In our annual Year in Review special feature, we take a month-by-month snapshot view of the latest developments and trends in workplace design, as reported in the pages of officeinsight. 2016 was another busy year, and designers responded to an accelerated pace of change in the world of work.
One recurring theme was the increased emphasis on people’s needs, not only for attracting and retaining top talent in a time of greater worker churn but also for improving the productivity of the organization. Designers recognize that employees need to feel comfortable, both mentally and physically, to do their best work.
Sustainability initiatives have expanded to encompass all aspects of worker health in addition to the overall environmental impact of a project. Going beyond LEED, architecture and design firms have embraced the WELL Building Standard, the Living Building Challenge, and other initiatives to improve wellness in the workplace and the sustainability of the built environment.
Active design and biophilic design have become mainstream ideas, and although it’s still the beginning, a heightened focus on both diversity and resiliency in many avenues of the architecture and design fields is taking shape as well.
We’ve also seen the continued blurring of the lines between corporate workplace design and healthcare, education, hospitality and residential design. Designers are delving more deeply into their clients’ needs through visionary sessions and focus groups to get the best possible understanding of an organization’s culture and the expectations of its people. Office furniture manufacturers have responded with innovative offerings that meet these new needs. Both furniture and workspace designs are evolving to provide more flexibility to adapt to rapid changes and incorporate the latest technologies.
In this issue we summarize of some of the key news highlights of the year, as reported by officeinsight contributors as well as press release submissions to officenewswire. The chronological list does not include all the amazing projects we featured throughout 2016, which clearly incorporated many of the new workplace design trends that we are seeing. We encourage our readers to revisit these stories on our website for inspiration and ideas: Ultra-modern Japanese Office Design by nendo [2.1.16]; Where You Think Inspires What You Think: Sonoco by Whitney Architects [2.15.16]; An Amenity-rich Work Oasis in D.C. by Wingate Hughes Architects [3.7.16]; A Used Car Dealer Walks the Tech Startup Line: DriveTime’s new headquarters by exterior architect Butler Group and interior design firm Phoenix Design One [3.14.16]; A Miami Law Firm’s New Progressive Workplace by Gensler [3.28.16]; Montroy Andersen DeMarco Designs Modern Open Offices for the United Nations in NYC [5.9.16]; Designing Around a View: An NYC Hedge Fund’s New Offices by Spector Group [5.23.16]; Seattle-based Design Firm Artefact by Graham Baba Architects [7.18.16]; From Munich: Siemens Global HDQ by Henning Larsen Architects [7.25.16]; The Bloc by Foz Design / The Mufson Partnership [8.816]; A Cutting Edge Anchorman: NBC 7’s New San Diego Digs by Carrier Johnson + CULTURE [8.22.16]; A Campus Quad for the Workplace: CA Ventures headquarters by CannonDesign [9.5.16]; Coworking Summer Camp-style in El Segundo, CA [10.3.16]; Channeling Patient & Staff Experience: Stanford Neuroscience Health Center by TEF Architecture & Interior Design [11.7.16]; and Precision & Sophistication: A French Pharmaceutical Research Company’s New North American HQ by Francis Cauffman [12.5.16].
Environmental psychologist Sally Augustin, Ph.D., in addition to her weekly Research Design Connections report, continued to contribute a wealth of insights through her Concurrents – Environmental Psychology column. Topics in 2016 were: …Bored? [1.11.16]; Active Design Leadership [1.25.16]; Old Times, New Times, Same Times [2.1.16]; Freshening Up [2.15.16]; Transferability Factor [2.29.16]; Changing Era [3.14.16]; Surveying Success [3.28.16]; More Successful Surveying [4.11.16]; Spring Cleaning [4.25.16]; Security Psychology [5.2.16]; Standardization [5.16.16]; Spaces for Groups! [5.30.16]; Recognize the Rituals! [7.4.16]; The “Luxury” of Control [7.11.16]; Green is Good for the Planet And… [8.1.16]; Designing for What Happens [8.15.16]; Nap Time! [8.29.16]; Working in the Den [9.12.16]; Infection-Stopping Design [10.3.16]; You Can’t Be Sure Unless You Check [10.10.16]; Something to Think About – More Than Five Senses [10.24.16]; Fun is Problematic [11.14.16]; Intelligent and Rational [11.28.16]; and Smellscape! [12.12.16].
Cheers to 2016, and to another great year for the inspiring A&D community in 2017!
