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Keynotes & Featured Presentations

Pulling from diverse backgrounds and experiences and drawing inspiration from music, poetry, technology, and the power of community, this year's keynotes explored how we can build a more sustainable, equitable and brighter future. The keynotes were complemented by a number of featured presentations from industry thought leaders exploring topics ranging from rethinking the concept of occupancy in an evolved work landscape, to the power of design to be a force for good when it comes to social justice.

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NeoCon Program Library to watch recordings of this year's Keynotes and Special Presentations.

2023 Keynotes

Keynote
Designing a Way Forward
Amy Webb, World-Renowned Futurist; Founder & CEO of the Future Today Institute

Amy Webb Headshot

As the design and business worlds look to navigate today’s disruption while preparing for the complexities of the future, world-renowned quantitative futurist and tech leader, Amy Webb, provides the strategic foresight and forecasting that is crucial for organizations to adapt and position themselves for sustained success in this era of unprecedented transformation. Amy leads an extraordinary exploration into the emerging trends and technologies that will turn industries on their heads and reshape every aspect of our lives.

About

World-renowned futurist, Amy Webb, is the founder and CEO of the Future Today Institute, a leading foresight and strategy firm that helps leaders and organizations prepare for complex futures.

In her work with the Future Today Institute, Webb is a trusted advisor to the world’s most admired companies, three-star admirals and generals, and the senior leadership of central banks and intergovernmental organizations. She has pioneered a data-driven, technology-led foresight methodology that has been implemented by hundreds of organizations to power their growth. Webb is a professor of strategic foresight at New York University’s Stern School of Business, where she developed and teaches future-focused MBA-level courses, and is also a visiting fellow at Oxford University’s Säid School of Business. She has been recognized by Poets & Quants as “one of the most impactful business professors in the world.” Webb’s influence can be felt in policy, government, and even the entertainment industry. She collaborates closely with Hollywood’s leading writers and producers to ensure the most accurate depiction of science, technology, and the future in blockbuster films and widely recognized TV shows and commercials. Prior to founding the Future Today Institute in 2005, Webb began her career as a journalist, first covering technology and economics for The Wall Street Journal while based in Hong Kong and later relocating to Tokyo to report on emerging technologies for Newsweek.

A powerful voice on all things tech- and future-related, Webb is the author of several bestselling books, including the critically acclaimed The Genesis Machine, which examines the future of synthetic biology — which she predicts will be the most important technology of our lifetime. She has provided thought leadership as a columnist on the future and big data for Slate and a contributing editor and tech columnist for Inc, and her insights into the future are featured frequently in today’s top publications, including the Harvard Business Review, New York Times, Wired, Fortune, and several others. In addition to being elected a life member of the Council on Foreign Relations, Webb serves as a Steward and Steering Committee member of the World Economic Forum’s Future of Media, Entertainment, and Sport Board, as well as its Global Futures Council. She is also a member of the Bretton Woods Committee, a fellow in the United States-Japan Leadership Program and a Foresight Fellow in the U.S. Government Accountability Office Center for Strategic Foresight. Previously, she served as a visiting Nieman Fellow at Harvard University, as well as a U.S. Department of State delegate for the U.S.-Russia Bilateral Presidential Commission, where she worked on the future of technology, media, and international diplomacy.

A visionary with extraordinary insight into what the future of business and society might look like, Webb is a winner of the Thinkers50 RADAR Award, and has been named to the BBC 100 Women list and the Thinkers50 Radar list of influential management thinkers shaping the future of how organizations are managed and led.

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Sponsored by
  • The Wall Street Journal
Presented by
  • IIDA

Keynote
Empowering our Communities
Michael Murphy, Co-Founder of MASS Design Group

Michael Murphy Headshot

Michael Murphy is co-founder of MASS Design Group, the award-winning architecture and design collaborative, and a designer, writer and teacher whose work investigates the social and political consequences of the built world. With a focus on how environments shape behavior, Michael’s research and writing advocate for a new empowerment in architecture that calls on architects to consider the ethical nature of their design decisions while simultaneously searching for beauty and meaning.

About

Michael Murphy is the co-founder and former executive director of MASS Design Group, an architecture and design collaborative with offices in Boston and Kigali.

