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03.16.15
GIVING VOICE TO THOSE WHO CREATE WORKPLACE DESIGN & FURNISHINGS
Pritzker Prize Honors Frei Otto of Germany
Clearly, the jury for the annual Pritzker Prize, often called the
Nobel of architecture, has tired of honoring the hottest current
design star. Following up on last year’s award to Shigeru Ban,
celebrated mainly for crafting disaster relief structures out of
recycled materials, this jury has chosen Frei Otto of Germany.
Mr. Otto’s most famous works were grand swooping canopies
that sheltered a national pavilion at the Montreal Expo of 1964
and the sports venues of the Munich Olympic Games of 1972.
full story on page 3…
Retreat: The Windhover Contemplative Center at
Stanford University
The Windhover Contemplative Center opened not long ago at
Stanford University in Palo Alto, CA, as a spiritual retreat for
students, faculty and staff. The one-story, 4,000 square foot
building and surrounding landscape designed by Aidlin Darling
Design and Andrea Cochran Landscape Architecture is “a
space where art, landscape and architecture come together
to replenish and invigorate the spirit.” The sole purpose of
this space is to promote wellbeing through art, nature and
architecture. Nestled in Silicon Valley, the contemplative center
represents a curious cutout in a tech-defined universe.
full story on page 11…
Designer Portrait: Joe Wilson & Sean Cassidy
CITED:
“I SEE ARCHITECTURE
NOT AS GROPIUS DID,
AS A MORAL VENTURE,
AS TRUTH, BUT AS INVENTION, IN THE SAME
WAY THAT POETRY OR
MUSIC OR PAINTING IS
INVENTION.”
—MICHAEL GRAVES,
1934 – 2015
What makes architects and designers tick? While those who
design buildings and interiors are no doubt a passionate group
of people, the possible catalysts for their work can be as different
as night and day. Interior designers Joe Wilson and Sean
Cassidy, two young fellows from across the pond in London,
are busy making their mark on the architecture and design that
color our world. Messrs. Wilson and Cassidy together won the
Workplace of the Future 2.0 competition hosted by Business
Interiors by Staples and Metropolis magazine for their Organic
Grid+ concept.
full story on page 17…
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GIVING VOICE TO THOSE WHO CREATE WORKPLACE DESIGN & FURNISHINGS PAGE 2 OF 34
June 15 | 16 | 17 | 2015
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GIVING VOICE TO THOSE WHO CREATE WORKPLACE DESIGN & FURNISHINGS PAGE 3 OF 34
awards
Frei Otto, 2000, Ingenhoven office. (Photo © Ingenhoven und Partner Architekten, Düsseldorf)
Pritzker Prize Honors Frei Otto of Germany
by John Morris Dixon
Clearly, the jury for the annual Pritzker Prize, often called the
Nobel of architecture, has tired of honoring the hottest current design star. Following up on last year’s award to Shigeru
Ban, celebrated mainly for crafting disaster relief structures
out of recycled materials, this jury has chosen Frei Otto, an
architect whose fame peaked a few generations ago.
The most famous works of this year’s Pritzker laureate
date back to the 1960s and 1970s. And they were not the
cultural monuments and corporate headquarters typical
of most Pritzker winners’ portfolios. Nor did they accommodate the activities of everyday life. Instead, they were
grand swooping canopies that sheltered a national pavilion
at the Montreal Expo of 1964 and the sports venues of the
Munich Olympic Games of 1972.
Soap Bubbles, Gliders, and Improvisation
Mr. Otto was born near Chemnitz in Germany with
the prophetic first name meaning “free” and grew
up in Berlin. His investigation of lightweight, tent-like
construction is said to have been inspired by youthful
observations of soap bubbles and spider webs and by
the design of glider planes as a hobby. Serving as a
pilot in the German Luftwaffe during World War II, he
spent two years as a prisoner of war in France. There,
as camp architect, he learned to build with the minimal materials available. Returning home, he studied
architecture at the Technical University of Berlin, from
which he earned a doctorate in civil engineering in
1954.
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awards
During the 1950s he became known
for the canopies he designed to shelter
German Federal Garden exhibitions
and other events, their irregular geometries and complex assemblies worked
out long before today’s computer
capabilities. As his skill with lightweight
canopies became widely known, he
was commissioned for larger projects –
often temporary structures and virtually
all designed in collaboration with other
professionals. Among his works are:
>West German Pavilion at the 1967
Expo in Montreal (with Rolf Gutbrod),
a cable net structure fabricated in
Germany and quickly erected on site to
become one of the highlights of that fair.
