A Preview of NeoCon 2024

Turf

Acoustic manufacturer Turf is upgrading from a 4,000 square foot space to 20,000 in The MART, gaining even more surface area for their pleated felt wall panels. All photos courtesy NeoCon.

By

April 2, 2024

THE MART, with more than a century of history, is preparing another programming-packed NeoCon, the commercial interiors industry’s biggest event in the world.

NeoCon, which takes place June 10 – 12, announced that 18 new showrooms, expansions, and renovtions will debut during its 55th anniversary. This includes newcomers Silen, an Estonian office pod manufacturer that makes sleek, glass-walled booths for private meetings, phone calls, or even power naps; Bulo, which applies fine craftsmanship to office furniture, with their wood-paneled walls transforming a conference room into a rustic, homey environments; and Fōmcore, a U.S.-based soft seating specialist that molds their colorful poufs into shapes like gears, honeycombs, and wedges, bringing a sense of childlike whimsy into an office environment.

Fōmcore

Fōmcore, a U.S.-based soft seating specialist, brings a sense of childlike whimsy into an office environment.

“Our recent leasing transactions, renewals, and expansions alone speak volumes about THE MART’s enduring value as a hub for the North American design community,” says Byron Morton, Vice President & Co-Head of Leasing, THE MART. “More than just a building, THE MART is its own user-centric ecosystem; a centrally located destination and an amenity-rich year-round resource. The most important event for the contract furnishing market, NeoCon is core to THE MART’s DNA. We continue to be an essential platform where brands can grow and thrive and where the industry can come together to network, collaborate, and do business.”

Mizetto

Mizetto’s powder coated planters, “Plant Here,” bring life into the office. Photo by Jonas Lindstrom.

Sweden-based Mizetto, which has previously been a NeoCon pop-up, will soon spread their sleek, powder-coated metal planters across the third floor with a permanent showroom. Acoustic manufacturer Turf is upgrading from a 4,000 square foot space to 20,000, gaining even more surface area for their pleated felt wall panels. Ghent, a GMi Company, doubles their footprint to show off their (not so) whiteboards, which, due to their geometric forms and bright, primary colors, could be mistaken for minimalist paintings. Four more companies, Kettal, Arcadia, Encore, and Innovant, are also planning to grow their presence at THE MART.

M|R Walls, Futrus, and Privacy Plus

M|R Walls, Futrus and Privacy Plus combine their powers to make bars cyberpunk.

Brands will continue to converge on the 7th floor to display their cutting edge building products, interior finishes and materials, and flooring. Some of these companies are coming to NeoCon for the first time, such as CECOCECO which provides state-of-the-art illuminated digital screen solutions for commercial spaces. In their space known as “the Artmorph art gallery,” enchanting projections replace bulky monitors, splashing walls with mesmerizing, generative art. Another cluster of companies, M|R Walls, Futrus, and Privacy Plus, renowned for high-performance, versatile, and attractive surfaces for a range of applications. With dramatic blue lighting and wavy shelving, they make the average sports bar appear cyberpunk.

Also coming to the 7th floor is the Climate Positive Solutions Gallery. The space will feature low-carbon and carbon-negative materials and related technologies. Curated by Journalist and CEU content creator Kenn Busch, the gallery will help designers understand how to build greener without forgoing aesthetics, quality, or breaking the bank.

Silen

Silen pods are perfect for private meetings, phone calls, or even power naps.

Many NeoCon regulars will return to the event. Among the 200-plus exhibitors, you can be sure to catch the latest trends from AHF Products, Behr Paint Company, Benjamin Moore, Configura Inc., emuamericas, llc, Formica Corporation, FreeAxez, LLC, FUNC, Hollman, MOCKETT, Mute, NARDI S.P.A., OFFICES TO GO, Room & Board for Business, SnapCab, Ultrafabrics, Zintra, Artizin LLC, and Fi Interiors.

Finally, NeoCon wouldn’t be complete without talks from industry leaders. Keynote speakers include Gensler’s Global Entertainment Leader Bob Weis, multi-disciplinary artist and designer Yinka Ilori, and Academy Award-winning costume designer Ruth E. Carter.

Bulo

Bulo, new to THE MART, builds out wood-paneled walls, which transform conferences room into rustic, homey environments. Photo by Tijs Vervecken

CECOCECO

CECOCECO provides state-of-the-art illuminated digital screen solutions for commercial spaces. Enchanting projections replace bulky monitors.

Ghent, a GMi Company

Ghent, a GMi Company, makes (not so) whiteboards in primary colors. They could be mistaken for minimalist paintings.

neocon.com

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