NeoCon, North America’s largest design expo and conference for commercial interiors, returns June 13-15 to Chicago’s Merchandise Mart for its 48th year. Organizers expect the number of architecture and design professionals attending the show will equal or exceed last year’s attendance of more than 50,000. Attendees can tailor their conference experience to specific areas of interest, experience level, schedule, and spending goals by choosing à la carte from the menu of 100+ CEU seminars, featured programs and association forums.
Once registered for NeoCon at www.neocon.com (free online registration through Friday, June 10 or $25 on-site), attendees can sign up for My Planner to search exhibitors and new products, create a personalized itinerary, map out custom floor plans, and even send private messages to exhibitors. Also, the NeoCon App is available through the App Store and Google Play.
Voting for Interior Design’s HiP at NeoCon (Honoring Industry People and Product) awards at idhipawards.com closes this Thursday, June 2. The HiP awards honor commercial industry people and products in workplace, hospitality, health and wellness, and education/government/institutional market sectors. Winners and honorees will be announced on Sunday, June 12, with the HiP, HiP Hooray Celebration scheduled for Tuesday, June 14.
All of the products entered in Contract magazine’s Best of NeoCon competition are now available for viewing at www.contract-network.com. More than 40 jurors who are interior designers, architects and facilities management professionals will review the products over three days before NeoCon begins, and winners will be named at the Best of Neocon Award Winners’ Breakfast on Monday, June 13.
Other awards programs include the IIDA/Contract Magazine Showroom & Booth Design Competition and BUILDINGS magazine’s Product Innovations Awards.
Special NeoCon exhibits and features at the Merchandise Mart this year include:
>ASID Welcome Center, 1st Floor, West Pass-Thru. ASID welcomes visitors to NeoCon 2016 by encouraging a healthy Neocon experience, physically, mentally and socially. The booth will showcase how design impacts lives.
>Best of NeoCon Wall, 1st Floor, North Corridor. Contract Magazine’s Best of NeoCon presentation will feature the most important and influential new product innovations in more than 40 product categories.
>BuzziLounge, 1st Floor, East Pass-Thru. BuzziSpace invites NeoCon attendees to recharge with a playful pick-me-up. Attractions include BuzziBalance, designed in collaboration with 13&9’s Martin Lesjak and Anastasia Su, and BuzziJungle, an elevated work-lounge concept by emerging designer Jonas Van Put, which offers a bird’s-eye view of the fair.
>Design Center, Floors 6, 14, 15, 16. The Design Center at The Mart is the world’s largest resource for custom home furnishings and interior design, with more than 100 showrooms for luxury furniture, fabrics, floor and wall coverings, lighting, outdoor and casual furnishings, accessories, antiques, art and more. Learn more at www.designcenter.com.
>Herman Miller Plaza, 1st Floor, South Lobby. Herman Miller offers a place to pause, connect, and revive in a vibrant setting outfitted with its dynamic range of furnishings – from iconic classics reimagined in fresh materials, to brand new designs that redefine comfort in the workplace.
>IdeaPaint ThinkTank Anywhere, 1st Floor, North Corridor; 7th Floor, 7-3069. An innovator in dry erase paint and accessories, Idea Paint is launching a new mobile collaboration system designed in partnership with Primo Orpilla of Studio O+A. It will also highlight its magnetic PULL system, plus products still “in the lab.” Visitors are invited to “Come play, engage and leave your mark!”
>IIDA Effect/Affect, 1st Floor, Starbucks Escalator. Designed by the San Francisco-based, award-winning design firm Studio O+A, IIDA Effect/Affect explores how a designed space evolves as people move through it and leave their mark on the built environment.
>Interiors & Sources Materials Pavilion, 7th Floor, 7-1000. Presented by Interiors & Sources magazine, this is the destination for NeoCon attendees seeking more in the area of materials product, ideas and inspiration. Hundreds of material samples are displayed side-by-side, with details on their origin, makeup and recommended applications. It is curated by the I+S editorial team and design historian and materials specialist Grace Jeffers, and populated with the help of Material Intelligence, www.materialintelligence.com.
>LuxeHome, 1st Floor. Many of the boutiques at LuxeHome, the world’s largest collection of premier boutiques for home building and renovation, will host special events during NeoCon. For more information, please visit http://luxehome.com/neocon2016/.
>Mayer Fabrics – The Vollis Simpson Collection, 1st Floor, North Corridor; 11th Floor, 1173. Inspired by visionary American folk artist Vollis Simpson, Mayer Fabrics’ exclusive new collection of Sunbrella® Contract captures the whimsy, joy and intricate designs of Simpson’s work.
>Mohawk Group & INSTALL – Expand Your Boundaries, 1st Floor, North Corridor. Mohawk Group and floor covering installation training and certification leader INSTALL will demonstrate new and innovative installation techniques, including floating carpet tile installations with FlexLok tabs and loose lay LVT.
