01.25.16 GIVING VOICE TO THOSE WHO CREATE WORKPLACE DESIGN & FURNISHINGS CITED: “BY ‘LIFE,’ WE MEAN A THING THAT CAN NOURISH ITSELF AND GROW AND DECAY.” —ARISTOTLE Pritzker Prize 2016: Social Commitment Rewarded The 2016 Pritzker Architectural Prize, widely recognized as the world’s highest design honor, is going to Alejandro Arevena of Santiago, Chile. Again this year, as it has done before in recent years, the Pritzker jury has passed over numerous starchitects, those who’ve produced design landmarks for prestigious clients, to single out an architect more notable for social and environ- mental concerns than for seductive form-making. FULL STORY ON PAGE 3… A Talent Show(Down) at the 2016 BIFMA 360° Leader- ship Conference It’s becoming undeniably clear that talent retention has reached a breaking point across many fields in the U.S. The 2016 BIFMA 360° Leadership Conference, “an annual intellectual feast for leaders in the contract furniture industry,” last week gathered leaders in the contract furniture industry together in Austin, TX, to provide some food for thought on the talent retention topic. And no surprise – Millennials are at the center of it. FULL STORY ON PAGE 12… Concurrents - Environmental Psychology: Active Design Leadership Designers, because of the knowledge they have and can ac- quire about human experience and performance in workplace environments, can and should actively lead the development of these spaces. Active design leadership regularly entails explain- ing to clients why workplaces they desire are not the ones where they should work – because of mismatches between the form of a place and the tasks to be accomplished there, the organi- zational and national culture of the people that will use it, etc. This leadership requires project-specific use-related information, knowledge of design options, an understanding of applicable peer-reviewed research – and the backbone to utilize all three. FULL STORY ON PAGE 20…
Transcript
01.25.16 GIVING VOICE TO THOSE WHO CREATE WORKPLACE DESIGN & FURNISHINGS
CITED:“BY ‘LIFE,’ WE MEAN A THING THAT CAN NOURISH ITSELF AND GROW AND DECAY.” —ARISTOTLE
Pritzker Prize 2016: Social Commitment Rewarded
The 2016 Pritzker Architectural Prize, widely recognized as the world’s highest design honor, is going to Alejandro Arevena of Santiago, Chile. Again this year, as it has done before in recent years, the Pritzker jury has passed over numerous starchitects, those who’ve produced design landmarks for prestigious clients, to single out an architect more notable for social and environ-mental concerns than for seductive form-making.
FULL STORY ON PAGE 3…
A Talent Show(Down) at the 2016 BIFMA 360° Leader-ship Conference
It’s becoming undeniably clear that talent retention has reached a breaking point across many fields in the U.S. The 2016 BIFMA 360° Leadership Conference, “an annual intellectual feast for leaders in the contract furniture industry,” last week gathered leaders in the contract furniture industry together in Austin, TX, to provide some food for thought on the talent retention topic. And no surprise – Millennials are at the center of it.
FULL STORY ON PAGE 12…
Concurrents - Environmental Psychology: Active Design Leadership
Designers, because of the knowledge they have and can ac-quire about human experience and performance in workplace environments, can and should actively lead the development of these spaces. Active design leadership regularly entails explain-ing to clients why workplaces they desire are not the ones where they should work – because of mismatches between the form of a place and the tasks to be accomplished there, the organi-zational and national culture of the people that will use it, etc. This leadership requires project-specific use-related information, knowledge of design options, an understanding of applicable peer-reviewed research – and the backbone to utilize all three.
FULL STORY ON PAGE 20…
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S I L I C A P R I N T S
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01.25.16 GIVING VOICE TO THOSE WHO CREATE WORKPLACE DESIGN & FURNISHINGS PAGE 3 OF 31
a&d
Alejandro Aravena (Photo by Cristobal Palma)
The 2016 Pritzker Architectural Prize, widely recognized as the world’s high-est design honor, is going to Alejandro Arevena of Santiago, Chile. “Who?” you may ask.
Again this year, as it has done before in recent years, the Pritzker jury has passed over numerous starchitects, those who’ve produced design land-marks for prestigious clients, to single out an architect more notable for social
and environmental concerns than for seductive form-making.
The Pritzker jury’s report spells out the criteria behind their choice of Mr. Arevena.
The 48-year-old Chilean, they write, “epitomizes the revival of a more socially engaged architect…his built work gives economic opportunity to the less privileged, mitigates the effects of natural disasters, reduces energy
Pritzker Prize 2016: Social Commitment Rewardedby John Morris Dixon
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a&dconsumption, and provides welcoming public space. Innovative and inspiring, he shows how architecture at its best can improve people’s lives.”
His structures tend, nevertheless, to have bold aesthetic appeal. But, as the Pritzker citation points out, even the most sculpturally dramatic ones incorporate environmentally efficient exterior walls, which enclose interiors featuring “convivial meeting places.” And Mr. Arevena has hardly been just tilling his own corner of the world. He has taught at Harvard, designed significant works in Mexico and Texas and is now completing a corporate of-fice building in China.
His personal image communicates his youth, relative to most recipients of such honors. In photos, he appears informally dressed, with his abundant dark hair in a spiky cut. In a brief video on the Pritzker site, he speaks (in Eng-lish) of buildings as the “nouns” where “verbs” take place.
Among his notable works are:>Several buildings at the Universi-
dad Catolica de Chile, Santiago: the school’s Mathematics School (1999), Medical School (2004), Siamese Towers classroom and office structure (2005) and Innovation Center (2014).
>Quinta Monroy housing, Iquique, Chile (2004): an innovative publicly funded project that provides “half a good house” for each of 100 families, with in-between spaces and infrastruc-ture to expand them to middle-class standards as their means allow.
>St. Edward’s University dormi-tories in Austin, TX (2008), accom-modating 300 students and campus amenities in a complex that presents rugged concrete walls to the outside world, and colorful and more transpar-ent ones facing interior courtyards.
>Housing development, Monter-rey, Mexico (2010): an “improved version” (in the architect’s words) of the Iquique housing in Chile, stacking duplex residences over ground-floor
Siamese Towers, 2005, San Joaquín Campus, Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile, University classrooms and offices (Photo by Cristobal Palma)
Mathematics School, 1999, Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile (Photo by Tadeuz Jalocha)
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a&dunits, again with adjoining space pre-pared for future expansion.
>Office and research structure for the Novartis pharmaceutical company in Shanghai (now nearing comple-tion), “designed,” said the Pritzker statement, “to accommodate different modes of work – individual, collective, formal and informal.”
>Metropolitan Promenade, Santiago (1997, on-going): a walking circuit around a steep, undeveloped ridge in Santiago, significantly expanding the city’s limited park offerings.
>Bicentennial Children’s Park, Santiago (2012): a four-acre active recreation area, with vegetable gar-dens among its amenities.
>”Chairless” for Vitra (2010): the absolutely minimal seating device, simply a strap around knees and back, for support when sitting on the floor.
Since 2001, Mr. Aravena has reinforced his social credentials as a founding partner of Elemental, a Santiago-based “do tank,” as op-posed to a “think tank,” which has executed a number of public-spirited projects, including some 2,500 units of low-income housing. Among its notable accomplishments are plans for the “sustainable reconstruction” of the Chilean city of Constitucion af-
ter its 2010 earthquake and tsunami. Working with community partici-pants, the group devised emergency housing and drew up evacuation plans for future emergencies. Among its proposals is the planting of forests along low-lying shorelines – judged to be more effective than con-structed barriers in blunting the force of waves and reducing damage to populated areas.