>Structures for the 1972 Munich
Olympics (with Behnisch + Partner
and others), extensive canopies over
stadium, pool and public spaces that
remain impressive today.
Music Pavilion at the Federal Garden Exhibition, 1955, Kassel, Germany. (Photo © Frei Otto)
Aviary in the Munich Zoo at Hellabrunn, 1979-1980, Munich (Hellabrunn), Germany. (Photo © Frei Otto)
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awards
The 1967 International and Universal Exposition or Expo 67, 1967, Montreal, Canada. (Photo © Frei Otto)
Roofing for main sports facilities in the Munich Olympic Park for the 1972 Summer
Olympics, 1968–1972, Munich, Germany. Photo © Christine Kanstinger
Roofing for main sports facilities in the Munich Olympic Park for the
1972 Summer Olympics, 1968–1972, Munich, Germany. Photo ©
Christine Kanstinger
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awards
>Mannheim Multihalle, Germany,
1974 (with Carlfried Mutschler and
Joachim Langner), a flexible-use permanent exhibition hall with a doublecurvature grid shell roof, spanning
195 feet, composed of wood lath and
cable.
>Tuwaiq Palace, Riyadh, Saudi
Arabia, 1985 (with Buro Happold),
originally a diplomatic club, now a government-operated hospitality center,
an extensive complex with enclosures
of sinuous stone walls and exterior
areas shaded by cable-supported,
translucent tent structures.
Roof for the Multihalle (multi-purpose hall) in Mannheim, 1970–1975, Mannheim, Germany.
(Photos © Frei Otto)
Diplomatic Club, 1980, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
(Photo © Frei Otto)
Roof for the Multihalle (multi-purpose hall) in Mannheim, 1970–1975, Mannheim, Germany.
Photos © Frei OttoMannheim, Germany. Photos © Frei Otto
Diplomatic Club, 1980, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Photo © Frei Otto(Photo © Frei Otto)
Diplomatic Club Heart Tent, 1980, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
(Photo © Christine Kanstinger)
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awards
>Japanese Pavilion at the 2000 international expo in Hanover, Germany
(with Shigeru Ban, last year’s younger
winner), which had a vault spanning
115 feet, made of paper tubes over
a curved wood armature and topped
with translucent paper – all components recyclable.
>Mechtenberg footbridge, Germany, 2003, with a 100-foot span
supported by a network of steel rods
(with Happold Engineers).
In one respect, Mr. Otto’s works
mesh well with current environmental
concerns. In the words of the Pritzker
announcement, “He believed in mak-
Japan Pavilion, Expo 2000 Hannover, 2000, Hannover, Germany.
(Photo by Hiroyuki Hirai)
ing efficient, responsible use of materials, and that architecture should make
a minimal impact on the environment.”
Yet the lightweight structures he
is best known for cannot provide the
insulation value required to maintain
interior comfort efficiently, his bestknown works involving no climate
Bridge in the Mechtenberg Nature Preserve Gelsenkirchen (Ruhrgebiet), 2003, The Ruhr region, Germany. (Photo © Christine Kanstinger)
Japan Pavilion, Expo 2000 Hannover, 2000, Hannover, Germany. (Photo by Hiroyuki Hirai)
GIVING VOICE TO THOSE WHO CREATE WORKPLACE DESIGN & FURNISHINGS PAGE 8 OF 34
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awards
control at all. Nor are his concepts
adaptable to the relatively dense urban
development patterns demanded by
broader energy concerns.
Present-day Emulation
One spectacular current project,
revealed only a few weeks ago, seems
like a timely homage to Mr. Otto.
The proposed new headquarters for
Google, next to the bay in Mountainview, CA, comprises some 3.4 million
square feet of offices and attendant
amenities, designed jointly by current
architecture stars Bjark Ingels (Copenhagen and New York) and Thomas
Heatherwick (London). Sheltered under vast canopies, pierced with grids
of tiny skylights, the project presents
a silhouette conspicuously recalling
Otto’s earlier landmarks. Under this
undulating canopy, Google headquarters functions will be accommodated,
wrote Christopher Hawthorne in the
Los Angeles Times, in “stackable office wings…all nestled beside flowing
streams and community gardens.”