>Mohawk Group – Expand Your Boundaries, 1st Floor, Kinzie Wells Entrance; 3rd Floor, 377. Taking the perspective of an aerial photograph, Earth to Sky carpet tiles evoke the rich topography of the world and its vanishing point into an endless sky.
>New Talent Spotlight: Five Designers to Watch, 1st Floor. Metropolis, in partnership with NeoCon, will debut five new talents in a curated installation. Each new talent will display three to five objects of design, following Metropolis’s at-all-scales approach. This group of innovators will also be featured in the Metropolis June issue.
>Snowsound Call Zones, 7th Floor, Pass-Thrus. Snowsound offers a moment of Italian-inspired peace and quiet on the 7th floor between main aisles 5000 and 6000. Walls lined with Snowsound Cubbies in two locations provide private acoustic call zones for attendees. Snowsound’s main booth, 7-4022 will serve espresso and introduction to five new design solutions.
>Wolf-Gordon “Office_Excavate”, 1st Floor, Center Pass-Thru. Wolf-Gordon will present an imaginative rethinking of workplace interactions with Office_Excavate, a recharging and gathering space deconstructed from the formerly cubicle-driven office block. More than 100 textiles, arrayed by color, are upholstered to a grotto-like seating area and to asymmetrical forms, extracted from the “block,” that can be positioned as desktops, tables and stools.
Schedule Highlights At-a-Glance
Saturday, June 11
6:30pm-Midnight – DIFFA/Chicago Believe 2016 Gala, The Illumination Ball
Sunday, June 12
10:00am-2:00pm – Workshop: Understanding the WELL Building Standard
1:00-2:30pm – IIDA 2016 Annual Meeting
7:00-11:00pm – IIDA COOL Awards Gala
Monday, June 13
7:30-8:30am – 2016 Best of NeoCon Award Winners’ Breakfast
8:00am – Keynote: Paul Scialla
11:30am-2:00pm – ASID Illinois Chapter Annual NeoCon Luncheon
3:00-4:00pm – IIDA Salone Del Mobile, Milano 2017 Preview
5:00-7:00pm – Showroom Parties
Tuesday, June 16
8:00am – Keynote: David Rockwell
9:00am-5:00pm – IIDA Student Design Charette
9:00am-7:00pm – Guerrilla Truck Show @ NeoCon
1:00pm – ASID Interior Design Outlook and State of the Industry News Conference
1:45-4:00pm – ASID Student Roadmap
3:00-5:00pm – Booth Parties
5:00-7:00pm – Interior Design’s HiP HiP Hooray Celebration
Wednesday, June 17
7:00-8:55am – BIFMA Annual Membership Meeting
8:00-9:00am – Vinyl in Design: Solutions in Healthcare, an Association Event
9:00am – Keynote: Oana Stanescu
10:30am-Noon – IIDA Career Bootcamp
1:00-2:30pm – ASID Career Exchange
A complete list of speakers, exhibits, seminars and special attractions can be found at www.neocon.com, but here are some highlights:
Keynote Speakers
Keynotes are free to attend for NeoCon 2015 attendees. However, seating is limited and registration is required (http://www.neocon.com/programming/keynotes). All keynotes will be held at Holiday Inn Mart Plaza, 14th Floor, Sauganash Ballroom.
>Monday, June 13, 8:00am Paul Scialla, sponsored By ASID. After 18 years on Wall Street, including 10 at Goldman Sachs as a partner, Paul Scialla’s interest in altruistic capitalism and sustainability led him to establish the International WELL Building Institute, which administers the WELL Building Standard® globally to improve human health and wellbeing through the built environment (www.WELLcertified.com). Since IWBI’s inception, Mr. Scialla has become a leading voice in the sustainability movement. In his presentation, Scialla will share emerging innovations and evidence-based research about how we can design buildings specifically to support the health and wellness of the people who live, work and learn in them. [K1]
>Tuesday, June 14, 8:00am David Rockwell, sponsored By Knoll and IIDA. David Rockwell, FAIA, is the founder and president of Rockwell Group, an interdisciplinary architecture and design firm based in New York with offices in Madrid and Shanghai. Rockwell Group merges architecture, theater, craftsmanship and technology to create narratives for its work, including hospitality, cultural institutions, offices, transportation, residential, set design, products, exhibitions and festivals. Immediately following the keynote, IIDA will host a book signing with Mr. Rockwell and his new book, “What If? The Architecture and Design of David Rockwell.” A limited number of books will be available for purchase at the book signing. [K2]
>Wednesday, June 15, 9:00am, Oana Stanescu, sponsored By AIA Chicago. Oana Stanescu is a partner of Family and has used her vast international experience to lead the office’s European projects. Prior to joining Family, she worked at a diverse array of award-winning offices around the world including Herzog and De Meuron, OMA and SANAA. She has also contributed to numerous architectural publications such as Domus, MARK and Abitare and co-taught a seminar at the Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation at Columbia University. She currently is involved in the +Pool project in New York, a Kickstarter-backed endeavor that involves installing a cross-shaped floating swimming pool in the East River, and has also worked with Kanye West on both tour sets and personal residential projects. [K3]
Association Forums and Special Events
>Saturday, June 11, 6:30pm-Midnight DIFFA/Chicago Believe 2016 Gala, The Illumination Ball, Chicago Marriot Downtown Magnificent Mile, Grand Ballroom. Industry leaders and design enthusiasts from around the world will come together at this multi-faceted black-tie event for a high energy evening of elegant dining, cocktails, dancing and powerful performances. A live auction and raffle benefits Chicago-area service agencies that provide assistance, education and outreach to those living with HIV/AIDS. For more information or tickets, please call 312.644.6412 or visit www.diffachicago.org/believe2016.