JANUARY
Interface, building on the success of its ReEntry recycling operation, is creating a new network of regional recycling allies. First among them is Oakland, CA–based Rethink Green, and this initial alliance is expected to increase the amount of carpet that’s annually recycled for use by Interface by 40-to- 50%. According to Eric Nelson, VP Strategic Alliances for Interface Americas, one of the biggest challenges to effective recycling of carpet is logistics, and it’s what has led to this regional approach. “At Interface, we’re good at giving our own customers a viable option for recycling end-of-use carpet tile, but it is harder to track and collect from the thousands of jobsites across the country without enlisting a company like Rethink Green. They will help us cast the net far wider to harvest used carpet tiles and diverting them from landfills.” [1.11.16]
>KnollTextiles entered the acoustics marketplace with the Impressions collection. Impressions is a wall-mounted system that combines performance acoustics with clean, clear color and timeless modern design. Six classic KnollTextiles patterns are ‘impressed’ onto a high performance ultra-thin acoustic substrate. Each tile is wrapped in 100% polyester, nonwoven fabric that uses a multi-step process to entangle the fiber into a material suitable for vertical use. Impressions offers one solid tile in addition to the six ‘impressed’ tiles, and it is available in 16 colors. The tiles are GREENGUARD certified and may contribute to LEED certification. [1.18.16]
>Richard Sapper, acclaimed industrial designer for Knoll and other notable companies including Siemens, Kartell, Knoll, Alessi, Artemide, Tag Heuer and IBM, died on Dec. 31. He was 83 years old. Mr. Sapper began his career working in the design department at Mercedes-Benz before joining Gio Ponti’s architectural firm in Milan. In 1959, he entered into a professional working relationship with Marco Zanuso, which resulted in the first of his breakthrough designs. The two worked together as consultants for the Italian electronics company Brionvega, and their collaboration gave birth to a movement known as “techno-functionalism.” At Knoll, he is remembered for his 1979 Sapper Executive™ and Management™ Chair and his 2009 Sapper™ XYZ Monitor Arm. [1.18.16]
>Jay Gould was named president and chief operating officer of Interface, Inc. Mr. Gould, who joined Interface as COO in January 2015, oversees global operations, marketing, and organizational development for the company. Before joining Interface, he was CEO of American Standard Brands, and prior to that he held senior executive roles at Newell Rubbermaid, The Campbell Soup Company, The Coca-Cola Company and General Mills. [1.18.16]
>Herman Miller, Inc. once again earned the WorldatWork Work-Life Seal of Distinction, a mark of excellence designed to identify organizational success in work-life effectiveness. Herman Miller is the only furniture manufacturer among the 116 organizations to be honored at the WorldatWork 2016 Future of Work Forum. The company offers its employees a highly competitive package of benefits designed to promote health, wellness and work-life balance, including concierge services, Teladoc, paid parental leave, paid volunteer days, tuition reimbursement, adoption assistance, flexible work arrangements and flexible retirement, on-site fitness classes and facilities, and fitness club reimbursements. [1.18.16]
>The 19th IIDA Industry Roundtable, held Jan. 8-10, culminated in the formation of the interior design industry’s first-ever Diversity Council. The newly formed IIDA Diversity Council, chaired by Stacy Walker, Ind. IIDA, director of Customer Experience at Milliken, has been charged with creating a diversity policy statement for the profession of interior design and will tackle goals ranging from funding diversity research and promoting diversity resources to creating a curriculum that encourages students of diverse backgrounds to pursue careers in design. An executive report, released in March 2016, included a summary of the 19th IIDA Industry Roundtable, the IIDA Diversity Council’s diversity policy statement, and information regarding the Council’s planned strategic initiatives. [1.18.16]
>The 2016 Pritzker Architectural Prize, widely recognized as the world’s highest design honor, was awarded to Alejandro Arevena of Santiago, Chile. As it has done before in recent years, the Pritzker jury has passed over numerous starchitects, those who’ve produced design landmarks for prestigious clients, to single out an architect more notable for social and environmental concerns than for seductive form-making. The 48-year-old Chilean, they wrote, “epitomizes the revival of a more socially engaged architect…his built work gives economic opportunity to the less privileged, mitigates the effects of natural disasters, reduces energy consumption, and provides welcoming public space.” His structures tend, nevertheless, to have bold aesthetic appeal. [1.25.16]
>At the 2016 BIFMA 360° Leadership Conference in Austin, TX, a “Talent Show(Down)” theme highlighted the undeniable focus companies of all industries have on talent retention. And no surprise – the famous (infamous?) Millennials are at the center of it. All of the seven keynotes at least discussed the Millennial generation and its jarring impact on human resource functions, including recruiting, interviewing, hiring and promoting, as well as management functions. While Millennials might desire and expect quite distinct work environments and relationships from previous generations, and employers will need to cater to their growing numbers in the future, the fact is that there is still a lot of room at the table for others. Employers who embrace the strengths and weaknesses of Millennials will most certainly have an edge; employers who create space for the choice and happiness of all employee types will fare even better. [1.25.16]
FEBRUARY
>The recent shift of expanding roles for dealership interior designers is moving them closer to their clients – and it’s working. How and why these roles are evolving were the subjects of a two-part series, “Narrowing the Space Between Designer and Client,” by officeinsight contributor Stephen Witte. The discussion revolved around marketplace expectations, relationship building and technology for friction-free collaboration between interior designers at dealerships and their clients. Psychology is a big driver, shaping responses to expectations, enriching relationships and giving a warm touch to cool technologies; coming to the surface is new thinking about the effects of personality and psychology on a designer’s engagement with technology, with client expectations, and with the complexity of business relationships. [2.1.16, 2.8.16]