UC Innovation Center – Anacleto Angelini, 2014, San Joaquín Campus, Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile (Photo by Cristobal Palma)
UC Innovation Center – Anacleto Angelini, 2014, San Joaquín Campus, Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile (Photo by James Florio)
UC Innovation Center – Anacleto Angelini, 2014, San Joaquín Campus, Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile (Photo by Nina Vidic)
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St. Edward’s University Dorms, 2008, Austin, Texas, USA (Photo by Cristobal Palma)Novartis Office Building, 2015 (under construction), Shang-hai, China (Photo by ELEMENTAL)
Quinta Monroy Housing, 2004, Iquique, Chile (Photos by Cristobal Palma) — Left: “Half of a good house” financed with public money. Right: Middle-class standard achieved by the residents themselves.
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a&dPrize Precedents
The very first winner of the Pritzker, in 1979, was the American architect Philip Johnson, for whom “social” meant gatherings at New York’s Cen-tury Club or lunch at his permanently reserved table at the Four Seasons (magnificently designed, admittedly, by him). In succeeding years, most of the Pritzkers have also gone to architects best known for dramatic forms created for prestigious institutional clients – architects such as:
>Kevin Roche (1982), I.M.Pei (1983) and Frank Gehry (1989) of the United States
>James Stirling (1981)and Norman Foster (1999) of England
>Kenzo Tange (1987) and Tadao Ando (1995) of Japan
>Renzo Piano (1998) of ItalyAround the turn of the millennium,
several Pritzker laureates were rec-ognized for elegant work at distinctly smaller scales: Sverre Finn (1997) of Norway, Glenn Murcutt (2002) of Australia and Peter Zumthor (2009) of Switzerland. Bravura form-making
Quinta Monroy Housing, 2004, Iquique, Chile. Top: (Photo by Ludovic Dusuzean) — Interior of a “good house” financed with public money. Bottom: (Photo by Tadeuz Jalocha) — Middle-class standard achieved by the residents themselves.
Metropolitan Promenade, 1997 — ongoing, Santiago, Chile (Photo by ELEMENTAL)Metropolitan Promenade, 1997 — ongoing, Santiago, Chile (Photo by Guy Wenborne)
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made a comeback with selection of the first female Pritzker laureate, Zaha Hadid (2004) of England and of Thom Mayne (2005) from the U.S.
Environmental and social concerns have counted heavily in a couple of
other recent Pritzker choices:>Wang Shu of China (2012), known
for his imaginative use of existing structures and humble materials
>Shigeru Ban of Japan (2014), recognized for his several ingenious
disaster relief projects and his un-precedented use of cardboard as a structural material.
The 2015 award to Frei Otto, known mainly for virtuoso structural innova-tion, was essentially a catch-up award
Bicentennial Children’s Park, 2012, Santiago, Chile (Photo by Cristobal Palma)
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01.25.16 GIVING VOICE TO THOSE WHO CREATE WORKPLACE DESIGN & FURNISHINGS PAGE 9 OF 31
a&dto an architect-engineer whose fame had peaked decades earlier.
In this year’s choice of Mr. Arevena, the jury bypassed a number of starchi-tects now in the queue as possible recipients of the honor. Among the several widely recognized architects who haven’t yet made the cut are:
>Bjark Ingels (head of the Bjark Ingels Group, or BIG), of Copenhagen and New York, whose many projects include a variety of innovative housing developments in Denmark; the high sculptural 860,000-square-foot, VIA apartment complex nearing comple-tion in Manhattan; and the Google headquarters in California he is designing (with the English architect Thomas Heatherwick). With a change in planned occupancy, his design for Manhattan’s 2 World Trade Center is no longer certain to proceed.
>The partners of Snohetta, the Oslo and New York firm that has completed the Norwegian National Opera and Ballet on the Oslo waterfront and Sep-tember 11 Memorial Museum Pavilion at Ground Zero, plus a new central library and plaza in Calgary, a perform-ing arts center at Queen’s University in Ontario, and many other high profile cultural projects. Their expansion of San Francisco’s Museum of Modern Art is nearing completion.
>New York’s own Elizabeth Diller and Ricardo Scofidio, who recently completed the Broad Museum in Los Angeles, collaborated on New York’s High Line, and have under construc-tion a business school for Columbia University, an art museum for U.C. Berkeley, and a Museum of Image and Sound in Rio de Janeiro. In the design stage are three Manhattan projects: expansion of the Museum of Modern Art, the Culture Shed and a residential tower for New York’s Hudson Yards development.
Maybe the Pritzker jury wants to see how these firm’s choice current com-missions turn out.
Bicentennial Children’s Park, 2012, Santiago, Chile (Photo by Cristobal Palma)
Bicentennial Children’s Park, 2012, Santiago, Chile (Photo by Cristobal Palma)
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a&dThe award ceremony (every year at
a different location determined before the recipient is chosen) will take place on April 4 at the newly restored United Nations Headquarters in New York, the work of a team of late 1940s interna-tional stars, its overall design concept properly attributed to Pritzker winner Oscar Niemeyer of Brazil (1988).
Post-Tsunami Sustainable Reconstruction Plan of Constitución, 2010 - ongoing, Constitución, Chile (Photo by Felipe Diaz)
Post-Tsunami Sustainable Reconstruction Plan of Constitución, 2010 - ongoing, Constitución, Chile (Photo by ELEMENTAL)
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events
As industries across all spectrums take stock of the top challenges they’ll face in 2016 and in the foreseeable fu-ture, it’s becoming undeniably clear that talent retention has reached a critical point across many fields in the U.S.
Armed with a “Talent Show(Down)” theme, the 2016 BIFMA 360° Leadership Conference – “an annual intel-lectual feast for leaders in the contract furniture industry” – last week provided a couple of hundred of those leaders with some food for thought on the talent retention topic.
For this year’s conference, attendees headed to down-town Austin, TX, for a stay at the new JW Marriott hotel. While the weather in Austin faired on the chilly side by Texas standards, the trip was a much-needed escape from sub-zero temperatures and impending blizzards for many people hailing from the Midwest and Northeastern regions.
Talent retention for much of the U.S. refers to the unignorable topic of young employees – the famous (infa-mous?) Millennials. And if one thing can be said about the
A Talent Show(Down) at the 2016 BIFMA 360° Leadership Conferenceby Mallory Jindra
2016 BIFMA 360º Conference Attendees (Photography courtesy of BIFMA)
The ASID team, from left: Teresa Sowell, Sarah Colandro, Sandy Gordon, Jo Rabaut, Charrisse Johnston and Randy Fiser
Conference goers enjoy “Red Headed Stranger” cocktails at Austin City Limits
01.25.16 GIVING VOICE TO THOSE WHO CREATE WORKPLACE DESIGN & FURNISHINGS PAGE 13 OF 31
eventsprogramming at this year’s BIFMA 360° conference, it’s that it certainly didn’t skimp on Millennial-driven content. All of the seven keynotes at least discussed the Millennial genera-tion and its jarring impact on human resource functions, including recruit-ing, interviewing, hiring and promoting, as well as management functions.
While Millennials might desire and expect quite distinct work environ-ments and relationships from previous generations, and employers will need to cater to their growing numbers in the future, the fact is that there is still a lot of room at the table for others. Employers who embrace the strengths and weaknesses of Millennials will most certainly have an edge; employ-ers who create space for the choice and happiness of all employee types will fare even better.
While many assessments of Millen-nial qualities are indeed true, perhaps the most meaningful insight employers must keep in mind is that Millennials are still individuals, just like all other generations. Not all Millennial char-acteristics apply to all of their growing numbers, which makes choice in the workplace that much more pressing.
Below, I present my take on the highlights of each BIFMA 360° key-note:
>Dan Schawbel, author, founder of WorkplaceTrends.com, a research and advisory membership service for forward-thinking HR professionals, and managing partner of Millennial Brand-ing, a Gen Y research and consulting firm, gave attendees a complete run-down of the Millennial generation, in case anyone was living under a rock. The skinny on Millennials:
-Making a positive difference in the world is more important to them than professional recognition, so employers need to show them that what they’re doing matters.
