Todd Bracher on the Nexus of Science, Art & Design

To celebrate the Australian debut of the new ‘climate positive’ Path chair, Humanscale recently held a stellar event at Hazel in Melbourne to the local audience of designers and architects. Visionary, science-obsessed designer and Humanscale’s Creative Director, Todd Bracher, sat down with our Editor and Founder, Dana Tomić Hughes, via a live link from New York for an illuminating conversation at the nexus of science, art and design.

Todd is a world-renowned industrial designer and design strategist. He works at the intersection of design, science, and business with a commitment to creating solutions for matters of global concern. As founder of Studio Bracher, he’s guided the likes of 3M, George Jensen, Cappellini, Zanotta, Herman Miller and Issey Miyake with a science-driven perspective that strikes a balance between art and functionality and has won numerous global accolades, including multiple Red Dot best-of-the-best and Neocon Gold Awards, as well as two-time International Designer of the Year.

Inside Studio Bracher in Brooklyn, NYC. Photo by Doron Gild.

A new standard in environmental responsibility, Path takes Humanscale’s ethos to the next level by building on the legacy of designing products that are minimal, ergonomic and sustainable and a lifetime commitment to creating a measurable impact.

Todd’s values, interests and skills directly feed into Humanscale’s genuine, ground-breaking commitment to sustainability, which—in the corporate world riddled with greenwashing—is special and rare. New York City-based company works around the simple principle that good design achieves more with less.

Todd’s most recent design is Path, the world’s most sustainable task chair, which takes Humanscale’s ethos to the next level, building on its legacy of designing products that are minimal, ergonomic and sustainable. Through the industry’s most rigorous and comprehensive testing, Path has been certified ‘climate positive’, meaning each time one is made, the planet is measurably better off. In fact, 70% of Humanscale’s products are ‘climate positive’ certified. Incredible!

Read on for an overview of Dana’s chat with Todd, where the New York native dialled in from his home in Brooklyn.

This Yellowtrace Promotion was created in partnership with Humanscale. Like everything we do, our partner content is carefully curated to maintain the utmost relevance to our audience. Thank you for supporting the brands that support Yellowtrace.

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Todd Bracher & Dana Tomic Hughes in conversation in Melbourne for the Humanscale’s Path chair launch. Photos by Blue Tree Studios, courtesy of Humanscale.

Todd Bracher’s Journey into Design

Todd’s interest in design began early in his life. As a child, he was intrigued by both the aesthetics and science behind things, which eventually led him to industrial design. His path into industrial design wasn’t a direct one; he initially thought he would be a drawer or an illustrator. However, during his university application process, he discovered the field of industrial design, which combined creativity, drawing, and the science of manufacturing. This fusion of art and science piqued his interest, and he pursued a career in industrial design.

International Experience Shaping His Design Perspective

Todd spent 10 years of his early career living in various European cities, including Copenhagen, Milan, London, and Paris. Each of these cities had a unique influence on his design perspective. In Denmark, he observed a deep connection between design and the natural environment. Milan introduced him to the poetic and story-driven aspects of design. In France, he noticed a strong emphasis on elegance, and in the UK, he learned about celebrating individuality. Returning to the US, he realised the importance of business-driven decisions in design.

Bodies in Motion installation by Studio Bracher for Humanscale at Milan Design Week 2019. This clever and captivating installation featured in our MILANTRACE 2019 highlights (here) and video coverage, which will give you a glimpse of how it worked in real-time (click here to watch, then jump to timestamp 00:28 to 00:33).

Balancing Aesthetics and Intelligence

Todd believes that great design balances aesthetics and intelligence. He sees himself as a steward for objects and solutions in people’s lives and emphasises the need for design to be meaningful, environmentally responsible, and culturally relevant. He stresses the importance of connecting people to products through both the science of design and its cultural relevance.

“We need to do what’s meaningful for the community or the end users that use our product,” Todd says. “But at the same time, you have to balance that with the environmental aspects and the business. And if all three don’t line up, then we shouldn’t do it or find different ways to do it.”

Path chair fits 95% of the world’s population instantly and perfectly with no complex adjustments required. Composed of 52% recycled materials, including 4.5kgs of ocean plastic, the more the chair exists, the cleaner the environment actually gets. Path has been certified ‘climate positive’, meaning each time one is made, the planet is measurably better off. In every sense, this chair represents a new way forward for seating design, valuing simplicity, function, and planet-positive sustainability.

The Philosophy of Great Design

Todd emphasised that good design is not enough; the goal should be to achieve great design. He believes that great design should help people at scale, addressing important global issues and improving quality of life. He cites his initiative, Betterlab, as an example, which collaborates with scientists and engineers to create solutions for critical problems, such as myopia.

Addressing Myopia with Betterlab

Todd discussed one of Betterlab’s projects, which focuses on addressing myopia, a vision condition that affects children who spend excessive time indoors on screens. He collaborates with scientists to create affordable glasses embedded with a glow-in-the-dark material that can reverse myopia in children, potentially preventing blindness in the future.

He explains, “If you look at the maths, half of the global population will be myopic by 2050. Right now, they’re saying the Chinese Air Force is struggling to find pilots who have clear vision because of this. It’s really a global concern. So a material that costs like one penny can be embedded into glasses we developed and actually reverse myopia.” The project exemplifies the idea of using design to make a positive impact on people’s lives.