>Bill Hellmuth, AIA, was named the new chief executive officer of HOK, effective April 19. Based in the firm’s Washington, D.C. office, Mr. Hellmuth will collaborate with the group board to lead the firm’s design vision, business strategy and day-to-day management. He will continue in his role as HOK’s firm-wide president and design principal for projects in the Washington, DC-area and worldwide. Patrick MacLeamy, FAIA, who is stepping down from his position as CEO, will continue to serve as chairman. [2.1.16]
>The National Council of Architectural Registration Boards, as part of an industry- wide push to retire the term “intern,” has renamed its internship program. Effective Jun. 29, the Intern Development Program (IDP) will be called the Architectural Experience Program (AXP). “Renaming the IDP is another step in realigning our programs to better reflect current practice and terminology,” said NCARB President Dennis Ward, AIA, NCARB. Since each state sets its own requirements for licensure, the program’s new name will carry an important caveat: “formerly known as the Intern Development Program, or IDP.” This language will accommodate existing laws or rules that refer to the program’s current name. Similarly, while NCARB will continue to refer to those working toward licensure as “aspiring architects” or “exam candidates,” licensing boards have the authority to prescribe their own terminology for unlicensed professionals. [2.1.16]
>2016 revealed a heightened awareness about resiliency. Officeinsight covered a few firms doing great work in this area. Through its involvement in microgrid and urban agriculture projects, thread collective, a Brooklyn-based architecture and design firm, has woven

a commitment to building a low carbon, resilient and sustainable world into the heart of its design process. thread collective is part of a team developing innovat

ive local energy networks independent of the larger utility companies, as part of RISE:NYC, a program for creating small-scale, innovative “Resilient Power Hubs” (micro-grid power plants) in three New York City locations. Shifting focus from energy to Rising Sea Levels in coastal areas and flood plains – we featured Boston-based architectural and planning firm The Architectural Team (TAT). Much of TAT’s recent work presents a great starting point for developing innovative solutions that will help preserve our cities, our people, and their livelihoods. While the logical solution to the problem is to raise habitable space above the street level, this “simple” fix brings its own set of new design challenges to a project. “We have to put our habitable space significantly above those walkway levels, but what is the pedestrian experience if the surrounding structures are so much higher?” said Michael Liu, principal at TAT. Architects and developers will need to form new strategies for connecting their elevated buildings to existing street levels, making sure to maintain a relationship with the surrounding architectural context. [2.8.16, 4.18.16]

>Carnegie introduced Xorel ArtForm Acoustical Panels, a new product category for the textile company. PVC-free Xorel features include durability, cleanability, acoustics, indoor air quality and bacterial resistance. Xorel Artform also includes biobased Xorel options, Carnegie’s plant based solution that tops the line in innovation and sustainability. Panels are available in four shapes and in three sizes, with more than 200 colorways in 11 Xorel patterns in the standard offering. Both a highly effective acoustical core substrate and a tackable substrate are offered, and there are two easy installation options: a simple Velcro method or a Quick Grab adhesive. [2.8.16]
>Coalesse officially launched its highly anticipated LessThanFive chair designed by the Coalesse Design Studio and Michael Young on Feb. 28. The company shared a behind-the-scenes “making of” video offering a window into manufacturing process for the new chair, which leverages the advantages of carbon fiber for strength and light weight. Stackable up to four high and available in six standard finishes at a reasonable price point, it weighs less than five pounds. [2.8.16]
>If you haven’t already noticed, the Internet of Things is (of course) officially here! We traveled to Humanscale in Manhattan to learn how that company is making the leap from furniture products and accessories to a full-on tech product. Its OfficeIQ is a hardware/software system that can help companies monitor actual utilization of its several sit/stand products. Using occupancy and height sensor technology from a lightweight, portable box positioned on or under the work surface, OfficeIQ provides companies with sit/stand utilization data across teams or departments or entire work locations. With OfficeIQ, individual employees may opt-in to receive real time feedback on their personal utilization of the sit/stand features, encouraging them to change, move and make healthy choices throughout the day. The software even calculates incremental calorie burn using an algorithm based on scientific measurements of the calorie burning differences between sitting and standing. [2.15.16]
at software company a2z
>Research from KI and HOK explored how collegiate campus design can and should inform our workplace environments. As more Baby Boomers retire and Gen Y and Gen Z members snap up more spots in the workforce, companies can’t afford to ignore the priorities of recent college graduates. Today’s recent college grads are strongly scrutinizing potential employers based upon their environments, far more than any previous generation. The new research found that, “Despite the fact that many companies describe their places of employment as ‘campuses’, most corporate environments used for training and collaboration fail to resemble today’s dynamic campus environments…Nor do they support the preferred work styles of recent graduates.” Designing for recent grads allows companies to attract grads in the first place, and it also cuts down the time recently hired grads need to get up to speed with their new position and thrive sooner. [2.22.16]