An Adjunct Associate Professor at the Columbia Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation, Michael has taught at the Wentworth Institute of Technology, the Boston Architectural College, and the Harvard Graduate school of Design, and is a 2018 Santa Fe Art Institute Equal Justice Resident. His essays on architecture have been widely published and MASS's work has been featured in The New York Times, Time Magazine, Fast Company, The Atlantic, Wired, Mark Magazine, Metropolis, Architectural Record, Detail, and many others. MASS recently won the 2017 Cooper Hewitt National Design Award for Architecture Design. MASS was also a recipient of the Zumbtobel Group Prize, shortlisted for the Aga Khan award for Architecture, and a finalist for the TED Prize and the Buckminster Fuller Prize. Michael has lectured around the globe, most recently giving a keynote address at the 2017 American Institute of Architects Conference. His talk at the 2016 Annual TED Conference, Architecture That’s Built To Heal, has reached over 1 million views online.

Michael is from Poughkeepsie, NY and earned a Master of Architecture from the Harvard Graduate School of Design and a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from the University of Chicago.

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Presented by
  • ASID

Keynote
Exploring the Rhythm of Design
Michael Ford, The Hip Hop Architect | Lupe Fiasco, Chicago Hip Hop Legend & MIT Professor

Michael Ford and Lupe Fiasco Headshots

Known as the “The Hip Hop Architect,” award-winning architect and academic Michael Ford is on a mission to promote diversity in the architecture, engineering and construction fields through culturally relevant pedagogy. Joining Michael is Wasalu Jaco, professionally known as Lupe Fiasco, a Chicago born, Grammy award-winning rapper and currently a visiting professor at MIT. Together, Michael and Lupe will discuss their explorations in extracting the rhythms, textures, and patterns of Hip Hop as a source of design innovation in theory and in professional practice.

About

Michael Ford, AIA, NOMA, NCARB, is an award-winning architect, academic and founder of The Hip Hop Architecture Camp, a pioneer program that uses Hip Hop culture to introduce underrepresented youth to architecture and design.

His unique approach to diversifying the design profession has earned him national acclaim, with features in media outlets such as Oprah Winfrey Network's Super Soul Sunday, The TODAY Show, Rolling Stone Magazine, Architect Magazine, and Vibe Magazine.

As a sought-after speaker, Michael has delivered keynote addresses at major design conferences including the American Institute of Architects National Conference on Architecture, American Planning Association's National Planning Conference, SXSW Eco, International Interior Designer Association, Interior Designers of Canada, Interior Design Show Toronto, and his TEDx talk, "Hip Hop as Modernism's Post Occupancy Report" is widely recognized.

In addition to his work with The Hip Hop Architecture Camp, Michael is the Founding Principal of BrandNu Design Studio, where he leads the design of notable projects such as The Universal Hip Hop Museum in The Bronx. He recently served as the President of Wisconsin's Chapter of the National Organization of Minority Architects, an organization he worked tirelessly to charter. Under his leadership, the Wisconsin Chapter won NOMA's Chapter of the Year award. He has received numerous accolades for his contributions to the field, including the 2022 Wisconsin Young Architect of the Year, the Spirit of Detroit Award, and Top Innovator in Anti-Racism, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Programming.

Wasalu Jaco, professionally known as Lupe Fiasco, is a Chicago-born, Grammy award-winning American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and community advocate.

Rising to fame in 2006, following the success of his debut album, Food & Liquor, Lupe has released eight acclaimed studio albums; his latest being Drill Music In Zion released in June 2022. His efforts to propagate conscious material garnered recognition as a Henry Crown Fellow and he is a recipient of the MLK Visiting Professorship Program at MIT for the 2022/2023 academic year.

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Presented by
  • AIA Chicago

2023 Featured Presentations

Featured Presentation
IIDA Collective Design Live: Beyond Futurism
Elise Valoe, Director of Research and New Business Innovation at Steelcase | Kaelynn Reid, IIDA, Certified Design Futurist, Kimball | Paola Aguirre, Urban Designer and Partner, Borderless | Ryan Anderson, Vice President of Global Research and Insights, MillerKnoll | Todd Heiser, IIDA, Managing Director and Principal, Gensler | Moderated by Mark Bryan, Senior Foresight Manager at Future Today Institute

IIDA Panel

Mark Bryan, Senior Foresight Manager at Future Today Institute, leads this panel of futurists and design strategy leaders to break down the essential components of thinking and working like a futurist, starting today. This program helps us to understand how to adopt and apply futurism and the ways it can impact the built environment and help us be more connected, engaged, and collaborative, with a clear vision for personal and professional growth.

