Bruce Burdick was exposed early on to the industrial dynamics, creative lifestyle and architectural activity of California. Born and raised in Los Angeles, he is a graduate of the University of Southern California and the Art Center College in Pasadena, California. While a junior at the Art Center, Burdick worked with Charles and Ray Eames at the Eames Office. After completing his schooling, he worked with noted designers John Follis and Herb Rosenthal before opening his own office in 1970.
Burdick’s early achievements include pioneering a new use of computers in exhibits on economics and nutrition. Both exhibits are permanently located at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago. He has also been involved in the design and development of environmental education centres, a museum of oceanography, and the concept planning for the Institute of Automotive Science and History.
His first product for Herman Miller was the Burdick Group system, a unique assemblage of work surfaces, paper handling and storage elements, and electronic equipment supports, located along a structural armature in whatever configuration best suits the way people work. It can be arranged in many different sizes and configurations and can change and grow to reflect changing work patterns. The Burdick Group dining table is one of the products in this line. Home office configurations are available as well.
In 1980, the Burdick Group received design awards 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 of 1981 for Industrial Design. The magazine described it as one of the first flexible office furniture systems to come to terms with computer terminals and other electronic office machines.