>Steelcase Inc. celebrated a decade of recognition in Fortune magazine’s “World’s Most Admired Companies” survey. In the Home Equipment and Furnishings industry sector, Steelcase moved up the ranks and took the second spot in the category, earning high remarks in all nine criteria. Other notable companies in the group include Whirlpool, Stanley Black & Decker and Newell Rubbermaid. Fortune describes the Most Admired list as the “definitive report card on corporate reputations.” [2.22.16]
>Ted Moudis Associates released its 2016 Workplace Report. The report offers comprehensive insight into how companies today are using their office space. It spans multiple industries and more than 2.5 million square feet of workspace built over the past two years. Current and future trends include the move to more efficient footprints, a reduction of total area per occupant, the shift toward more communal workspace, and the gradual disappearance of paper from the office. Other trends identified in the report include: -Benching/desking has become the prevailing solution for open plan, with 67% off all open workspaces now adopting this platform instead of traditional cubicles. -Private offices accounted for just 11% of the more than 1,700 workspaces benchmarked, bringing the proportion of open plan workspace to an all-time high of 89%. -On average, 47% of the seats available to staff were designated as “alternative seats,” in meeting rooms, cafés, lounges and quiet areas – driving the ratio of shared seats upwards to nearly one per every worker. [2.22.16]
>Pulp Studio Celebrated 20 Years of Glass Innovation. The Los Angeles based company entered 2016 with a splash in a brand new facility that will enable it to continue its leadership in innovations in architectural glass technology. One of Pulp Studio’s biggest contributions to the architectural glass market is its investment in technology that captures substrate material between glass sheets; the company is one of the first to be able to encapsulate things in laminate, delivering it reliably and with a high quality standard. “We wanted to take that decorative glass category and give it a more commercial life, as a material within the core palette available to an architect,” said Bernard Lax, co-founder of Pulp Studio. The new facility will feature Pulp’s $3.5 million dollar investment in new state of the art machinery and will offer arguably the widest range of fabrication capabilities, including state of the art bending, laminating, coating and digital printing. [2.29.16]
>IIDA, Interior Design and Education for Legislation (IDEAL) for Utah, and the IIDA Intermountain Chapter announced that Utah Senate Bill 117, “Commercial Interior Design Certification Modifications,” has passed the Utah Senate. Utah S.B. 117, now expected to be heard by the Utah House of Representatives, creates certification for commercial interior designers, allowing them to submit their documents for building permits. The effort, led by lobbyist Amy Coombs, senior partner, Prestige Government Relations and Consulting Group, has been a two-year process supported by IIDA, IDEAL for Utah, and the IIDA Intermountain Chapter. [2.29.16]
>Over a long weekend at the end of February, the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) hosted LAUNCH: the ASID National Student Summit. ASID planners loaded each day with a lively combination of speeches, breakout sessions, sketching sessions and tours. officeinsight Publisher Bob Beck recaps the proceedings. Keynote speakers included SCAD alumna Brooke Traeger-Tumsaroch, ASID, design director at AvroKO in Bangkok, Thailand; Primo Orpilla, ASID, principal and co-founder at Studio O+A of San Francisco, CA; and Metropolis Publisher and Editor in Chief, Susan S. Szenasy. Randy Fiser, ASID CEO, reported that the interior design industry is now at or above pre-recession levels and that a healthy number of design firms reported having a hard time finding and retaining the talent they need to meet their project commitments; all are good signs for emerging designers. [3.7.16]
MARCH

>3form introduced its new Translucent Color Portfolio, in response to a “color revolution.” The brand’s focus has to this point resided firmly with the technology and aesthetic of its interlayer –the substance or aesthetic element pressed and baked into its architectural materials. But in response to studying close-up what designers and architects want out of the 3form product, 3form is now shifting focus to align with the finding that architects and designers are placing a high premium on color. The Translucent Color Portfolio revolves around a toolkit of 250 carefully streamlined colors. Once an architect/designer chooses a color, they can then apply it to one of five 3form material types to create a whole range of different surface types, including horizontal, vertical and wall, and exterior surfaces. With the Translucent Color Portfolio, 3form hopes to save architects and designers time by giving them streamlined tools to easily build spaces around pure color. [3.21.16]
>Officeinsight contributor Peter Otterstrom shed light on the once sweeping commitment to the collaboration trend that chained employees to long bench-based environments. In many instances, chosen individuals – executives, department heads and group managers – have no trouble finding private locations for meetings and “important” collaborating. But what about the collaborative needs of regular office workers? For all workers, the key is to plan for the need and design for the results required; “If it doesn’t ADjust, it must be UNjust.” Our cients are responsible for major investments that must produce a profitable return, and they grapple with three critical, but often unspoken, issues: What will happen to me if we buy something that doesn’t work? What will happen to me if we pay more than we have to? What will happen to me if I bring someone into our organization whom we cannot trust? [3.21.16]
