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In this issue… A24 translates the eerie “Backrooms” internet myth into a practical, physical horror set and story. Developers face a renewed construction-cost surge as materials, fuel, and trade pressures threaten project feasibility. Downtown Atlanta’s billion-dollar reset pushes mixed-use revival, but high office vacancy and safety/housing gaps keep tenants cautious. Office vacancy ticks down as teardowns and conversions outpace new builds, yet demand remains soft amid economic uncertainty and AI job fears. Architecture firms accelerate mergers to solve succession, build scale, and adapt to tech and market volatility. NYC’s top-tier offices move toward $300+ per square foot rents as tenants pay for premium light, views, and amenities amid scarce supply. JLL flags that flex workspace can help—until it exceeds ~17% of rentable area and raises financing risk. Southern metros strengthen as small-business hubs thanks to growth, taxes, and coworking. CRE sales fall sharply as borrowing costs rise and refinancing cliffs loom. Actiu debuts a warm, Mediterranean, human-centered Barcelona showroom concept. The U.S. office furniture market is projected to grow steadily through 2031, driven by hybrid work, replacements, ergonomics, and sustainability. Product highlights include mobile wellness/focus pods from Nook USA, Three H’s wall-free workplace zoning system, and J+J Flooring’s watercolor-inspired Color Wash carpet tiles. Top headlines include leadership and expansion moves at McCoy Rockford, scrutiny over ICE office-expansion furniture contracting, and Actiu’s wellness-focused furniture push into the U.S. market at NeoCon 2026. Workspace notes cover compute constraints slowing AI-driven layoffs and research showing frontline workers feel pressured to cut corners without better tools, training, and support.
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By the Numbers
U.S. jobless claims rose slightly, with initial filings increasing by 5,000 to 215,000 for the week ending May 23, while continuing claims climbed 15,000 to 1.786 million, indicating modest labor market strain despite relatively low layoffs. The rise reflects challenges for young workers and recent graduates, as well as broader economic pressures from geopolitical tensions and higher commodity prices, with the unemployment rate holding steady around 4.3 % in May. |
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The U.S. office furniture market is projected to grow from $16.47 billion in 2026 to $20.94 billion by 2031, driven by a 4.92% CAGR, with strong demand for replacement and ergonomic furniture as companies adapt to hybrid work, flexible layouts, and sustainability requirements, while digital buying channels and tax incentives like Section 179 further boost purchasing. Rising material costs and indoor‑air‑quality standards also shape buying decisions, encouraging manufacturers to offer certified, low‑emission, and recyclable products.
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“Across seven presidential administrations, we have had no role in policy or political decisions.”
-Brent Matthews, President of Price Modern |
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Baltimore-based Haworth contract furniture dealer Price Modern has emerged as one of the largest beneficiaries of the federal government’s ongoing expansion of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office infrastructure, receiving $95.7 million in federal contract obligations across fiscal years 2025 and 2026, according to a review of federal spending records by Project Salt Box.
Nearly half of that total — approximately $48.9 million — was tied directly to ICE office expansion efforts funded through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the reconciliation package that financed a significant buildout of immigration enforcement operations. The spending covered office furniture, workplace design, installation services, storage, and related workplace support functions across 56 performance locations spanning 27 states and Puerto Rico.
Among the firms identified in the review, Price Modern accounted for the overwhelming majority of the ICE-related office fit-out work. Another Baltimore-area interiors company, MOI, received approximately $287,570 in related obligations, while vendors located in Virginia, Florida, Arizona, and Illinois collectively accounted for less than one percent of the spending reviewed. According to Project Salt Box, Baltimore-based vendors represented 99.4 percent of the ICE expansion-related furniture and workplace services obligations examined.
The largest awards awarded to Price Modern were two task orders totaling roughly $40.2 million under an existing federal purchasing agreement. Award descriptions linked the purchases to workspace needs for Enforcement and Removal Operations personnel hired under the reconciliation legislation. Baltimore was listed as the largest place of performance, accounting for $42.5 million across 92 award actions, although federal procurement records note that listed locations often reflect administrative or logistical functions rather than the final destination of furniture installations.
Price Modern’s role in the ICE expansion effort has drawn local attention in recent months. Earlier this year, the Baltimore Sun reported that community members contacted the company after it signed a $25.8 million agreement to furnish ICE facilities nationwide. Company President Brent Matthews told the newspaper that Price Modern has supplied the federal government for approximately four decades and that federal work accounts for about half of the firm’s annual revenue. Matthews emphasized that the company serves government agencies regardless of administration and does not participate in policy decisions.
Federal procurement data reviewed by Project Salt Box indicates that the Department of Homeland Security represents Price Modern’s largest federal customer, accounting for approximately 86 percent of the firm’s federal obligations since 2008. ICE-related work alone accounts for roughly $45 million of that total. Other notable federal customers include the Department of Transportation, Department of Defense, and Executive Office of the President.
The office furniture contracts are part of a broader expansion of ICE’s operational footprint. Project Salt Box reports that the agency has recently pursued additional office leases, law enforcement workspace, flexible office arrangements, and co-working facilities across multiple markets. The Associated Press reported in April that ICE added approximately 12,000 new officers and special agents earlier this year, fueling demand for new workplace infrastructure.
