Executive Desk by Bruce Burdick for Herman Miller, 1980s

Burdick’s first project for Herman Miller was the Burdick Group system, which represents a unique combination of worktops, document management and storage accessories, incorporated into a structural frame configurable according to the operational needs of the users .

This desk in particular is made up of a single central aluminum rail on which a wooden work surface is positioned divided into three modules: the central rectangular one measuring 153 cm x 90, while on the sides there are two half-moons of the same wood measuring 61 cm x 90.
Also attached to the track is a chest of drawers and a small raised tray that can be used as a pocket tray or simple support.
All the elements are movable as desired, as they are attached to the track with adjustable arms. Each leg has three feet, each of which is equipped with height-adjustable “toes”.

In 1980, Burdick Group received the Best Design Award from the Institute of Business Designers and the Industrial Designers Society of America. The following year, Time magazine named the Burdick Group system one of the best industrial design models of 1981. The magazine describes it as one of the first flexible furniture systems capable of integrating seamlessly with computer terminals and other electronic office devices.