The holiday season is here, and it’s a busy time of the year as we host and attend parties, gift shop for loved ones, and balance tight work deadlines as the year-end approaches. Amidst the hustle and bustle, we invite you to slow down and take a moment to treat yourself to something fun or relaxing – whether it be a visit to the spa, a new book, or something more work/office-related, here are a few of our favorite ideas…
Parsons Healthy Materials Lab – “A New Year, New Semester, New Design Approach”
Many of us will create new year’s resolutions at the beginning of 2020, but at officeinsight, we like to start our goals for the new year even before January 1. Getting started in thinking about new goals puts you ahead, and if one of your resolutions calls for learning something new, an excellent option is Parsons’ Healthy Materials Lab ‑ an online learning program about material health. Since its debut in June 2018, this program has grown into a valuable forum for designers to learn more about creating, using and specifying healthier materials. Registration for the new semester opens December 10, 2019, and classes begin on January 21, 2020. From Parsons:
“You can learn more about the 4-course program Healthier Materials and Sustainable Building here. This course was designed to explore material health, understand the role chemistry plays, how to design based on this knowledge, and most importantly how to make sure that your healthier design decisions are implemented on the job site. The content is delivered by 58 leading experts in the fields of architecture, design, science, sustainability, and materials.”
“The base price for the 4-course program is $180. Currently, completion of the program qualifies all eligible participants for 18 AIA and 23.4 IDCEC HSW CEUs. We offer an additional discount for group registration. Please reach out if your firm would be interested in enrolling 5+ team members (they do not have to be based in the same office/country).”
Pantone Blues
Last week Pantone announced its 2020 Color of the Year as Classic Blue. After last year’s tired Living Coral, we’re happy to see a hue with more staying power.
From Pantone:
“A timeless and enduring blue hue, PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue is elegant in its simplicity. Suggestive of the sky at dusk, the reassuring qualities of the thought-provoking PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue highlight our desire for a dependable and stable foundation on which to build as we cross the threshold into a new era.”
“Imprinted in our psyches as a restful color, PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue brings a sense of peace and tranquility to the human spirit, offering refuge. Aiding concentration and bringing laser like clarity, PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue re-centers our thoughts. A reflective blue tone, Classic Blue fosters resilience.
As technology continues to race ahead of the human ability to process it all, it is easy to understand why we gravitate to colors that are honest and offer the promise of protection. Non-aggressive and easily relatable, the trusted PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue lends itself to relaxed interaction. Associated with the return of another day, this universal favorite is comfortably embraced.”
A quote from Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute: “We are living in a time that requires trust and faith. It is this kind of constancy and confidence that is expressed by PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue, a solid and dependable blue hue we can always rely on. Imbued with a deep resonance, Classic Blue provides an anchoring foundation. A boundless blue evocative of the vast and infinite evening sky, Classic Blue encourages us to look beyond the obvious to expand our thinking; challenging us to think more deeply, increase our perspective and open the flow of communication.”
In the season and spirit of gift-giving, Pantone’s website has a few Pantone Classic Blue products for sale – coffee and espresso mugs, a journal, etc. – but it’s always more gratifying to search for something close to the Color of the Year on your own. Brooklyn Bicycle Co.’s new Lorimer Blue Hybridbike is a perfect gift to park under the Christmas tree.
Open Office Truth – A New Podcast Series by Steelcase
Steelcase’s newly debuted podcast series tackles the challenges of the open office. In five parts, each around 25-30 minutes, it’s a binge-worthy program perfect for your morning commute. From Steelcase:
“The case on the open office is far from closed. Our new podcast series ‘Open Office Truth’ explores the history of the open plan, new research about how to focus and a new framework for designing inspiring spaces people actually use.”
Access the series here.