For the contract furnishings industry, the spending highlights the often-overlooked role furniture dealers and workplace service providers play in supporting large-scale federal initiatives. While the political debate surrounding immigration enforcement continues, the federal government’s investment in office infrastructure has translated into tens of millions of dollars in opportunities for commercial interiors firms, with Price Modern capturing the lion’s share of the latest expansion effort. |
|  www.projectsaltbox.com
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The architecture and design industry is entering a new era of consolidation as firms grapple with succession planning, economic uncertainty, artificial intelligence, and increasing competition. One of the latest examples came when global architecture giant Perkins&Will acquired New York workplace design firm A+I, a deal that began with what was supposed to be an internal ownership transition. A+I founders Brad Zizmor and Dag Folger were preparing to hand the firm over to a new generation of leaders when Perkins&Will CEO Phil Harrison reached out to discuss the firm’s future. Less than a year later, the acquisition was complete.
“In our profession, like almost all, there’s this oncoming transition to the way service industries are going to behave and operate,” Zizmor said. “They were able to de-risk a lot for us.” He added that the industry’s growing uncertainty is fueling consolidation. “I think it’s the potential volatility of the future. This is why you’re seeing a lot of consolidation in the industry. There’s sort of safety in numbers.”
The A+I deal is part of a broader wave of mergers and acquisitions sweeping through architecture and design. Perkins&Will completed four acquisitions last year, while CannonDesign has completed eight acquisitions over the past two years, including its largest-ever acquisition of Ennead Architects. According to the American Institute of Architects, 12 percent of commercial architecture firms are actively considering being acquired, double the percentage reported in a similar survey conducted in 2018. Private equity is also becoming a larger force, with acquisitions of architecture, engineering and construction firms increasing more than 30 percent in 2025.
For the contract furniture industry and A&D community, the trend could have significant implications. As architecture firms become larger and more geographically diverse, contract manufacturers may find themselves working with fewer but increasingly influential design organizations that control larger project portfolios. National and global firms often seek broader product standards, deeper manufacturer partnerships, expanded technology resources and greater consistency across multiple markets. At the same time, consolidation may create new opportunities for manufacturers capable of supporting enterprise-level relationships and delivering solutions across multiple sectors and regions.
“Private equity has come into the AEC space, and because of their presence, the pricing has increased,” Harrison said. As firms position themselves for an AI-driven future and aging founders look for succession solutions, industry observers expect the pace of consolidation to continue. For manufacturers, dealers and designers alike, the era of the independent boutique architecture practice may not be disappearing, but it is increasingly sharing the stage with larger organizations betting that scale is the best strategy for navigating what comes next. |
|  www.bisnow.com
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Industry Veteran Mike Luna Defines New Chapter for McCoy Rockford
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McCoy Rockford has named industry veteran Mike Luna as CEO, marking a significant leadership change as the Texas-based commercial interiors firm prepares for its next phase of growth. Luna, a Houston native and former owner of Steelcase dealer Texas Wilson, has a long history with the company, having first worked there as a high school student under founder Henry McCoy. He now serves as owner, chairman and CEO following the acquisition of McCoy Rockford in January 2025 by Luna and an investment group that includes Vince Foster, Bluestem Equity and Watt Matthews.
“This feels like a full circle moment,” Luna said. “From working here in high school to becoming a client during my tenure at Arthur Andersen to now serving as owner, chairman and CEO, the opportunity to return to McCoy Rockford is deeply fulfilling.” Luna said the company is entering a period of transformation, focused on investing in people, expanding capabilities and positioning itself for long-term success. “We’re building with intention, investing in our people and creating an organization dedicated to the future,” he said.
A major part of that future includes combining McCoy Rockford and Texas Wilson, a move that Luna said will create the largest commercial furniture dealership in Texas and one of Steelcase’s largest dealer partners in the country. The consolidation could have significant implications for the architecture and design community as well as manufacturers that rely on dealer networks to support projects across corporate, healthcare, education, life sciences and government markets. The company is also investing in a new 145,000-square-foot Houston headquarters and working showroom designed to demonstrate how evolving workplace strategies function in real-world settings. “It’s not just a showroom,” Luna said. “Our customers are learning to do more with less, and our new facility will resonate with these customers as the evolution of the workplace is taking shape.” |
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Actiu’s new Barcelona showroom, designed by Isern Serra, showcases a Mediterranean‑inspired space that blends technical office furniture with soft, human‑centred elements such as rugs, curtains, artwork and biophilic design. Centered around a kitchen that serves as a project workshop, the venue offers flexible areas for meetings, presentations and community interaction, all highlighted by warm materials, natural light and collaborative lighting solutions. The design continues Actiu’s partnership with Isern Serra, emphasizing wellbeing, clarity and a seamless integration of product displays within a welcoming, home‑like environment.
