NeoCon 2017

A stunning work of art that defies the conventional view of what form plywood can be bent into. Inspired by Origami and the fortune cookie, Po Shun Leong developed the Fortune Stool in 2008, and is celebrated and recognized by museums and private collections around the world. It is the result of several rounds of trial and error, with more than 10 separate manufacturers telling them that wood could not be bent the way they wanted it to be.

And yet, here we have a sensible seat that can be used in homes and commercial spaces alike. Its form provides practical function – the one-piece stool is durable and gives a little spring when you sit, while its firm base maintains a solid footing.

The originator and pioneer of E Paper technology and electrophoretic ink, E Ink was present at NeoCon with a display of their industry leading technology and products. On show was their architecture line that includes the interactive display technology – surfaces capable of changing colours and patterns depending on consumer behaviour. Check out the awesome video below to see what we’re talking about! Their writable boards serve a dual purpose; when not used for writing, the boards can be used to display messaging or adverts.

The product is based on PRISM, E Ink’s bistable ink technology in a film that can transform architectural materials into dynamic, one-of-a-kind experiences and designs. Unlike traditional paint, E Ink Prism can change the colour of a wall, ceiling panel, or entire room instantly, at the flip of a switch. But it doesn’t stop at colour! Programmable patterns and shapes can be integrated to create designs or carry out functions. Doors can indicate if a conference room is occupied, wall designs can respond to noise, temperature, or motion in the room. Whatever the idea, the opportunities are endless and only limited by a designer’s imagination.

On display at the show was Teknion’s innovative wall system, ALTOS – which bagged the prestigious NeoCon Gold in the architectural products category. ALTOS Landscape is a wall collection which is horizontally planned and complemented by a functional collection of wall-integrated furniture. This unique combination gives designers the opportunity to maximise the usable space in an environment through its modular design, and minimise the necessary cost of architectural product on the floor plate. The collection includes both height-adjustable and fixed-height desks, task lighting, storage options, a shelving program and significantly enhanced acoustic capabilities that maximise sound quality. We got to see integration in action through the ALTOS Desk, a height adjustable desk integrated into the wall system.

Literally translating to ‘House’ from German, the Haus collection takes the “make your office feel like home expression” to a whole new level.

Offering varying levels of configurations, privacy and acoustic comfort – Haus is a new take on what a workstation should look like, be it for focused or for collaborative work.

Manufacturers of German Milled Felt, FilzFelt presented their new acoustic wall systems this year – Scale & Just Fold it.

Scale – designed by Vanessa Busemann and Felix Zebi, is a three-dimensional modular acoustic system that you can play around and configure as you please, made possible through a slotted system of connections.

Just Fold is a flexible and lightweight desktop screen with individual faceted panels that fold together for easy transportation and storage. It was designed by Kutarq Studio in Valencia, Spain. The length of the screen can be adjusted by adding or subtracting the number of modules, making this design endlessly adaptable.

Herman Miller once again manages to grab our attention with a sneak peak at the upcoming Chromatography range – in partnership with Dutch Designers,  Stefan Scholten and Carole Baijings. The collection is the perfect expression of the designers’ artistic process. The designers make use of the textiles independently designed for Maharam, and yet they so beautifully come together, as well as share the themes of grids, transparency and layering. Colourform is a modular system with versatile colours, materials, and finishes to shape welcoming landscapes that enhance the way people live and work today.

Halcon’s meeting tables are simply eye candy for anyone with an inclination towards design – it should be of no surprise they won the Best of NeoCon 2017, in addition to the Gold Award for Conference Room Furniture, and an additional Gold Award for Height-adjustable Tables!

The Halo edge detail is truly worth admiring, while it’s subtle inclusion of electrics at the edge of the table make it ideal for an executive boardroom setting. As you can see it is available in a height-adjustable option as well – a bold step considering executive meetings are traditionally not held in that fashion.

We loved the new seating collection by Studio TK that provides flexibility in expression by offering a dual material selection. It allows designers to choose to upholster in a single colour, or two, or split the difference with a partially opaque knit base available in eleven different finishes. The urethane foam over steel results in a beautiful profile and allows for a posture fit for every occasion –  a low back chair for a relaxed or casual collaboration, or a high back that fits seamlessly into a lounge setting.

Among a sea of cookie-cutter displays of fabric colours and patterns, this exhibit had no problem grabbing our attention. CF Stinson, a leading resource for performance fabrics for workplace, healthcare, hospitality, and education interiors collaborated with Art of Board (AOB) – a brand known for spotting the beauty in discarded skateboards and upcycling them into one-of-a-kind, artisan tiles. CF Stinson introduced their four new lines at NeoCon – Chaos, Splice, Storyboard & Three360.

AOB sources it’s reclaimed wood from a network of 400 skate shops across the U.S. who participate in recycling broken/cracked and dilapidated decks from their customers. The fact that besides being sustainable, their basic materials are sourced through the skateboard community only adds to their product’s awesomeness.

Clarus – the market dominating manufacturer of premium quality glass boards was at NeoCon once again this year with their new go! Mobile glass board. If you thought writing on glass wasn’t cool, or thought nothing of it at all, this product will make you re-evaluate your opinion.

Their crystal clear glass lit with LEDs delivers a stunning modern aesthetic feel. Also worth noting their View Projection Glass – a finalist at the HiP awards technology category.