In contrast to the closed “fortresslike” circle of Norman Foster’s design
for the Apple headquarters rising
nearby, this scheme is notable, said
Hawthorne, for the “openness and
Umbrellas for Pink Floyd’s 1977 concert tour of the United States, 1977.
(Photo © Frei Otto)
accessibility of the design, its literal
and symbolic transparency.” (Watch
Google’s video announcement of the
project at googleblog.blogspot.com)
A Solemn Tribute
This year’s award has, on a solemn
note, turned out to be a posthumous
one. After the jury had decided on the
2015 recipient, who must be “a living
architect,” and Otto had been informed
of the honor, he died on March 9, a
few months short of his 90th birthday.
The public announcement of the prize,
scheduled for March 23, was advanced
to March 10, the day after his death.
Institute for Lightweight Structures, interior, 1967, University of Stuttgart in Vaihingen. (Photo © Atelier Frei Otto Warmbronn)
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awards
The presentation ceremony, scheduled for May 15 at the New World
Center in Miami (designed by 1989
Pritzker laureate Frank Gehry), will
feature tributes to his vision and accomplishments. (The venue for each
year’s event – often one of the world’s
museums – is chosen well before
selection of the winner.) In the jury’s
view, “Frei Otto’s career is a model for
generations of architects, and his influence will continue to be felt.” n
“City in the Arctic” Model, Unbuilt. (Photo © Archive Frei Otto)
Otto Residence (with Rob Krier), 1967, Warmbronn, Germany, near Stuttgart. (Photo © Christine Kanstinger)
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GIVING VOICE TO THOSE WHO CREATE WORKPLACE DESIGN & FURNISHINGS PAGE 10 OF 34
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a&d
The Windhover Contemplative Center at Stanford University in Palo Alto, CA, designed by Aidlin
Darling Design and Andrea Cochran Landscape Architecture (Photography: by Matthew Millman)
Retreat: The Windhover Contemplative Center at Stanford University
by Mallory Jindra
The Windhover Contemplative Center opened not long
ago at Stanford University in Palo Alto, CA, as a spiritual retreat for students, faculty and staff. The one-story,
4,000 square foot building and surrounding landscape
designed by Aidlin Darling Design and Andrea Cochran
Landscape Architecture is “a space where art, landscape
and architecture come together to replenish and invigorate the spirit. Combining the characteristics of a spiritual
sanctuary, an art gallery, and a contemplative garden, the
designers have created a unique typology for contemplation and reflection that will benefit Stanford University for
years to come.”
It appears that the sole purpose of this space is to
promote wellbeing through art, nature and architecture.
Nestled in Silicon Valley, the contemplative center represents a curious cutout in a tech-defined universe.
“In a world culture that focuses on speed and instantaneous access, Stanford has gifted their students and faculty a
place to re-center themselves and find balance in their lives,”
said Joshua Aidlin, founding partner of Aidlin Darling Design.
“There isn’t a person in the world who wouldn’t benefit
from taking time each day to focus on true contemplation.
It’s overwhelming how much time a human brain needs to
rest and recuperate to be productive in an eight-hour workday. The creation of a non-denominational space inspired
by art and nature to practice mindfulness is rare. This new
program type could be a paradigm shift for campuses and
institutions around the country.” 03.16.15
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Mr. Aidlin counted the project as a
once-in-a-life chance to design a space
without distraction. He named the
Rothko Chapel in Huston, TX, as the only
comparable space in the United States.
“How often do you design a space
that intends to discourage any form of
electronic or interpersonal action? We
put a lot of thought into how to create
a space that encourages quietude.”
The design of the Windhover Contemplative Center is remarkable in many
ways. First, there is an absolute, natural
lack of technology, signage and supervision. The space contains neither signage nor docents to discourage noise.
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The design also uses acoustics in an
unconventional manner:
“We intentionally made the acoustics
a bit louder to encourage the quietude
of the space, where it would feel out of
place for people to speak.”
“Our firm designs with an emphasis
on all of the senses. In the space, we
wanted to encourage a more reflective
person by balancing those senses. Our
intent was to have people experience
art and nature simultaneously, rather
than separately as in a museum,
where the aesthetics are muted so as
to direct all focus to the art.
“We did not want the art to rise
above the landscape and the natural
light; we wanted all of these experiences to be equal. The paintings are very
textural, so we chose a very textural
palette for the interiors and landscape
as well.”
