NeoCon Talks was a lively new addition to this year's show, featuring thought-provoking 20-minute conversations between industry disrupters, leaders, and influencers. Hosted in partnership with Work Design Magazine, NeoCon Talks explored trending topics that challenge conventional thinking and spark innovation.
Visit Work Design Magazine for a recap of the 2023 NeoCon Talks! Click here.
Meet the 2023 Innovation Competition winners & join us for the unveiling of the winner's concept brought to life by Formica. These soon to be architects, interior designer, and product designers will share what they think the workplace should include to support them and their peers.
About
Dario Duran, NJ Institute of Technology; majoring in Interior Design. Graduated May 19, 2023.
Meaghan Maass, Fanshaw College in Ontario CA. Majoring in Interior Design.
Tom-Eliott Monette, Cegep Saint-Jean-Sur-Richelieu (Quebec CA), majoring in Interior Design.
Moderator:
Katie Sargent is Work Design Magazine's Integrated Marketing Manager. Katie’s interest in the A+D industry began with her first internship at IA Interior Architects in 2010. Since then she went on to have experience with Jones Lang LaSalle, Kimball Office, Dealerships in the DC area and even heading up webinars for us! She received her degree in Business Management from Virginia Tech. Outside of work, Katie is a student earning an Associates Degree in Occupational Studies - Film and Television Performance from The New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts.
Our very own Workplace Design Nepo Baby, Katie Sargent has a fireside chat with her mom and workplace expert, Kay Sargent. In addition to lessons learned and advice for young designers, Kay will talk about how to position yourself as a subject matter expert, how to become invaluable to your firms & your clients and more.
About
With 38 years of experience, Kay Sargent is a recognized expert on workplace design and strategy issues and an award-winning designer. Kay is Global Co-Director of HOK’s Workplace team and sits on HOK’s Board of Directors. In 2020 she was named ASID’s Designer of Distinction. Kay currently serves on the ASID’s Foundation Research Taskforce; George Washington University Advisory Council; the IWBI Mind Advisory Team and the Advisory Boards for I+S and WorkDesign magazines. During her career she has also served on the International Boards of CoreNet Global, AVIXA, IFI - International Federation of Interior Designers /Architects, ASID, IIDA, NCQLP and the Advisory Board of Virginia Tech School of Architecture and Design and NVCC. She is an active member of IFMA and co-founder of the IFMA Workplace Evoluntionaries, WE community and serves as an Executive committee for WE. In 2021 she was selected from her field of peers to provide Congressional Subject Matter Expert Testimony to the U.S. House of Representatives on “Federal Real Estate Post-COVID-19: A View from The Private Sector.” Kay also serves on the GSA Diversity taskforce and is an advisor for the HOK Diversity Advisory Council.
Moderator:
Katie Sargent is Work Design Magazine's Integrated Marketing Manager. Katie’s interest in the A+D industry began with her first internship at IA Interior Architects in 2010. Since then she went on to have experience with Jones Lang LaSalle, Kimball Office, Dealerships in the DC area and even heading up webinars for us! She received her degree in Business Management from Virginia Tech. Outside of work, Katie is a student earning an Associates Degree in Occupational Studies - Film and Television Performance from The New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts.
2023 grads expect employers to be prioritizing their mental health and here's how the A&D community can exceed their expectations! Rex Miller will take us beyond mental health retreats and delve into the experiences A&D professionals can ignite through their space designs.
About
Rex Miller is a renowned expert in optimizing human and team performance, strategic foresight, and organizational transformation. With over 20 years as a consultant and coach, he has authored six Wiley books and received numerous accolades, including the CoreNet Global Innovator Award, the Industry Excellence Award, and IFMA’s Distinguished Author Award.
Rex is celebrated for his mastery in guiding large capital project teams to work together efficiently and progressing swiftly along the learning curve. He excels at helping teams overcome the infamous Forming-Storming hump.
Rex has written numerous books including The Commercial Real Estate Revolution: Nine Transforming Keys to Lowering Cost, Cutting Waste and Driving Change in a Broken Industry; Change Your Space, Change Your Culture, The Healthy Workplace Nudge and WHOLE. He has won the CoreNet Global Innovator Award, Industry Excellence Award and IFMA’s Award for Excellence.
