as an executive desk, a large dining/meeting surface or a conference table. There are 8 sizes, ranging from 75 to 220 inches, and each can be powered or unpowered. Both the powered and unpowered versions use the same elegant frame: an arrangement of aluminum extrusions that utilize structural flanges as channels into which the wiring can be easily fitted without tools or cover panels.

While digital products can often have an arbitrary relationship with shape and volume, tables are physical objects for touching, sitting at and moving around. The AGL Table Group alludes to its role as a facilitator of creativity and technology while providing innovative access to electricity. Our dependence on laptops, tablets and other powered objects brings about a contemporary need to organize cords and devices in a personal and intuitive way. The AGL power delivery system is designed around use, both socially and ergonomically.

Each power unit consists of a tray containing four simplex outlets and enough space to accommodate cords, transformers or tablet computers for 2 people seated on either side. The trays are discreetly mounted at the table’s edge and open with a unique movement designed to smoothly and effectively handle tangled cords; the arrangement brings power access into the personal space of the user while preventing cord clutter on the table surface. The discrete tray enables the table to serve as either a working desk or conference table, or as a dining area in compact apartments where additional furniture is not feasible.

The AGL Table Group will be available for order Spring 2013, in a range of surface options including veneers, laminates and natural stone tops.

About The Herman Miller Collection
In 1948, George Nelson created the first Herman Miller Collection, with the goal of "a permanent collection designed to meet fully the requirements for modern living.” He understood that the Collection would evolve as human behavior changed and new materials and manufacturing technologies emerged. Today’s modern living embraces the blending of life and work, with greater appreciation for contemporary design and mobile and ubiquitous technologies offering new freedom of choice in where and how people express their lifestyles and pursue their professions. The Herman Miller Collection welcomes and enriches this new era, as we endeavor to realize Nelson’s vision for the modern home, office, and public spaces.

About Herman Miller, Inc.
Herman Miller’s inspiring designs, inventive technologies and strategic services help people do great things and organizations to perform at their best. Its award-winning products generated more than $1.7 billion in revenue in fiscal 2012. A past recipient of the Smithsonian Institution's Cooper-Hewitt National Design Award, innovative business practices and a commitment to social responsibility have helped establish Herman Miller as a recognized global company. In 2012, Herman Miller again received the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s top rating in its annual Corporate Equality Index and was named among the 50 Best U.S. Manufacturers by Industry Week. Herman Miller is included in the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index and trades on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol MLHR.

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