>Steelcase released its “Engagement + The Global Workplace” – 360 Global Report, in partnership with global research firm Ipsos. The study uncovered five key findings: 1. Employee Engagement Positively Correlates with Workplace Satisfaction – The data show that workers who are highly satisfied with various aspects of their workplace also demonstrate higher levels of engagement. Yet only 13% of global workers are highly engaged and highly satisfied with their workplace. The inverse is true as well: 11% of employees are highly dissatisfied with their offices and are also highly disengaged. 2. Engaged Employees Have More Control Over Their Experiences at Work – A distinguishing characteristic of engaged employees is that they have a greater degree of control over where and how they work, including access to privacy when they need it. 3. Fixed Technology Exceeds Mobile 2:1 – Despite the high global adoption of mobile devices for personal use, the vast majority of study participants report that their organizations provide twice as much fixed technology versus mobile options for work. 4. Traditional Workstyles Persist – Media and popular culture may create the perception that workplaces have changed dramatically in the past decade and that offices are open, informal and collaborative. In some places, this is true. But the reality for employees around the world is that most people work in traditional office environments, with an emphasis on hierarchy and desk-based individual work. 5. Cultural Context Influences Engagement Levels – The most highly engaged employees tend to hail from emerging economies, and the least engaged often come from countries in well-established markets. [3.7.16]
>BIFMA’s level® Certification Program was approved by USGBC’s LEED Steering Committee as a “USGBC Approved Program” for the LEED v4 Material & Resource, Building Product Disclosure and Optimization (Option 1) credit. level-certified products achieving Credit 7.5.1.3 of the ANSI-BIFMA e3-2014 Furniture Sustainability Standard (and Credit 7.4.1.3 in the 2012 version) will qualify once the announcement is published on April 1. Along with this achievement, LEED and its Pilot Credits currently reference BIFMA standards and credits for emissions, ergonomics, social equity within the supply chain, and environmentally preferable interior furnishings. Work is presently underway on the next version of the ANSI/BIFMA e3 Furniture Sustainability Standard that will allow even greater alignment with LEED and other leading programs. [3.7.16]
>Turkish office furniture manufacturer Koleksiyon made a big splash into the North American furniture market. In addition to opening showrooms in New York and Dallas, it signed a 10-year lease for a showroom on the 11th floor of the Merchandise Mart. Koleksiyon’s newest furniture collections take inspiration from an “open work” design theory – arguing that art forms such as literary texts, musical compositions and many others exist best as fields or ranges of meaning, “open forms,” rather than completely finished “closed forms.” Oblivion is intended to be an open, shared but somewhat private workplace habitat that can be constructed in a huge variety of ways. The conical shape makes a dramatic aesthetic statement and the geometry itself provides some interesting structural characteristics. The specifying steps imply a high degree of openness. [3.28.16]
>The Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS (DIFFA) hosted its annual DIFFA Dining By Design event, inviting internationally celebrated designers and local talent to transform a raw space into a showcase of extravagant dining vignettes in support of the HIV/AIDS cause. Dining By Design is DIFFA’s signature event of the year in any region, and in its 19th year, it raised nearly $800,000 toward DIFFA’s grant making efforts. At Pier 92, Twelfth Avenue at 55th Street, a constellation of events spread over five days hosted 2,000 people at two fundraisers and 45,000 people throughout the week of March 17-21. These installations use the power of design to challenge and

champion something that everyone can, and must, do: eat and dine! [4.11.16]
>Dame Zaha Hadid, DBE died suddenly in Miami in the early hours of Mar. 31. She had contracted bronchitis earlier in the week and suffered a sudden heart attack while being treated in hospital. Zaha Hadid was widely regarded to be the greatest female architect in the world today. Born in Baghdad in 1950, she studied mathematics at the American University of Beirut before starting her architectural journey in 1972 at the Architectural Association in London. By 1979, she had established her own practice in London – Zaha Hadid Architects – garnering a reputation across the world for her groundbreaking theoretical works including The Peak in Hong Kong (1983), the Kurfürstendamm in Berlin (1986) and the Cardiff Bay Opera House in Wales (1994). Her interest was in the interface between architecture, landscape and geology, which her practice integrates with the use of innovative technologies, often resulting in unexpected and dynamic architectural forms. She held various academic roles, including the Kenzo

Tange Chair at the Graduate School of Design, Harvard University; and the Sullivan Chair at the University of Illinois, School of Architecture. In 2004, she became the first woman to be awarded the Pritzker Architecture Prize. Most recently, Ms. Hadid was awarded the RIBA’s 2016 Royal Gold Medal, the first woman to be awarded the prestigious honor in her own right. “For three decades now, she has ventured where few would dare: if Paul Klee took a line for a walk, then Zaha took the surfaces that were driven by that line out for a virtual dance and then deftly folded them over and then took them out for a journey into space. We realize that Kenzo Tange and Frank Lloyd Wright could not have drawn every line or checked every joint, yet Zaha shares with them the precious role of towering, distinctive and relentless influence upon all around her that sets the results apart from the norm.” [4.4.16]
APRIL

>In NYC, we reviewed a few excellent design exhibitions, including the Design Triennial at the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum. The Design Triennial featured some 250 works created in the past three years by 63 relatively young designers. The show’s theme, “Beauty,” firmly elevates aesthetic considerations over, say, function or feasibility, much less social or environmental issues. And curators Andrea Lipps and Ellen Lupton have further defined beauty by exploring it through seven adjectival “lenses”: Extravagant, Intricate, Ethereal, Transgressive, Emergent, Elemental and Transformative. Officeinsight contributor John Morris Dixon also reviewed the Design Into Art exhibition at the Noguchi Museum in Long Island City, Queens; the architectural exhibition A Japanese