“The goal wasn’t just to do a little bit better. We’re also not just trying to be neutral, but we asked—how can a chair or the manufacturing actually be positive for the environment? This was the challenge.” —Todd Bracher

Creative Director Role at Humanscale

Todd’s collaboration with Humanscale began in 2008. He explains how Humanscale is committed to making ergonomics not only functional but also aesthetically pleasing and sustainable. He describes the Path chair, a product he is proud of, as a revolutionary solution in terms of sustainability. The chair’s design and manufacturing process not only reduce its environmental impact but also contribute positively to the environment over time.

Ergonomic Design

Todd emphasised the significance of ergonomic design in today’s digital age, where people spend a significant portion of their day in front of screens. “We spend about 60 to 70% of our waking days in front of a device,” Todd says. “And what does that mean? Imagine being glued to a thing that doesn’t move, like your typical screen.”

He mentions that traditional chairs are often designed for the “average” person, which doesn’t truly represent the diverse range of body types. As a result, people end up sitting in chairs that don’t suit their bodies, leading to discomfort and health issues.

Todd Bracher with Humanscale founder & CEO Bob King discussing Path. This chair uses physics to comfortably fit 95% of all body types the moment they sit; no complex adjustments required.

The 50% Concept

Designers typically conceive chairs for the 50% average of various body measurements. However, in reality, nobody is exactly 50%, so adjustments are required. “Designers create this solution, the shape and size to hit this 50%. And then you realize that no one is 50% — not a single person,” Todd elaborates. “So companies say, okay, we’ll make an adjusting knob, we’ll make an attention control for your body weight, we’ll make the sliders for your leg length, we’ll make all the adjustments, lumbar will move because you’re a little bit taller, or whatever.”

However, the problem is that users often don’t know how to make these adjustments correctly. This can lead to unhealthy sitting positions.

Humanscale’s Approach

Todd introduced Humanscale’s approach to ergonomic chair design, which is based on a gravity mechanism. In these chairs, your body weight is used to automatically adapt the chair to your needs, eliminating the need for manual adjustments. This approach is designed to create a more intuitive and healthy sitting experience, Todd expands, “What that means is you sit in the chair, and your body weight is then measured thanks to gravity. So when you sit in it, that’s all you have to do. As you move and recline, the chair will adapt instantly to your body weight, and you don’t have to make any adjustments. There’s nothing to adjust, only the height.”

Simplicity in Design

Todd mentions that the goal is to create chairs that look less like machines and more like comfortable, aesthetically pleasing furniture. They aim to make the complexity of ergonomic adjustments disappear into the design. “We wanted a design that washed away the complexities so that you didn’t have to see it,” he explains. “For example, the back looks like an upholstered chair. It’s not actually upholstery. It’s a kind of hybrid of a mesh and a textile.”

Path’s versatile aesthetic is a response to rapidly evolving workspaces. Its softly rounded silhouette accents any environment, providing elevated simplicity. A suite of personalisation options lends Path chameleon-like adaptability, so it matches and enhances its surroundings instead of redefining them.

Current Projects

Todd shared two projects he’s currently working on. One involves reinventing laboratory spaces to better support researchers and adapt to the changing demands of technology. He explains, “Laboratories have become much more computer-controlled. There are more machines than humans, but humans, the researchers are supporting machines. The environment is very different, but it hasn’t changed. It has been the same since the dawn of time.”

The other project is related to addressing the environmental impact of liquid hand sanitisers. Todd relays a staggering statistic: “It turns out today that 2% of the global carbon footprint is associated with the manufacturing and waste of hand sanitisers.” He goes on to discuss how this idea emerged during the pandemic and how they’re working on incorporating UV light technology into handwashing solutions to reduce the need for traditional sanitisers.

Todd Bracher in his studio. Photo by Daniel Johnson.

Environmental Impact

Todd highlights the significant carbon footprint associated with the manufacturing and waste of hand sanitisers and how this has become a post-pandemic issue. “We took the technology of the UV light, and I thought, well, why don’t we use it as a handwash? Because if no one wants to put 500 of these in a space, it’s too expensive. It’s too complicated. It’s too far from the end user.” They’re developing a solution that uses UV light technology to create a more eco-friendly and efficient alternative to traditional liquid sanitisers.

Todd’s advice for Aspiring Designers Looking to Make a Positive Impact

Stay curious and open-minded. Design is a constantly evolving field, and there are endless opportunities to make a positive impact. Seek simplicity, elegance, and functionality in your designs, and always consider the broader implications of your work on the environment and human well-being.

Thank you, Todd!

Todd Bracher & Dana Tomic Hughes in conversation in Melbourne for Humanscale’s Path chair launch. Photos by Blue Tree Studios, courtesy of Humanscale.

The Australian debut of Path chair was hosted at a stellar event at Melbourne restaurant Hazel for the local audience of designers and architects. Todd Bracher and Dana Tomić Hughes’ illuminating conversation via a live link from NYC sat at the nexus of science, art and design.

Amanda Schembri, Humanscale’s A&D Australia & New Zealand Director and Sustainability Ambassador.