In this unusual time of hesitation and uncertainty, IIDA Leaders, Sascha Wagner and Angie Lee speak to how to tackle the unknown if we don't know yet what will work from the developer side (Angie) and the designer side (Sascha). We'll get into in demand sustainable amenities, thriving urban environments and the positive attributes coming out of the pandemic.
About
Sascha Wagner creates human-centric environments that connect, sustain, and inspire. As president and CEO of Huntsman Architectural Group he is focused on growth, strategies, partnership opportunities, and mentorship in the firm's San Francisco, New York, and Chicago offices.
Sascha has experience in workplace strategy and design, entertainment environments, and sustainability revitalizing existing buildings. He is a frequent speaker, panelist, juror, and contributor of articles on design practice. A constant advocate for the interior design profession, Sascha is an IIDA Fellow and Past-President of IIDA's International Board of Directors.
A registered architect in New York, Angie Lee leads an award-winning interiors practice, providing strategic vision and oversight for interior environments across a wide range of scales in both commercial and residential project types. With over 28 years of experience, Lee uses a multifaceted approach that integrates emotional design narrative, technical precision, and artistic intuition in her work. Born in Seoul, Korea, and raised in the Midwest by parents who promoted science and music, Lee continues to meld art and technology in her approach to architecture and interior design.
We’re taking a look at the most pressing issues facing designers and gaining insights from three red hot markets: Miami, Houston, and Toronto. What does the near and long-term future hold for designers and clients. Join us and find out.
About
Based in HOK's Toronto studio, Kristina Kamenar helps lead HOK's Canadian interiors practice. She has designed more than 900,000 square feet of innovative, Agile space that encourages collaboration and inspires productivity. Kristina has a passion for design excellence, and her interiors projects have been honored by CoreNet Global and Interior Designers of Canada.
Based in Miami, Steven Burgos helps lead the Interiors practice in the state of Florida. He has more than 15 years of experience leading workplace and hospitality projects, resulting in award winning, high performing spaces that help people feel productive, engaged, and happy. Active in the workplace and interior design community, Steven is the former President of the International Interior Design Association’s South Florida Chapter. He has authored articles on workplace design and retooling aging suburban office building's
Micki Washington is a registered Architect and Interior Designer. She is a Principal and Regional Leader of WorkPlace for HOK’s Texas region. With 23 years of experience, she manages corporate accounts and project teams to deliver next-generation workplaces. In her role, Micki educates clients on the latest workplace trends, leveraging HOK’s global expertise. Micki serves on several professional organization boards, including serving as the current President of NOMA Houston Chapter, IFMA Board of Directors, founding member of AIA Interior Architecture, and participates in career development and mentorship programs. Micki is also a 2022 Bisnow Houston C-Suite Women Leading Real Estate award recipient. She also speaks to a variety of professional organizations regarding global workplace trends as well as a special focus on DEI including Neurodiversity.
Moderator:
Matthew Negron, President of Dauphin Americas, has over a decade of experience in the furniture industry, with expertise in product design, engineering, sales, marketing, and executive leadership. He has been the President of Dauphin Americas for the past three years and remains the youngest President of a contract furniture company. During his tenure at Dauphin Americas, he has given over one thousand in-person and virtual 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 last year he was awarded the CoreNet Young Leader Award for New Jersey. He is the incoming President of IIDA PA/NJ/DE, where he will be the first Industrial Designer and Manufacturer to be President of a chapter for IIDA. Outside the contract furniture market, he is an Adjunct Professor of Industrial Design for Kean and previously at NJIT.
All of us have a dominant sense that affects how we experience particular spaces but designing for just one is not enough. Dr. Sally Augustin takes us through the dos and don’ts of combining multiple sensory inputs that effect the holistic experience when designing highly effective workspaces.