Constellation on view at MOMA, covering the work of several professionally interrelated firms; and an art exhibition at the Studio Museum in Harlem featuring 20 works from L.A.-based African American artist Rodney McMillian. [4.4.16]
>Dorothy Cosonas, creative director of KnollTextiles, was named the 2016 IIDA Titan Award recipient. The IIDA Titan Award recognizes significant contributions to the interior design profession by an individual, company, or organization in the field. Ms. Cosonas began her career working under Sina Pearson at the upholstery and wall-covering manufacturer, Unika Vaev. She was named the 11th creative director of KnollTextiles in 2005. Her inaugural collection

won a Best of NeoCon Gold Award, her first of seven. In 2008, she founded KnollLuxe as the fashion-forward luxury component of KnollTextiles. Seven fabrics created by Ms. Cosonas or under her direction at KnollTextiles were selected for the permanent collection at the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum. [4.4.16]
>How residential brands are impacting the contract furniture segment was the topic of discussion for many this year. It’s no secret that residential brands such as West Elm, CB2, Crate & Barrel, and Restoration Hardware are rapidly becoming part of the “new normal” in contract furniture specifications. But why are specifiers turning away from contract furniture to these residential brands, and is this shift bad or good for our industry? officeinsight contributor Amanda Schneider discussed the factors driving this movement – including demand for casual spaces,

lower price points and familiarity; emphasis on talent acquisition and the fact that companies are seeing their workspace have a direct impact on their ability to attract talented new employees; and shortened leases – and its consequences for furniture manufacturers and dealerships, including shifts in the dealer business model, shifting expectations about product lifetimes and warrantees, and need to fill the space “between just-in-time manufacturing with ultimate customization and ordering online or going to IKEA.” [4.11.16]

>Momentum announced the milestone achievement of making 100% of its product offering either from recycled fibers or rapidly renewable natural fibers. In addition, no Momentum textile contains PVC, and all of its products are Greenguard certified. “We couldn’t have done it without our partnership with Unifi, the largest yarn manufacturer and our primary yarn supplier. They have taken a very progressive stance on sustainability and they’ve partnered with us in the creation of our substrate yarns. We wouldn’t have been able to get 100% of our product line either recycled or of natural fibers without them. And then there are our weavers. They’ve worked with us on coming up with whole new constructions, on replacing some of the warp yarns, and so on. This has been a long steady climb and a big team effort to get to this point and we are extremely proud.” – CEO Roger Arciniega [4.18.16]
>Haworth and Poltrona Frau Group reached an agreement for the acquisition of the majority share of JANUS et Cie. Founded in Los Angeles in 1978 by the eclectic designer and entrepreneur Janice Feldman, JANUS et Cie today is a leader in the premium contemporary outdoor and interior furniture sector. It has a turnover of approximately 100 million USD and a consistent record of high year-over-year growth. JANUS et Cie will continue to operate independently. Founder Janice Feldman will retain a significant equity stake in the company and will continue to serve as the company’s CEO. [4.18.16]
>officeinsight contributor Jacqueline Barr, of Ted Moudis Associates, outlined simple strategies for achieving high creative design at lower costs. The key takeaways included: simplifying materials to minimize costs (“Careful material selection is the single most important factor in determining a project’s final cost.”), capitalizing on excellent new flooring options now on the market (“wood look” porcelain tile, simulated wood vinyl flooring with “hand carved” textures and varying widths, pebbled floors, and fauz antique rugs, each with their own strengths), playing with paint, wall art and wallcoverings that come at a lower cost than say, tinted glass (“Color is a designer’s best friend. A blue wall costs no more than a white one, so when it comes to adding depth and richness to spaces for zero cost, it’s our go-to solution.”), and using details to boost a space to the next level, such as using a client’s existing books or other materials as design opportunities, for a custom installation feel. At full-service media agency BPN’s Chicago office, colorful faucet spigots serve as a piece of art, but also have a practical purpose, doubling as a place for the staff to hang their jackets. “Accessories play an enormous role in shaping an office environment, and there are a number of cost effective options.” [4.25.16]
>NYC Students Designed Lighting for Luxo at IIDA New York’s Design This! Challenge. This year’s student design competition featured esteemed lighting company Luxo, which presented a task lighting design brief to the students, who then collaborated to finalize design concepts and present to a panel of judges. The winning concept will travel to Luxo for potential development. The competition places emphasis on the students sketching their designs with basic pencils, rather than relying on higher-tech tools, and students find out what they’ll be designing no sooner than arriving at the event. The design brief: “Design a single or dual arm desk top LED task light with features that will excite Millennials and Gen Z in the workplace and explain why.” Congrats to the winning student team, which included Maria Claudia Narvaez, of Parsons; Yu-Hsiang Fu, of NYSID; and Sri Keerthi Rayala, of NYSID. [4.25.16]
Milan. Photography courtesy of Vitra
>Swiss design company Vitra had a remarkable showing at Salone in Milan. There was much to be seen at CasaVitra, but the main attraction was a series of huge ceiling mounted color wheels demonstrating how various colors and materials in the Vitra product lines can work together. The moving color wheels were one part of a library of color and material that has been the culmination of 10 years of work by Hella Jongerius, Vitra’s art director for Colors and Materials. [5.9.16]