-They’re more likely to freelance, for the flexibility and freedom, but also
out of necessity. They’ll also put more stock in their alternative options such as “side gigs” and business startup ideas outside of their main source of employment.
-They’re more entrepreneurial and will more naturally think outside the box, which will help grow your compa-ny in ways previous generations might not have at that age.
-41% of Millennials do what their managers tell them to, which is greater than previous generations. They’re not as badly behaved as some feared!
-They learn differently. Millennials collaborate with their peers more often to learn (social learning) and want to
develop more skills actively through-out their careers, as opposed to more traditional learning systems that stress formal classroom work before a career begins, followed by here-and-there required job training.
-Many of them hope their employer can offer them: workplace flexibility programs, real-time feedback, mentor-ing programs, transparency, an em-bracing view of social media, internal hiring programs, rotational programs, community support/service programs, entrepreneurship and intrepreneur-ship programs (a startup culture that encourages new ideas and projects from within)
Kurt Vander Schuur, corporate brand director of Haworth, and keynote Dan Schawbel, author, founder of WorkplaceTrends.com (a research and advisory membership service for forward-thinking HR professionals) and managing partner of Millennial Branding, a Gen Y research and consulting firm
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events-Millennials want to be leaders, but
companies are not supporting their ability to become leaders. Mentoring programs that help develop their soft skills (a weak link compared to their tech skills) and rotational and internal hiring programs will help close the leadership gap that some companies are experiencing as older generations retire from the workforce.
>Ben Casnocha, award-winning entrepreneur, author and executive in Silicon Valley, defined specific practic-es in hiring and managing Millennials.
The most profound change between the careers of Millennials and those of previous generations is the amount of time they will remain in one position; two-to-five years is a good window that employers should expect to keep a Millennial in the same position.
Mr. Casnocha also noted that most hiring failures stem from dishonest conversations between companies and potential employees, and that employers must start treating their employees like allies – not like co-workers, not like direct reports, and not like family. Honest conversations about what the job looks like and about what the interviewee is really looking for will result in fewer hiring
mistakes. And once hired, an employ-ee should be able to count on their company for career development, including the development of his/her own professional LinkedIn page.
Mr. Casnocha also outlined a “Tour of Duty” framework that employ-ers can offer to employees, younger ones in particular. A Tour of Duty is a program that develops a natural
cadence of learning the job, doing the job, and then transitioning the job to a successor before moving on to a new position.
He noted that all of these efforts should be underscored by real-time feedback; regular one-on-one conver-sations between employees and their managers is in, and annual perfor-mance reviews are out.
Keynote Ben Casnocha, award-winning entrepreneur, author and executive in Silicon Valley
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events>Mark Barden, author and head
of west coast business for the highly regarded brand consulting firm eatbig-fish, spoke about inventiveness, and of developing a company’s ability to change its mindset to see opportuni-ties within the threats it is dealing with.
“Embracing constraints forces you to invent alternatives that can actually elevate your business.”
Mr. Barden outlined his top strate-gies to push inventiveness within a company, highlighted below:
-Ask yourself what your company’s constraints are, both in the present and future. Then, identify what you have in abundance that you can trade/leverage. In essence, be resourceful when you’re short on resources. “Silicon Valley companies are doing deals all over the place because they often don’t have money to spare; they create partner-ships with each other for mutual gain.”
-Practice “Can-If” thinking. In every-day discussions and overall business strategy, shift your employees’ language in approaching all challenges to start with, “We can, if…” Can-If thinking keeps the oxygen of positivity going.
-Frame projects in a way that is impossible to produce, and then use that framework to “break through the common sense,” stretching beyond the limitations of habitual thinking. Move away from thinking and prac-tices that follow, “It’s how we’ve always done it” logic.
-Capitalize on “reverse mentoring.” Identify the strengths and knowledge your young employees have, and transfer that “intelligent naiveté” to your entire organization.
-Get real about your product. Then, surround it with amazing marketing ex-periences and provocative campaigns that people will remember.
Check out Mr. Barden’s books Eating The Big Fish and A Beautiful Constraint: How to Transform Your Limitations Into Advantages, and Why It’s Everyone’s Business Now.
Keynote Mark Barden, author and head of west coast business for the highly regarded brand consulting firm eatbigfish
Keynote Mike Ettling, president of SAP SuccessFactors and leader of the HR line of business
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events>Mike Ettling, president of SAP
SuccessFactors and leader of its HR line of business, spoke about digital business models and the powerful advantages of cloud-based solutions in HR and business strategy. Cloud and mobile experiences, increased processing speeds, and a priority shift toward learning has led the workforce to change its expectations of what go-ing to work should mean. He stressed the need for companies to develop a fluid way of giving young people expo-sure to different areas of the business, and also discussed a crucial shift in mindset regarding human resources strategy:
“The future of HR is no HR,” said Mr. Ettling. “Companies should not have an ‘HR strategy.’ Instead, we should be looking at the CEO’s busi-ness strategy and hiring directly from that. HR should not exist for its own purpose.”
>Erica Javellana, employee rela-tions manager at Zappos.com and Speaker of the House for Zappos Insights, presented the online retailer’s radical approach to human resources, management, and company structure in general. The company prides has been a leader in innovative HR prac-tices and workplace culture for several years, and Ms. Javellana pointed to customer service (every single employ-ee takes a rotation working the phones for their first month at the company) and finding company culture by defin-ing core values. At Zappos, 10 core values prevail, and employees, who helped define the values, are held to unusually high standards in upholding them. In fact, documented evidence of a failure to uphold the values can result in firing. “These are committable core values, values that we were willing to hire and fire on,” said Ms. Javellana.
Below, the 10 core values:1. Deliver WOW through service2. Embrace and drive change3. Create fun and a little weirdness 4. Be adventurous, creative and
open-minded5. Pursue growth and learning6. Build open and honest relation-
ships with communication7. Build a positive team and family
spirit8. Do more with less9. Be passionate and determined
10. Be humbleIn 2013, Zappos founder Tony Hsieh
transitioned the company to function as a holocracy, an operating system for self-management and self-organization that eliminates titles and managers, and provides every employee with almost complete autonomy. While smaller companies have implemented a holocracy with success, Zappos’ transition seemed disorganized, and
time will tell if a company of that size can actually function that way long term. Nonetheless, the Zappos case study is fascinating and definitely worth a Google search.
>Chris Hood, managing director and platform lead for Occupancy Services within CBRE’s Global Cor-porate Services organization, spoke about the fast-growing phenomenon of coworking, and the emergence of the “third space” – the space between home working and the office. He highlighted the growing numbers of contingent workers (also know as freelancers and contractors); by 2020, 40% of the workforce are expected to be contractors, according to an Intuit 2020 report. This “shared workforce” points to a power shift in employee-employer relations, and an employee’s ability to make choices in his/her work environment will in-crease as work contracts change.
Keynote Erica Javellana, employee relations manager at Zappos.com and Speaker of the House for Zappos Insights
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events“Think of the shared workforce as
a marketplace, with much greater flexibility of engagement and working location for both buyers and sellers,” said Mr. Hood. “This transformation has arrived and is here to stay,” said Mr. Hood. “Companies can take a lot from the basic coworking virtues.”
The coworking movement provides a framework for a community-based work environment. It gives choice to employees, promotes flexible capacity, reduces carbon footprint, better con-nects the company to external ideas and local solutions, encourages a part-time solution, and inspires off-campus
teamwork and relationship-building. In return, coworking centers can learn a lot from the corporate campus structure in ergonomics, health and wellness, energy efficiency, sustain-ability and business planning.
