Office

Framery O
Advances
Office

Happier Workplaces

“This is a product that I love! I judged it at Neocon and our team gave it a gold award.” —Elisabeth Post-Marner, SpacesmithThe product—Framery acoustic pods for phone meetings or relaxation—according to Post-Marner, literally envelops one in the sound-absorbing surroundings. “The ‘Mind’ section of WELL addresses places of meditation and relaxation, and this product provides it,” she says, adding it also meets the “AIR” criteria with no VOCs, and the “COMFORT” category, as the refreshing music-equipped pods help make people feel removed from the surrounding work environment.

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Advances
Acoustics

Dynamic Acoustics

Who says acoustic wall panels have to be boring? Designed by Alberto & Francesco Meda, the “Flat” sound-absorbing panels, available as a wall or ceiling-mounted system, are characterized by the perfectly planar front surface. The wall brackets are fitted with a rear metal hinge that can rotate and tilt the element. The “Totem” divider element (right) is made up of 12 panels can be set against each other and supported by a chromed tubular steel structure mounted on a painted metal base.

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Advances
Glass Walls/Partitions

Frosted Designs Go Beyond the Surface

With more than 20 exclusive designs in a variety of transparent substrates, ATI Decorative Laminates’ Frosted Fusion Collection creates the look of frosted glass with acrylic and polycarbonate panels. Available in 4-ft. × 8-ft. size and various thicknesses, Frosted Fusion panels feature nature motifs and minimalist patterns. Serving as a translucent divider, or even creating eating semi-private spaces, panel applications are endless.

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Advances
Acoustics

All-Pro Blocker

The Beyond pavilion is a demountable partition system, featuring a rich set of materials and configurations that helps users reclaim unused vertical real estate in the open plan, creating environments from solo to collaborative, while supporting technology and power routing. The system supports marker boards, tackable materials and can be constructed with frameless glass, framed glass and solid panel options.

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Advances
Acoustics

No Blue Blocker

Knocking down sound, but not daylight, the ILTUO acts as a room division system with options to incorporate 3form’s translucent Varia Ecoresin material, as well as its acoustic Sola Felt. As a customizable and highly configurable product, the hardware system allows for variable height requirements, from half wall to full floor to ceiling heights. Designers can use Varia’s writable finish to turn ILTUO’s interior or exterior surface into a collaboration tool.

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1000 Sansome, San Francisco, Calif.
Case Study
Glass Walls/Partitions

California Office Gets Facelift

Located in a revitalized shipping district of San Francisco, a four-story warehouse-turned-office space underwent a massive update. At more than 60,000 sq. ft., the 1000 Sansome building was in stark contrast amid the historic personality of San Francisco homes and offices. Lundberg Design & MacCracken Architects were tasked with updating the outdated space with a modern design and increased daylighting. Prior to the renovation, the structure was a dimly lit, low-ceiling building with a second-floor entrance.

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Johnson Controls Asia-Pacific Headquarters, Shanghai, China
Case Study
Office

Monsoon Proof

Gensler recently completed the Johnson Controls Asia-Pacific Headquarters in Shanghai, China. Building in a mega-city that is vulnerable to rising sea levels, intense tropical cyclones with high-wind speeds and an extremely wet Asian monsoon season required the design to incorporate passive, redundant and low-maintenance building envelope solutions. Careful attention was paid to the detailing of façade border conditions where different systems meet. Façade laboratory and on-site testing was performed as a means of understanding the building enclosure’s ability to withstand extreme weather events.The building has two emergency generators, but in the event of a power failure the building

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Eastlake Studio, Chicago
Case Study
Lighting & Controls

Blending Historic with Modern

Studio unites historic architecture and modern design for collaborative office space. Eastlake Studio was faced with adversity when plans to convert the building that had been their long-time residence to a hotel and condos became a reality. The studio had been residing in Chicago’s Tribune Tower, for approximately three decades. The change of vocation of the tower from commercial to mixed-use residential provided the architecture firm an opportunity to address the challenges of the former office while opting to move to another historic building. The limitations of the original office were motivators for designing the new space. According to Kevin Kamien, principal at Eastlake Studio,

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Cove Lounge Chair
Advances
Contract Furnishings

Me Time

The Cove lounge chair, manufactured by Poltrona Frau, and designed by Foster + Partners, is suitable for public lounges, even reception areas, and has been designed to function as part of a cloud-like cluster of chairs. The ribs of cushion at the back of the chair extend in places to form ridges, which can be used as armrests.“The design [of Cove] explores the spatiality of personal space, expanding the notion of a simple chair in terms of function and materiality. Its compact form carves out a generous volume that provides a secluded space to eat, work or relax.”—Mike Holland, Head of Industrial Design, Foster + Partners

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Overlay designed by Birsel+Seck for Herman Miller
Advances
Operable Partitions

Movable Walls

Overlay by Birsel+Seck for Herman Miller are movable walls that can be used to create freestanding rooms, give shape to open or divide areas. It can create an enclosed meeting space—complete with a door. Unveiled at NeoCon in 2018, Overlay's movable walls can be used to create free-standing rooms, give shape to open spaces or simply divide areas. A three-sided workspace can create a designated niche, or four Overlay walls can create an enclosed meeting space—complete with a door. Overlay frees up time and funds in an office renovation budget: two people can move it in two hours; and at $350 a linear sq. ft., it is half the cost of demountable walls.   

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