Best of NeoCon Awards: 10 winners rethink office furniture

Office furniture largely lacked flair just a few years ago. Now, many designers, emboldened by pandemic-induced shifts in the ways people work, are pushing the limits of what works in a work environment.

That trend was evident at this year’s Best of NeoCon Awards, akin to the Oscars of commercial design. It was particularly clear in NeoCon’s Business Impact category, which focuses specifically on innovation among workplace-oriented designs.

A jury of business media members at NeoCon’s annual June convention in Chicago assessed Business Impact exhibitors based on the degree to which they enhance office operations and environments. Nominees in this year’s class were rewarded for embracing changes brought by hybrid work. Soundproofing pods earned top marks, for example, as did multi-use meeting tables and customizable desks. It paid to promise privacy, flexibility and efficiency. Holland-based Haworth was among this year’s winners — and while Grand Rapids-based Steelcase did not win a Business Impact award, it still left with some hardware, including two Best of NeoCon Silver awards and an Innovation award.

Keep up with all things West Michigan business. Sign up for our free newsletters today.

“Manufacturers are finding ways to solve the market demand for collaborative, connective spaces, as well as furniture to improve hybrid, remote working,” Best of NeoCon Director Eileen McMorrow wrote in an announcement of the awards. “Products like case goods and furniture systems are becoming more scalable for flexibility and adaptability. Bold and happy colors are gaining in prevalence as workplaces become more relaxed and inviting to encourage employee recruitment and retention.”

Below are the 10 commercial designs judges found most likely to change the way offices do business in 2024 and beyond.

Product: Edison Workbench

Manufacturer: Watson Furniture Group (Poulsbo, Wash.)

NeoCon category: Furniture systems

Company description: “The Edison Workbench maximizes office space with dual or single-sided setups that can be easily reconfigured when staffing density changes. Workstations can be customized with a range of accessories, and its adjustable height, convenient power access, and adaptability make it a prime choice for facility managers and business owners who desire extra flexibility.”

Product: Vox Community

Manufacturer: Nienkämper (Toronto)

NeoCon category: Collections for collaboration

Company description: “Vox Community is an electric height-adjustable desking system designed for today’s dynamic working style. Vox Community desks are perfect for small teams who rely on close interaction or remote workers who need a space to touch down and focus on the task at hand.”

Product: Smart Pod Family

Manufacturer: Framery (Tampere, Finland)

NeoCon category: Work pods

Company description: “These private yet fully connected spaces are easy to book, and automatically adapt to the needs and preferences of any user. Seamlessly incorporating advanced technologies, the family of four smart pods redefine what’s possible in the workplace.”

Product: Ally

Manufacturer: OFS (Huntingburg, Ind.)

NeoCon category: Case Goods/Desks

Company description: “A private office solution designed to build trust and reimagine the role of leadership in the workplace today. With the help of Ally, managers become mentors, employees become partners, meetings become collaborations.”

Product: 4SPACE Fronts

Manufacturer: Haworth (Holland, Mich.)

NeoCon category: Architectural products

Company description: “4SPACE fronts are a simple yet elegant glass front solution that delineates space for a variety of environments. It’s a cost-effective system that creates resilient, agile, and adaptable architectural spaces across existing and new markets.”

Product: Ambi

Manufacturer: Stylex (Delanco, N.J.)

NeoCon category: Collections for collaboration

Company description: “Ambi is a modular collaborative collection, designed in partnership with Gensler to facilitate in-person and virtual collaboration in open-plan spaces. Featuring soft privacy panels and technology to enable virtual calls, presentations, and dining, Ambi meets the demands of hybrid workspaces.”

Product: Silen Space 1.5

Manufacturer: Silen OÜ (Harjumaa, Estonia)

NeoCon category: Work Pods

Company description: “Noise stays out, chats stay in. ‘Alarm clock to quiet library’ aptly describes the 43dB external-noise drop. Simple, ergonomic, and automatic. Room to sit, stretch, stand and move. Swappable side skin and cover trim keeps your pod looking fresh and always up to date.”

Product: Unity Table Collection

Manufacturer: Mantra Inspired Furniture (Norfolk, Virg.)

NeoCon category: Tables: Café

Company description: “Unity’s soft curves invites one to sit and enjoy the warmth of its complete solid wood design. This design illuminates the strength and beauty of wood from its top through its base. Unity’s design answered our challenge of how to reduce transportation carbon costs to the environment by the ability of flat packing, ease of assembly and disassembly, as well as reuse and refinish options.”

Product: Circon

Manufacturer: Momentum Textiles & Wallcovering (Irvine, Calif.)

NeoCon category: Wall treatments

Company description: “Circon is the first bio-sourced, carbon-neutral, Type II vinyl wallcovering working toward a carbon-free future — at a price, performance and beauty comparable to conventional vinyl.”

Product: Folding Surfaces Table

Manufacturer: Howe (Odense, Denmark)

NeoCon category: Tables: Communal

Company description: “With Folding Surfaces, you can adapt your space at ease. This innovative new product concept with built-in power lets users unfold fully functional surfaces wherever they’re needed, shaping the workplace’s dynamics at will.”