Menhenett, and Michael Thomas
>ASID named nine exemplary designers as 2016 Fellows and also announced its 2016 Lifetime Member Awards. Lifetime Award honorees were Carl Clark, Jane Page Crump, Joan “Abby” Menhenett, and Michael Thomas. [5.2.16]
>Camira celebrated its fifth Queen’s Award on Apr. 21, which was the company’s 10th anniversary as well as the Queen’s 90th birthday. The Queen’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade recognized the company’s sustained growth in overseas markets. In the space of 10 years, Camira Group has expanded from 263 to more than 700 staff, increased its UK manufacturing footprint, in West Yorkshire, from two sites to five, opened a manufacturing facility in Lithuania, and opened warehousing and showrooms in both China and the U.S. [5.2.16]
>SpecSimple.com reported that the 2016 Save A Sample! program was its most successful yet. More than 100 design firms around the nation participated in the recycling drive. It saved 27,000 pounds of material from landfills, delivering them instead to local design schools. Hundreds gathered at the Grohe Showroom in NYC on Apr. 27 for the Save A Sample! 2016 celebration. [5.16.16]
>Kimball Office on Apr. 28 held the grand opening for its new Boston showroom designed by Embarc Studio. Centrally located in the heart of Boston’s financial district, the 5,672sf showroom draws inspiration from the energy of Post Office Square and the vitality of Congress Street, one of the city’s most active thoroughfares. [5.2.16]
>Kimball Office also announced a strategic investment in ShareDesk, a global leader in agile workplace technology and on-demand workspaces. The collaboration will be focused on helping organizations optimize their real estate utilization, while also improving the effectiveness of the people who occupy the “smart” space. [5.2.16]
MAY

>”Artek and the Aaltos: Creating a Modern World” – an exhibition at the Bard Graduate Center Gallery in Manhattan – accomplished two rare objectives. It celebrated a crucial partnership between world-famous designers (Aino Marsio-Aalto and Alvar Aalto) and the company that manufactured and disseminated their works worldwide. And it gives equal credit to a woman who collaborated with her husband and partner in the design of these products. The show includes some 200 works – many never before on public view. [5.2.16]
the Vermont Woodworking School in Cambridge
>WallGoldfinger received a Vermont Governor’s Award for Environmental Excellence. The award, presented at the Statehouse by Deb Markowitz, secretary of the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources, honors a wood products waste diversion program started in late 2013. In 2014 and 2015, the program diverted more than 23,000 pounds of plywood, medium density fiberboard and veneer scrap from the waste stream to partners around the state, including non-profit ReSOURCE, Green Mountain Drums, the Vermont Woodworking School, and Atlantic Plywood. [5.2.16]
>Kimball Office launched KORE, a clean, modern furniture collection of tables, benching and mobile cart solutions by Swiss designer Daniel Korb. Designed for simple human needs, KORE was inspired by and embodies the best of the Bauhaus Movement design principles, experienced through the lens of the 21st Century. [5.9.16]
>Studio O+A was named the recipient of the 2016 National Design Award for Interior Design from Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum. Now in its 17th year, these awards recognize excellence and innovation across a variety of disciplines in 11 categories. In addition to Studio O+A for Interior Design, this year’s recipients are Moshe Safdie for Lifetime Achievement; Make It Right for Director’s Award; Bruce Mau for Design Mind; Center for Urban Pedagogy for Corporate & Institutional Achievement; Marlon Blackwell Architects for Architecture Design; Geoff McFetridge for Communication Design; Opening Ceremony for Fashion Design; Tellart for Interaction Design; Hargreaves Associates for Landscape Architecture; and Ammunition for Product Design. [5.9.16; feature profiles of the winners 10.17.16]
>Student architects from Carnegie Mellon won the top prize of Most Innovative and the People’s Choice Award in the Flux Emerging Architect’s Design Competition. Focused on sustainability in urban architecture, the global design contest was sponsored by Flux, a technology company born out of Google’s Moonshot factory. The winning design, Ecoschool, exposed all the basic systems of a housing complex on the outside of the building so that the systems were no longer just functional, but also expressive of the connectivity between people living near each other, and to each individual’s dependence on those resources on a daily basis. [5.9.16]
>For 2016, led by Merchandise Mart VP of Leasing Byron Morton, the NeoCon team put together a superb ensemble of large-scale show improvements. In addition to special exhibits and features, program changes focusing on inclusivity, inspiring keynotes, and tech updates, the most palpable change is the removal of the 8th floor altogether. The new 7th floor, officially named the “Exhibit Hall,” will feature a more curated collection of relevant companies and products. A $2 million revamp to the space includes new carpeting, lighting, paint, wall systems, wayfinding, and other updates. And perhaps the most welcome change is a new, simpler layout, featuring four basic exhibitor groupings: Furniture + Fabrics; Flooring; Tech Hub; and Finishes, Materials + Interior Building Products. [5.16.16]
>IIDA Southern California Chapter inducted Barbara Dunn into its “Circle of Excellence” at the Calibre Awards Gala. A principal at Gensler’s Los Angeles office who recently celebrated her 35th anniversary with the firm, Ms. Dunn is a recognized industry leader and award-winning certified contract interior designer. officeinsight sought and was granted an interview with Ms. Dunn in the hope of presenting a more personal view of this worthy recipient. [5.16.16]
>With thousands of visitors over a three-day weekend in May, BKLYN DESIGNS is one of the most vibrant design shows in New York City. Held at the Brooklyn Expo Center in Greenpoint, this year’s show featured everything from hi-tech to handcrafted products and techniques developed in Brooklyn. [5.16.16]