>Sunday, June 12, 10:00am-2:00pm Workshop: Understanding the WELL Building Standard, Merchandise Mart – 14th Floor, Room 1447. Hosted by USGBC-Illinois and NeoCon, this pre-conference workshop introduces the intent, key elements and requirements of the WELL Building Standard®. For those seeking to become WELL Accredited Professionals this workshop helps to prepare for the WELL AP exam. Instructor is Whitney Austin Grey, PhD of Delos in NYC. http://admin.usgbc-illinois.org/event-2184841
>Sunday, June 12, 1:00-2:30pm IIDA Annual Meeting, Museum of Contemporary Art, 220 E. Chicago Ave. IIDA invites current members and their guests to attend this meeting to honor the 2016-2018 International Board of Directors, the 2016 College of Fellows inductees, the recipients of the Star and Titan awards, and the Educator, Member, Student, and Chapters of the Year, and recognize the recipient of the Distinguished Leadership Award. VIP reception sponsored by Vitra to follow. Email RSVP: iidahq@iida.org by Friday, June 3.
>Sunday, June 12, 7:00-11:00pm IIDA COOL Awards Gala, The Ritz Carlton Chicago, 160 E. Pearson St. The annual IIDA NeoCon black-tie gala celebration is a special evening to honor the winners of two of the most prestigious competitions in the Interior Design profession – the 43rd Annual Interior Design Competition and the 24th Annual Will Ching Design Competition. RSVP: Email Aisha Williams at awilliams@iida.org or visit www.iida.org/content.cfm/iida-cool-gala
>Monday, June 13, 7:30am 2016 Best of NeoCon Award Winners’ Breakfast, The Renaissance Hotel, One West Wacker Dr. The Best of NeoCon 2016 winners will be announced among industry peers on the opening morning of NeoCon at Contract magazine’s annual Best of NeoCon Breakfast. The competition honors the best new commercial interiors products exhibited in The Mart during NeoCon. Honors include Gold and Silver Awards, as well as Innovation Awards, Editors’ Choice Awards, and one Best of Competition Award. Tickets may be purchased at www.contract-network.com until a week before the event.
>Monday, June 13, 11:30am-2:00pm ASID Illinois Neocon Luncheon, Pella Crafted Luxury Showroom, Merchandise Mart, Suite 100. ASID Illinois Chapter is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. Its annual NeoCon luncheon includes ASID updates as well as lunch and social time. RSVP required: http://asidillinois.com/news-events/events/neocon-luncheon-2/
>Monday, June 13, 3:00-4:00pm IIDA Salone Del Mobile, Milano 2017 Preview, IIDA Headquarters, Merchandise Mart, Suite 567. Presented by the Italian American Chamber of Commerce (IACC) Chicago Chapter, in collaboration with IIDA and AIA Chicago Chapter, the preview includes a presentation of Workplace 3.0/Salone Ufficio, “A Joyful Sense at Work.” RSVP: Email rsvp@iacc-chicago.com by June 6
>Monday, June 13, 5:00-7:00pm Showroom Parties, Floors 1, 3, 10 and 11. The momentum of NeoCon will be in full swing on Monday night. Showroom-hop to see new products, network, and wine and dine with colleagues and friends from the industry in select showrooms.
>Tuesday, June 13, 1:00pm ASID Interior Design Outlook and State of the Industry News Conference, Room 7B. The ASID research department will present a look at the state of the interior design industry through the lens of the factors in our environment – global, business, and culture – that affect the individual designer, and thus, the work that they ultimately produce.
>Tuesday, June 14, 3:00-5:00pm Booth Parties, 7th Floor. More cocktails, conversations and contacts await as the NeoCon energy and festivities continue on the 7th floor. Mix and mingle with A&D professionals while exploring hundreds of exhibitors from around the world.
>Tuesday, June 14, 5:00-7:00pm Interior Design’s HiP HiP Hooray Celebration, The Mart, South Drive. Celebrating the 2016 HiP winners and honorees, the festivities will feature a fiesta of Chicago food, drink and live music. Tickets available online at https://hiphiphooray2016.splashthat.com/ until 1:00pm on June 14 for $35; or at the dor for $40.
