EC428 Operational Stool

The EC428 Operational Stool combines successful elements from multiple earlier Eames designs to create an ergonomic stool-height seat. It was launched in 1971 as part of a furniture system that also included two versions of Secretarial Chairs. Like those models, the seat of the Operational Stool resembles the seat and back elements of the original 1946 molded plywood chairs. These elements, however, are made of molded fiberglass that is padded and mounted on a chrome-coated spring steel spine, thus offering greater comfort and mobility to the user. Typically, it was upholstered in Naugahyde or vinyl, durable and easy-to-clean synthetics, but this example features costlier natural leather. The seat is combined with a four-pronged cast aluminum base that features an attached stainless-steel footrest—the same design used for the Eames stools that launched in 1968. The designation of this design as “Operational” signals the increasing use of specialized equipment and technology in workplaces, as well as Herman Miller’s expansion into hospitals and the healthcare market. Accommodating both the needs of technology, and its use, would become hallmarks of the contract furniture business in the late 20th century. This is a premium-priced example with leather upholstery.