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|  www.interiordaily.com
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JLL warns that while flexible workspace can enhance office building performance and tenant appeal, it should not exceed roughly 17% of a building’s rentable area, as higher concentrations increase financing and valuation risks due to reliance on shorter‑term revenue. Investors still favor stable, long‑term leases, and excessive flex space may attract stricter scrutiny from lenders and buyers, potentially complicating financing and resale discussions.
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|  allwork.space
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JLL predicts that $300‑plus per square foot office rents will become the new norm in New York City as high‑quality, newly built or heavily renovated buildings attract tenants willing to pay premium rates for better light, views, and amenities. This trend is driven by limited supply at the top end, a shift toward using office space as a talent‑strategic asset, and increasing deal sizes, with tenants favoring expansions within existing premium locations rather than relocating. Consequently, areas such as Manhattan’s Park Avenue, Hudson Yards, the World Trade Center, and Midtown South are seeing heightened demand, reinforcing the market’s focus on quality over location and suggesting more high‑priced leases in the coming 12‑24 months.
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|  www.globest.com
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Office vacancy rates fell modestly as conversions and demolitions outpaced new construction, yet demand remains weak due to economic uncertainty and AI‑driven job concerns. While AI could boost productivity and eventually increase office space demand, current market conditions suggest limited new supply and a cautious outlook for the near term.
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|  www.bisnow.com
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Construction costs are sharply rising again due to a combination of geopolitical tensions, supply chain disruptions, and tariff impacts, with key materials like copper, aluminum, and lumber hitting near‑record levels and fuel prices climbing. This synchronized cost pressure threatens project viability, especially for marginal or speculative developments, while well‑capitalized developers and projects with strong demand may still move forward, but the industry is approaching a tipping point where higher inputs could increasingly halt or delay new construction.
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|  www.globest.com
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Southern metros like Miami and Austin are leading U.S. small‑business hubs, driven by low taxes, strong population growth, high business survival rates, and expanding coworking markets; mid‑size cities such as Charleston also rank high, while smaller metros like Boulder, Midland, Naples, and Cheyenne punch above their weight thanks to favorable economic conditions and flexible workspace ecosystems.
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|  allwork.space
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U.S. commercial real estate sales dropped 33% in April to $24.7 billion, with office, retail, and industrial transactions each falling 15‑20% year over year as higher borrowing costs and rising Treasury yields strained dealmaking. Despite the slowdown, average cap rates stayed stable, edging to 6.6% overall, while a looming $930 billion in loan maturities adds refinancing pressure and uncertainty to the market’s recovery outlook.
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|  allwork.space
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Downtown Atlanta is experiencing a major revitalization with billions invested in projects like the $5 billion Centennial Yards mixed‑use district and the rebranded CNN Center food hall, aiming to attract visitors, residents, and new office tenants. However, office vacancy remains high as older buildings, perceived safety concerns, and a lack of housing deter companies, prompting a shift toward smaller, innovative tenants and a longer‑term outlook that expects a more diverse, mixed‑use downtown environment over the next five to ten years.
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|  www.bisnow.com
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A24’s new horror film “The Backrooms” brings the internet’s iconic liminal space—a maze of yellowed walls, fluorescent lights, and endless carpet—into a physical set, following a 1993 story of a furniture store owner who discovers a portal to this unsettling realm. The film, directed by teenage filmmaker Kane Parsons, expands on the viral Backrooms mythos that originated from a 2010s 4chan post and has grown through YouTube series, fan fiction, and online lore.
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|  www.fastcompany.com
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Workers across the U.S. report high frustration due to unrealistic expectations, slow issue resolution, and lack of tools, with 88% experiencing frustration and over 25% feeling pressured to cut corners. They seek better pay, recognition, communication, and transparency, while companies can improve morale and performance by addressing feedback quickly, providing resources, and streamlining processes.
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|  allwork.space
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The shortage of computing power is currently the main barrier to large-scale layoffs in the office sector, as companies cannot fully leverage AI without sufficient compute resources. While AI adoption is expected to increase demand for data centers and eventually drive more layoffs, the high cost of compute and the need for additional infrastructure, power, and community support will slow this process, leading to a gradual impact on office demand over the next several years.
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|  www.bisnow.com
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Designing Comfort: Humanscale and Dr. Alan Hedge Explore the Future of Ergonomic Seating and Workplace Wellness
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Humanscale hosted a global, live‑streamed event exploring ergonomic seating and its impact on health, comfort, and workplace performance. Featuring Dr. Alan Hedge, the discussion highlighted how posture, movement, and workstation design affect cognition and wellbeing, emphasizing the need for adaptable, movement‑supporting environments in both office and hybrid work settings. Key ergonomic mistakes—such as improper monitor height and lack of lumbar support—were identified, and the importance of integrating ergonomics into overall workplace strategy was underscored.
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Nook USA introduces two mobile wellness pods—the Solo 76, a one‑person acoustic space for focused work, and the Sensory 76, a sensory retreat for self‑regulation. Both are 30 inches wide, equipped with locking casters for easy movement through standard doorways, and require no permanent installation. They feature autism‑friendly certifications, flexible designs for education, healthcare, and public settings, and include interactive elements like a wall panel and fiber‑optic carpet to create calming, adaptable environments.
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|  www.officing.com
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Three H’s Sutton is a modular zoning system for open‑plan workplaces that creates flexible, wall‑free zones—such as focus areas, collaboration spaces, and retreats—using benches, shelving, alcoves, planters, pergolas, and curtains. Developed by VP of Product Design Lee Fletcher and the product team, it adapts to varied work modes, integrates with the Harris locker system, and offers extensive finish options, enabling designers to shape intuitive, adaptable environments without permanent architecture.
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|  www.officing.com
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J+J Flooring launches the Color Wash carpet‑tile collection, inspired by watercolor textures and offered in two styles—Bold Brushlight and refined Tintwave—with 13 customizable colorways. The 18″ × 36″ tiles, made from 100 % Encore SD Nylon on Nexus backing (optional PVC‑free modular backing), are designed for high‑traffic commercial settings such as offices, hospitality, education, and healthcare, and can be used across carpet tile, broadloom, LVT, and textile composite flooring platforms.
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|  www.officing.com
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Hermès has transformed a DJ booth into a luxury design object, the Atelier Horizons Disque Jockey Club, blending high-end craftsmanship, mahogany, cowhide leather, and hidden Japanese turntables. Developed with DJ Prince Charles in Hermès’ Atelier Horizons, the piece merges club aesthetics with artisanal savoir‑faire, positioning the console as a symbolic, decorative object rather than a purely technical tool. It reflects a broader trend of fashion brands incorporating audio culture into luxury design, creating bespoke items that serve as status symbols and visual centerpieces in upscale interiors. The project’s commercial availability remains uncertain, emphasizing its role as a statement piece within contemporary luxury living.
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|  www.domusweb.it
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A limited-edition aluminium chair, “Close to Heart,” blends industrial material with a heart-shaped design, celebrating Muuto’s 20‑year anniversary and the partnership with Spacon; produced in Denmark, it embodies a balance of technical precision and emotional resonance, debuting at 3 Days of Design in June 2026.
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|  www.wallpaper.com
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Paco Martinez, a Mexican‑born architect living in Japan, designs a low‑tech, height‑adjustable workbench made from cypress, using simple U.S. 4×4‑sized members and no‑snag leveling casters. He teaches traditional Japanese hand‑tool techniques at his Patio Workshop studio in Saitama and offers classes and an Airbnb for participants. The design emphasizes easy manual height adjustment, lightweight construction, and adaptability for various woodworking tasks.
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|  www.core77.com
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Formarkivet’s Cubio coffee table stands out for its massive, raw‑aluminum construction that gives it an alien‑like appearance, achieved by meticulously hiding seams during fabrication. The piece is offered in both untreated and powder‑coated finishes, with various size options, and is priced around 15,000 KR (approximately $1,600 USD).
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|  www.core77.com
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A versatile outdoor version of the Koala chair, designed by Zaven, features durable construction, soft rope backrest, optional cushion, and compact dimensions (56 × 50 × 78 cm), reflecting S•CAB’s heritage of industrial design, sustainability, and in‑house metal manufacturing.
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|  www.stylepark.com
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NeoCon 2026 / DesignDays 2026
June 7-10, 2026 | Chicago, IL
NeoCon has served as the world’s leading platform and most important event of the year for the commercial design industry since 1969. A launch pad for innovation—NeoCon offers ideas and introductions that shape the built environment today and into the future. For 2026 NeoCon is introducing a special preview day on Sunday, June 7th, from 12-4 PM. All NeoCon attendees and exhibitors are invited to visit on Sunday.
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This year's NeoCon theme, "Where Design Connects," emphasizes innovation and resilience in the built environment. Keynote speakers include Jessica O. Matthews, who will discuss the personal impact on innovation; Nick Foster, who will challenge future assumptions; and David “Shingy” Shing, who will explore the evolving relationship between technology and design. Registration for the event opened on February 3, 2026, and the event will feature seven exhibition floors, highlighting a new focus on lighting through the "Illuminate at NeoCon" initiative.
Joining at the same time, in Fulton Market is DesignDays, a compatible show that now hosts more than half of the largest office furniture manufacturers. Hint: See both.
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NeoCon / DesignDays - Featured Showrooms
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Actiu Makes The Case That Well-Designed Furniture is A Workplace Wellness Strategy
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The corporate wellness industry generates billions of dollars in annual spending on apps, benefits platforms, and programming. Yet for most employees, the single longest interaction with their workplace is not a meditation session or a standing desk reminder. It is the accumulated experience of sitting, moving, focusing, and collaborating across an eight-hour day in a space that either supports that experience or quietly undermines it. Actiu, a Spanish contract furniture manufacturer with more than five decades of design and production expertise, has built its entire philosophy around that insight. The brand's guiding principle of Feel Good. Work Better., is not a tagline so much as a design brief. Every product the company develops, from task seating to acoustic solutions to collaborative workstations, is evaluated against the same question: Does this make the person using it feel better, and does that translate into better work?