The Contemplative Center is home to the Windhover series work of internationally acclaimed
artist Nathan Oliveira, who taught at Stanford for 35 years. The interiors build upon the artwork’s
sculptural aesthetic with thick-rammed earth walls, dark wood surfaces, hand-scraped floors
and textural ceilings.
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The space is home to the Windhover series work of internationally
acclaimed artist Nathan Oliveira, who
taught at Stanford for 35 years. Several
years ago, Mr. Oliveira began pursuing
a space for people to experience his
last works together. At the same time,
many of Mr. Oliveira’s patrons were
witnessing the stress of the students
and faculty on the Stanford campus
and sought to provide a retreat away
from stress. Although he passed away
before the contemplation center’s
completion in October 2014, his son
Joe Oliveira and patron Suzanne Duca
provided guidance in aesthetics and
design ethos.
The interior builds upon the artwork’s sculptural aesthetic with
thick-rammed earth walls, dark wood
surfaces, hand-scraped floors and textural ceilings. The use of natural light
and water in the form of fountains and
a reflecting pool provide a counterpoint
of lightness to the space. During the
day, the space is lit entirely by natural
light, including through louvered skylights that wash light over Oliveira’s 15
to 30 foot-long paintings. Benches and
cushions allow visitors to quietly view
both the paintings and the adjacent
landscape simultaneously.
Careful attention was also paid to the
site the Center occupies. Located in the
heart of the campus, the Center is adjacent to a natural oak grove in the east.
“The site was very narrow and very
long, but fortunately one side of it was
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banked by an oak forest. We chose to
edit out views to the north, west and
south in order to focus completely on
views of the oak grove to the east. I
believe it’s important to pay attention
to the given site and marry your design
program to that site.”
Andrea Cochran, principal of Andrea
Cochran Landscape Architecture,
noted in a press release the design’s
intent to blur the boundaries between
inside and outside to help people experience art and nature in a new way.
“We envisioned the building and
landscape as fully integrated. This
holistic approach shaped nearly every
aspect of the design, from the carefully choreographed entry sequence;
to the visual and physical permeability
between the architecture and the landscape; to the interplay between the
building materials, light, and shadow.”
Contemplation spaces are integrated
into the use of the Center, further intensifying the connection of nature, art
and contemplation. These courtyards,
coupled with the expansive glass wall
to the east, allow visitors to view the
paintings without accessing the building, creating a sanctuary for both day
and night.
The extended progression to the
building’s entry through a long, private
garden sheltered from its surroundings
by a line of tall bamboo, allows visitors to
shed the outside world before entering.
“The arrival sequence was very
much inspired by the contemplative
temples of China. There, temples are
not placed by the road, but require a
journey to get to so as to encourage
visitors to shed the stresses of their
day. In our design, we pulled the entry
as far away from the road as possible.”
Acknowledging the fact that universities such as Stanford will happen upon
sizable donations that allow them to
conceive of spaces such as this, it’s
still a remarkable notion to consider in
areas of the country where real estate
costs continue to rise to unbelievable
heights and spaces are increasingly
pushed to multitask functionally in ways
that were never previously required.
We see this too in workplace design.
An intriguing contrast is developing
between the rising costs of real estate
per employee and a heightened sense
of wellbeing that workplace architects
and designers must balance in their
work. Today, people find it terribly difficult to step away from technology and
distraction to rest. When they find they
want or need to do this, where will they
go? The Windhover Contemplative
Center offers an inspiring example. n
GIVING VOICE TO THOSE WHO CREATE WORKPLACE DESIGN & FURNISHINGS PAGE 16 OF 34
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GIVING VOICE TO THOSE WHO CREATE WORKPLACE DESIGN & FURNISHINGS PAGE 17 OF 34
people
Designer Portrait: Joe Wilson & Sean Cassidy
by Mallory Jindra
What makes architects and designers
tick? While those who design buildings
and interiors are no doubt a passionate group of people, the possible
catalysts for their work can be as
different as night and day. There are,
of course, a few fundamental reasons
for their passion that many designers
point to – a belief in architecture and
design’s ability to positively impact our
world, the yearning to solve problems
with successful solutions, the basic
drive to create.
We often read or hear these types of
sentiments as part of cheery competition design briefs and overly optimistic
keynote presentations. But how often
do we think about this in our day-today work, and in life? Are we aware of
and do we acknowledge the things that
drive us to do our own work? Do we
know what drives our coworkers? The
history, values, style and priorities of
each individual have the power, logically so, to influence their work, and
thus, the work of the group.