The implications of coworking on office furniture companies with a large manufacturing component remain fog-gy; will this at all impact manufactur-ing employees who need to physically be in the workplace because they’re building things with complex tools? Perhaps, but on a smaller scale.
Instead of making drastic changes to work locations and schedules, manufacturing companies would do well to incorporate simple features of coworking spaces. Things like amped up breakroom amenities in the fac-tory – nicer food and drink options, interior upgrades as simple as a paint refresh, and the addition of a break-room ping pong table – can all make a difference. And every business in the industry has a front end of executive, customer service, sales and market-ing teams that can adopt coworking strategies more easily to increase employee engagement.
Keynote Chris Hood, managing director and platform lead for Occupancy Services within CBRE’s Global Corporate Services organization, and JP Labrosse, founder, CEO and chief designer of Stir
Janet and Robert Kristan, of retained executive search firm Kristan International
Martin Flaherty, co-founder of Scooter, founder of Pencilbox Inc. and co-founder of ecoScore-card, asks a speaker a question during a Q&A session.
01.25.16 GIVING VOICE TO THOSE WHO CREATE WORKPLACE DESIGN & FURNISHINGS PAGE 18 OF 31
events>Antonio Tijerino, president and
CEO of the Hispanic Heritage Founda-tion (HHF), spoke to attendees about diversity in the workplace, a topic which grows more and more press-ing as minorities move into a majority position in student populations and subsequently in the workforce.
“America has no choice,” noted Mr. Tijerino. “When you’re looking at the future, you’re looking at minorities. It’s an issue in almost every industry, and the mindset that you’re compromising and that you’re getting less needs to change.”
>As is tradition, audience members also received a few quick updates from Tom Reardon, executive director of BIFMA, regarding the organization’s current initiatives in bringing value to its members and in providing a forum for solution-building to challenges the industry faces.
Mr. Reardon noted BIFMA’s sig-nificant shift to a broader perspective – moving its statistical reporting from simply “U.S. office furniture” to “North American furniture consumption,” which will include office furniture, accessories, healthcare furniture and education furniture. The distinction also occurs geographically, in a shift from looking at where product is manufactured to where the product is being shipped and consumed.
He also provided a stick to go with the carrot of better statistical reporting about and for BIFMA members, not-ing that if a company does not submit its data, it will only be able to view very basic high level statistics, and will not have access to the full composite of data.
And no BIFMA 360° conference would be complete without its famous speed dining event on the first night of the conference – a success yet again. A fun cocktail party at Austin City Lim-its and small group dinners at hotspots around the city rounded out another inspiring year at BIFMA 360°. n Tom Reardon, executive director of BIFMA
Keynote speaker Antonio Tijerino, president and CEO of the Hispanic Heritage Foundation (HHF)
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concurrents
Designers, because of the knowledge they have and can acquire about human experience and performance in workplace environments, can and should actively lead the development of these spaces.
Active design leadership regularly entails explaining to clients why workplaces they desire are not the ones where they should work – because of mismatches between the form of a place and the tasks to be accomplished there, the organizational and national culture of the people that will use it, etc. These difficult conversations are tough to initiate, and talks with clients are generally more acquiescent than frank. It’s challenging to convince a CEO who has seen the Googleplex on television or in a movie that maybe some-thing else is a better investment for his/her organization.
Designers have the ability to develop workplace options that clients and users can’t even imagine; introducing those options is a crucial component of active leadership. Because designers focus their careers on thinking about environmental design and are also familiar with materials, etc., they have a better understanding of design possibili-ties; most clients/users have centered their lives on other concerns.
The workplace options clients and users are familiar with are those that they’re working in, have worked in in the past, have seen in movies/TV/other entertainment media, have found photographs and write-ups of in the popular or professional press, or visited. Fleeting glimpses on a televi-sion set, etc., can easily mislead viewers about in-space experiences. Brief visits are often dazzling and glamorous, and frequently create an emotional fog that obscures how well a space really meets clients’/users’ needs.
A frank discussion of spaces seen, etc., and capabilities required is a key component of active design leadership. It’s also important to remember that large segments of the population have difficulty imagining themselves in a space, even if they’re viewing a photo of it, or understanding what it would be like to be in a place that they’ve only viewed a floor plan of. Virtual reality and 3D modeling technologies are doing a lot to bridge this gap in spatial understanding.
One of the most significant mistakes that workplace designers can make is to try to create environments that are “fun.” Research in the peer-reviewed press consistently shows that employees don’t find amusing spaces that even their own executives endorse. Employees see “fun” spaces as creating circumstances that intrude on their personal time. These spaces indicate to employees that employers think they know more about employees than they actually do.
Compelling arguments to support design options pre-sented are rooted in applicable studies from the peer-reviewed press. “Peer-reviewed” means study research methodologies, statistical tests, conclusions drawn, etc., are evaluated and OK’ed by research professional before findings are made public – and those whose methodologies, tests, etc., don’t stand up to scrutiny are never published. If articles in a journal are peer-reviewed, it mentions this on its website. The sorts of studies I discuss with readers have been accepted for publication in peer-reviewed journals or are presented at one of the limited number of conferences where submissions are rigorously peer-reviewed and known to be of high quality.
Active design leadership requires project-specific use-related information, knowledge of design options, an understanding of applicable peer-reviewed research – and the backbone to utilize all three. n
Sally Augustin, PhD, a cognitive scientist, is the editor of Research Design Connections (www.researchdesigncon-nections.com), a monthly subscription newsletter and free daily blog, where recent and classic research in the social, design, and physical sciences that can inform designers’ work are presented in straightforward language. Readers learn about the latest research findings immediately, before they’re available elsewhere. Sally, who is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association, is also the author of Place Advantage: Applied Psychology for Interior Architec-ture (Wiley, 2009) and, with Cindy Coleman, The Designer’s Guide to Doing Research: Applying Knowledge to Inform Design (Wiley, 2012). She is a principal at Design With Sci-ence (www.designwithscience.com) and can be reached at [email protected].
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r-d connectionRESEARCH-DESIGN CONNECTIONHealthy Eating with Mirrorsby Sally Augustin, Ph.D.
A study completed by Jami, that will be published in The Journal of the Associa-tion for Consumer Research, reports links between our consumption of unhealthy food and being able to see ourselves in mirrors. Anyone trying to encourage healthy eating choices by design, in com-pany cafeterias/dining rooms and else-where, can immediately apply the insights that can be drawn from this research.
Jami found that “the presence of a mirror in a consumption setting can reduce the perceived tastiness of
unhealthy food, which consequently reduces its consumption…Jami…explains, ‘A glance in the mirror tells people more than just about their physi-cal appearance. It enables them to view themselves objectively and helps them to judge themselves and their behav-iors in the same way that they judge others.’…mirrors can push people to compare and match their behaviors with social standards of correctness. Accordingly, when one fails to follow the standards, he/she does not want to look at a mirror because it enhances the dis-comfort of failure. Thus, the presence of a mirror induces a discomfort and low-ers the perceived taste of the unhealthy food. This only holds true if the food is selected by the diner because then he/she feels responsible for the food choice…This research suggests that placing a mirror in dining rooms and other eating spaces so that diners can see themselves eat, can be an effective way for individuals and restaurants to encourage healthier eating practices.” n
“Healthy Reflections: Mirrors Can Make Unhealthy Foods Less Tasty.” 2015. Press release, Cornell University, http://foodpsychology.cornell.edu/JACR/Healthy_Reflections
Sally Augustin, PhD, a cognitive sci-entist, is the editor of Research Design Connections (www.researchdesignconnec-tions.com), a monthly subscription news-letter and free daily blog, where recent and classic research in the social, design, and physical sciences that can inform de-signers’ work are presented in straightfor-ward language. Readers learn about the latest research findings immediately, be-fore they’re available elsewhere. Sally, who is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association, is also the author of Place Advantage: Applied Psychology for Interior Architecture (Wiley, 2009) and, with Cindy Coleman, The Designer’s Guide to Doing Research: Applying Knowledge to Inform Design (Wiley, 2012). She is a principal at Design With Science (www.design-withscience.com) and can be reached at [email protected].