The answer, Actiu argues, is measurable. The company's manufacturing campus in Castalla, Spain, holds both LEED Platinum and WELL Platinum certifications, placing it among a small number of facilities worldwide to achieve the highest tier of both environmental and human health building standards. The logic behind that investment is deliberate: a company that designs furniture for human well-being should be able to demonstrate what that commitment looks like at the operational level. Actiu is also a certified B-Corp, meaning its social and environmental performance is independently verified across the full scope of its business.
That philosophy shapes the product portfolio in specific, tangible ways. The Fluit side chair is made from 100% recycled fiberglass and polypropylene plastic, certified by Green World Compounding, which comes from fruit and vegetable crates from the area of Andalusia, an area known as the orchard of Europe. The TNK 500 Aurea task chair is engineered around full-body ergonomic response, with a synchronized mechanism that moves with the user rather than constraining them, reducing physical fatigue that accumulates throughout the workday. The Arkitek workstation system is designed to support the reality of contemporary work: deep focus, spontaneous collaboration, and the transitions between them, without requiring a furniture reconfiguration to accommodate a change in task. Across the collection, materiality, proportion, and detail are treated not as aesthetic choices but as functional ones.
The timing of Actiu's US market entry, marked by a debut at NeoCon 2026, reflects a broader shift in how North American organizations are thinking about their physical environments. Where wellness was once understood as a benefit layered on top of the workplace, leading organizations are beginning to treat the workplace itself as a wellness intervention. The specification choices made by architects, designers, and procurement teams, the chair, the acoustic panel, the quality of light, air, and surface, are now understood to carry real consequences for health, retention, performance, and culture.
Actiu enters the US market with a portfolio, credentials, and manufacturing depth to meet that demand. The company currently operates across more than 90 markets, bringing a body of project experience spanning commercial office, hospitality, healthcare, education, and public space environments.
Products will be available for direct experience at NeoCon 2026. Merchandise Mart, Floor 11, Suite 107. |
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Framery Unveils Gradus™ - Designed for Creative Freedom
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Framery is expanding its presence in the workplace privacy market with the launch of Gradus, a new line of smart office pods that marks the company’s first major platform introduction since pioneering the office pod category 16 years ago. Unveiled ahead of NeoCon 2026, Gradus is designed specifically for the U.S. and Canadian markets and will be assembled in Michigan, reflecting a broader strategy to localize production, reduce lead times, and minimize exposure to trade disruptions.
Named after the Latin word for “step,” Gradus introduces a more architectural design language than Framery’s signature pod collection. Featuring clean lines, minimalist forms, and a customizable exterior panel system, the new line is intended to either blend seamlessly into surrounding architecture or serve as a visual focal point. The collection includes three models: Gradus Focus, a single-person phone booth; Gradus Work, a workstation pod with an adjustable-height desk; and Gradus Huddle, a meeting pod designed for up to four people.
Like Framery’s existing products, the Gradus line incorporates smart workplace technology, including automatic occupancy sensing, adaptive ventilation, walk-in reservation management, daylight-inspired lighting, and Class A soundproofing. The pods also integrate with Framery’s workplace analytics platform, allowing organizations to track anonymized usage patterns and better allocate meeting and focus spaces across the office. According to the company, the system helps organizations reduce reliance on oversized conference rooms while increasing overall workplace efficiency.
Framery is also positioning Gradus as a long-term, sustainable alternative to fixed construction and disposable furniture. The pods feature fully modular construction with replaceable components designed for refurbishment and long service life. The company has published third-party verified Environmental Product Declarations for the entire line and recently earned an EcoVadis Gold Medal, placing it among the top-performing companies assessed for sustainability. The Gradus collection will make its public debut during NeoCon and will be available for specification beginning this month. |
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Nevers Returns to The Mart for NeoCon 2026
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Nevers Industries is heading back to NeoCon 2026 with more than just a new product lineup. The Minnesota-based office furniture manufacturer will use this year’s show to celebrate its 50th anniversary, marking five decades of American manufacturing while showcasing new workplace solutions and a redesigned digital experience. The company will exhibit in Showroom 1061 on the 10th Floor of The Mart during the annual contract furnishings event in Chicago.
Founded in 1976, Nevers Industries has built its reputation around domestically manufactured office furniture, emphasizing craftsmanship, customization, and durability. At NeoCon, attendees will get a first look at several new product introductions designed to address the changing needs of today’s workplace environments. The company said the new offerings continue its focus on thoughtful design, premium materials, and functional solutions for commercial interiors.
In addition to its product launches, Nevers Industries is unveiling a completely redesigned website featuring an upgraded product configurator. The new platform is designed to simplify the specification process for dealers, designers, and end users, making it easier to explore product options, customize solutions, and move projects from concept to order more efficiently.
“Returning to NeoCon during our 50th Anniversary year makes this event especially meaningful for our team,” said CEO Christopher Evenstad. To commemorate the milestone, Nevers Industries will host a 50th Anniversary toast on Monday, June 8, from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. in its showroom, where attendees can celebrate alongside industry partners, clients, and friends while enjoying Domaine Serene Evenstad Reserve Brut Sparkling Wine. The event underscores a significant achievement for a manufacturer that continues to champion American-made production at a time when domestic manufacturing remains a key differentiator in the contract furnishings industry. |
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Indiana Furniture Is Happy To Be Your Work Life Sidekick.