Interior designers Joe Wilson and
Sean Cassidy, two young fellows from
across the pond in London, are busy
Joe Wilson, interior designer at Benoy Architects in London
making their mark on the architecture
and design that color our world.
Messrs. Wilson and Cassidy together
won the Workplace of the Future 2.0
competition hosted by Business Interiors by Staples and Metropolis magazine for their Organic Grid+ concept.
Organic Grid+ is a sustainable design
consisting of a custom created green
environment unit that plugs directly
into existing city architecture. Learn
more about their winning design and
other finalists at http://www.officeinsight.com/2228. Both gentleman work
at Benoy Architects in London in the
hospitality, retail and workplace sectors. Both are new to the office design
industry and are eager to shed a new
light on office design from an outside
perspective with fresh eyes.
The following interview with Messrs.
Wilson and Cassidy is the first in an
officeinsight series that will share the
stories and views of interior designers
and architects of all sorts from around
the country and the world. Perhaps the
most intriguing part of their story is their
reasoning for why they take the time to
enter design competitions. Read on!
Officeinsight (OI): Your winning
Organic Grid+ concept for Workplace
of the Future 2.0 focused on integrating nature into the office environment. What inspired this focus, and
how could your design scale to the
masses?
Joe Wilson (JW) & Sean Cassidy
(SC): We wanted to create a space that
allowed office workers to grow their
own produce, which promotes healthy
eating and a well-educated and
informed workforce on the benefits
that can arise from this. We analyzed
key facts about future rising obesity
rates, struggles of modern farmers to
keep up with the growth in the earth’s
population, and how alternatives to
traditional farming will need to be
re-imagined in a constantly expanding
urban world.
Technology will also become ever
more significant as we move forward, so we wanted to harness and
maximize its potential; creating a
seamless integration with nature was
essential and creates an interesting
contrast between the man-made and
organic. Another thing that inspired
Sean Cassidy, interior designer at Benoy Architects in London
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GIVING VOICE TO THOSE WHO CREATE WORKPLACE DESIGN & FURNISHINGS PAGE 18 OF 34
people
our concept was the constant question
of “What if?” What if there was a sky
garden attached to skyscrapers?
When we began our design process,
we set our marker to design an office
for 2050, with the core concepts of the
design being scaled down from the futuristic thinking and applied to working
lives now. Our design uses an element
of augmented reality that in some
ways is in its infancy. But products like
Google Glass are taking large steps in
creating a cohesive relationship between man and technology. In terms of
the augmented reality, this type of environment doesn’t need to be restricted
to this office design; it could effectively
make any room or wall an environment
workable area, manipulated digitally
and via gestures. Perhaps the office
doesn’t have a large atrium plugged
in but a green space for employees to
grow their own produce. Maybe each
worker has a designated planting spot
by their desk to grow their own healthy
favorite snack.
We set out to produce our design
as a blueprint. The idea was that we
would create a space that could be
implemented into any building or location. We didn’t imagine the structure
as a fixed form, but it could be molded
to suit any organization’s needs, big
or small. We always felt it could be
a concept that could be applied to a
skyscraper or individual office. With
regards to limitations, surely the best
ideas and inventions in history must
have started out as the craziest of
ideas.
OI: What inspired you to join the
architecture and design fields?
JW: Growing up, I was influenced by
both the practical and creative side of
design by my parents, my father being
a joiner and my mother a florist. These
two elements led me down the design
path. Further to this, drawing has
always been a passion for me. When I
was growing up, I was obsessed with
Organic Grid+: Joe Wilson and Sean Cassidy’s concept for the Workplace of the Future 2.0 competition hosted by Business Interiors by Staples and Metropolis. Organic Grid+ is a sustainable
design consisting of a custom created green environment unit that plugs directly into existing
city architecture
An exterior view of the Organic Grid+ concept
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people
the drawings and inventions of Leonardo Da Vinci and loved the fact that
someone in the 15th Century could be
coming up with theories and ideas that
effect the modern world now. As I grew
older, I focused mainly on art at school
and college, but enjoyed the design
side as well. One of the first most
influential spaces I visited was the
Jewish Museum by Daniel Libeskind.