>Tuesday, June 14, 9:00am-7:00pm Guerrilla Truck Show @ NeoCon. The Mart, South Drive. Supported by Gensler and Skender; free admission. This is a satellite version of the ultra-popular emerging design event produced by Morlen Sinoway which ran in Chicago’s Fulton Market for 10 years. Morlen Sinoway will curate a selection of 10 up-and-comers showcasing prototype work and objects of design in the back of box trucks.
>Wednesday, June 15, 7:00-7:40am (breakfast) and 7:40-8:55am (meeting) BIFMA Annual Membership Meeting, Holiday Inn Mart Plaza; Wolf Point Ballroom (15th Floor). BIFMA members and invited guests are encouraged to attend the Association’s Annual Membership Meeting to hear the state-of-the-industry and state-of-the-association reports. For more information, contact BIFMA at (616) 285-3963 or visit www.bifma.org.
>Wednesday, June 15, 8:00-9:00am Vinyl in Design: Solutions in Healthcare, Holiday Inn Chicago Mart Plaza, Western Stage House – 14th Floor. This free event, which includes breakfast prior to the program, is presented by The Vinyl Institute to familiarize architects and designers with the wide range of design solutions vinyl products can provide in today’s healthcare environments. Attendees will earn .1 CEU credit through IDCEC upon completion. For more information, contact the Chemical Fabrics and Film Association at 216-241-7333 or cffa@chemicalfabricsandfilm.com
Student Activities
The Student Program at NeoCon is designed exclusively for interior design and architecture students. Students are also invited to register onsite for any one-hour CEU accredited program offered on Wednesday, June 15, at discounted a rate of $25, subject to availability. For more information, please visit www.neocon.com/programming/student-programs.
>Tuesday, June 14, 9:00am-5:00pm IIDA Student Design Charette (charette is 9:30am-3:00pm; presentations and judging 3:00-5:00pm), The Mart, Floor 2, Suite 228. Watch school-nominated IIDA Student Members from around the country team up and compete in this live, onsite competition. Students have less than six hours to develop a design solution, develop a presentation, and pitch their concept to a panel of esteemed judges. Winners will be announced at the winner’s reception on Wednesday, June 15 offsite.
>Tuesday, June 14, 1:45-4:00pm ASID Student Roadmap, The Mart, meet at the ASID Space located in the West Pass Through (Floor 1). Exclusively for ASID student members, this is a curated tour of NeoCon with professional designers. Students will meet with tour leaders and be guided to pick up badges, navigate the show floor, and meet with exhibitors. Space is limited. Register at www.eventbrite.com/e/asid-career-exchange-student-roadmap-neocon-tickets-24992861321
>Wednesday, June 15, 10:30am-Noon IIDA Career Bootcamp™ – Beyond the Degree: How to Build a Strong Foundation for Your Interior Design Career, The Mart, Floor 2, Suite 228. Recent graduates will learn from a panel of professionals the advice they would give their younger selves – from what firms are looking for in entry level designers and the trends that are driving industry hiring practices to how to score internships, build meaningful relationships with mentors, and wow potential employers with a resume and portfolio that will stand out from the crowd. [SP1]
>Wednesday, June 15, 1:00-2:30pm ASID Career Exchange, The Mart, Floor 2, Suite 228. Students and recent graduates are invited to connect with design professionals and industry representatives for one-on-one networking opportunities. Within 90 minutes, participants will engage in multiple 10-minute conversations with reviewers to learn about the interior design profession, or to receive a resume or portfolio critique. [SP2]
Educational Seminars
Seminar sessions are priced at $55 each, if pre-registered by Friday, June 10, or $65 each if registered on-site, subject to availability. All are being reviewed for continuing education accreditation for 0.1 CEU or 1 LU each. Some will also qualify for GBCI hours toward the LEED Credential Maintenance Program; LEU credits for the Lighting Certified professional; or EDAC CEU credit for healthcare designers. The complete schedule, available at http://neocon.martreg.com/?sem
http://neocon.com/programming/ceu-seminars, can be filtered online by topics of interest. Here is our selection of some of the courses offered:
>Monday, June 13, 9:30-10:30am Pushing to Wow! Building Trust for Bold Workplace Innovation. [Intermediate] Amy Manley, national director, workplace strategies at Jacobs in Philadelphia, and Ellen Keable, principal, workplace strategies at Jacobs in Buffalo, NY, will present a case study of a 300-person pilot for a health care solutions company that leveraged internal mobility, increased choice, improved technology, work setting variety, and clear zoning. They will share which work and furniture characteristics worked well and which did not, with tips on building trust, measuring success, and embracing a new approach to workplace change using design research, benchmarking, inspiration and employee engagement. [M100]
>Monday, June 13, 9:30-10:30am Higher Expectations for Higher Education – Designing for 21st Century Learning. [Basic] From CBT Architects in Boston, principals Paul Viccica and Christopher Hill with director of interior design Lois Goodell will explore non-traditional learning environments that are transforming the 21st century college campus. Using engaging case studies, they will address how changes in pedagogy, technology, and learning needs are augmenting space standards and the college campus; and will identify how space design, change management, technology and furniture solutions can define the new student experience. [M102]
