Herman Miller
Sayl
Designed by Yves Béhar
Fewer parts, less material, and still
everything a good chair should be
Beauty, elegance, respect
Beauty, Elegance, Respect
We asked designer Yves Béhar to design a highly affordable chair that would incorporate everything Herman Miller is known for beautiful design, first-class ergonomics, elegant engineering, and respect for the environment.
Something Unique
So why “Sayl”, rather than, say, “Bridge”? Take a look at the chair from the side. See the resemblance to a full mainsail? The name reflects the sailing vessels that pass beneath the bridges that inspired the original design. Replacing the “i” in “sail” with a “y” is a nod to the innovative Y-Tower structure of the work chair.
Suspending a chair
Béhar, who calls San Francisco home, began by looking at designs that deliver the most with the least. And then he took a look at his city’s best-known landmark: the Golden Gate Bridge. Béhar wondered, could the engineering principles of a suspension bridge be applied to a chair?
The notion of using a suspension tower to support an unframed suspension back meant that the elastomer material could be stretched in a way that provides the greatest tension at points where support is needed and the least in areas that would allow for the most expensive range of motion.
“Not defined by boundaries.”
More about Yves Béhar
Aesthetic Choices
Sayl’s unframed back and Y-Tower support create a striking visual aesthetic that reveals both the designer’s inspiration and intent. The stretch-knit back cover provides a softer, warmer aesthetic while maintaining the beauty, support, and breathability of Sayl’s signature 3-D suspension back. A fully upholstered version is also available. Both offer an expressive palette that will complement any environment.
Responsible Design
Inspired by suspension bridges—structures that deliver the most using the least material—Yves Béhar applied the engineering principles of these amazing structures to create Sayl. The Eco- Dematerialized design of the work chair uses less material in more inventive ways to provide ergonomic support for people up to 350 pounds (159 kg).
3D Intelligent® Back
Sayl’s unframed 3D Intelligent® back lets you stretch and move, striking a healthy balance between support and freedom. The elastomer strands of the suspension back vary in thickness and tension to provide greater support in the transition areas along the spine and less everywhere else to encourage a full range of seated movement.
PostureFit
The construction of Sayl’s 3D Intelligent® suspension back provides passive PostureFit sacral support, which allows your spine to maintain its natural S shape and empowers your body to maintain a healthful posture with less fatigue.
