Behind the scenes
THE IDEA BEHIND HARMONY
IN HOLISTIC ERGONOMICS
How do you explain something abstract yet tangible that affects all your senses? Which things at your workplace boost well-being, creativity and productivity? Sometimes complicated questions need simple answers. The answer is holistic ergonomics. To make this broad subject clear and relatable, we decided to compare ergonomics to music.
This is how we created harmony.
We teamed up with some fantastic musicians to emphasise the importance of looking at ergonomics from a bigger perspective. Music, just like ergonomics, require consensus and coherence to achieve success. Both also require a deep understanding of the details and the whole. After all, an orchestra or a working environment is no stronger than its weakest link. It is necessary for everyone to have consensus and understand what opportunities and prerequisites exist. To be truly successful and make the best use of your interior solution, you must take all factors of ergonomics into consideration. It’s the difference between noise and sound. The difference between imbalance and balance. The musicians practiced, learned from each other, and played an exclusive Kinnarps piece together in harmony. Meet the creators.
Karin Hammar
– Harmony is about being in balance. When you’re balanced and perceptive, you’re also ready for unexpected things to happen in the moment. Good interaction between musicians requires total control of your instrument and preparations for the musical task at hand. It may sound like a contradiction, but the better the preparation, the greater the freedom.
Who: Karin Hammar, professional and international freelance musician
Instruments: Trombone
Genres: Jazz, pop, and world music
Key ergonomics: Good acoustics and lighting, and a comfy chair without armrests
Fun fact: Winner of multiple prestigious awards within the jazz genre
Olof Kennemark
– I like it when different harmonies influence the music and help emphasising the melody. When I feel calm and balanced, I also feel harmonious. I’m sure that my state of mind affects my music. Good interaction requires great perception as well as honest musical expressions within the group. Everyone must do their best to create something bigger than themselves.
Who: Olof Kennemark, folk musician and violin teacher
Instruments: Violin
Genres: Folk music
Key ergonomics: A good balance between privacy and social interaction, and good lighting
Fun fact: Started playing the violin at the age of 6, walking in his father’s footsteps.
Saba Zolfaghari
– Harmony is a symbiotic thing. Life is about what get, take, and give back in a fair and constant flow. I find harmony with my instrument within the rhythm. To me, music is a collaborative effort with voices and instruments in harmony, creating a piece of art together. It's one collective hand making one painting, not several hands painting on their own.
Who: Saba Zolfaghari, freelance musician and student
Instruments: Persian percussion; daf
Genres: Traditional Persian music
Key ergonomics: No disturbing noises, and a good chair and desk
Fun fact: Started playing as a child after watching a daf segment on Iranian TV
Gustav Hördegård
– Harmony is something to strive for. It’s a desirable and satisfactory state of mind, but also a thing that’s hard to achieve. At the end of a successful gig, I’m usually pumped up from the stage performance and the interaction with the band, but when things settle, I often get a harmonious feeling. Music is everything to me, my job and my greatest interest in life.
Who: Gustav Hördegård, freelance professional musician
Instruments: Bass and contrabass
Genres: Pop, jazz, and soul
Key ergonomics: Instruments that I like playing and instruments that are in tune
Fun fact: Got hooked on electric base in a music store when he was 11 years old
Jacob Hallberg
– The creative process must be fun and feel rewarding. As a musician, it’s also important to be perceptive. When there’s a good atmosphere in the band, it always shines through. That’s one form of harmony. Another form is deep focus that wins over distractions, even hunger. Harmony is also about relaxing and clearing your mind with movement or physical labour.
Who: Jacob Hallberg, composer and sound designer
Instruments: Primarily piano and guitar
Genres: Pop, soul, rock, reggae, EDM, and jazz
Key ergonomics: Good lighting and the possibility to change my sitting position
Fun fact: Builds guitars with his father
”Music has the power to express emotions, but there’s more to it than just the performance. My interest is also rooted in technology and craftsmanship. It has been a truly rewarding and inspiring experience working together with Kinnarps in this new context.”
Jacob Hallberg, composer
“At Kinnarps, we’re passionate about creating interiors that enable people to thrive, feel good, and reach their full potential. The analogy between music and ergonomics feels perfect.”
Ann Cederwall
Director Global Marketing & Communications,
Kinnarps
“Many people that think of ergonomics instantly think about chairs and sitting, but there’s much more to ergonomics. Now, more than ever, it’s important to look at the bigger picture in order to design healthy and successful work environments.”
Anders Lundahl
Ergonomist & Physiotherapist,
Kinnarps
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SK
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