I just loved how a building could play
with emotions through light and dark
and different forms. The architects and
designers who influenced me most are
people like John Pawson and Thomas
Heatherwick, who create inventive but
simple design and spaces that create
wonder, excitement and atmosphere.
SC: Growing up in a family mostly
working in the construction and
property/built environment sectors,
there was an obvious early influence
in that direction, and architectural
design was a gap that needed filling
An interior view of Organic Grid+. “We didn’t imagine the structure as a fixed form, but could be molded
to suit any organization needs, big or small. We always felt it could be a concept that could be applied to a
skyscraper or individual office.”
in the family! I started out pursuing a
career in architecture and completed
the Part 1 at the University of Dundee,
Scotland, and then moved into interior
and environmental design at the same
university. I personally like the notion
of exploring ideas, making something
meaningful, and thought provoking. I
felt, and feel even more so now, that
design and especially architectural
design has the potential to positively
influence the world around us and
shape our future. Why wouldn’t you
want to be a part of that?
OI: You are both relatively young
designers. What do you think people
your age in the field struggle with
the most? What is/are the most
challenging or surprising things you
found when you joined the field after
schooling?
JW: As a young designer, I believe
it’s important to work on a variety
of projects and learn about different fields, but to do this you must be
passionate about what you do. Young
Interior view of Organic Grid+. “When we began our design process, we set our marker to design an office for 2050, with the core concepts of the design being
scaled down from the futuristic thinking and applied to working lives now. Our design uses an element of augmented reality that in some ways is in its infancy.”
03.16.15
GIVING VOICE TO THOSE WHO CREATE WORKPLACE DESIGN & FURNISHINGS PAGE 20 OF 34
people
designers must be willing to invest
their time and energy to get ahead in
the design world.
SC: In transition from schooling to
work-life, there is quite a contrast that
perhaps should be focused on more
while at university. The flipside to that,
however, is that university is the one
time you really have an opportunity
to explore your own ideas and what
matters to you without the restriction of
budgets, clients, engineering, etc. This
idea is a core motivator behind my
doing more competitions and seeking
new challenges in the architectural
design industry, as I want to retain that
creative ‘limitless’ mindset.
OI: What topics and trends are you
seeing in your field, and what should
we be focusing on next?
JW: It’s key in architecture and
design to embrace the fact that technology will be come an integral part
of our future. It’s questionable how
many buildings look to the future and
the development of the human race
and build for the flexibility that may
be required. I think we need to create
spaces that don’t just stop at their
basic design, but become something
more – something that stands the test
The Benoy offices at 1 Monkwell Square in London
of time and can help with the future
development, well-being and health of
the human race.
SC: The obvious trend is the everincreasing advancement of technology. This will become more and more
prominent in our lives, and we exaggerated it through our Organic Grid+
proposal for the Workplace of the
Future 2.0. In work, we are constantly
looking at ways to incorporate that
aspect into our schemes. There also
seems to be, in contrast, a movement
towards a more ecological way of
living, a ‘greener’ way of living, which
creates an interesting contrast between
this futuristic technology and nature,
which can lead to exciting outcomes.
In the age of parametric design, sitespecific design and acknowledgement
of the end user has the potential to be
lost, or enhanced maybe. Context and
responding uniquely to each design
brief is important to me.
The Benoy offices at 1 Monkwell Square in London
The Benoy offices at 1 Monkwell Square in London
GIVING VOICE TO THOSE WHO CREATE WORKPLACE DESIGN & FURNISHINGS PAGE 21 OF 34
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people
OI: What projects excite you the
most? What qualities do those projects have?
JW: I really love projects that allow
me to get involved in the whole design
ethos and process and carry a concept
from the start to the finish…projects
that go beyond what they set out to be
and are all encompassing, and ones
that allow me to get excited about
every detail and finish, but also leave a
lasting impression and feeling.
Work in progress: Kievsky Mall in Moscow, Russia. Photography by Hines
Work in progress: Kievsky Mall in Moscow, Russia. Photography by Hines
SC: The projects that excite me the
most are the ones that allow me to
push the boundaries. On a personal
level, I really believe in the phrase
‘What if...” and really try to push past
the ordinary or expected outcomes.
This phrase allows for ideas and standards to be challenged and for progress to be made through exploration
and development. I also love projects
winvolvig a strong link to tradition and
history, how can we stitch together the
past, present and future in a delicate,
non-obtrusive way, creating a strong,
legible narrative. It is important to hold
on to history in order to learn, develop
and progress.
