Plenty on show at Neocon


Bisley’s Scott Davis visits Chicago’s Neocon, and reports on the latest trends on show


Edited by: Cathy Hayward

Neocon, in Chicago’s Merchandise Mart Expo Center, is the largest trade show for commercial interiors in the world. With nearly 93,000 sq m of exhibition space, three floors of showrooms and another of temporary exhibitors, the show launches thousands of new products every year from more than 500 companies in sectors such as healthcare, hospitality, retail, education, public spaces as well as the workplace. A wide range of specification needs are catered to, including building products, contract accessories, floor coverings, furniture, lighting, outdoor products, technology, textiles, tile, stone and other surfaces and wall coverings.

This June more than 53,000 attendees (up six per cent on last year) descended on the show to learn what styles, aesthetics and finishes are in store for us over the next 18 months. Uniquely among most trade shows, many of the showrooms are open for business all year round and Neocon is the moment when they all have a spruce up and display a greater range of products. All the big players are there from Herman Miller, Steelcase and Haworth to Knoll, Okamura, GunLocke (part of HNI, represented in the UK by By Bailey), Vitra, Senator and Boss Design.

Whatever your requirement as a business, from the start-up to the established corporation, one over-arching theme is applicable to everyone – the unstoppable rise of the influence of co-working, which was evident in the vast array of styles and working solutions to meet all requirements. The plethora of choice, coupled with the freedom and innovation that new ways of working represent, are exciting. This could be the year that the cubicle leaves North America – well let’s hope so anyway.

KEY TRENDS
Wood – death to the white laminate table? Wood has historically been the finish of choice in North America. But has been notably limited in recent years. It was back with a bang in 2016, and was by far the most popular material at the show, from desks and tables (obviously!), to storage, chairs and back panels. Even wooden doors and wood-effect vinyl were applied to steel storage products to give the illusion of wooden products.

Biophilia: A trend also strong in Milan this year continued in the halls of the Mart, with attempts to bring the outside inside with ‘greenery’ everywhere. Planters were used as room dividers and meeting table decoration, there were desk-end herb gardens, and plant ‘paintings’ were hanging from walls. Nature covered entire walls in a few showrooms, including Coalesse and Andreu World.

Soft to touch: Vinyl covered soft seating made entirely of polyurethane foam, without a metal or wooden support frame, was popular throughout the show. This material was also incorporated into cupboard doors in some instances, aiding acoustic absorption.

Rocking furniture: Rocking furniture – supporting flexibility and freedom of movement – came in the form of stools, perfect for short-term, active sitting.

Sit-stand: The sit-stand option is well and truly here to stay and is now a mainstream option, with height-adjustable furniture present on most stands using a variety of technology and mechanisms. The original pioneer of movement, Humanscale, still exhibits the most finesse in the form of Float, Quick Stand and the recent addition, QuickStand Lite, which was awarded the Gold in Contract Names 2016 Best of Neocon Technology Support.

Technology: Integration of power into storage, desks, pedestals, soft seating and lockers was evident, as manufacturers realise that they are as susceptible to the disruption of tech as any other industry. The M/Connect from Humanscale was a good example of a powered monitor arm, providing as it does universal connectivity with a small footprint, concealing IT connections and cords with its unique cable management system.

There were also examples of new uses for furniture including IdeaPaint, the creator of the dry-erase paint category, introduced three mobile dry erase products designed in partnership with Primo Orpilla of O+A. Pivot is a whiteboard that converts to a standing-height table with the press of a button, Hive is a dry-erase board while Think Tank is a customised ‘Happier Camper’ with writable surfaces both inside and out. In the ‘Why didn’t we think of this before?’ category, Nucraft and HON exhibited a fridge integrated into storage cabinets, perfect for meeting rooms.

There were very few exhibitors that didn’t offer a full range of office furniture: the days of specialising in one particular area such as storage or seating are long gone. This of course impacts the way manufacturers will evolve from being product-led to being market-led. The major ones have largely made the shift. It should be good news for the sector, with healthy competition leading to greater innovation.








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