Neocon at its 49th edition confirmed itself as an amazing hub of inspiration for solutions and trends: workplace design is becoming essential for attracting and retaining workers of the Gig economy, Millennials and Generation Z, new faces of this modern work style dominated by the “sharing culture”. Pleasant, warm and healthy interiors answer to the new co-officing, co-creation and collaboration norms.
Adaptive furnishings, privacy on demand, acoustic comfort and sound control, biophilic design and new technology for wireless charging device and immersive visualization experiences are inspiring the new workspace design.
Versatile, modular, reconfigurable, multi-use, highly adjustable products offer flexible and dynamic solutions enable the maximization of different workspace settings: from privacy when desired for one or two users, to collaborative work sessions or impromptu meeting areas.
Lighting, wall partitions, desking and seating, all the components can be reconfigured time and again offering virtually endless configuration options for inspiring and supporting the work, from formal to casual. Serpentine shapes, straight models, transitional units are the new geometries.
Floors, wall partitions, products in general are incorporating natural materials, nature views and other experiences of the natural world, drawn by the biophilic design trend.
“The office is unoffice” is the evocative proposal by West Elm, an home furniture brand based in New York expanding innovatively in the workplace solutions.
Neocon always deserves the trip especially this year with the celebration for 100 years of Florence Knoll, legendary and visionary designer, former President of Knoll and founder of KnollTextiles, and the master lecture from Antonio Citterio at the MCA in Chicago, considered one of the most important appointments in the Windy City, together with his month-long retrospective hosted at Luminaire.
Looking forward to see what the 50th Edition will be, it is better to book the trip on time!
Text by Silvia Fattore.
1. West Elm, Haus, design by Qdesign.
A private workstation, inspired by traditional architecture and first-class airline cabins, designed for individual and small group work. Clustered together, the three Haus configurations transform an open office into a dynamic village, a creative community landscape.
2. Buzzispace, BuzziPleat, design by 13&9Design.
Vnner of Best of Neocon 2017 Gold. Category: Acoustic Panel & Solutions.
BuzziPleat reinterprets ancient techniques used in fashion design, like smocking and pleating, to create large-scale, yet lightweight sculptural forms, made of sound-absorbing BuzziFelt. It combines the hanging acoustic pendants with a light source to marry sound control and illumination in one multi-purpose product.
3. Arper, Parentesit, design by Lievore Altherr Molina.
The bold, graphic forms are available in three shapes a circle, a square or an oval that can be further customized with the addition of a speaker or ambient light, to create a visual element that is as functional as it is modern. The collection is now complemented by the freestanding version, a modular stand alone system for concentration or quiet conversation in shared workspaces or collaborative environments.
4. Fluidconcepts & Design Inc., Orbit, Inline Systems.
Orbit workstations conform to how people actually work by providing single location access to a user’s work area in one continuous ergonomic circumference. They can be complete circular workstations or partial segments. Workstations can be linked in various configurations in snake like configurations, tangents, or as independent pods. Orbit can be specified in multiple diameters, radii and heights. Curved dividers are available in a variety of materials such as laminate, fabric, metal printed and acrylics. Circuit electrical and date system can be specified. The system offers installs extremely fast to create flexible and dynamic workstation environment.
5. Steelcase, Surround, design Steelcase Design Studio.
Winner of Best of Neocon 2017 Gold. Category: Healthcare Guest/ Lounge seating.
A collection of healthcare furnishings designed to support family members in healthcare environments. Surround with 3-seat sleepers, available in 2-seat and 1-seat options supports the family’s dynamic role and involvement, eases their burdens and fosters their wellbeing. Surround supports the activities and moments that matter most from rest and rejuvenation, to productivity, hosting guests and communicating with clinicians.
6. Davis, Q6, design by Jonathan Prestwich.
Winner of Best of Neocon 2017 Innovation. Category: Furniture Collections for Collaboration.
Inspired by how people work today, Jonathan Prestwich has created an all-inclusive line which addresses the need for different kinds of working spaces. Comprised of open seating, screens, benches, tables, and ottomans, Q6 provides a versatile line of stylish and highly functional pieces.
7. Snowsound USA (Caimi Brevetti), Snowsound Diesis, design by Alessandro Mendini, Francesco Mendini.
Winner of Best of Neocon 2017 Silver. Category: Acoustic Panels & Solutions.
Diesis is a sound-absorbing element with steel base and drapes based on Snowsound-Fiber technology. These pieces feature steel frames at the top that create the sound-absorbing drape, thus assuming precise rays and layers, designed to optimise acoustic performance. Diesis is available in both ceiling mounted or free-standing versions.
8.Interface, Global Change. Design by Kari Pei, Interface Lead Product Designer.
It is the most versatile collection to-date, pairing nature-inspired biophilic design with Interface’s modular flooring system expertise. The collection offers an integrated range of design options that can be composed in a custom-made design. It evokes foliage through artistic interpretation of tree and leaf shading patterns. Biophilic elements and references are also reflected in random patterns and fluid transitions inspired by textures found in nature.
9.Herman Miller, Prospect, design by Richard Holbrook.
Winner of Best of NeoCon Gold. Category Furniture for Collaboration.
Collaborative and individual creativity in today’s workplaces and learning environments need just the right amount of privacy, Prospect is mission control for individuals and small- to medium-sized teams replete with whiteboards, tackable surfaces, and media display. It’s an ideal place for brainstorming, pinning, and visual thinking that allows people to easily transition between working together and alone.