OI: What do you do creatively outside of work?
JW: I enjoy visiting exhibitions,
sketching and painting. And to be
honest, architecture and design is my
passion in and out of work. I always
carry a sketchbook around with me so
I can note down or doodle anything
that interests or inspires me.
SC: My creative passions outside of
the office are photography, reading,
competitions, visiting galleries/museums and exhibitions. Design, and the
influences that can be found in everyday life, mean that I’m always thinking
about it in some way or another, trying
to link things together and relate the
new things I learn to possible creative
outcomes. Inspiration can be found
everywhere, so I’m constantly thinking
about architectural design. n
GIVING VOICE TO THOSE WHO CREATE WORKPLACE DESIGN & FURNISHINGS PAGE 22 OF 34
03.16.15
r-d connection
RESEARCH-DESIGN CONNECTION
Design and Communication
by Sally Augustin, Ph.D.
Orbach and her colleagues collected
information via electronic, sociometric badges that links workplace
design and employee communication. The data they gathered at their
study indicates that “workers who
were encouraged to utilize flexible
seating arrangements in a remodeled space had a higher proportion of
face-to-face [and IM] interactions with
colleagues outside of their team. . . .
We also observed that the likelihood of
communication between employees
was inversely related to the distance
between their seating locations [i.e.,
more distance, less communication].”
Orbach and colleagues conclude that
“Organizations can no longer count
on formal hierarchical structures as
the primary tool for managing information flow. Informal tools, such as office
layouts, group lunches, and chats by
the coffee machine, are the management tools of tomorrow as the informal
relationship that they enable becomes
more and more meaningful than hierarchical formal procedures. While it
may seem fantastic, it appears that the
identity of your boss is less important
than the identity of your neighbor.” n
Maya Orbach, Maegen Demko, Jeremy
Doyle, Benjamin Waber, and Alex Pentland. 2015. “Sensing Informal Networks
in Organizations.” American Behavioral
Scientist, vol. 59, no. 4, pp. 508-524.
MATERIAL OF THE WEEK
MC# 7211-01
Recycled polyester (PET) ECOpanel: This smooth, flexible fiber
panel is comprised of recycled polyester (PET), with acoustical absorption properties. The panel provides high acoustical
absorption and sound dampening at a very low profile, 1.3
mm (0.05 in) in thickness. The construction of the panel from
compressed layers of fibers makes it possible to have a surface
that appears solid but is covered with fine texture and some
porosity, causing it to absorb and prevent reflection of sound
waves. Applications for this material, by SLALOM SRL, include
room dividers, office spaces, interior décor, acoustical paneling,
celling panels and privacy screens.
This column is published in collaboration with Material
ConneXion. For more information regarding the material
previewed, please contact Michael LaGreca at
[email protected]. T: 212.842.2050.
Sally Augustin, PhD, a cognitive scientist, is the editor of Research Design
Connections (www.researchdesignconnections.com), a monthly subscription
newsletter and free daily blog, where
recent and classic research in the
social, design, and physical sciences
that can inform designers’ work are
presented in straightforward language.
Readers learn about the latest research findings immediately, before
they’re available elsewhere. Sally, who
is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association, is also the author of
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). She is a principal at
Design With Science (www.designwithscience.com) and can be reached at
[email protected].
GIVING VOICE TO THOSE WHO CREATE WORKPLACE DESIGN & FURNISHINGS PAGE 23 OF 34
03.16.15
For complete releases, visit www.officenewswire.com.
Keep current with the RSS feed.
PRODUCT INTROS
>Arper’s new Zinta modular
sofa system is designed for
a harmonious juxtaposition
of smooth lines and warm
materials. Features include
a deep seat to support the
casual recline of the body, a
system of variable lengths and
gentle angles, and a range of
cushion options with diverse
materials and fillings. It can
serve as a simple, single sofa
or large-scale organizing
principle in an open space, in
environments from residential
to restaurant, lounge or office.
officenewswire.com/16208
>Crossville, Inc. launched
Ready to Wear, a porcelain
tile collection mimicking the
look and texture of textiles.
The line was developed to
capture the classic warp and
weft of fabric in both tactile
and visual representation
through nuanced, “woven”
detailing enhanced with
subtle strands of shimmer.