About

Elise Valoe has 15+ years of global research experience, successfully leading research projects across North America and Asia, informing the development of award-winning products. As a Design Researcher and Champion of User Experience, she brings a design thinking approach to deeply understanding a customer’s holistic needs. A trained Futurist and experienced Strategist, Valoe inspires teams to create compelling visions of the future to drive strategic decision making, inform innovation road maps and ensure organizational growth. Valoe is also responsible for determining the direction of Steelcase’s Emerging Technology research and is currently exploring the integration of Artificial Intelligence into work environments to augment human behavior.

Kaelynn Reid’s experience as an Interior Designer ignited her passion to improve the quality of space for all, particularly after a personal health journey allowed her to view the built environment through an alternative new lens. Now as a Certified Design Futurist at Kimball International, she works to illuminate the forward thinking ideas that will help shape the design industry. As the Host of the Alternative Design Podcast, she dares to imagine future possibilities that will lead designers to make decisions today for a better human experience.

Paola Aguirre Serrano is a native from the Mexico-U.S. region, urban designer and partner at Borderless since 2016. BORDERLESS is a design and research practice based in Chicago and San Antonio focused on approaches and collaboration frameworks addressing spatial justice and equitable design while cultivating collaborative design agency by looking at intersections between architecture, urban design, infrastructure, landscape, planning and community processes. Paola’s practice has been nationally recognized - most recently by The Architecture League of New York with the Emerging Voices Award (2022), the John and Catherine MacArthur Foundation’s Creative Placemaking Award (2022), and The Americans for the Arts Pérez Prize in Public Art & Civic Design (2022).

Ryan Anderson serves as Vice President of Global Research and Insights at MillerKnoll. His team leads MillerKnoll’s research efforts in partnership with a wide variety of global collaborators and are active in sharing insights gained from that research with organizations across the world. With nearly thirty years of industry experience, Ryan’s work has centered on how the places we inhabit can be better designed and managed to support positive, productive experiences. Ryan hosts MillerKnoll’s Looking Forward podcast on the future of work, regularly speaks at public events about MillerKnoll’s historical and current research, and has been featured in a wide variety of publications such as The Wall Street Journal, NPR, the BBC, Fortune, and Bloomberg.

Todd Heiser, FIIDA is a Principal and Co-Managing Director in Gensler’s Chicago office. His leadership showcases more than 20 years of experience in next-generation design at the cutting edge of workplace strategies, and his commitment to a high level of conceptual and technical development, combined with a design process that champions client partnership, transforms spaces for his clients across the globe. With a genuine interest in people and passion for leading teams to personal and professional success, Todd is a trusted mentor to many. His expertise is regularly sought after by organizations, conferences, and global media outlets, exemplifying his influence in the industry and beyond.

Moderator:

Mark Bryan is a Senior Foresight Associate at the Future Today Institute. Prior to FTI, Mark worked as a workplace strategist, designer and design researcher, and futurist for clients all across the country, most recently through his role as Director of Innovation + Research and Senior Interior Designer at Ohio-based MA Design.

Mark’s portfolio of clients includes national retail brands, higher education institutions, non-profits, multi-family developers, and large corporate clients. Working with his clients, Mark brings an understanding of the principles of psychology, culture, and human behavior that can shape and change the future.

Mark has authored several whitepapers and developed research surrounding what leaders need to know about for the future of workplace culture. Mark is also certified by the University of California, Berkeley, in using resiliency to combat stress at work. Mark is a member of the IIDA Equity Council, an NCIDQ Certified Senior Interior Designer, and a recipient of two 2022 40 Under 40 awards. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Interior Design from Virginia Tech University and is certified by the Institute for the Future as a trained foresight practitioner.

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Presented by
  • IIDA

Featured Presentation
BIFMA + IFMA: Return to Occupancy: New Paradigms
Cynthia Milota, Director of Workplace Strategy, Ware Malcomb | Matthew Negron, President, Dauphin Americas | Daniel O’Bannon, Executive Director - Facilities, Property Management and Sustainability, Blue Cross Blue Shield | Richard Oliver, Chief Commercial Officer, 9to5 Seating | Moderated by Kate Davis, NCIDQ, LEED AP, Global Design Director of Commercial Interiors, HKS

BIFMAIFM Aimg 051823 REV

The return to occupancy creates an opportunity to reset previous workplace strategies and expectations with new approaches to address the paradigm shift. These conversations provide new opportunities to include additional stakeholders early in the process to respond to growing requirements around sustainability, wellbeing, and technology; themes that are driving the new evolution of the built environment.

New research done by the International Facility Management Association (IFMA) exploring how people interact with space will be discussed by a panel of experts. The concept of occupancy in all its dimensions is of paramount interest to those providing product solutions to meet user needs in the built environment and those who manage assets related to all types of spaces.

About

Panelists:

Cynthia Milota, Director of Ware Malcomb’s Workplace Strategy and Change Management practice, delivers, with her team, human-centered, experience-based work environments. She partners with clients to formulate their unique objectives: mindful of wellness, culture, talent strategy and success measures. She has held roles as the consultant and as the workplace strategist for a Fortune 500 financial services organization. She has published and presented her research at academic and professional conferences, held adjunct faculty positions, served on juries and editorial review teams. She currently serves on the International Facilities Management Association (IFMA)-Workplace Evolutionaries (WE) board in Membership / Analytics and is the co-chair of the Environmental Design Research Association’s (EDRA) Workplace Environment Network. Cynthia lives in Chicagoland, is married, has two adult children, and never passes up the opportunity to visit a submarine.

Matthew Negron, President of Dauphin Americas, has over a decade of experience in the furniture industry with experience ranging from product design, engineering, sales, and executive leadership. During his tenure at Dauphin, he has given over one-thousand presentations to people in Canada, the USA, and Latin America. Matthew continues to be involved with industry associations such as CoreNet, IIDA, and IFMA and is currently the Vice President of City Centers for IIDA PA/NJ/DE. Outside of the contract furniture market, Matthew is an Adjunct Professor and provides freelance work through his company, Think Simplicit.

Daniel O’Bannon began his career at Health Care Service Corporation/Blue Cross Blue Shield in 2016 as Senior Director Property Management and Facilities Operations. Daniel’s responsibilities included the facilities operations management of over 50 locations, property management utilizing a third party supplier and food service management for all the company sites. In 2019, Daniel was promoted to the position of Executive Director Property Management and Facilities Operations. Prior to joining HCSC, Daniel held various leadership roles with CBRE, Johnson Controls Inc. and Electro-Thermo Plastics.

Daniel manages the company-wide sustainability program, which in 2018, he led efforts for HCSC to implement. Within the first year, this area has implemented a company-wide recycling program and generated over $750k in utility energy savings. Using highly effective leadership and personnel management skills, Daniel also successfully planned and executed a two phase department restructuring within the facilities operations department. A component of the restructuring yielded noted increases in diverse personnel hiring and employees with significantly greater technical abilities.

Rich Oliver is the Chief Commercial Officer for 9to5 Seating. Rich followed in his father’s footsteps and started his career with Steelcase in Cleveland. With more than 25 years of sales management experience within the contract furniture industry, Rich is known for his strategic leadership style, track record of revenue growth and ability to develop strong teams that generate results. He has experience on both the manufacturer and dealer side of the business; Rich has developed a reputation as an accessible leader with a strong work ethic anchored by integrity, credibility, and a sense of humor. Originally from Boston, Rich grew up in Youngstown, Ohio and is a proud graduate of Youngstown State University. Rich and his wife Ann have two children, Kevin and Claire and reside in Columbus, Ohio with their two Golden Retrievers.

Moderator:

Kate Davis' approach to design is to become a student of her client’s business. She aims to understand their people, vision, values and brand at a deep level so that each design decision comes back to being accountable to this understanding. As HKS’ Global Design Director of Commercial Interiors, Kate brings over 20 years of experience to finding opportunities that enrich the human experience through design. Throughout her career, Kate has amassed broad expertise through all project phases, from discovery, strategic real estate analysis, programming and space planning to project and construction management. Kate leads clients toward transformational workplaces, contributes to research and thought leadership. She believes in taking an integrated approach to interior design bringing together interior designers, architects, environmental graphic designers, researchers, anthropologists, and more to create places that delight, heal, and stimulate peak performance. Her work leads to design with measurable impact.

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Presented by
  • BIFMA IFMA 1

Featured Presentation
Design Your World with IIDA
Cheryl Durst, FIIDA, Executive Vice President and CEO, IIDA

Cheryl Durst

Join IIDA and Cheryl Durst, Executive Vice President and CEO for a discussion and screening of short films featuring the IIDA Design Your World program—an education initiative designed to provide early exposure to architecture and interior design careers for diverse high-schoolers, returning for a third session this summer and continuing its national expansion with programs in Chicago, Miami and now St. Louis. The programs provide opportunities and pathways for students that may otherwise not be exposed to careers in design, with the goal of promoting equity and diversity in the industry. Join firm partner Gensler, supporting Chicago and Miami, along with manufacturer sponsors, OFS, 3form, Mannington Commercial, Configura, DIRTT, and partners Fresh Artists, Interiors and Sources, IIDA So. Florida, IIDA Gateway Chapter, Black Architects in the Making (BAM), and FIU in supporting the program.

About

An exceptional communicator, innovator, and visionary leader, Cheryl Durst has spurred progress, driven change, and encouraged the expansion of the Interior Design industry. As the Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer of the International Interior Design Association (IIDA), Cheryl is committed to achieving broad recognition for the value of design and its significant role in society through both functionality and engagement in every day work spaces and the built environment. Demonstrated by her active involvement in connecting industry professionals, including designers, manufacturers, clients, end users, and employers, she has worked to promote an understanding of how design impacts human behavior and affects all aspects of shared spaces. In 1997, Cheryl joined IIDA as the Senior Director of Education and Professional Development. Promoted to Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer in 1998, she began the task of rebuilding and redefining the organization, which was teetering on the brink of bankruptcy and closure due to organizational mismanagement. Despite this significant challenge, Cheryl implemented an aggressive fiscal redevelopment and turnaround strategy. Through her efforts, she revived the association and repositioned it as a profitable enterprise, integral to the interior design community and dedicated to furthering the profession of interior design. Today, with 15,000 members across 58 countries, Cheryl oversees the strategic direction of IIDA, curates and publishes Perspective, the association’s thought-leadership journal, manages a team of 25 professional staff members, leads the 10-member International Board of Directors, and directs all outreach and programmatic efforts, including more than a dozen global design competitions, which recognize worldwide excellence in interior design.

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Presented by
  • IIDA

Featured Presentation
Diversity in Design: The Time for Change is Now
Ronnie Belizaire, Vice President, JLL | Maya Bird-Murphy, Founder and Executive Director of Mobile Makers | Angelita Scott, Director and Community Concept Lead for the WELL Building Standard and WELL Equity Lead | Moderated by Joseph Cephas, Senior Vice President, Novità Communications

Diversity In Design

The Time For Change Is Now. This powerful panel examines the role design plays in solving social justice issues as well as the lack of diversity and representation in the profession. Novità Senior Vice President Joseph Cephas hosts the panel alongside black design industry leaders: Angelita Scott, Ph.D. (Director and Community Concept Lead for the WELL Building Standard and WELL Equity Lead at the International WELL Building Institute), Maya Bird-Murphy (founder, Chicago Mobile Makers), and Ronnie Belizaire, IIDA (Vice President, JLL). The discussion examines the problems facing African Americans both in society and in the design industry, including institutional racism and discrimination, reviews changes made in recent years, and focuses on a path toward equity.

About

Panelists:

Angie Scott is Director and Community Concept Lead for the WELL Building Standard and WELL Equity Lead at the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI). She previously served as an Assistant Professor of Interior Design believing that the built environment should be equitable for everyone regardless of race, gender, age, or ability.

Her research takes a preventative approach to the interior environment focusing on the intersection of residential design, housing, and well-being; and cultural well-being and workplace environments. Through these perspectives, she focuses on mental health (stress reduction) and occupant satisfaction. Scott has worked in the interior design profession as a practitioner, educator, and researcher for over 20 years.

She earned a Ph.D. in interior design with a concentration on evidence-based design from the University of Minnesota, holds a DEI Workplace Certificate from the University of South Florida, and was named an inaugural ASID Ones To Watch Award Winner and Scholar.

Scott believes the building industry can make significant contributions to people’s lives through the impact of the built environment on mental, physical, and social well-being. Through the lens of well-being and social justice, she hopes to empower people as change agents for the greater good.

Ronnie Belizaire was named Vice President of JLL in September 2021. In her role as corporate real estate manager for Daimler her business acumen and design expertise helped her to guide the company’s organizational goals for its various business entities through the strategic positioning of corporate real estate assets in the Americas. Belizaire is an experienced project manager and designer with over five million square feet of architectural, interiors, and industrial projects managed and delivered during her 13-year career. She is a dedicated IIDA volunteer whose previous service includes IIDA Georgia Chapter President from 2013-2014 and IIDA Foundation Chair from 2017-2019. Professionally, Belizaire has completed projects for numerous clients including well-known Fortune 500 companies, helping them transform their organizations through the built environment.

Maya Bird-Murphy is the founder and Executive Director of Mobile Makers, an award-winning nonprofit organization bringing design and skill-building workshops to underrepresented communities. Maya believes that the design field must expand to include more people and perspectives through teaching and community engagement. She loves Chicago and hopes to make her mark by making it a more equitable place to live. Maya was recently featured in the Chicago Tribune, Dwell Magazine and was selected as an Experimental Design Lab awardee, an initiative led by Theaster Gates, Rebuild Foundation, and the Prada Group.

Moderator:

Joseph Cephas is a public relations, communications, and branding leader who has spent the better part of two decades shepherding companies to new heights. An experienced and sought-after public speaker, Cephas specializes in developing, implementing, and integrating strategic communications plans that advance brand identity while adhering to values essential to each business.

As Senior Vice President of Novita Communications, a position he began in early 2020, Cephas has been instrumental in establishing high-level growth strategies, overall firm management, securing new business, increasing access to diverse candidates, instituting and ensuring the overall structure of the company positions employees for success. Cephas previously served as the Vice President, Communications & Brand Experience for the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), where he was integral to the association’s evolution. His accomplishments include creating a digital strategy that resulted in a significant increase in membership in one year and forming advantageous relationships with various organizations and associations, such as Emerald ,crucial to increasing ASID’s presence and its access to members at industry conferences. Prior to ASID, Cephas served as Vice President of Public Affairs to a leading national trade association.

A key figure and advocate for diversity, Cephas’ thoughtful, research and knowledge-based approach to disseminating information and advocating for change has rendered him invaluable to the industry and raised the firm’s profile.

Cephas has won two ASAE Gold Circle awards for an ASID National campaign and was a finalist in PR News’ Black Pioneer Award in 2021. As a thought leader in the design and PR industries, he currently serves on the health equity advisory board for International Well Building Institute (IWBI) and was an advisor in the creation of PR Net’s BIPOC Mentorship program, where he also served as a career development mentor to BIPOC students. He is a frequent featured speaker and moderator on panels and speaking engagements, on topics that range from how designers can get published, to PR in the 21st century, and diversity in design. Joseph holds a Master’s degree and a Bachelor’s degree in Communications & Media Studies from Edinboro University in Pennsylvania.

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Featured Presentation
BIFMA + IFI: ID2 – The Interdependency of Industrial Design and Interior Design
Julie Michiels, Senior Associate Principal and Interior Design Leader, SOM | Andre Sandifer, Principal Product Designer, Sandifer Studio | Martin Lesjak, Co-Founder, CEO and Design Director INNOCAD architecture | Alessandro Munge, Founder and Principal, Studio Munge | Moderated by Carl Magnusson, Principal, CGM Design

BIFMA Tuesday

This invited panel will bring together four esteemed international professionals to explore the interdependencies between the spaces we inhabit and the products that bring them to life. The conversation will be moderated by one of the legends of design, Carl Magnusson, acclaimed industrial designer who has dedicated his career to product innovation for human environments. You won't want to miss this dynamic session hosted by BIFMA and IFI, two organizations devoted to advancing the built environment.

About

Panelists:

Julie Michiels is a Senior Associate Principal and Interior Design Leader in Chicago and helps lead SOM’s interdisciplinary, holistic approach to human-centered design for its global portfolio of interior projects. Julie calls on her extensive experience as an architect, interior designer, and project leader to guide complex project teams focused on developing innovative design solutions tailored to the needs of the client. With a dedicated focus on client service, collaboration, and designing from the inside out, she has been involved in several award-winning projects—diverse in scale, location, and typology—from concept to completion.

Architect Martin Lesjak co-founded INNOCAD architecture in 1999 and has since completed numerous projects of diverse sizes and scopes in architecture and interior design such as residential, office, hospitality, healthcare, mixed-use,
educational, public, and retail. His transdisciplinary team is renowned for their “out of the box” thinking and their analytical and pragmatic approach to architecture and design by creating solutions with purpose and meaning. Lesjak´ s foresight
and expertise in architecture, design, and craft – as well as an affinity for art – has guided his firms in innovative directions. Together with partners, he leads multifaceted international projects combining creativity without boundaries. In 2013, he founded with Dr. med. univ., Anastasija Lesjak, the product design studio 13&9 Design. The team works for international companies developing product collections, while also operating as a label producing their own products with
small-scale manufacturers.

Lesjak received one of the architecture and design community’s top honors, “Designer of the Year 2015” by Contract Magazine in the United States, followed by “Architect of the Year 2016” by BUILD Magazine in the United Kingdom.

Born into a world of design, Alessandro Munge quickly transcended his teenage sketches to become one of North America’s most sought-after designers. Through his inquisitive nature and fundamental drive to provoke profound emotion, Alessandro has broken free from the preconceived notions of interior design for over 20 years.

With an innovative point of view earning him Interior Design’s Leader in Hospitality, ICFF’s Designer of the Year Award, and the prestigious Toronto Metropolitan University Alumni Achievement Award, Alessandro approaches every project with a deep understanding of practicalities, artistic expression, and human connectivity. Strengthening his ties to a host of top-tier hospitality brands and clients, Alessandro continues establishing himself as a multidisciplinary thought leader through design architecture, landscaping and product design. His boundless passion for art, culture and travel, inspires his international team of over sixty to sculpt spaces into distinctive, signature experiences that reflect the essence and vibrancy of their inhabitants.

Andre Sandifer is a product designer and a self-taught craftsman. He was born and raised in Grand Rapids, Michigan and professionally trained in Architecture. He holds a Master of Architecture from the University of Michigan and a Bachelor in Facilities Management from Ferris State University. He has worked as a senior product designer on staff and an independent consultant to other furniture studios in addition Sandifer Studio.

Moderator:

Carl Gustav Magnusson is recognized as one of the most acclaimed industrial designers.
Swedish born and educated in architecture, he has dedicated his career to the profession of design.

He worked with the Eames Office on projects ranging from the IBM Mathematica Exhibit to the Eames Chaise, then opened his own studio in Rudolf Schindler’s House in LA.
At Knoll for 29 years, as director of global design in USA & Europe for three decades, commissioned designers such as Richard Sapper, Ettore Sottsass, Mia Linn, Ross Lovegrove and Frank Gehry.
He established the Knoll Design Symposium at Cranbrook Academy and co-founded The Knoll Museum.
His New York based firm, CGM Design, has created products for Knoll, Spinneybeck, Nienkamper, Teknion, MoMA, BMW and the City of St. Moritz.
CGM Design has won 45 plus design awards since 2005.
He has written on design, book chapters and magazine articles and photographed for Domus. He has lectured at universities and museums such as Yale and Neue Pinakothek, Munich; and curated exhibits for BMW in Stuttgart and Berlin.

He serves as a board member of The Bertoia Foundation and Madworkshop.

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Presented by
  • BIFMA IFI 1

Featured Presentation
ASID Panel: Inspiration for Impact — How Sustainable Design Advances Social Equity
George Bandy, President and CSO, Fiber Industries | Khoi Vo, CEO, ASID | Sequoyah Hunter-Cuyjet, Vice President, Determined by Design | Moderated by Mark Wilson, Global Design Editor, Fast Company

ASID Headshots 081723

ASID believes that design has the power to impact lives, and the spaces we create in the built environment work best when they are accessible, inclusive and sustainable. There is an intrinsic connection between sustainable design and social equity. Whether we are talking about fence line communities struggling to thrive against challenging toxic and unsustainable conditions or access to health and wellbeing, the design profession can create spaces that have the capacity to regenerate our environments and rejuvenate our health and wellness. Join Khoi Vo, ASID CEO, George Bandy, President and CSO of Fiber Industries and Sequoyah Hunter-Cuyjet, Vice President + Advocate for Design Equity at Determined by Design in a panel discussion moderated by Mark Wilson, Global Design Editor of Fast Company, to address the social equity and sustainability challenges that affect the interior design profession.

