ES101 Intermediate Chair

As Herman Miller’s business became increasingly focused on the institutional and contract markets in the 1960s and ’70s, the Eameses worked to develop designs that were more well-suited to public environments. This 1968 design was dubbed the Intermediate Chair because of its intended positioning between executive and secretarial seating. It offered some of the typical trappings of an executive chair—including stately padded leather and a wide frame—but the design was made lighter by separating the back and seat into two parts. The design was also customizable: available with or without arms and in several fabrics, including natural leather, a leather-like synthetic called Naugahyde (seen here), or nylon blends known as Hopsak and Nilo. This example was produced in the UK by Herman Miller International, one of several companies that licensed Eames designs for production and sale in international markets. As was typical of Herman Miller International, this chair’s frame and base are made of chrome-clad aluminum, rather than the polished aluminum that was used in the United States. The Intermediate Chair is an outlier in the Eames canon because it did not lead to the development of a larger furniture group.