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Indiana Furniture is using NeoCon 2026 to showcase what it calls “intentional design,” highlighting workplace solutions designed to support people in real-world environments. Exhibiting in its Chicago Design Studio on the 10th floor of The Mart, the company will feature a range of new and expanded products aimed at helping organizations create adaptable, intuitive spaces for work, learning, collaboration, and social interaction.
Among the featured introductions is Script Lounge, a modular seating collection designed to balance privacy, comfort, and flexibility. The collection includes a variety of freestanding and modular configurations, multiple back heights, coordinating tables, and curved or linear layouts intended to support everything from focused individual work to informal collaboration. Indiana Furniture will also spotlight Workmate Tables, a lightweight, height-adjustable solution designed for lounge settings, classrooms, touchdown spaces, and other environments where mobility and flexibility are essential.
The showroom will also include a fully functioning Learning Center showcasing Spark Multi-Purpose Tables, a collection designed to support changing room layouts and group sizes through mobile, static, and flip-and-nest configurations. In addition, visitors will see Catalyst Media + Huddle Tables, developed for hybrid meetings and collaborative environments. The collection incorporates integrated technology support, privacy options, dry-erase surfaces, tackboards, and optional monitor mounts to help teams share information and work more effectively together.
Beyond product introductions, Indiana Furniture will demonstrate enhancements to its CET Designer Extension, with live demonstrations throughout the show and a dedicated session with Configura experts on June 8. The company will also host presentations on “The Power of Color,” exploring how color influences workplace experience and perception. “This year’s Design Studio reflects the Indiana Furniture brand—thoughtful, approachable, dependable, and built with personality,” said Mike Blessinger, vice president of sales and marketing. NeoCon 2026 takes place June 8-10 at The Mart, where Indiana Furniture will exhibit in Suite 1042. |
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Humanscale to Explore “Body. Planet. Materials.” at Fulton Market Design Days 2026 Featuring Diffrient Lounge, eFloat Quattro Studio, and M/Charge
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Humanscale will showcase its “Body. Planet. Materials.” exhibition at Fulton Market Design Days 2026, featuring the award‑winning Diffrient Lounge, the eFloat Quattro Studio meeting table, and the M/Charge magnetic wireless charger. The event highlights sustainable, human‑centered design, material transparency, and flexible work environments, with additional networking activations, and talks. Humanscale’s B Corp status underscores its commitment to health‑focused, environmentally responsible products.
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Loll Contract Presents Here and There During Fulton Market Design Days
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Loll Contract introduces its new “Here and There” collection at Fulton Market Design Days, reimagining classic outdoor furniture such as Adirondack chairs and the Leopold Bench with modern materials—100 % recyclable HDPE reinforced by powder‑coated steel or aluminum—and offering four color options. Inspired by Aldo Leopold’s environmental philosophy, the line includes benches, dining chairs, and tables designed for gardens, terraces, and public spaces, emphasizing sustainability, durability, and contemporary design.
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Find Heller at the Haworth Showroom at The Merchandise Mart During NeoCon 2026
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Heller, now part of the Haworth family, will showcase its refreshed MB Collection on the third floor of The Merchandise Mart (#312) at NeoCon 2026, featuring five new colors—Silver, Cookie, Terra Cotta, Olive, and Slate—and the re‑launch of the series originally designed by Mario Bellini. Made in the USA with recycled content, the collection includes the MB1 Lounge Chair, MB2 Sofa, and MB5 Table/Ottoman, all equipped with an integrated drainage system for outdoor use, making the modular, low‑profile seating suitable for residential, hospitality, and office spaces both indoors and on terraces or pool decks.
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HALCON Introduces FERRA at NeoCon 2026
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HALCON introduces FERRA, its first executive conference chair, designed in collaboration with Italian designer Mario Ferrarini. The chair combines modern sophistication, premium materials like fine leather and polished metal, and a balanced, ergonomic design featuring signature ribbon arms and intuitive movement. FERRA aims to elevate corporate meeting spaces with timeless elegance, refined comfort, and customizable options, reflecting both HALCON’s and Ferrarini’s design philosophies.
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Viccarbe Presents Missiva at The Merchandise Mart During NeoCon 2026
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Viccarbe will showcase its new Missiva collection at NeoCon 2026 on the 10th floor of the Merchandise Mart, featuring a modular, envelope‑stitched system that can transform a sofa into various seating pieces such as lounge chairs, benches, or poufs, with optional low tables and integrated power. Available in three lengths (75 cm, 150 cm, 200 cm) and customizable with or without backrests, armrests, leg finishes, and contrasting materials, Missiva is designed for flexible, collaborative environments across hospitality, workplace, cultural, and transitional spaces.
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Kettal to Present the Future of Workplace Environments at NeoCon 2026 Featuring The Eames Pavilion System, Shogun, U-Type, and Area
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Kettal will showcase its workplace solutions at NeoCon 2026, featuring the Eames Pavilion System, the modular Area collection, the new U‑Type chair, and the re‑introduced Shogun chair. The exhibition highlights flexible, human‑centered design that blends architecture, furniture, lighting, acoustics, and technology for adaptable office environments. A special conversation with Eames Demetrios will explore the lasting influence of Charles and Ray Eames on modern workplace design.
