Calhoun, Ga.— In collaboration with Gensler, Mohawk Group has launched the Smart City collection —a 12 x 36 Living Product carpet plank system. The line explores a future in which the urban environment nurtures its citizens through advancements and sustainable development, the company said.
“The best cities and urban environments are well planned and fluid, making creative use of space to maximize efficiency and growth,” said Jackie Dettmar, Mohawk Group’s vice president of design and product development. “We looked to this model to create Smart City, specifically how this vision of metropolis and community responds to the needs of all who inhabit and visit—whether through walkability, accessibility, the integration of green space or any number of factors that actively improve quality of life.”
The carpet plank collection reinterprets the transit maps of major cities and urban areas into soft surfaces for commercial interiors. The system includes Urban Model, an organic base pattern that is designed to reflect the texture and rhythm of a metropolitan mapscape; and Urban Mobility, coordinating pattern styles with linework and accent colors inspired by the subway systems of Berlin, Istanbul, London, New York, Paris and Shanghai.
Mohawk collaborated with Gensler, serving as product design consultant, for Smart City. Its design and development were informed by the Gensler Cities Climate Challenge (GC3) and the AIA 2030 Commitment, initiatives that call for all new buildings, developments and major renovations to be carbon neutral by 2030. The specification of net positive carbon Living Products like Smart City help support the mission.
Smart City meets the requirements of Living Product Challenge Petal Certification and is domestically manufactured at Mohawk’s “Living Site” facility in Glasgow, Va. Using the Living Product framework, Smart City has a net positive impact for people and the environment through innovations in materials, manufacturing and community involvement, according to Mohawk.
“As the maker of Living Products like Smart City, we believe better design examines both embodied carbon and materials health to produce sustainable products that help reduce the carbon footprint of our customers and lead the way in transparency,” Dettmar said.
All Living Products support and contribute to healthier commercial environments and their end users by being free of toxins and other harmful chemicals of concern while also protecting the outside environment. Additionally, the manner of manufacturing aligns with socially responsible practices that are respectful of workers’ rights, the company said.
Red List-free Smart City styles feature Mohawk Group’s Heathered Hues yarn system. Texture and blending provide a variegated wool-like appearance, creating the company’s most natural-looking nylon yarn to date. The commercial fibers aim to create a warm, biophilic aesthetic that is appealing to all commercial environments—especially those set in more industrialized, urban areas where nature is less evident. The yarn is dematerialized for a lower impact, and no water is used in its production. The Smart City collection comes standard with Duracolor Tricor solution-dyed nylon fiber and EcoFlex NXT tile backing.
The line has a coordinating porcelain tile collection from Mohawk’s Daltile brand called My City, which is also inspired by transit systems. The collection features a monochromatic concrete aesthetic in cool and warm tones with graphic linework in gloss, metallic or matte finishes. Coordinating flat colors are also available. Daltile also collaborated with Gensler for the My City collection.
Explore Smart City here.