Sphere is task chair which naturally fits to a variety of body types. Using proprietary Okamura technology, the backrest and seat change shape to surround your body, naturally fitting the form of the user. We put a lot of effort into creating a seat that would become a workplace standard by not only offering a comfortable seat which envelops the user and but also by being environmentally friendly.

Many work styles can be found these days, from hybrid work, which combines telework and office work, to Activity Based Working, where workers choose the time and place for work depending on the type of tasks they are performing. With the increase in shared spaces and the introduction of free addressing, offices now have less fixed seating. Task seating is no longer used by one designated person but has evolved to be used by many people throughout any given day.

Task chairs can be largely divided into two extremes: “casual light seating”, which has the limited adjustability of raising and lowering the seat height only and is recommended for relatively short periods of time; and “full spec seating”, which has plenty of adjustability for increased comfort and is suited for longer periods of time. However, even in offices which have introduced diverse workstyles through ABW, it is not uncommon for workers to sometimes sit in one chair all day long. In such cases, “casual light seating” has too little adjustability to offer the compatibility between chair and body type necessary for all-day use. Conversely, when it comes to sharing, full spec seating takes effort to adjust every time a new worker uses it, which can become time consuming. Using such seating without making full use of the increased comfort offered by the adjustments is an unfortunately common occurrence. Okamura wanted to entirely eliminate those troublesome adjustments while still having the seat conform appropriately to the user’s body in order to support a variety of modern workstyles and postures. This is why we undertook the development of Sphere.

We theorized that the influx of women and expat employees in the workplace in modern times would have increased the range of body types in comparison to the past (in the case of Japan). In order to improve the fit of our seating, we decided to investigate just how large the range of body types was. We conducted a survey of over 100 male and female adults, recording their height, weight, and measurements of their lumbar region. Our goal was to find the ideal curve from the backrest to the seat for the modern worker. From our results, we found that standard seating provided a poor fit for the lower backs of shorter people.

Furthermore, although the seat usually focuses on cushioning, different curves can feel more comfortable depending on one’s body type. So, the idea that “one size fits all” for the backrest and seat of a chair does not necessarily lead to a true fit for people of all sizes. Based on the idea of “endless variety” and the ability to freely change between small and large, we began prototyping a “3D physical fit shell”, which is an internal shell which can transform without any manipulation. In order to make a chair which can adapt in such a way but still offer strong support, we needed to conceive an entirely new mechanism and our process of trial and error spanned a long period of time.

For instance, we took comfort into consideration while debating whether the backrest and seat shell should be one piece or two, and generated multiple prototypes before coming to a decision. However, by focusing too much on fit during prototyping, we had reduced the strength of the seat, for example. Such iterations took a lot of time but after much trial and error, we had finally created a “3D physical shell”, which naturally conforms to large and small bodies alike without compromising on strength.

However, even when we decided on the structure of the base shell, we were confronted with a new obstacle: it was difficult to cover the shell without obstructing its movements whilst also creating an attractive appearance. We adjusted the thickness of the cushioning so that it would not hinder the shell’s movements and developed an original Okamura fabric called Re:net with which to cover the seat. Re:net is stretchy and strong, so it can stretch to fit the transformations of the internal shell. A sustainable material made by recycling used fishing nets from around Japan, Re:net’s soft appearance and superb design allow it to blend seamlessly into the casual, relaxed offices commonly seen these days, as well as private home interiors.

The armrests were also designed for the increase of tablet and smartphone use at work. The 4D adjustable arms move in four directions (up/down, left/right, forward/back, horizontal angle) to provide excellent support. Additionally, the Smooth Fit Arms have an inward curve and curved pads to gently support the elbow and arm, allowing users to use their devices comfortably.

Sphere will become a new standard in the workplace.