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Integra Seating to Unveil the Odyssey Collection Expanded at NeoCon 2026
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Integra Seating will debut the expanded Odyssey Collection at NeoCon 2026, adding new counter‑height and bar‑height stools, integrated tables, and a personal item shelf to create a versatile seating system for healthcare, education, workplace, and public environments, featuring Dymetrol suspension, replaceable upholstery, and a 1,200 lb load capacity.
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Ethnicraft at The Merchandise Mart for NeoCon
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The Ethnicraft showroom on the 3rd floor of The Merchandise Mart features a curated display of new product launches, highlighted by the Roan Lounge Chair, a modern reinterpretation of a 1930s design by Paul Poiret. The chair combines a solid wooden frame with a generous seat, offering clean lines, structured arms, and a compact, grounded look that suits both hospitality and residential settings, making it ideal for pairing and versatile placement.
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Coalesse Co.Lab at Fulton Market Design Days
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The Coalesse Co.Lab pop‑up at 811 W Fulton Market Street offers an immersive, interactive space where designers and visitors can explore innovative products and ideas from partners like Viccarbe, Tom Dixon, Moooi, Flos, and Extremis, fostering connection and creativity through bold materials, lighting, and acoustics. Open June 8‑10 with extended hours and a special Designer Co.nnections event on June 8, the lab invites attendees to engage with design luminaries, discuss ideas, and experience collaborative workplace concepts.
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MAGGIE XP Power Dock - Powering It All!
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The Maggie XP Power Dock, featured at NeoCon 2026, offers integrated Qi2 wireless charging, USB‑C and USB‑A ports, six AC outlets with 66 W Power Delivery, and daisy‑chain capability, providing versatile, clutter‑reducing power solutions for modern collaborative spaces such as offices, coworking areas, libraries, and schools.
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HBF + HBF Textiles Return to The Merchandise Mart for NeoCon 2026
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HBF and HBF Textiles are returning to NeoCon 2026 with a new exhibition called Chapters, showcasing a fresh showroom concept at The Merchandise Mart that blends workplace, hospitality, art, and materiality. The show features the Paint By Numbers textile collection by Liam Lee, inspired by paint‑by‑numbers kits, and the Rhine modular club collection by Ken Reinhard, highlighting versatile, handcrafted design for diverse commercial and public spaces.
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Designtex at Fulton Market Design Days
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Designtex will showcase new product launches, including the textured, velvet-surfaced Puffer available in four colorways, and the versatile Duo textile featuring striated yarns and 25 color combinations, at its Fulton Market showroom on the 5th floor, highlighting tactile innovation for hospitality and workplace applications.
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CF Stinson Brands To Unveil Three Textile Collections at NeoCon 2026
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CF Stinson will unveil three new textile collections—Fine Line, Flirtation, and Perfectly Imperfect—at NeoCon 2026, showcasing a range of patterns, textures, and colors across its brands Stinson, Arc‑Com, and Anzea, and debut a new third‑floor showroom that presents all three collections together. The collections blend geometric, botanical, and wabi‑sabi inspirations to deliver versatile designs suitable for healthcare, hospitality, education, workplace, and retail environments.
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J+J Flooring Returns to Design Days 2026 with New Collections, Matcha, and Trips to Milan
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J+J Flooring will showcase four new carpet‑tile collections—Echo, Zen Garden, View Making, and the new Kinetex Ume—at the Fulton Market Design Days from June 8‑10, featuring a free matcha bar and the chance to win two trips to Milan’s Salone del Mobile 2027, with entry available by visiting the showroom during the event. The showroom at 1101 West Fulton Market will serve as a hub for product exploration, networking, and complimentary refreshments, while additional details are available on the company’s and event websites.
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Trends in Commercial Projects
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A flexible office in Bochum, Germany, designed by Zeller & Moye for Pradtke GmbH, uses folding walls, cushions, and a green interior garden to create adaptable, light‑filled workspaces that support varied work styles and encourage movement.
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|  frameweb.com
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A compact Tokyo mixed‑use building on an 880‑sq‑ft site integrates shops, clinics, cafés, and maisonette residences across five floors, featuring a curved atrium, bouldering wall, slide, hammock net, and transom gardens that blend greenery with daylight. Generous 13‑ft floor‑to‑ceiling heights and a central structural grid create spacious interiors despite the high floor‑area ratio. The design emphasizes porous, vertically layered spaces, flexible commercial‑residential connections, and a harmonious relationship with the adjacent park and urban fabric.
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|  design-milk.com
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Soundharya Muthukrishnan, a Brooklyn‑based designer at Figma, focuses on community projects and balances her work with singing, photography, and homemade yoghurt. Her workspace features an Apple Studio Display, Magic Mouse and Keyboard, IKEA shelves, an Amazon desk, and a Porvata ergonomic chair. She displays a curated collection of books, art prints, and a gradient puzzle, and recently added a new monitor that greatly improves her bright room’s lighting. Creativity for her stems from consistent effort and simply showing up.