>Monday, June 13, 9:30-10:30am Beyond Stereotypes: Getting Real About Different Generations in the Workplace. [Intermediate] We have a solid four – and increasingly five – generations in the workplace. Designers, consultants and media have labeled these groups with characteristics for the sake of discussion and planning. But how far do stereotypes get us? This intergenerational panel – Stephanie Douglass, director, workplace strategy at Teknion, Hartford, CT; Arnold Levin, principal, workplace strategy, at Smith Group JJR in Washington, DC; and Claudia Parra, design student at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY – will go beyond generalizations and “get real” about designing environments for a wide range of users. [M105]
>Monday, June 13, 11:00am-Noon Color Evolution: Changing Future Trends. [Intermediate] Leatrice Eiseman, the executive director of the Pantone Color Institute in Bainbridge Island, WA, will share some of the latest changes in color usage and trend direction based on the constant evolution of society. [M107]
>Monday, June 13, 11:00am-Noon The Free Range Workplace. [Intermediate] From Gensler’s Houston office, principal Dean Strombom and regional director of consulting Sven Govaars will explore the idea of quality of work and quality of life from the user-centered design perspective. Noting that only one in four U.S. workers are in optimal workplace environments, and less than half of them work in a place they feel proud, purposeful, and engaged, they will discuss 10 key design factors and enumerate ten “experience factors” that make a difference, humanizing the cost of real estate to create leverage for good workplace design. [M112]
>Monday, June 13, 1:00-2:00pm A Human Centered Design Partnership: Workplace Strategy and Lean. [Advanced] Workplace strategy and lean are different approaches to programming that share many concepts, but are often siloed in practice. From ZGF Architects in Seattle, Timothy Deak, workplace strategist; Harris Levitt, associate partner, interior designer; and Barbara Anderson, principal, propose that collaborating across these two paradigms strongly advances user-centered design. Based on their collective experience and knowledge, they will present an expanded view of design thinking, in which projects can combine both these approaches for great results. [M115]
>Monday, June 13, 1:00-2:00pm Do This, Not That: Daylighting Design Choices. [Intermediate] With the increased presence of glass facades, it is imperative to specify proper glare control devices. There is a lot to consider in shade cloth selection – immediate safety, long-term safety, cost, aesthetics and sustainability. Rachel Berman, sustainability program manager, and Susan Rieser, vice president, at MechoSystems in Long Island City, NY, will demonstrate the best paths for achieving optimal daylight in a space and how to leverage a textile’s solar optical properties as a tool. [M117]
>Monday, June 13, 1:00-2:00pm A CFO, a CIO, an FM, and a CHRO Walk Into an Office: Serious Workplace Impact. [Advanced] The CEO, CFO, CIO, CHRO and FM all value and view the office from different perspectives. According to Diane Levine, founder and managing partner, and Susan Wiener, managing partner, at Workplace Management Solutions in Long Beach, CA, inclusion of each of these visions is critical to creating a workplace that engages employees, saves money and increases productivity. They will share studies that show how actionable intelligence has surprised CEOs and created C-suite worthy stories that drove effective workplace change. [M119]
>Monday, June 13, 2:30-3:30pm Leveraging Neuroscience for Focus, Creativity and Learning. [Advanced] Jamie Flatt, principal with Page Southerland Page in Houston; Patrick McCarthy, architect with SmithGroupJJR in Washington, DC; and Nadia Borras Markovic, interior design director at Sordo Madaleno Arquitectos in Mexico City, will present results of a fascinating study that shows what amazing things we can do using design thinking methods and our understanding of neuroscience principals. They will show how to support focus through enabling better change management; how to facilitate creativity through an evolution of the existing corporate culture; and how to allow greater learning through a shift in organizational culture. [M121]
>Monday, June 13, 2:30-3:30pm Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (Drones) in Professional Design Practice. [Basic] Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) used in military applications and agriculture or infrastructure monitoring also have a place in design professions, according to Nathan Bicak, assistant professor of design, and Holly Cline, professor and department of design chair at Radford University in Radford, VA. They will show how piloting a UAV outside or inside a building allows designers to analyze a project from otherwise impossible angles and vantages, and how to integrate UAV footage with CAD and 3-D renderings. [M123]
>Monday, June 13, 2:30-3:30pm Integrative Design Team Using Evidence-Based Approach. [Intermediate] Following a case study, this seminar will examine the evidence-based design process from benchmarking and developing measurable goals to post-occupancy success. Presenters are Lisa Whited, chief transformation officer at Workplace Transformation Facilitation Inc. in Portland, ME, and Caren Martin, principal at Martin & Guerin Design Research in Minneapolis. [M124]
>Monday, June 13, 2:30-3:30pm Journey to Workplace Health and Wellness Through Design. [Intermediate] ASID research analyst Susan Chung, ASID CEO Randy Fiser, and Perkins+Will senior technical coordinator David Cordell will use the case study of ASID’s new office Washington, DC office to show the importance of design in occupant wellbeing. This design journey used real data to evaluate organizational behavior, applied LEED and WELL building design standards to create a healthy work environment, and followed the protocols that support a culture of wellness. [M126]
