NeoCon Now: Week 2 in Review on DesignTV by SANDOW
The second week of NeoCon Now presented another packed program of exclusive interviews and product previews, not to the mention the second round of the HiP Awards honoring industry people this time. Here’s a recap of the new segments—plus the virtual HiP People ceremony—on this week’s DesignTV by SANDOW.
6/15
To begin the week, viewers were treated to a Design Giants segment featuring legendary Italian architect Patricia Urquiola, hosted, as always, by Editor in Chief Cindy Allen. Being able to add the interior design details to her own architectural work has empowered Urquiola to have a dynamic career that allows her to work with all sorts of other creatives.
Watch the “Design Giants” segment with Patricia Urquiola here:
Managing Director Helene Oberman then took over to host a Virtual Product Tour with Catherine Minervini from Sunbrella, the textile brand known for its stylish and durable performance fabrics. What truly sets Sunbrella apart from its mindful manufacturing is how the company has always been at the forefront of industry innovation, stemming from their reinvention of the cotton awning in the 1950s.
Watch the “Virtual Product Tour with Sunbrella” segment with Catherine Minervini here:
Up next, Oberman hosted Monday’s Product Live with BuzziSpace, asking BuzziSpace founder Steve Symons to share some highlights of two new products: the BuzziPlanter and the BuzziJet Standing. These biophilic products suit an open, green workplace environment, and feature the acoustic performance that is characteristic of the BuzziSpace brand.
Watch the “Product Live” segment with BuzziSpace here:
The BuzziSpace segment was followed by Product Live with Bentley Mills, where Interior Design Market Director Rebecca Thienes discussed two products from Bentley Mills’ Invisible Visionaries carpet collection, Allegro and Interlude, with Creative Vice President Ginger Gilbert. Both products draw upon the principles of costume design to implement the combination of aesthetics and performance capability.
Watch the “Product Live” segment with Bentley Mills here:
The day’s programming ended with a 1on1 interview between Allen and 3Form‘s Christian Darby and Mike Johnson to chat about how the brand’s thoughtful and complex sustainable building solutions and architectural designs come to fruition. Fleck is an example of a product made from, “an amazing new material that takes 100 percent of our recycle stream,” Darby explains.
Watch the “1on1” segment with 3Form’s Christian Darby and Mike Johnson here:
6/16
On Wednesday’s first segment of the day, Interior Design Managing Director Helene Oberman hosted a 1on1 conversation with Mindy O’Gara, director of product and learning experience at Interface, and Joe Connell, principal at Perkins and Will, to discuss what the future of the workplace will look like after the COVID-19 pandemic. While the details remain uncertain, design elements such as floor patterns that guide distancing measures and flexible furnishings that enable collaboration will likely be important features.
Watch the “1on1” segment with Mindy O’Gara of Interface and Joe Connell of Perkins and Will here:
Next, Oberman embarked on a Virtual Product Tour with Market Manager of Sunbrella, Allen Hawks, and Director of Design at CF Stinson, Lori Roop. The trio discussed the latest result of Sunbrella’s and CF Stinson’s partnership—the Balance Collection featuring Sunbrella Assure. This collection features sustainable and bleach cleanable fabrics that comply with the Healthier Hospitals Initiative, helping make hospitals more sustainable.
Watch the “Virtual Product Tour with Sunbrella Contract and CF Stinson” segment here:
Topping off the day, Allen and Kurt Vander Schuur, global brand director at Haworth, hosted a special, live segment that brought together some A&D VIPs for a conversation about how their work and design has shifted due to the unforeseeable and unprecedented circumstances surrounding the pandemic. Guests such as Cheryl Durst, Collin Burry, and Matthew Haworth made up some faces that took part in the chat, creating a screen share reminiscent of the Brady Bunch, but featuring a family of designers and creatives instead.
Watch the “Fashionably Late NeoCon Now special,” hosted by Cindy Allen and Kurt Vander Schuur, in partnership with Haworth here:
6/17
Interior Design Executive Editor Annie Block joined Aspecta Commercial Sales and National Account Manager Kendra, Sauer Mahen, and Director of Design Development, Claudia Kunath, on a Virtual Product Tour of the innovative brand known for luxury vinyl tile flooring. Mahen and Kunath offered insights into Aspecta’s two new collections, Contours—a LVT collection that appears nearly indistinguishable from natural wood flooring—and Elemental, a fast favorite in the hospitality space.
Watch the “Virtual Product Tour with Aspecta” segment with Kendra Sauer Mahen and Claudia Kunath here:
6/18
Next Rebecca Thienes, Market Director at Interior Design, was joined by Metroflor’s president, Russ Rogg, and director of design, Robert Langstaff, who discussed the luxury vinyl plank and tile producer’s newest products, which appeal to certain color trends such as “weathered grays,” Langstaff explains. Their new wood grain panels provide designers with a great option to transform the atmosphere and palette of any room.
Watch the “Virtual Product Tour with Metroflor” with Russ Rogg and Robert Langstaff, hosted by Rebecca Thienes, in partnership with Metroflor here:
6/19
And now, the NeoCon Now finale: the Virtual HiP People Awards! Allen hosted the second segment of Interior Design’s HiP Awards with support from theMART, honoring 18 diverse winners, following the HiP Product ceremony last week. HiP People celebrates the marketers, sellers, creative directors and other people who work behind the scenes to create standout projects and products.
Watch the “Virtual HiP People Awards” hosted by Cindy Allen here:
