Chicago—NeoCon yet again proved that it is the world’s premier platform for commercial design as it took over The Mart from June 12-14. Registered attendance rose 7% over the 2016 edition as the show hits new record highs year after year. The Mart’s continued investments into the building did not go unnoticed as new amenities and modernizations helped complement the overall show experience. Upgrades were apparent from the ground up as NeoCon attendees enjoyed The Mart’s brand new 2nd floor lounge, Marshall’s Landing, designed by A+I Architects and operated by DMK Restaurant Group and a new venue for keynotes and seminars on the 19th floor.
NeoCon 2017 welcomed six new permanent showrooms to the building, as well as 75 innovative new companies to the exhibitor roster. Rich programming and a wealth of special events, parties, award ceremonies and inspiring exhibits made for a productive and fun show.
“We went into this year strong—showrooms were at capacity and there were 28% ‘new to NeoCon’ brands in our sold out 7th floor exhibit hall,” said Byron Morton, vice president of leasing, NeoCon Shows. “The buzz continued to build with three full days of sold-out keynotes, at-capacity CEU sessions, innovative product launches and dynamic networking events. We look forward to leveraging this momentum as we get ready for NeoCon’s 50th anniversary in 2018.”
Sit/stand solutions, privacy pods, ergonomic seating, integrated technologies and high-performance textiles were among five of the top trends seen throughout the show. Yet, there was a rich diversity to the offerings, enabling specifiers more choice and flexibility for their projects. The talks and topics headlined by keynotes Arianna Huffington, Jessica Green and John Ronan and the debut of “Icons @ NeoCon” gave further insight into the future of commercial interiors.
NeoCon 2018, the 50th anniversary event, will be held from June 11-13 at the Mart.