MATERIAL OF THE WEEK
MC# 7219-013D SITgrid® Glass: This 3D textile is composed of top and bottom lattices of alkali resistant glass fiber, polyester (PET) binding yarns, and a ‘pilewarp’ of polyethylene (PE) monofila-ment to create the spatial structure. The advantage of this material, by V.FRAAS Solutions in Textile GmbH, over conven-tional methods of concrete reinforcement, such as steel lattice, is its resistance against corrosion; this material makes it un-necessary to have a thick concrete covering in order to prevent the reinforcement from corrosion. Applications include textile reinforcement for precast concrete parts for façades, sandwich panels or damping elements.
This column is published in collaboration with Material ConneXion. For more information regarding the material previewed, please contact Michael LaGreca at [email protected]. T: 212.842.2050.
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officenewswirePRODUCT INTROS>Cerno expanded its product offerings with new light-ing designs and enhance-ments of existing products. Plura (pictured) was originally designed for corridor lighting but is also suitable for other commercial applications as well as residential. The fixture is offered both as a flush mount and a pendant. Other new products include Ansa and Tersus, both sconces with integrated LED lamping. Read More
>Domitalia’s Bouchon series stool, the company’s cur-rent bestseller both in Italy and abroad, offers custom-ized branding. Designed by Radice &Orlandini design studio, Bouchon features a seat made of natural cork and supported by a rod steel frame, evoking a cork of a champagne bottle. The seat is well-suited for branding, even in large quantities, thus
making it possible to fully in-tegrate the product within the coordinated communication of a wine bar, cellar, hotel, restaurant, office or corporate clubhouse. Read More
>Foscarini introduced Troag by Luca Nichetto in a white wood, designed to fit a variety of spaces from office spaces to hospitality envi-ronments. In both its name and its shape, Troag takes inspiration from a traditional Scandinavian wooden bowl, a familiar and everyday object reimagined by Foscarini and Luca Nichetto using typical Italian creativity, technological research and close attention to detail in the production phase. Read More
>KnollTextiles introduced Outbound, an eclectic col-lection of five upholsteries and one well priced drapery. Three plush and tactile uphol-stery offerings for three differ-ent budgets are Summit from the KT Line providing afford-able modern design; Wood-land, a textured chenille; and Firefly, a patterned cut velvet. Patterns Dune and Island are Sunbrella indoor/outdoor upholsteries. Sunbrella fabric
features exceptional UV per-formance, bleach cleaning, and a soft hand. Dune and Island are treated with Sun-brella’s proprietary Definace Finish, which provides both antimicrobial & antifungal protection in a single solution. Last but not least, Savan-nah is a drapery fabric with a dry hand in a classic color palette. Read More
NOTEWORTHY>Stanley Felderman and Nancy Keatinge of Felder-man Keatinge + Associates will be honored as Design Legends at the 37th Annual Interiors Awards in NYC on Friday, Jan. 29. The Interiors Awards are the architecture and design industry’s most prestigious recognition of
singular and collective design achievements, and are hosted by Contract magazine. Known as pioneers of the “total de-sign concept,” Mr. Felderman and Ms. Keatinge have built an empire on the focus of building an environment that is most suitable for living and working, on a client-focused case-by-case basis. Read More
>Art Gensler received a lifetime achievement award from the Design Futures Council. The award was presented Jan. 14 during the organization’s Leadership Summit on Design Innovation & Technology. Art Gensler founded Gensler in 1965 with three employees. The firm has since grown to 5,000 pro-fessionals who practice from a global network of 46 loca-tions with billings in excess of $1 billion. In his recently published book, Art’s Prin-ciples, Mr. Gensler shares the essentials of leadership, talent acquisition and operations, while outlining the creative strategies that propelled a small business into one of the largest and most admired in its industry. Read More
For complete releases, visit www.officeinsight.com/officenewswire.
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officenewswire
>Ruth Lynford was acknowl-edged as a design icon in the Winter 2015 issue of ASID’s Icon magazine. The article featured four designers select-ed as representing 40 years of ASID excellence. Each of the four icons commented on their own top picks for the future, who they believe will leave a lasting mark on the field of interior design. Ms. Lynford’s pick for a profes-sional who she feels will be a future icon is Victoria Hagan, Allied ASID. Read More
>IIDA and the American Library Association are now accepting entries for the 2016 Library Interior Design Awards. The biennial Library Interior Design Awards rec-ognize achievement in library interior design aesthetics, creativity, and function. Sub-missions are being accepted in nine categories: Public Libraries (30,000 sq.ft. and under); Public Libraries (Over 30,000 sq.ft.); Academic Libraries (30,000 sq.ft. and under); Academic Libraries (Over 30,000 sq.ft.); Special Libraries (30,000 sq.ft. and under); Special Libraries (Over 30,000 sq.ft.); Out-
standing Historic Renovation Project; Single Space (a small project that focuses on a spe-cific room or area in a library); and On the Boards (a project currently in the design phase and not under construction). The deadline for project sub-missions is Friday, Mar. 11. Winners will be honored and celebrated at the ALA Annual Conference in Orlando, FL in June. Read More
>IIDA also opened the an-nual GlobalShop Product Design Competition. This competition honors manufac-turers and designers for prod-uct design advancements in innovation, function and aesthetics for the retail indus-try and is open to exhibitors at GlobalShop 2016. Categories include Fixtures; Flooring; Lighting; Materials, Surfac-ing, and Wallcoverings; Retail Technology Solutions; In-store Marketing / POP; Signage Graphic; and Mannequins/Forms. The deadline to enter the competition is Mar. 4. A panel of distinguished judges will award the winners during GlobalShop 2016, Mar. 23-25, at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. Read More
>IIDA Illinois Chapter extended its deadline for the RED Awards (Recognizing Exemplary Design) to Feb. 19. In order to recognize design excellence, encourage new ideas and techniques, and build public awareness in the field of interior design, submissions are sought in the following categories: Contract – Small (under 10,000 sf); Contract – Large (over 10,000 sf); Retail; Educational – PK12; Educational – Higher Ed; Healthcare – Medical Facility; Healthcare – Assisted Living/Residential; Hospitality; Residential; Government/Mu-nicipal/Cultural; Student – An-nual Michelle Roberts Award; Product Design (IIDA IL Mem-bers Only); and Emerging Professional – Graduate since 2011(award not a category). Read More
>Perkins Eastman’s Wash-ington, DC, office has moved to a new space at One Thomas Circle. The new of-fice occupies the second and third floors, including an out-door terrace, of the 12-story building, which was complet-
ed in 1982 and renovated to meet LEED-Gold certification in 2003. Upon the relocation of the staff of ForrestPerkins, which formally joined Perkins Eastman at the start of 2016, the total employee count in Perkins Eastman’s Washing-ton, DC, office will be 120 people. Read More
>World Interiors News an-nounced the juries for its 2016 Retail and Workspace Interiors awards. These awards are now open for submissions. Entry deadline is Feb. 29 for both competi-tions; submissions entered by Jan. 29 will get a 20% discount on the entry fee. Read More
RE-SITED>Diane Barnes joined Haworth, Inc. as North American Director of Sales for Haworth Collection. Based out of the company’s New York office, she will be responsible for customer relationships, driving strategy in the North American market and leadership of Haworth Collection specialists. Ms. Barnes has extensive industry experience, with decades of work in the interior design and premium furnishings
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officenewswireindustry. Most recently, she held the position of Senior Vice President for Stone Source Direct. She also co-created and has hosted a career night with Pratt In-stitute for 12 years. Haworth Collection is a world-class offering of lifestyle designs for the workplace that includes the brands Haworth, Poltrona Frau, Cappellini and Cassina. “This is a dream opportunity – to work on a collection that is so gorgeous,” said Ms. Barnes. “The brand names and legacies evoke inspira-tion to create and bring life to memories created in beauti-fully designed spaces.” Read More
