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YNGVE – the school chair designed with children in mind
All you need for a safe and ergonomic learning environment
The new European standard EN 1729 makes sure that furniture for schools is adapted to children and meets certain criteria for quality and safety. It's particularly important that the furniture fits the children's height, the correct sitting position is a prerequisite for children's learning.
- We're used to developing our own products here at AJ - more than 30% of our range is designed and manufactured in-house. So when these new standards arrived, we immediately decided to produce a school chair that would not only meet the higher requirements, but also be aesthetically pleasing and comfortable to sit on, says Jonas Emanuelsson, product manager in the Education segment.
We asked the experts: school going children!
When our team of product developers began to outline the conditions for the design process, we decided to ask the real experts - the school children themselves.
- We met children from three different schools and listened to their feedback to get a picture of how they experience their current chairs and what improvements they wish for in the future, says Jonas.
Designed with a focus on comfort
Based on the children's feedback, in terms of comfort and flexibility, and the EU standard's requirements in terms of strength and stability, our designer Cecilia Stööp began sketching different solutions. Soon a new chair emerged with a wrap-around backrest and cupped seat for the most comfortable position.
- The tapered shape of the backrest came early in the process, we wanted to make it possible to sit in different positions, says Cecilia. Adjustable footrests were another priority to be able to give children of all sizes a good working position, while the backwards-facing legs were added so that the chair could be easily hung up on the student desk at the end of the day and make it easier for cleaning.
The name is taken from the shape of the chair
It was clear early on that the chair would be something really special. But then, you need a good name...
- The chair's name came about when the backrest started to resemble a Y and I came to think of the Scandinavian name Yngve, and a particular Yngve that I know, says Cecilia. In addition to having a very nice name, he also has nice qualities, such as safe, welcoming and caring. It fit our chair well.
During the project, we made several prototypes to be able to test strength, comfort and materials. We also checked with the school children we had met before and let them have their say again!
From approved tests to launch
When Yngve's final shape was set, it was with great pride that we sent the finished model to an independent testing institute, to get black and white confirmation that our new chair measured up.
- Yngve passed the tough tests and received approval according to EN 1729, says Jonas. And now the finished chair is here, ready to improve the working environment at school, both according to the EU's tough requirements and the school students' own wishes.
There will be more on the way..
Yngve has paved the way, but the development has continued according to plan and additional ideas are gradually being incorporated. This includes enhancements to leg positions and foot supports, as well as the introduction of more color variants for both the stand and seat/back. It doesn't stop there. Since every child grows and develops at their own pace, Yngve is available in several recommended seat heights (see table). Why? Because only the best is good enough for our children!
Eight advantages of the Yngve school chair:
- Flexible and ergonomic – it's possible to sit in different directions, making it easy to find a comfortable working position – even for students with "ants in their pants".
- Comfortable – the chair features a supportive backrest and a contoured seat for optimal comfort.
- Practical – it's possible to hang a school bag on the backrest – and the chair can be put up on desks easily during cleaning.
- Individually customizable – with the chair available in several different seat heights, there is an Yngve for every student.
- Stackable – saves space when storing extra chairs.
- Aesthetic – both the frame and the backrest/seat come in several different colors.
- Durable over time – available spare parts and robust construction ensure a long lifespan.
- A safe purchase – the chair is tested and approved according to both EN 1729:1 and EN 1729:2 standards.
We thank students at Kärlekens school, Österledsskolan and Wallbergsskolan for important input during the design process.
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