From the Community Blog/

If architects are meant to “design a better world,” they may or may not be succeeding, depending on your perspective. But, if architects can be a beacon for equity and decency, then we have no choice but to succeed--or evolve through trying. Architects must begin with their ranks to identify privilege, understand its dimensions, and use it to lead within our sphere of influence and beyond. Architects must embrace divergent voices and disruptive ideas, and in doing so, create spaces for fairness and justice to exist, unfettered.Design justice has come to mean community-led intervention. It has come to mean people-focused ...

COVID-19 forever changed the world. After a period of extreme isolation and social distancing, people are eager to reconnect. My hope is that many communities, families, friends and colleagues will come together stronger as they seek purposeful connection. In the workplace, there will be a shift away from typical office plans into spaces that are meaningful and intentional, and the greatest value will be placed on time. The workplace in the 2020’s will become a hub for connection and exchange.Many of us already worked remotely prior to the pandemic. In fact, according to a recent study, some 14.6% worked from ...

The question posed for this blog post is, “How might the current COVID crisis impact design for the better?” But, because I have infinite belief in the power of design to create positive change, I prefer to turn the question around and ask, “How might design impact the current crisis for the better?”Since the world stayed home, there has been a proliferation of thoughtful industry dialog and brainstorming about what comes next for the office environment. What will the workplace look like in the post-COVID-19 world? How will it need to function in order to be successful in the “new ...

Events of the past centuries, the past decades, and most recently the past weeks and days, have painfully and plainly illuminated the disparities in our culture and society. It’s become abundantly clear that facing these challenges can’t be done alone and a widespread collective effort is necessary for great societal change to take place. The current protests and dialogue around racial injustice have exposed how much work really needs to be done for us to all “be in this together”—truly confronting racism, injustice, and inequity is critical. We know that design is but one small part of that larger equation—so ...

The pandemic has forced us to rethink the way we work and given us a lesson in what is really important. It has been an interesting experiment that we could never have imagined before: could we, in this age of untethered technology, work remotely all the time? The answer is a resounding “yes we can,” but it is not quite the same and it is not good for us in the long term. It is interesting that video conferencing has replaced not only in-person meetings but telephone calls as well. I find myself doing video calls for everything these days ...

People are talking about the “new normal” and the great reset. But if there’s one small silver lining from all of this, it might be that work from home works. For the most part. Working from home has suddenly become a viable alternative to going to the office five-plus days per week. The Bay Area’s shelter in place order happened so fast there wasn’t time for an orderly transition. Any plans for a gradual shift of equipment, programs, and staff was out the window. We had no choice but to make it work. There was a learning curve for everyone; ...

Twenty years ago, Richard and I were both on the IIDA Board when we hit an unexpected financial snag. It was serious enough that we had to curtail all programming and events while we sorted out the mess and rebuilt IIDA’s brand and purpose. While the circumstances were dire at the time, in retrospect, they provided an opportunity for IIDA to re- invent itself. All associations need to periodically refresh their mandate but proposing to make changes or cuts to established programming is usually a tough sell. No one wants to give up anything, which is why change takes a ...

Listen on Apple Podcasts or Google PlayIn this episode of NeoConversations, we explore what it takes to effectively design brand character into a space. How can brand values and purpose be communicated through materiality, visual language, ambiance and experience? What’s in the tool kit needed to implement a design program company-wide? In this episode, Amy Devers talks to Renee Hytry Derrington, International Design Lead for Formica Group, and Abbott Miller, a partner at world-renowned design studio Pentagram to explore all the nuances of translating a brand into a physical experience. Have a listen:Renee Hytry Derrington, International Design Lead for Formica ...

Listen on Apple Podcasts or Google PlayIn this episode of NeoConversations, trusty and timeless tile is making its way into exciting new territory with large format panels, countertop slabs and high resolution digital printing. The design opportunities are almost limitless. Listen as host Amy Devers talks to Laura Muller, CEO of Four Point Build Inc., Frank Douglas, VP of Business Development for Crossville, and Noah Chitty, Directory of Technical Services for Crossville, to learn all about the technology and possibilities of this new frontier in tile surfacing. From left to right: Frank Douglas, Noah Chitty, and Laura ...

Forward Fruit is a Chicago-based branded environments and experiential design studio. In applying a strategic, user-driven methodology to hyper creative projects, they create soulful, on-brand solutions that are exciting, beautiful, and inspire brand-user connections. See their work at the new NeoCon Plaza. Forward Fruit leaders Elise Metzger (right), Principal, and Marissa Smith (left), Principal, present a guest blog with their recommendations for the latest and best spaces to eat, drink, and celebrate while attending NeoCon 2019 in Chicago. As designers, the environment of our spaces is almost as important as the food. That said we still love those spots where ...