>Raymond Crane was ap-pointed vice president of cli-ent services in the San Fran-cisco buildings sector office of WSP | Parsons Brincker-hoff. In his new position, Mr. Crane will be responsible for maintaining client relation-ships for the firm’s buildings practice in the Bay Area and throughout Northern Califor-nia. Some of the firm’s recent projects in the region include Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, the Salesforce Tower and Transbay Transit Center in San Francisco, and several
projects related to recent improvements in Terminals 1 and 3 at San Francisco International Airport. A struc-tural engineer, Mr. Crane has close to 40 years professional experience in the U.S. and abroad. Most recently he was director of architecture & en-gineering services for KEO In-ternational Consultants based in Kuwait, responsible for all architectural and engineering production of the 150-person office. Read More
>Matthew Hern joined HOK Product Design, LLC as vice president and creative direc-tor. Mr. Hern has more than 25 years of experience in in-dustrial design, creative direc-tion and leadership. He has worked with leading design and innovation companies, serving as creative director and lead designer at BMW Group Designworks USA, as lead industrial designer at Pentagram, and as senior industrial designer at IDEO. He began at Fitch’s Explor-atory Design Lab and Product Genesis. In these roles, he was responsible for foster-ing creative culture, leading design vision and ensuring continuity along the entire life-cycle of product design and
development. His approach to product design as problem solving, with an emphasis on strategically evolving brands, has resulted in collaborations with clients including BART, BMW, Coca-Cola, Janus et Cie, Motorola, Nike, Steelcase and Varian. Read More
>Edward Smith joined Clestra Hauserman, Inc. as regional sales manager, northeast. He will be as-sisting global corporations, institutions, general contrac-tors, developers, real estate professionals and designers with their office fit-out needs. Services include, design, workplace traffic flow analy-sis, delivery and installation, and after sales service for both new office space and reconfigurations. Formerly of Caesar Ceramics and Ahrend USA, Mr. Smith has been
in the contract industry for 30 years in multiple roles, including manufacturing RVP, VP sales and market-ing, and dealer VP. He is also well known throughout the industry as a lecturer on Ro-man architecture and history as well as the connection of the modern world with the classical past and offers CEU credits for his lecture series. Read More
>Rebecca Dorris Steiger, CID, IIDA, LEED AP BD+C, was appointed associate partner at ZGF Architects. An exceptional leader, Ms. Steiger has 23 years of experi-ence designing a broad range of interior spaces for clients including Publisher’s Clearing House, CITI Group, High 5 Games, Scotiabank, UBS, and McKinsey & Company. She is also a big supporter of the local design community – she has served as an execu-tive board member for the IIDA New York and California Chapters and most recently held the role of president of the IIDA New York Chapter. She continues to serve as vice president of communi-cations for the chapter, and as a mentor to the current president. Read More
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officenewswireENVIRONMENT>Teknion Corp. was recog-nized as a leader in car-bon emissions reduction in Canada. The company was honored for the quality of climate-change-related information that it discloses to investors and the global marketplace through CDP, the international not-for-profit that drives sustainable economies. Each year, companies that participate in CDP’s climate change program are scored against two parallel assess-ment schemes: performance and disclosure. Teknion’s disclosure score is 98 (out of a possible 100) and its performance score B (with A being the highest). The performance score assesses the level of action, as reported by the company, on climate change mitigation, adaptation and transparency. A high-performance score signals that a company is measuring, verifying and managing its carbon footprint. Read More
PROJECTS>COOPER CARRY opened 37 projects, or 4.3 million sq.ft., in seven states in 2015 with an additional 51 new projects awarded: -In addition to the six hotels completed last year, the hospitality studio was awarded eight new projects in 2015, totaling more than 1,300 hotel rooms. Of significance was the opening of Hyatt Place Balti-more/Inner Harbor and Sea Pines Resort, which won Golf Inc.’s Clubhouse of the Year. In 2016, the COOPER CARRY-
designed Hilton Downtown Cleveland Hotel will open in time to host the Republican National Convention. -Activity in the design of retail and mixed-use developments continues to expand as well, with the delivery of projects such as Emory Point Phase II and the upscale mall, Phipps Plaza, renovation in Atlanta. COOPER CARRY’s work reflects developers’ continued desire to create pedestrian-friendly, walkable spaces that offer a variety of experiences for consumers. In addition, the firm continues to grow its international practice with several projects in the Middle East, including a luxury shop-ping mall in Dubai and an eco hotel in Nicaragua. -Along with COOPER CARRY’s private sector business, the firm’s higher education, science + technology and K-12 design work has also increased. In 2015, the firm completed six K-12 schools including the final phase of an adaptive reuse, five-story office building, which was converted to an elementary school in Arlington, Virginia. COOPER CARRY’s higher education studio completed five projects. -In addition, to meet greater demand in the STEM fields, COOPER CARRY’s science + technology studio completed four projects this year, includ-ing The Georgia BioScience Training Center, which sup-ports research and provides critical workforce training to bioscience and biomanufac-turing operations. Of particu-lar interest is the completion of a new 218,800-square-foot Engineered Biosystems
Building (EBB) at Georgia Tech as well as a renovation and expansion of the Atwood Chemistry Building at Emory University, both in Atlanta. Looking ahead to 2016, Kevin Cantley, president and CEO of COOPER CARRY, predicts new design demand for office buildings and dual-branded hotels. Referencing Urban Land Institute’s emerging trends, Mr. Cantley, who is Chair of ULI Atlanta, also anticipates secondary mar-kets such as Austin, Texas; Portland, Oregon; Nashville, Tennessee; and Charlotte, North Carolina to attract investments across all sectors as Millennials continue to seek urban, walkable com-munities. Read More
>Syracuse University is one step closer to select-ing a world-class partner to conceptualize, design, and construct the new National Veterans Resource Complex. The NVRC Selection Commit-tee, made up of faculty, staff, students and design profes-sionals, recently reviewed the qualifications of 28 of the world’s foremost architecture firms. After careful consider-ation, the Selection Commit-tee selected three finalists to advance to the final round of the competition. The finalists are: Adjaye Associates; SHoP; and Snøhetta. Notably, each of these firms is among the seven finalists currently vying for the opportunity to design the Obama Presidential Library in Chicago. Representatives from the selected firms will travel to Syracuse University in the
coming weeks to view the site and to speak with members of the campus community about the history, goals, vi-sion, and timeline for the new facility. The firms will return to campus in April to present their final proposals to the Selection Committee. The winning firm will be an-nounced in May. Directing the design competi-tion on behalf of Syracuse University is Martha Thorne, dean of the IE School of Architecture and Design in Madrid. Thorne also serves as the executive director of the Pritzker Prize. A first-of-its-kind, multi-use facility, the NVRC will serve as the enduring home of the University’s Institute for Vet-erans and Military Families, which has served more than 48,000 veterans and military families. It will house the Syr-acuse University and Regional Student Veteran Resource Center; the Army Reserve Officer Training Corps; the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps; U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs ‘Vet-Success on Campus’; the National Center of Excellence for Veteran Business Ownership; Veteran Business Outreach Center and Accelerator; and Syracuse University’s Office of Veteran and Military Affairs. Plans include classroom spaces to accommodate local and national veteran-focused programming, along with a conference center and roughly 1,000-seat audito-rium suitable to host commu-nity activities, lectures, and national convening events and conferences. Read More
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officenewswire