>Monday, June 13, 4:00-5:00pm Brand and Developing the Interior Design Story. [Advanced] Presented by Joan Blumenfield, firmwide design director for interiors at Perkins+Will in NYC; Keith Curtis, principal, branded environments at Perkins+Will in Atlanta; and Eileen Jones, principal at Perkins+Will in Chicago, this seminar will teach how to develop an overall brand strategy with clients that will be applicable across projects and markets. It will examine in detail the necessary collaboration between client and designer for producing vibrant, fresh, and highly branded spaces in a consistent and recognizable way that is a powerful representation of the company’s vision, mission and goals. [M128]
>Tuesday, June 14, 9:30-10:30am Insight Rooms: Bold New Executive Spaces for Visualization, Insight, and Faster Decisions. [Intermediate] Xavier Barrera, vice president, professional and technology services at Prysm in San Jose, CA, promises to challenge much of today’s thinking about in-room and virtual meeting collaboration with a new type of space called the Insight Room. From small team huddle rooms to the executive boardroom, critical business decisions are improved and even accelerated, and business workflows are being transformed and enhanced by these new corporate spaces. His presentation will list the constituent elements of an Insight Room and explain the phased approach to deploy it, including budget considerations and measures for return on investment. [T200]
>Tuesday, June 14, 9:30-10:30am Healing Gardens: The Role of Fabric for Shade and Seating. [Basic] Gina Wicker, director of A&D markets at Sunbrella in Glen Raven, NC, will discuss the benefits of incorporating performance fabrics into outdoor healing spaces in health care settings. Her presentation will focus on the history of healing gardens and the effect of fabric selection for both shade function and seat covering. [T201]
>Tuesday, June 14, 9:30-10:30am Embedded Lighting: The Future of Integrating Lighting into Architectural Materials. [Intermediate] Brad Koerner, venture manager – luminous patterns at Philips Lighting in Amsterdam, Netherlands, will talk about currently available embedded lighting technologies. These include conductive links, flexible electronics, digital fabrication, eco-friendly materials and other dynamic lighting options. [T204]
>Tuesday, June 14, 11:00am-Noon Generation Z and the Need for Legibility in Workplace Design. [Intermediate] As Generation Z – the kids of Gen Xers – enter the workforce, this seminar considers whether the complex, sometimes ambiguous planning models and spaces popularized by Gen Y will work for Gen Z. From Haworth in Holland, MI, senior research strategist Mike O’Neill and senior workplace strategist Anjell Karibian will share a planning approach that emphasizes the “legibility” of space. Legible offices offer understandable planning configurations, with inclusive spaces that clearly communicate their intended use to workers of different generations and abilities. [T207]
>Tuesday, June 14, 11:00am-Noon Design Thinking for Active Learning Environments. [Basic] Christopher Good and Brandon Thomas of One Workplace in Santa Clara, CA identify the parallels between the Design Thinking mindset and the Active Learning pedagogy. Attendees of this session will work with peers to experience Design Thinking in action, and see how it aligns with Common Core curriculum, the Maker Movement, Bloom’s Taxonomy, and more. The discussion will include the six modes of classroom design most impacted by the link between Design Thinking and Active Learning. [T209]
>Tuesday, June 14, 1:00-2:00pm Redefining Acoustical Privacy: A Game of Jenga. [Intermediate] Jennifer Nye, senior interior designer at Gensler in Philadelphia, and Victoria Cerami, CEO of Cerami & Associates in NYC, will discuss practical design solutions that address the need for acoustical/sound privacy in open offices. These solutions are based on four different modes of work – focus, learning, collaboration and socialization – as well as worker expectations around privacy. [T214]
>Tuesday, June 14, 1:00-2:00pm Office and Institutional Furniture Seating Standards. [Intermediate] David Panning, technical director at BIFMA in Grand Rapids, MI; Randy Ruster, senior manager, product codes and standards at Herman Miller in Zeeland, MI; and Teresa Bellingar, senior corporate ergonomist at Haworth in Holland, MI, will help attendees brush up on the array of seating standards and requirements for the various market segments in the office and institutional furniture industry. They will also talk about new developments in ergonomic seating considerations and the increased need for seating specific to health care. [T216]
>Tuesday, June 14, 1:00-2:00pm Beyond Beauty: What is Biophilic Design and Why Does It Matter? [Intermediate] David Gerson, senior director of Americas marketing global activation with Interface in LaGrange, GA; and Bill Browning, founder of Terrapin Bright Green in NYC, will show how biophilic design can improve the quality of life in commercial settings. The discussion will include its effect on absenteeism, productivity, and more, plus manufacturer, architect, end user, and strategy/research perspectives on the importance of employing biophilic design principles – enhancing the human experience with connection to life systems and patterns – in products and projects. [T217]