About
Sally Augustin, PhD, is a practicing environmental/design psychologist and the principal at Design With Science. She has extensive experience integrating science-based insights to develop recommendations for the design of places, objects, and services that support desired cognitive, emotional, and physical experiences. Her Design With Science clients include manufacturers, service providers, and design firms in North America, Europe, and Asia. They book Design With Science's services again and again—applying neuroscience pays off. More information on clients and past work is available upon request. Dr. Augustin is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association. Work completed by Dr. Augustin has been discussed in publications such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Guardian, Forbes, Huffington Post, Psychology Today, Prevention, Salon, and Self and design publications worldwide. She is an invited contributor to the online version of the Harvard Business Review where she has contributed articles on a range of topics, from engaging workplaces to design and culture. For Metropolis, she has written a series of articles about successful spaces titled "Places that Work." She has discussed using design to enhance lives on mass-market national television and radio programs. As the editor of Research Design Connections, Dr. Augustin has written widely on science-based design for a broad audience of people interested in the designed world. She speaks frequently to audiences in North America, Europe, and Asia at events such as the annual meeting of the American Institute of Architects, the International Design & Emotion Conference, the bi-annual meeting of the International Positive Psychology Association, the bi-annual meeting of the Association of Neuroscience for Architecture, NeoCon/IIDEX, the American Psychological Association’s annual meeting, the Environmental Design Research Association annual conference, Transdisciplinary Workplace research Network’s conference, Healthcare Design, Living-Futures, and Applied Brilliance. Sally Augustin is a graduate of Wellesley College (BA), Northwestern University (MBA), and Claremont Graduate University (PhD). She holds leadership positions in professional organizations such as the American Psychological Association (past-president, environmental psychology division) and the Environmental Design Research Association (chair, work environments network).Dr. Augustin is the author of Designology (Mango, 2019), Place Advantage: Applied Psychology for Interior Architecture (Wiley, 2009) and, with Cindy Coleman, The Designer’s Guide to Doing Research: Applying Knowledge to Inform Design(Wiley, 2012).
Ready to up your use of biobased materials? As an expert in vetting building materials for verified sustainability, Building Green’s Jill Maltby-Abbott will present opportunities, gaps, and implementation actions to consider for an informed stance on:
About
Jill Maltby-Abbott is an architect and recently joined Building Green as a Senior Materials Consultant. She has also served as a Senior High Performance Designer leading materials transparency and optimization across design and construction at DLR Group. Working largely with the tech industry, Jill has developed a specialty in material assemblies and systems compatible with several green building program requirements, including the Living Building Challenge. She volunteers with the Carbon Leadership Forum as a Chicago HUB, the International Living Future Institute Material Health Technical Advisory Group, and as a member of the Illinois Green Alliance Auxiliary Board. She is also active in the industry as a steward of well-considered material selection and an advocate of the use of carbon-conscious products that balance building performance standards with environmental and human health requirements.
Al is joining the workforce and Ware Malcomb's Mark Schwamel will take us through some live examples of how digital assistants are providing support and advancing the design process. We'll also delve into intellectual property issues of this latest tool.
About
Mark Schwamel, FAIA is Director of Interior Architecture & Design and leads the Chicago Office for Ware Malcomb. He has over 20 years of experience in Retail, Mixed-Use, Headquarters and Corporate project work strategically combining business performance and design excellence. Mark engages closely with his client's and their stakeholders delivering services ranging from strategic planning, workplace strategy, space planning, design and transformational change programs to foster greater organizational responsiveness, adaptability, and innovation. Mark’s primary focus is to discover and to extract his client's organizational goals and cultural DNA to develop successful design solutions and human experiences that align with business goals, raise his client’s profile and brand, and unlock their project’s ultimate potential. His strengths range from visioning, strategic planning, workplace strategy, space planning, design and change programs to foster greater organizational responsiveness, adaptability, and innovation. In addition to his professional work, Mark is committed to serving his community and the architecture profession. He has held several leadership positions, both locally and nationally, for the American Institute of Architects (AIA). Currently, Mark is serving as the Illinois representative to the AIA National Strategic Council. In 2017, he served as President of the AIA Illinois State Board. Mark is also the Co-Founder of the AIA Chicago Bridge mentoring program which received a Presidential Citation award from AIA Chicago in 2009. Mark was honored with the National AIA Young Architect award in 2014 and in2013, Mark was selected to the ’40 under 40’ class by Building Design and Construction(BD+C) Magazine.