Chicago—With NeoCon 2023 just weeks away (June 12-14), the leading commercial design platform has announced a dynamic lineup of activations, installations and experiences curated by the NeoCon team, their partners and participating exhibitors. From highly anticipated annual awards shows and gatherings to interactive and thought-provoking exhibits, this year’s event will offer unparalleled opportunities for the design community to connect, share ideas and celebrate together, while showcasing the latest design trends and what’s next for the built environment.
“NeoCon is more than just a trade show; it’s a vibrant and influential year-round community,” said Lisa Simonian, vice president of marketing for NeoCon. “Our goal is to deliver a multifaceted and immersive experience for the tens of thousands of industry professionals from around the world who gather at the Mart each June. This year’s lineup of activations and events aims to inspire and spark important moments of connection and reflection and complements the innovative products showcased throughout our showrooms and exhibit hall.”
Events
The buzz starts building in the days before NeoCon 2023 officially starts, beginning with the DIFFA Chicago Gala: Caribbean Carnival on Saturday night. On Sunday, Interior Design’s HiP Awards will celebrate the people and products that define trends and drive design forward, while IIDA will host its 2023 Annual Meeting, which will be followed by its Revel in Design event at the Ritz-Carlton Chicago.
The 33rd annual Best of NeoCon Awards, the renowned program honoring outstanding new products from exhibiting companies, will kick off day one with an awards ceremony hosted by industry leader and founder of officeinsight, Bob Beck. New to this year, the ceremony will also announce the winners of the Business Impact Award, which recognizes exceptional solutions through a business-oriented lens. Selected by a jury of discerning business journalists, the winning products are determined based on the degree to which they contribute to a more successful business and built environment across verticals—from workplace to healthcare. Following a jam-packed Monday at the show, the annual MRL (1191) + NAIRC NeoCon AfterHours party will take place off-site at the Tree House Chicago.
At the close of the second day of NeoCon 2023, attendees are invited to NeoCon’s new “Happy Together Hour” on the Mart’s River Park for cocktails, networking and a live musical performance from multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Sam Thousand, a popular fixture on Chicago’s music scene. BIFMA’s Annual Business Meeting and Breakfast, which will focus on the powerful advantage that a sustainability-centric approach can make in positioning businesses for long-term success, will conclude industry events on Wednesday.
Activations, experiences
New this year, NeoCon 2023 will host a live studio in partnership with the Surround Podcast Network and exhibitor, Snapcab, on the first floor of the Mart. Attendees will have the opportunity to watch “Live from NeoCon” recording sessions throughout the three days of the show. Following last year’s success, DesignScene by SANDOW (1120) will return to the show and host several activations in its space.
Next door to DesignScene, the Sustainability Lab by Metropolis will highlight new, environmentally focused innovations and offer free educational programming.
In addition to a colorful installation of iconic brands and emerging designers, visitors will also get a sneak peek of Interior Design’s Show Daily newspaper being produced in real-time.
The American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) will present a multi-functional lounge on the first floor. The space will showcase a relaxing live/work vignette furnished by new exhibitor Room & Board for Business (7-8070, 7-8078) and feature pods by Nook (1062) to offer opportunities for quiet reflection or heads down work.
On the 7th floor, attendees of NeoCon 2023 can take in “NeoCon Talks,” a new series from Work Design Magazine, which is sponsored by exhibitor Formica (7-4069) and features rapid-fire, 20-minute overviews from key design thought leaders and influencers around relevant and important industry topics including designing for Gen Z, developing empathic design practices and best practices for emerging AI tools and technology. The Talks space will be furnished by Flexxform (7-4011) and Dauphin (393).
Offering visitors a dose of inspiration right upon their arrival at the show, the first floor will feature a number of inviting vignettes. These include an impressive installation from long-time exhibitor Haworth (312) that showcases its expansive brand portfolio at the south lobby entrance, an immersive sustainable seating display in the east pass-through designed by Layer Design for KFI Studios (329), Mohawk Group’s (377) Experience Denim Culture exhibition and selfie station located at the Kinzie/Wells entrance and Snapcab’s (7-5038) Workspace featuring its award-winning “Space To Be You” pods (be sure to attend the winner reveal Sunday before the show!).
Material Bank will transform the first-floor corner next to the Starbucks elevator into a wall-to-wall interactive installation fully equipped with custom kiosks for attendees to experiment and discover. Those looking to recharge among the latest commercial design innovations can stop at Darran Furniture (10-165) and OE Electrics’ Kick-Back & Power-Up Lounge (3-120) or the Indeal Lounge (11-115).
The Network Next Gen Social Club (113) will feature live podcast recordings, a photobooth and curated panel discussions focused on sustainability, innovation and career development and will be an ideal place for those new to the industry to build new connections. On the first floor in the northeast corridor, attendees can test out Snowsound USA’s (1197) Snowking, an acoustically engineered, sound absorbing soft seating collection.
Relaxation
Amid the hustle and bustle of the exhibit hall, exhibitors are providing several oases of calm where attendees can take a moment to themselves or catch up on emails. On the 7th floor, Zenbooth (7-1030) will present its peaceful, nature-themed Connections Cafe in the northeast corner, Armstrong Flooring (7-2086) will host an indoor-outdoor-inspired Café Lounge in the center pass-through and InPro (7-2094) will have a special Selfie Booth (7-5022) near their exhibition space that features vibrant vignettes of the brand’s latest architectural products innovations. The paper lounge by molo (7-9056 and 7-9094) will be another tranquil environment. molo (7-9078) outfitted the space with its soft collection, constructing vignettes that draw inspiration from the natural world.
NeoCon and Art on the Mart align this year with a specially commissioned digital installation projected nightly on the Mart’s south façade. Building Light, an abstract video piece designed by Gensler’s Chicago brand studio with original soundscape from Gilded Audio and composed by Andy Chugg and Nick Doole, will project nightly from 9-9:30 p.m. This installation premieres June 8 in conjunction with the unveiling of Gensler’s redesign of several key spaces at the Mart, including the River Park, which will boast furnishings by Haworth. The community-driven outdoor area will be an ideal place for attendees and exhibitors to enjoy lunch or drinks and soak in the sun while staying close to all the action.