>Tuesday, June 14, 1:00-2:00pm White: The Mother of All Colors. [Basic] From Sherwin Williams in Schaumburg, IL, color marketing director Susan Wadden will explore the definition of white as a color and its appearance throughout history in art, architecture, nature, science and more. Discussion will include the psychological and physiological effects of white in various settings and circumstances, the application of white in interior and exterior spaces, and how to think about mixing shades, warm and cool tones, light sources, and light reflection. [T220]
>Tuesday, June 14, 2:30-3:30pm Weathering the Storm: Mental Health Aspects of Resilient Interior Design. [Intermediate] The mental health of individuals can be affected by crisis events, causing anxiety-related responses that could evolve into chronic or severe disorders. Jon Penndorf and David Cordell, senior associates at Perkins+Will in Washington, DC, will present new tools for assessing the types of stresses that a resilient design strategy can address. Their research aims to establish criteria for evaluating how these strategies can positively impact the mental health of building occupants by measuring several categories of stresses and stressors before, during and after crisis events. [T221]
>Tuesday, June 14, 2:30-3:30pm Blending Design Across Markets. [Intermediate] From SMRT Architects and Engineers in Portland, ME, principal and director of interior design Erin Anderson and interior designer Jeana Stewart will show how knowledge in multiple market sectors can give designers a distinct advantage. Experience in education, health care, corporate, or other markets leads to understanding of commonalities across sectors, and a practice or trend in one market can be leveraged to great effect in another. In addition to opportunities for design efficiencies across markets, the discussion will also cover examples of where universal designs don’t work. [T222]
>Tuesday, June 14, 2:30-3:30pm Major Rebranding Can Drive a Paradigm Shift: Law Firm Design. [Intermediate] From Perkins+Will in Washington, DC, design principal/associate Ken Wilson and interior designer Haley Nelson will present a case study demonstrating how a rebranding effort drove a significant paradigm shift in Nixon Peabody’s Washington, DC office. The new LEED-CI Platinum law firm underwent a process that addressed downsizing, transparency, collaboration, alternative work environments, active design, and more. [T224]
>Tuesday, June 14, 2:30-3:30pm Work Light Right: Ergonomic and Economic Benefits of Dual-Source Lighting. [Basic] Shane Cohen, global director, lighting, for Humanscale in NYC, will share the latest research on how dual-source lighting schemes can boost worker comfort and productivity while promoting energy and cost savings. The session will include detailed guidelines for optimizing lighting levels for maximum ergonomic, environmental, and economic benefits. [T225]
>Tuesday, June 14, 4:00-5:00pm Blurred Lines: How Experiential Design is Changing Our Understanding of Spaces. [Basic] IA Interior Architects environmental graphic designer Kevin Funkhouser will demonstrate how our experiences with devices are changing what we expect out of physical spaces, and what that means for design. For example, have you ever seen a child get confused when a TV doesn’t respond to touch? Or have you ever tried to hit “Ctrl+Z” in real life? This presentation will share how the latest innovations in architecture, interiors and graphics can work together to create cohesive experiences and modern environments that send (and respond to) the right messages. [T228]
>Tuesday, June 14, 4:00-5:00pm From a Mid-Century Modern School to a 21st Century Office. [Intermediate] This is a case study of CPS Garfield Park Offices – a successful transformation of an existing vacant 1960s elementary school, from an old building with cave-like corridors into a new contemporary workplace for Chicago Public Schools employees. Departments were organized into neighborhoods along a new circulation spine, and the building has become an urban center, a dynamic environment, bringing new life to the neighborhood. Presented by Rada Doytcheva, principal and head of design, and Doug Boldt, senior project architect, at RADA Architects in Chicago, with Jonathan Fine, architectural design manager for Chicago Public Schools. [T230]
>Tuesday, June 14, 4:00-5:00pm Integrating Collaboration and Conferencing Into Workplace Furnishings. [Intermediate] Today’s workplaces demand increased integration of technologies for conferencing, collaboration, and desktop functionality. Cable management, power distribution, and heat dissipation all are things that challenge smooth integration. Matthew Ezold, principal with Cerami in Philadelphia, will review the various kinds of technology to consider and go over best practices for their integration into workplace furnishings. [T233]
>Wednesday, June 15, 9:30-10:30am Innovation Rules: How Coworking is Shaping the Office Building of the Future. [Basic] Citing research that predicts that at least one million professionals will work in coworking facilities by 2020, Lori Geftic, founder of Designalytic in Washington, DC, will review the basic elements of this design concept, comparing the space plans, branding, and services of multiple coworking facilities. [W300]
>Wednesday, June 15, 9:30-10:30am Demystifying Workplace Technology. [Intermediate] Alan McGinty, senior director, global workplace innovation group at Cisco in Research Triangle Park, NC; and Mark Miller, workplace transformation practice leader at Cisco in Farmington, CT offer a non-technical look at technology, discussing the role of video, collaboration tools, mobility, wireless, analytics and “Internet of things” in the next generation workplace. They will present a case study of how Cisco is leveraging technology in its newest offices, and best practices and lessons learned so far in the recent transformation of the 20 million+ square feet of office space in its portfolio. [W305]