>WallGoldfinger’s January e-newsletter highlighted several interesting projects. These included custom furniture designs for a New York media company and for a Boston law firm office in collaboration with Gensler. The newsletter also has a link to the company’s “Best of the Best” issue in December with some of last year’s most inter-esting projects, plus a feature on the shipping logistics of how WallGoldfinger deliv-ers its giant tables to clients. Read More
>Woods Bagot & Tridente Ar-chitects won the WAN Adap-tive Reuse Award 2015 for its Tonsley Main Assembly Building and Pods project in Australia. When the firm was appointed master planners for the 61-hectare former Mit-subishi site, it was assumed the main assembly building would be demolished. The architects identified ben-efits to retaining the existing structure, resulting in an urban renewal project without precedent. Their design activates land that would otherwise be of low value, provides economic and environmental benefits and creates a strong brand identity for a building rich in historical importance for
South Australia. The Main Assembly Building (MAB) design became part of the demonstration of what a new industrial employ-ment precinct would look like. The ‘umbrella’ of the existing structure celebrates the industrial heritage of the building, creating a unique public destination and deliv-ers a clear layout with a highly flexible work environment. The tenancies use ‘pods’ that are adaptable, flexible and highly functional. Four urban forests inside the MAB provide naturally shaded green spaces, cool the air and reduce the sun’s thermal load on the roof. By retaining the existing structure the project has saved approximately 90,000 tons of carbon which is equivalent to taking 25,000 average cars off the road for one year. Read More
EVENTS>The Architectural Digest Design Show (formerly known as the Architectural Digest Home Design Show) will return to NYC this year Mar. 17–20 at Pier 92 & 94. An authoritative platform for design across disciplines, the
show is a source for discern-ing trade professionals and consumers seeking superior solutions for their homes, businesses, and commercial projects. Visitors can expect to find innovative design, including furniture, acces-sories, art, kitchen and bath products, carpet, stone and tile, lighting and more, plus a rich seminar schedule with design luminaries. The 2016 exhibitor lineup features more than 400 brands and more than 117 new exhibitors – 69 of them in the show’s MADE section, which showcases top young design talents. Read More
>Latest news from the Cen-ter for Health Design: -Friday, Jan. 29, 5:00 p.m. is deadline for presentation proposals for the Healthcare Design Expo & Conference, Nov. 12-15 at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston. -The EDAC Exam “Risk Free” offer ends Jan. 31. Design-ers who register for the EDAC Exam by this deadline may take the exam anytime in 2016 and retake the exam once at no charge if they don’t pass.
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officenewswire
- The San Francisco Health Design Insights Networking Event is Feb. 24, 4:30-7:30 p.m. at the San Francisco AIA Office. In addition to network-ing, the event will include “In-novations in Healthcare Design” – a series informal, energetic, creative, short format presenta-tions, (worth one EDAC/AIA credit), followed by cocktails and hors d’oeuvres. Read More
>DIRTT and NMG built a two-level structure with full medical interior in less than four days for the Arab Health Congress and Exhibition Jan. 25-28 in United Arab Emir-ates. At Arab Health, DIRTT and NMG’s multi-level booth will exhibit interior healthcare solutions such as capacitive touch walls that control medical equipment, touch-triggered cabinetry, wall-integrated technology and medical gases, Corning® Willow® Glass with custom graphics, micro-perforated acoustic ceiling tiles and custom laser-cut metal railings. The free-standing, multi-level booth is constructed with DIRTT’s timber frame solu-tion, which blends traditional European craftsmanship with the speed, customization and flexibility of modern manu-facturing. It’s the first time a structure with full custom
interior of this size and caliber has been constructed in such a compressed timeframe. The record-breaking build, which took place Jan. 21-24, is docu-mented on a series of videos on DIRTT’s website. Read More
>The International Federation of Interior Architects/Design-ers will celebrate World Inte-riors Day 2016 on Saturday, May 28. World Interiors Day is an annual event spear-headed by IFI and designed to spotlight interior architecture/design. The event actively engages professionals, national organizations, design enthusi-asts and the general public to explore creativity, imagination, vision and passion in rela-tion to the role of Interiors in society, culture and our future built environments. This year’s theme “Interiors Intelligence”
taps into the comprehensive knowledge needed to continue to bridge gaps in the Interiors profession and to foster a greater appreciation for, and connection between, the built environment and its occupants. It will engender and promote wellbeing and facilitate human advancement. The month of May plays host to events highlighting the merits of the interiors profession and the impact on the quality of life and the built environment. Events are planned by individuals and hosted all over the world, linked by a common theme chosen each year by the IFI member-ship to reflect the values of not only IFI but the industry as a whole. Past events range from smaller round table discussions to larger citywide events varying in type, size, and location. Indi-viduals may work together with local and/or national organiza-tions to link small scale activi-ties together to form a city-wide, province-wide, state-wide or country-wide event. Read More
>IIDA NY Buffalo City Center will host “Icebreaker 2016” on Thursday, Feb. 25, 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Big Ditch Brew-ery in Buffalo. The networking
event offers the opportunity to meet newly elected board members and learn what the chapter has planned for this year. Read More
>The METROCON16 Call for Presentations is now open. CEU presentation submis-sions are due Mar. 9. Confer-ence organizers are seeking a variety of topics to serve all design practice areas: corpo-rate, education, healthcare, hospitality, institutional, multi-family, residential, and retail. Topics with Health, Safety & Welfare [HSW], Barrier-Free [BF] and Sustainable Design [SD] content that qualify as CEPHs for Texas Regis-tered Interior Designers and Registered Architects are in high demand. METROCON16 Expo & Conference takes place Aug. 11-12 at Dallas Market Hall. Read More
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businessRAYMOND JAMES BRIEF 1.22.16SCS: Notes From the Road
Analysts: Budd Bugatch, Bobby Griffin, David Vargas
>Fresh from a series of investor meetings with the senior leadership of Steelcase, we reaffirm our Market Perform rating. To be clear, Steelcase is not an expensive stock (in our opinion), and we still have a high regard for the company and its management team. Moreover, despite the order slowdown in F3Q16, its North American operating margins are still at indus-try leading highs. That said, our desire to remain on the side-lines until we get more tangible proof of the EMEA turnaround remains intact. Investor focus during our meetings was fairly evenly split between its North America and EMEA segment.
>North America: One of the big areas of focus was related to the health and outlook of the U.S. office furniture industry. Steelcase’s North America segment represented ~70% of its total revenues in FY15 and the U.S. portion is currently growing slower than the overall industry because of its customer mix (larger corporate customers) and some product gaps. While management did not discuss current order trends (first three weeks of January), they did provide some additional detail sur-rounding the company’s product offering gaps and its recent share loss in the U.S office furniture industry.
>1) While energy is not one of the company’s largest verticals (as a percentage of sales), management still believes it is over-
exposed to the energy markets relative to some of its peers. 2) Federal government, which has started to grow modestly again, is one of the company’s smallest verticals relative to its peers. 3) As some of the smaller to median size customers are making the move to a more open office concept, they are down-shifting in price points on certain product categories (ad-justable desks/tables, laminate storage and certain task chairs). As a result, Steelcase is losing a “share of the wallet” to more competitively priced products from smaller manufacturers. Positively, some of Steelcase’s new product introductions are targeted at these categories and price points. These products will be introduced throughout CY16 & CY17 and carry a similar gross margin percentage as the company’s current portfolio, but a lower gross profit dollar value.
