December 2018

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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Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore
Advances
Flooring

The Proof is in the Flooring

Building products can easily claim numerous accolades of their technologies, but the real proof comes through end-user feedback. A great example of such well-vetted research is Johns Hopkins Hospital’s 90-day testing program of 20 resilient and non-carpet flooring products. Emerging from the pack was Ecore Commercial Flooring’s Terrain Rx, a rubber fusion-bonded to a contemporary, modern heterogeneous vinyl sheet surface, which reduces the risk of falls and delivers both sound control and comfort. Also testing well for durability, stain removal and clean-ability, JHH went on to install the product in 56 inpatient rooms at the Meyer Neuro & Rehab facility in Baltimore. 

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Advances
Ceiling Systems

Aesthetic Acoustic

Envirocoustic wood-wool acoustic ceiling and wall panels are manufactured using just three ingredients: wood fiber, cement and water. The panels absorb sound to reduce echo and reverberation, and are available in many sizes and colors, and can be painted in a range of SonoKote colors.

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Acousti-Mat / Maxxon Underlayment System
Advances
Flooring

Sound Solution

Acousti-Mat sound mats, paired with Maxxon Underlayment, reduces sound transmission through floors and adds fire resistance to wood-frame construction. Systems can be specified to offer multiple levels of sound control, with compression strengths up to 5,500 psi.

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Entry Lobby, Smart Space, Brooklyn, NY
Case Study
Acoustics

A Living Office

Before it evolved into what it is today, the owners of Smart Space, Hampshire Properties, had a co-working office space problem. “It was lacking in the area, because rent space was so high,” says architect Howard Davis.Recognizing this issue, the company came up with the idea of transforming its property into a shared co-working facility, especially since the space adjacent to them was available and located in a place perfect for drawing people in. “They offer space for every budget: single seats, or small to large offices.”The latter, says Davis, is determined by flexible partition walls that expand or divide space based on demand. “The idea was to create a uni

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