>Wednesday, June 15, 11:00am-Noon Designing for Workplace Health & Wellbeing and a Workplace Analytics. [Intermediate] CAPTIW is a workplace performance analytics tool developed by more than 40 industry and academic partners. It provides practitioners with free comprehensive analyses to promote evidence based practice. This seminar, presented by Young Lee and Matthew Schottenfeld of Innovative Workplace Institute in NYC and James Brewer, workplace consultant with Steelcase, will show how to use CAPTIW’s comprehensive list of workplace health and wellbeing indicators, and use the data to help inform design and plan decisions. [W307]
>Wednesday, June 15, 11:00am-Noon Getting the Right Flooring in the Right Place. [Intermediate] According to Lewis Migliore, president of LGM & Associates Technical Flooring Services in Dalton, GA, the biggest cause of flooring failures is installing the wrong product, or installing it in the wrong place. This seminar will help in determining what products will deliver the best service for each application. It will cover practical issues like substrate conditions and installation as well as new flooring materials – both soft and hard surface – that are available, along with their strengths and their challenges. [W309]
>Wednesday, June 15, 11:00am-Noon Jim, I’m a Designer, Not a Chemist: Navigating the World of Material Health for Designers. [Intermediate] Understanding material health nearly requires a PhD in chemistry. Designers navigate through increasingly daunting documents with overwhelming scientific language. G. Steven South, senior designer and senior associate at HLW International in NYC, will offer helpful tips in understanding – and communicating to colleagues and clients – material health resources including Material Safety and Data Sheets, Environmental Products Declarations, and Health Product Declarations. [W311]
>Wednesday, June 15, 11:00am-Noon Identity and Kinetic Lighting in Urban Revitalization. [Intermediate] From RADA Architects in Chicago, principal and head of design Rada Doytcheva and principal Aram Garbooshian join Shanna Olson, senior lighting designer at KJWW Engineering Consultants in Chicago, to discuss the role of kinetic lighting and identity/rebranding for existing buildings in an urban environment. Presenting the multiple award-winning example of 400 East Randolph, a high rise residential building in the Lakeshore East area of Chicago, their talk will cover several renovations that occurred across many years, and how lighting strategies and implementations directly contributed to the success of the projects. [W312]
>Wednesday, June 15, 11:00am-Noon Dispelling Misconceptions to Enrich Design [Intermediate] Dr. Sally Augustin, principal of Design With Science in LaGrange Park, IL, will share ten powerful and influential cognitive-science related misconceptions about good design. For example, she will discuss whether designing spaces that we would like to work in is always a good approach; or consider the idea that not every space should make positive moods more likely. Her presentation will help attendees to better understand the cognitive science underlying mental performance and the nuance involved in creating space for productivity and wellbeing. [W313]
>Wednesday, June 15, 1:00-2:00pm Resimercial: The Multi-Market Appeal of Amenity Spaces. [Intermediate] In a competitive leasing market, building owners and developers tasked with creating properties to attract and retain tenants recognize that amenities are not just for the hospitality market. From FitzGerald Associates Architects in Chicago, senior designer and project manager Steve McFadden, interior designer Jess Ultreras, and architect Erik Lehy will show how both commercial and multi-family properties are incorporating amenity spaces with a customized solution as part of a larger repositioning strategy addressing marketability, tenant attraction and retention, investor attraction, technology, demographics, lifestyle and wellness trends. [W315]
>Wednesday, June 15, 1:00-2:00pm The Most Important Skill They Didn’t Teach You in Design School. [Basic] No school can prepare interior designers for the chaotic work environment that awaits them when they land their first job. But, as explained by Matt Spaulding, president of Spaulding Communications in Decatur, GA, designers who possess “power communication” skills will excel in a world where ambiguity and confusion reign. His presentation will address the pull of multiple technologies, virtual workforces, demanding clients and other difficult factors; and how effective listening skills, better leadership presence, and precision with words can help a designer’s career, firm and project outcomes. [W318]
>Wednesday, June 15, 1:00-2:00pm Post-Occupancy Evaluation. [Basic] Post occupancy evaluation (POE) is a tool used to determine the users’ satisfaction of a building after its completion. From Ball State University in Muncie, IN, interior design program director Reza Ahmadi and architect Charles Ellis will show how to conduct these studies and use areas of dissatisfaction to best advantage. As a case study, results of a POE conducted in 2015 on a university academic building revealed a major communication gap between the architectural/interior design firm and the end users. This presentation evaluates what happened and considers how to use this information to inform upcoming projects. [W320]
Tours
NeoCon’s popular guided tour of the Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio in Oak Park has reached capacity. For information on public tours and tickets visit www.flwright.org or call 312-994-4000.