>EMEA: While EMEA’s fiscal second and third quarters were below expectations, management confidence is steadfast about the overall transformation strategy and the long-term oppor-tunity. That being said, they are “humbled” by the fact the transformation and profitability flip has taken longer than origi-nally expected. Positively, some of the non-recurring issues that impacted the fiscal second and third quarters should be mostly over by the end of F4Q16 and lead times are back to about five weeks in EMEA, after ballooning to ~13 weeks during F3Q16. In addition, by the second half of FY17, the manufacturing and distribution performance should be stabilized and the Czech Republic plant should be operating more efficiently than it is today. Beyond that, breakeven and profitability are more
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businessdependent on volume. Annualized, its EMEA segment needs ~$30 to $50 million of incremental revenues (using ~30% contribution margin), to deliver breakeven/ profitability. Man-agement’s ultimate goal is to deliver mid-single digit operating margins in EMEA, which would then earn its cost of capital for that segment.
>Other Topics: Not surprisingly given SCS’s recent perfor-mance, capital allocation was another focus area. Tuesday afternoon (1/19/16), Steelcase updated investors that as of January 14, 2016, a total of 3 million shares had been repurchased under its previously announced 10b-5 plan for a total cost of $42.1 million. In addition, the company’s board of directors approved a $150 million increase to the share repur-chase program, bringing the total authorization to $168 million. Management’s top priority for capital still remains investing in the business, but it will remain “opportunistic” with share repurchases.
BUSINESS AFFAIRS>The American Institute of Architects (AIA) reported the De-cember Architecture Billings Index score was 50.9, up from 49.3 in November. The new projects inquiry index was 60.2, up from a reading of 58.6 in November. The design contracts index was 51.0, down from 53.5 in November.
“As has been the case for the past several years, there contin-ues to be a mix of business conditions that architecture firms are experiencing,” said AIA Chief Economist Kermit Baker, Hon. AIA, PhD. “Overall, however, ABI scores for 2015 aver-aged just below the strong showing in 2014, which points to another healthy year for construction this year.”
Regional three-month ABI averages showed the West (53.7) slightly leading South (53.3), followed by the Northeast (46.7) and Midwest (46.1). By sector, multi-family residential aver-aged the highest ABI (52.9), followed by institutional (52.2), commercial / industrial (47.3), and mixed practice (46.5). www.aia.org/press/releases/AIAB107965
SUDOKU
Fill in the empty cells so that every row, column and cube contains a digit from 1-9, without duplication. (Level: Easy)
4/10/14 3:34 PMCDTSudoku Shack :: Print Sudoku to fill later
Page 1 of 1http://www.soduko.org/sudoku-print.php?id=1000000397
01.25.16 GIVING VOICE TO THOSE WHO CREATE WORKPLACE DESIGN & FURNISHINGS PAGE 30 OF 31
JOB SITETo place ads or to get a price quote contact Bob Beck [email protected] 972 293 9186
Find all our ads all the time at www.officeinsight.com/careers.
At National, we pride ourselves in having a world-class team that champions growth, diversity and operationalexcellence. We’re creating an environment that inspires an insatiable desire to learn, stretch and do things betterevery day. We have immediate openings and are seekingindividuals to be key players on our team.
District Manager Positions
Washington/Oregon (preferred location Seattle, WA or Portland, OR)
New JerseyNew York (preferred location New York City)
Responsible for territory management with focusedattention on dealer development, vertical market end-users as well as the A+D community.
Successful candidates must:
• Be personally responsible, focused and effective utilizing a full array of resources for sustained growth
• Leverage sales tools, such as our enhanced dealer programs, new product introductions and exciting sales incentives
• Focus on areas of opportunity within our key vertical markets and identify opportunities to exploit for future growth in the market
• Develop and follow-through on long term strategies to win project business
• Possess strong communication and organizational skills inaddition to strong business planning and business development skills
• Have the proven ability to manage and develop relationships
• Be analytical thinkers with creative problem solving aptitude for overcoming business challenges
• Have a sound foundation in report analysis with excellent understanding of sales and marketing functions
• Hold extensive knowledge of the office furniture industry and 3+ years of demonstrated successful sales growth
As a business unit of Kimball International, we offer anattractive salary and flexible benefits package including aretirement plan with 401(K) feature.
National is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants willreceive consideration for employment without regard to race, color,religion, sex, age, national origin, genetic information, disability orprotected veteran status.
To learn more and apply for these positions, go to www.NationalOfficeFurniture.com/Careers.
Rep Group or Independent Sales Reps - New York Area and Georgia (including Tennessee, Alabama & Mississippi)
Fast growing, high-end, MADE IN AMERICA, contract furniture maker is seeking an Independent Sales Representative or Rep Group to lead sales growth in strategic market areas.
Responsibilities: Managing existing and new accounts, improving and building new relationships, prospecting potential clients, preparation and delivery of sales presentations.
Requirements: Minimum of 5-years office furniture industry experience required, dealer or design experience preferred. Ideal candidate will be a self-starter, motivated, goal-oriented, enthusiastic, team player.
If you have a proven track record of sales success in the contract furniture arena and believe you are the right fit for our goals, contact Nicole Bailey, Vice-President of Sales at: [email protected]
About Cabot Wrenn
Founded in 1981, Cabot Wrenn is a manufacturer of fine contract furniture. Our mission is to make the best product possible in the areas of materials, construction, tailoring and seating comfort. We combine timeless design with a full range of ergonomic features such as comfort, style and durability.
All our product is made in America, and our areas of manufacturing include customizable lounge seating, side chairs, executive chairs, traditional seating and tables. Beyond designing solutions for the corporate world, we are commited to the industries of hospitality, higher education, healthcare, and senior living.
Along with a Graded In Fabric Program, we also place an emphasis on fine leather. We carry a broad selection of leather and have a separate facility that works directly with customer’s own material for custom orders.
We have over 500 employees in three facilities located in the most prominent domestic furniture manufacturing region in the United States. While there are many employees, we work much like a family. This translates to a positive team approach and providing proactive, quick responses to the needs of the marketplace.
With a commitment to service, Cabot Wrenn is flexible enough to handle small projects, but has the resources to handle large, multifaceted projects as well. We are very proud of our 99% on time delivery record and continue to carry on a tradition of excellence.
This is a great opportunity to become a partner in a long established rep firm in the New York City market.
Pringle Ward, a highly respected organization with high volume lines is looking for an experienced person to join our sales group as a partner. No financial investment is needed. A combination of ambition and experience will help to secure your future in office furniture. As a partner you will be a major part of our organization with the opportunity establish financial security.
Smith System is seeking a National Sales Manager to report to the VP of Sales to call on school districts, A&D community and dealers. The preferred location of the candidate is at our factory in the DFW area.
Essential Functions:
> Willing to travel extensively to areas not currently cov-ered by our Regional Sales Managers.
> Self planned, scheduled and executed calls with schools, dealers and A&D firms.
> Dynamic personality for presentations.
> Proven success develop-ing relationships to drive growth and new business.
Required Experience:
> 5 years in school furniture or contract furniture world.
> Solid presenter and closer. > Proficient in Microsoft Of-fice applications.
Please send your cover letter and resume in confidence to [email protected]
We are an Equal Opportunity Employer
Regional Sales Manager - DC, N. VA, MD
An exciting career opportunity with a well-established and growing architectural and moveable wall company based in S.E. PA
Transwall Office Systems, Inc is seeking a sales professional residing in the DC metro area to represent the Transwall brand with a focus on Commercial Business and A&D. Great career and financial opportunity for the ideal candidate.
This position requires 5+ years sales experience with knowledge of architectural products and demonstrated record in generating and closing project sales. A great opportunity with a company that is growing and dedicated to providing the best products for their customers.