>Stacey Crumbaker received IIDA’s 2016 Distinguished Leadership Award. As the current vice president of Advocacy and a past president of the IIDA Northern Pacific Chapter, Ms. Crumbaker has impacted interior design advocacy both regionally and nationally. Currently an interior designer at Mahlum Architects in Seattle, she also serves on the board of directors for Design In Public, an initiative that works to foster an appreciation of the impact design has on urban life. [5.16.16]
>Herman Miller opened its New York flagship, a singular location housing many of the company’s brands under one roof. Located in the heart of Gramercy at 251 Park Avenue South, the flagship features textiles and coverings from Maharam, furnishings from Geiger, authentic modern design from Design Within Reach, and a full range of furnishings and tools from Herman Miller. Designed utilizing Living Office’s place-making framework, the showrooms serve as working offices to house Herman Miller, Inc.’s full corporate New York operations – including regional sales leadership, global marketing, brand design, and media and communications. Incidentally, the building has had prior association with the company. Designed by Neville & Bagge in 1909, it served as the home of George Nelson & Associates from 1962 to 1973 during the final decade of Mr. Nelson’s tenure as Design Director for Herman Miller. It has also housed the corporate offices of Maharam since 1992. [5.16.16]
>EarthCam shared a timelapse movie of construction at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, which opened its doors to the public on May 14. The Snøhetta-designed expansion more than doubles the museum’s exhibition space and seamlessly integrates the existing and the new to create a welcoming environment to experience modern and contemporary art. EarthCam’s DSLR megapixel construction camera was onsite to document each stage of the project. [5.16.16]
>The Miami Center for Architecture & Design opened “Lina Bo Bardi: Together,” a contemporary exhibition that paid tribute to the legacy of 20th century Italian-Brazilian architect, Lina Bo Bardi. Works by three artists, Madelon Vriesendorp, filmmaker Tapio Snellman and photographer Ioana Marinescu, commented on the lasting social impact of Ms. Bo Bardi’s works in the context of today’s Brazil. [5.16.16]
>Safco® Products Company acquired the assets of Focal ™ Upright Furniture, LLC, a designer and manufacturer of award-winning, ergonomic office furniture. Through this acquisition, Safco, a national provider of commercial office and organization products, is further expanding their Active Working product line. [5.16.16]
>officeinsight publisher Bob Beck traveled to Calgary, Alberta to visit DIRTT. Along with plenty of DIRTT humor and goodwill, he found innovations in 3D visualization for interior planning, improvements in ICE VR and several new manufacturing processes to bring innovation to market. [5.23.16]
>E Ink, which garnered significant attention at its NeoCon debut in 2015, has been very busy since then. The company’s product, E Ink Prism, combines color changing electronic ink tech with architectural products and applications to instantly change the color of a wall, ceiling panel, furniture piece, or entire room. [5.23.16]
>Lisa Tucker, Associate Professor and the Interior Design Program Chair at Virginia Tech, was named the 2016 IIDA Educator of the Year. “Professor Tucker is at the forefront of incorporating sustainability, historic preservation, and biophilic design into interior design education, providing valuable expertise to students on these extremely timely and critical topics,” said IIDA Executive Vice President and CEO Cheryl S. Durst. “In addition, her desire to positively impact her students through practical and theoretical experiences illustrates her deep commitment to interior design education.” [5.23.16]
>Arborite, Montreal-based manufacturer of high pressure laminate, acquired Lamin-Art, Inc., a leading brand of decorative surfaces in North America. The Schaumburg, IL-based Lamin-Art was a privately-held business and will now operate as a part of the Wilsonart Engineered Surfaces organization. [5.23.16]
>The Center for Active Design launched Fitwel, a new certification to support healthier building environments and improve employee health and productivity. Development of the new standard was led by the General Services Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, looking to incentivize wellness supporting building amenities and polices. Fitwel enables buildings, often workplaces, to be assessed against a baseline of evidence-based criteria that define a health-promoting environment. [5.23.16]
>NCARB announced planned changes to two programs, streamlining licensure processes and altering fee structures in ways that will benefit architects and licensure candidates. NCARB’s Intern Development Program will be significantly updated and renamed the Architectural Experience Program (AXP). The update will align the program with the latest version of the Architect Registration Exam (ARE 5.0), reflecting the new exam’s six practice areas. [5.23.16]
>Configura released CET Designer 7.0. The new version includes major additions and new features including the ability for users to reduce rendering times, choose among more generic products to enhance drawings, and take the designed experience to the next level with stairs, multiple floors and 3D text. [5.23.16]
>Organizers of ICFF NYC 2016 reported record attendance, exhibitors, and exhibit space. Held May 14-17 as the keystone event of NYCxDESIGN, ICFF welcomed more than 130 new exhibitors and 587 returning brands and pavilions, delivering a 30% larger footprint. “Attendance increased by 6% to over 35,000 industry trade professionals, and the feedback on the quality of buyer and specifier meetings has been extremely positive,” said Kevin O’Keefe, ICFF Show Director. [5.30.16]
>Carl Gustav Magnusson reopened his industrial design practice in New York City. For the previous three and a half years, Mr. Magnusson served as executive vice president for idesk, the newly formed design brand of Cherryman in Los Angeles. As lead designer for the company, he designed and curated the complete line of contract furniture that was previewed at Neocon 2015. To date the collection has garnered 10 design awards internationally. [5.30.16]