About

Panelists:

Sequoyah Hunter-Cuyjet is a culture cultivator with a unique ability to breathe narrative into any design, giving voice to community, people and places. With her diverse art and culturally-rich background as well as her multidisciplinary
design experience, she is a multifaceted design professional who can help partners address any project challenge.

Sequoyah has a Bachelors of Art in Liberal Arts from Sarah Lawrence College—where she studied art, literature and anthropology—as well as a Master of Fine Arts in Interior Design from Moore College of Art + Design. She is the first Native American to graduate from Moore’s MFA program and one of the only Native American’s in the country to hold a MFA in Interior Design. Boutique Magazine recognized her as a 2020 Boutique 18—a rising star in hospitality design.

As a designer, she has range—a range that comes from an appreciation of various cultures and histories. She can design a classical interior with the same ease as an austere modern one because she values the experience of designing from a reference rooted in something bigger. For Sequoyah, every style and aesthetic have meaning and purpose—not one greater than the other.

George Bandy, Jr
., is a global leader in environmental sustainability, circular economy and social responsibility. He has been responsible for executing the comprehensive concepts and practices of sustainability for multinational corporations and NGO’s. He proactively identifies opportunities to position environmental, economic and socially responsible solutions for both the organizations and their customers so that, together, they can demonstrate the type of sustainability leadership that will result in a brighter future for all.

George is currently supporting Fiber Industries, a leading US fiber manufacturer known for cutting-edge and innovative market leading solutions for the fabric, garment, and fashion industry. George is leading Fiber Industries as its Chief Sustainability Officer. Bandy has more than 25 years of experience in the sustainability field. His expertise will help Fiber Industries reach its short-term and long-term sustainability goals.

Bandy is the former Chief Sustainability Officer for Mohawk Industries. Prior to that position, he was the Vice President of Sustainability for Interface. Bandy also served as the Sustainability Officer for the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston. Bandy is a member of the board of directors for Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI), an organization that independently recognizes excellence in green business industry performance and practice around the world. He has also been appointed to the board of directors for the International Interior Design Association, Trane Technologies Advisory Council for Sustainability and most recently he represents Fiber at the South Carolina Business Council. He is the former Chairman of the Board of the USGBC and has also served on the board of Second Nature, a nonprofit that champions for higher education institutions to make the principles of sustainability fundamental to every aspect of learning.

Khoi Vo, CEO of the American Society of Interior Designers, brings more than 20 years of experience across the worlds of interior design, architecture, and education. Most recently a leader at the renowned Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD). Vo has touched the design world for nearly two decades as both a designer and an educator. In 2002, he founded Studio Four Los Angeles, where he worked as the design director and designed and sold architectural products. He later founded Khoi Vo Design and operated as the studio’s design director for 12 years and oversaw all phases of the firm’s projects. Vo began his career at California State University as an assistant professor for the interior design program. He later became a professor at SCAD’s department of interior design and later served as Chair. After a stint at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Vo returned to SCAD to head its former Hong Kong campus and then served as the institution’s vice president for industry relations.

Vo is a distinguished member of various industry organizations. He currently sits on the Board of Directors for the Interior Design Educator Council Foundation and was previously an ASID board member from 2017-2019. He has also served as Site Visitor and Co-Chair for the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA), and as a member of the International Interior Design Association (IIDA) and Interior Design Educators Council (IDEC) for more than a decade.

Vo has received numerous awards during his career, with highlights including the 2015 Honorable Mention for the CIDA Award for Excellence in Teaching, the 2017-18 DesignIntelligence Top 25 Most Admired Educators, and a SCAD Presidential Fellowship. Vo earned a Bachelor of Arts with a design focus in architecture from the University of Florida in Gainesville, Fl. He later received a Master of Architecture from the Southern California Institute of Architecture in Los Angeles.

Moderator:

Mark Wilson is the Global Design Editor at Fast Company. He's spent the last 15 years writing about design, technology, and culture for publications including National Geographic, GQ, and Esquire.


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