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It’s that time of year again when tens of thousands of people descend upon Chicago’s Merchandise Mart like zebras to water after a year of commercial design drought: NeoCon 2017.

This will our 4th consecutive year covering NeoCon and with each passing year the show gets a bit easier to navigate which makes it a much more enjoyable experience.  With Office Snapshots primarily seeing office design project imagery, I have come to enjoy getting to experience new products first hand and then seeing them begin to show up into the projects on the site over the following 6 – 12 months.

Three of the themes that seemed apparent from last year’s show were versatility, privacy, and domesticity. That is that many of the products introduced were meant to create a varied office environment which improved privacy while making them more comfortable and home-like spaces for employees

You’ll likely see those trends continuing this year in addition to a couple others: modularity, acoustics, and warmth.

Many products are recreating spaces or features which used to be built into offices such as phone booths collaboration spaces. With open offices are everywhere, acoustics have become an important consideration, though they probably ought to have been from the start.  We’re also moving away from the hyper-raw materials like cement and metal and moving towards warmer and richer fabrics and materials.

With all that said, we’re looking forward to this year’s show and how you are too. We’ve put together a guide of some of the new products or enhancements we are excited about seeing in person. And to help you in your wanderings, it is separated by floor (3rd, 10th, 11th).

Have a happy NeoCon!

Herman Miller

3rd Floor – 321

Prospect

Designed by Richard Holbrook

Prospect is a portfolio of semicircular freestanding furniture designed to foster individual and team creativity in today’s workplaces and learning environments. Offering just the right amount of privacy, Prospect collaborative environments act as mission control for small to medium-sized teams replete with whiteboards and tackable surfaces—creating an ideal place for brainstorming, pinning, and visual thinking. The portfolio also includes solo and media environments so people can easily connect with their work and each other.

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ColourForm Sofa Group

Designed by Scholten & Baijings

The ColourForm Sofa Group is the perfect expression of its designers’ artistic process. Scholten and Baijings design and sculpt in pattern, texture, and color. They consider the play of light and shadow on innovative new textiles, and the geometry of forms that comfortably host a variety of human behaviors. The result of all of that thinking is a collection that builds hospitable lounge landscapes from a vocabulary of pieces that support the way people want to work and live today. Each piece of the collection can stand alone or work together to build privacy or community, work, play, or rest in public or residential spaces.

Haworth

3rd Floor – 312

Chair2

Designed by Bakery Studio

Designed by Bakery Studio, the enveloping structure of Chair 2 feels like an embrace. Revisiting classic linear forms with a juxtaposition of fine woods and iron tubes, Chair 2 has matte finishing in epoxy powder coating. The seat is made of multi-layered birch on a double tubular structure that double-crosses on the backrest and intertwines dynamically down the legs. The legs are made of solid ash on the front and metal on the back.

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Poppy Lounge

Designed by Patricia Urquiola and Haworth Design Studio

Poppy lounge provides comfortable seating at work, on the go and at home; complementing collaborative spaces, huddle or phone rooms, casual conference rooms, waiting areas, hospitality spaces and home offices. Users experience a plush, yet supportive, seat without constraints or restrictions. Curved lines and upholstery stitching invoke the craftsmanship and feel of residential furniture. Two bases, three wood finishes and the option to have contrasting fabric on the seat offer almost unlimited aesthetic options.

Davis Furniture

3rd Floor – 1-115

Weda – Designed by Daniel Wehrli

This elegant solid wood bench collection is sophistication mixed with just the right amount of whimsical. It is distinctly linear with gentle angles which slope together with old world craftsmanship at every joint. The upholstery is precise and geometric with a soft cushioned seat and backrest that entices from first glance. Weda’s design is minimal but comfortable, with an entirely unique look for the modern office, lobbies, hotels, and university settings. Each solid wood piece is as crafted by wood artisans to leave a lasting impression of timeless quality.

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Q6 – Designed by Jonathan Prestwich

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.

ICF

3rd Floor – 365

Mood Collection

Designed by Hans Thyge & Co.

Mood is based on an animated design that plays on subtle references to the human body. The beautifully shaped seat with its textured surface prevents you from sliding forward on the seat. A slight waterfall on the seat edge creates an open angle between upper body and legs, thereby extending comfort over longer periods. And a distinctive backrest gently meets your lumbar to ensure that you are sitting in an upright posture.

The Mood chair series consists of six models, each with their own functionalities, yet which still fit into the collection as a whole. The many models, choices of shell colors and upholstery combinations make Mood an extremely versatile chair that allows for a variety of design expressions.

