Siting and seating

Often we associate sitting to static activities. We are used to think that sitting and seating are the same thing. The action to sit is commonly meant as a moment of rest and relaxation, associated with an object: a chair, a bench or a table. But this conception is wrong, as commonly happens with clichès. If sitting is indeed an activity, seating is in fact a category of devices. Moreover, while sitting is natural, to maintain a static position for a long time it is not natural at all. In fact, “Sitting involves motion, balance, position, posture and control. It’s natural and simple […] but even when we sit still our bodies are constantly moving”. So, a comfortable seat is not only about how we sit but also on what we sit.

The science of making things fit people instead of asking people to fit things is called Ergonomics. The next post will be dedicated to this concept.

References: Springer, Tim. “Future of ergonomic office seating.” (2010)