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|  www.workspaces.xyz
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The SIHOO Doro C300 Pro V2 has a TON of features and it comes in under $500 BUT is it any good? Let's get Ahnest!
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|  www.youtube.com
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HLW Announces Firm-Wide Leadership Promotions Across Global Offices
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Global architecture and design firm HLW has promoted seven leaders across its offices in New York, Los Angeles, Connecticut, and London, reinforcing the firm’s commitment to strengthening its design, project delivery, architecture, and digital practice capabilities.
Managing Partner Ed Shim said the promotions recognize individuals who embody HLW’s culture of innovation, collaboration, and client service while helping drive the firm’s future growth.
The promotions include Louise Sharp to Senior Principal in Los Angeles. A workplace design leader who joined HLW in 2010, Sharp has worked across the firm’s New York, London, Shanghai, and Los Angeles offices, leading projects for clients including Google, YouTube, Mattel, Belkin International, Procure Technologies, and Paul, Weiss.
Three employees were elevated to Principal. Johanna Devia, based in New York, has become a Principal after helping lead complex workplace and financial services projects and strengthening project management practices across the firm. Jeremiah Hancock, who leads HLW’s Connecticut studio and Media and Broadcast sector, was recognized for nearly two decades of experience in broadcast and workplace architecture, serving clients such as PGA Tour Studios, NBC Sports, CBS News, and Charter Communications. Ikue Sone, a licensed architect in both Japan and the United States, was also promoted to Principal and will continue leading HLW’s Architecture Studio in New York, overseeing projects for organizations including the United Nations, Disney, NBCUniversal, Rutgers University, and RXR.
Three additional leaders received director-level appointments. Stephanie Kotowski was named Delivery Director for HLW’s California studio in Los Angeles, where she will oversee technical delivery, permitting, and constructability efforts. Shelley Quinn was promoted to Design Director in London, bringing more than 15 years of international experience and a portfolio that includes Google, Grant Thornton UK, Wix, and Willis Towers Watson. In New York, Jeff Bailey was appointed Director of Digital Practice, recognizing his leadership in BIM, design technology, and digital innovation, including the development of firm-wide standards and tools that improve project coordination and efficiency.
The promotions reflect HLW’s continued investment in leadership development as the firm expands its expertise across workplace design, architecture, project delivery, media and broadcast facilities, and digital practice. |
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Artopex Maintains Its Canada’s Best Managed Companies Status for a 19th Consecutive Year
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Artopex has been recognized again as one of Canada’s Best Managed Companies, marking its 19th consecutive year in the program and its 12th year holding Platinum Club status. The distinction, presented by Deloitte Private, highlights the company’s strong strategy, organizational capabilities, culture, innovation, and financial performance. Celebrated at a gala in Toronto, the honor reflects Artopex’s long‑standing commitment to durable furniture design, local expertise, and trusted partnerships built over more than 46 years.
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HCM Expands in Southeast with New Office in Dallas, TX
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HCM has opened a new Dallas office at 4849 Greenville Avenue, led by Monica Robertson with support from senior leaders, to strengthen its presence in the Texas market and better serve multifamily, mixed‑use, senior, and affordable housing projects, leveraging local client partnerships and national resources.
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Arcadis receives multiple architecture and design industry recognitions
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Arcadis, a global leader in sustainable design and engineering, earned multiple recognitions in 2026, including being the second‑largest architecture firm in the U.S., ranking among the top global architecture firms, and being highlighted as a leading interior design firm in North America. The firm’s portfolio spans education, healthcare, commercial, and civic projects that deliver measurable sustainability, cost‑effectiveness, and community benefits. Leveraging multidisciplinary expertise, digital tools, and a commitment to net‑zero and climate‑adaptive solutions, Arcadis aims to strengthen its industry position through talent, technology, and collaborative partnerships, supporting resilient and innovative built environments worldwide.
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Ask Stephen: My New Boss Told Me to Hide Where I'm Going…Red Flag or Reality
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Stephen warns that a new employer’s request to keep its identity secret is unusual and may signal cultural or transparency issues; he advises evaluating the reasons, considering potential hidden motives, and proceeding with caution before accepting a role that starts with secrecy.
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| Read Ask Stephen > |
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Market Development Representative (Southeast Region)
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BRC is seeking a Market Development Representative (Southeast Region) to drive growth within a strategic alliance partner dealer channel, with an initial focus in the Orlando, FL market. This role focuses on building strong dealer relationships, identifying and developing opportunities, and supporting projects from early specification through order completion. Acting as a direct extension of BRC in the market, the MDR will partner with dealer sales and design teams to increase engagement, expand scope within active projects, and capture competitive opportunities, while ensuring a high level of responsiveness and execution throughout the sales process.
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| See Job Opening > |
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District Sales Manager - Atlanta
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OFS is seeking a District Sales manager to join our team in the Georgia area. As a District Sales Manager, your responsibilities would include business development, promotion, support, and training activities targeted towards designated Dealerships, A & D Firms and End Users in the Georgia market.
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| See Job Opening > |
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