Unika Vaev

3rd Floor – 365

ecoustic® Intersect

Designed by Alexander Lotersztain

Designed by the Argentinian born Australian designer Alexander Lotersztain for Instyle, ecoustic® Float is a clever small-scale intersecting baffle system and ecoustic® Intersect is a stunning sculptural partition system. ecoustic® Intersect enhances visual and acoustic privacy in any interior space. The versatile and lightweight partition system is available in five colorways. Oriented either horizontally or vertically, ecoustic® Intersect can be arranged individually or in combination to create commanding patterns where privacy issues require consideration.

Boss Design

3rd Floor – 359

Myriad

Myriad by Boss Design is a new and diverse range of upholstered modular furniture. Flexible and reconfigurable, this collection provides specifiers and designers with infinite layout configurations. Complete with eleven linkable seating units, three privacy screens, and side tables and arms that accommodate power, a series of modules can be created and combined to suit any shape. Together with an infinite choice of fabric configurations and vibrant leg finishes, Myriad guarantees to revive any interior space.

Arcadia

3rd Floor – 340

Delen Meeting Tables

Designed by Ramsey Madsen and Jim Contois

Wood and metal elements combine to create eye-catching details that set Delen apart from the rest. Its casual setting naturally evokes sharing, collaborating and engaging, while a variety of heights and sizes ensures meetings of all styles can be enjoyed en masse, and with untold purpose.

Encore

3rd Floor – 336

Melina Collection

Designed by Wiesner Hager

With a nod to mid-century modern design, the Melina collection of guest, conference and lounge seating is characterized by elegant, clean lines and well-crafted details that elevate the ambiance of any interior. Its striking angular form is softened by tailored upholstery and complemented by finishes that add refinement and balance, while accompanying meeting an occasional tables round out the series and add continuity throughout the line.

Humanscale

3rd Floor – 351

Infinity

Designed for the modern, active workstation, Infinity is a new LED task light from Humanscale that responds to evolving tasks and needs. This Red Dot Product Design winner offers exceptional flexibility and high quality, energy efficient light. Its constant torque axis ‘forever hinge’ allows for seamless adjustment, so the user can easily re-position the light to accommodate varying needs and comfort levels throughout the day.

Coalesse

10th Floor – 1032

Enea Café Stool

The latest addition to the Enea range is a new café stool with a unique four-leg wood base. Comfortable and functional, the Enea Café Stool offers designers an expanded selection of styles and aesthetics for the contract market. With a minimalist and refined design, Enea can be easily integrated into a variety of interiors for a contemporary refresh.

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Montara650 Lounge Seat

Infused with comfort and craft, Montara650 fills workspaces with café-style character and creates an ideal solution for informal meetings. As an updated alternative for casual conversation, the new, light in scale lounge seating enhances opportunities for productive, efficient collaboration in a comfortable environment. The collection’s capacity for customization through various options, surface materials and upholstery makes it a versatile and inspired social solution for today’s workplace.

Buzzispace

10th Floor – 10-111

BuzziFloat

Designed by Alain Giles

BuzziFloat is an intentionally simple design that blends into its surroundings. This transparent chair is engineered to feel spacious and airy and has a strong graphic personality. BuzziFloat is offered in multiple finishes: non-upholstered or upholstered with an elegantly cushioned seat and backrest. Meeting all functional needs the chair is available with three base options, the bent plywood back support aligns perfectly with your tabletop.

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BuzziChandelier

Design by Sas Adriaenssens

Make a statement with your lighting by opting for the BuzziChandelier. A contemporary take on the classic chandelier. The perfect way to add atmosphere to your room with artful shadows and softened sounds. BuzziChandelier is an ideal design statement and acoustical solution for offices, restaurants, hotels, institutions, residences and more.

Watson

10th Floor – 10-155

Pin Mobile

The all-new Pin Mobile boards are perfect for creating both workspace privacy as well as space division within the Open Office. Used alone or in clusters, Pin Mobile provides an exciting combination of sleek, simple design, durable mobility and an exciting palette of sizes and finish options.

11th Floor

Koleksiyon

11th Floor – 11-132

Boccaporto

Designed by Metrica

Boccaporto is a combined seating and working unit, developed for open offices and public areas. In addition to the single seat, Boccaporto is available in two seat options. This unique seating collection also provides an isolated environment for personal or team work. Finally, Boccaporto offers the ability to create more private working environments in crowded places such as libraries, airports, etc.