Recommended for interior
walls and floors and exterior
walls in both commercial
and residential applications,
Arper: Zinta
officenewswire.com
Ready to Wear is offered in
eight color options encompassing both cool and warm
tones: Flannel Suit, Smarty
Pants, Buttoned Up, Decked
Out, Hand in Glove, Hats Off,
Perfect Fit and Off the Cuff.
12”x24” calibrated field tiles
are complimented by 2”x6”
tiles, as well as coordinating
bullnose trim pieces.
officenewswire.com/16206
>Davis Furniture Industries
unveiled two new tables
designed by Jonathan
Prestwich to accompany the
Q5 reconfigurable bench
series. The new High Round
Freestanding table, with
a 22.5” height and a 20”
diameter, corresponds to
the perfect working height
for using technology in a Q5
setting. The other new addition to Q5 is the Large Round
Freestanding table, the same
height as the original Q5
tables at 15 ¼” but nearly
twice the diameter at 48 ¼”.
As a centerpiece for multiple
Q5 benches, it is better suited
to collaborating with larger
groups.
officenewswire.com/16209
>ILEX launched a new
collaboration with iconic
American designer, artist and
Rome Prize winner Kevin
Walz. Mr. Walz’s designs,
Mercury and Vesuvius, are
the latest additions to ILEX’s
Portfolio series of designer
lighting, which launched in
Spring 2014. Inspired by
celestial bodies, Mercury
and Vesuvius feature spun
polished aluminum structures
that resemble an accretion
disk – a spiraling body of
light-emitting gas that accumulates around stars in outer
space. Hammered metal
baffles, handspun by an artisan at ILEX’s Massachusetts
factory, hang in orbit over the
light source. Mercury’s baffle
is dome shaped, resulting in a
highly diffused light. Vesuvius
has a funnel shaped baffle
that reflects a warm yellow
glow upwards, while down
light is provided via the opening at the bottom.
officenewswire.com/16212
>J+J Flooring Group’s
Kinetex textile composite
flooring brand launched its
first modular plank products:
Umbra and Umbra Stripe. A
sophisticated ombre pattern
– inspired by the darkest,
innermost shadow of an
03.16.15
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eclipse (the umbra) – the design features lines of varying
breadth and width, sometimes in darkness, sometimes with bright streaks.
The Umbra pattern blends
colors to create a sleek and
alluring complexity of varying
dusky shades of neutrals
and deep hues, while Umbra
Stripe offers a variation of
Umbra with a bright contrasting linear element – pops of
amber, crimson and blue –
and a selection of colorways
that complement four of the
seven Umbra colors. The 18
x 36 planks, like all Kinetex
products, are constructed of
knitted polyester fabric and
cushioned polyester felt backing for a soft textile aesthetic
with the durability of hard
surface flooring.
officenewswire.com/16207
custom job and then become
a standard product – and
our first experience working
with Landor,” said Landscape
Forms President Richard
Heriford. “It was a great collaboration that resulted in a
great product.”
officenewswire.com/16213
>Landscape Forms introduced a new litter and
recycling system designed by
leading design and branding
firm Landor for the Central
Park Conservancy. CPC is a
non-profit that funds maintenance and capital improvements for the New York
City landmark and nation’s
largest public park. “This is
our first product to start as a
>National Office Furniture
added Whimsy™ impromptu
seating, Toss™ accent
pillows, and a selection
of wedges and cushions.
Available in static and mobile
options in varied sizes and
shapes, Whimsy can easily
be added to any space or
moved from area to area. Toss
accent pillows add comfort
and a punch of color with a
wide selection of styles and
shapes. Wedges enhance the
new casual workplace with
resting support for leaning
and sitting, while cushions
provide a comfortable place
to stretch out.
officenewswire.com/16211
>New Ravenna introduced
the Sea Glass™ mosaic collection by Sara Baldwin. It
consists of eight designs hand
crafted with Sea Glass™
in multiple colorways. The
mosaics can be installed on
both vertical and horizontal
surfaces, indoors and out.
Inspired by her walks on the
Eastern shore, Ms. Baldwin
discovered a way to replicate
the silky smooth glass she
finds along the beach. “There
is nothing quite as wonderful
as the beach glass I started
collecting as a child,” she
said. “Only when glass has
been smoothed by years of
waves and sand, does it have
such a beautiful soft luminous
texture. Our silky matte Sea
Glass™ finish has now made
it possible for us to create
glass mosaics for the floor.
They feel so wonderful we
were tempted to call it the
barefoot collection!”
officenewswire.com/16210
03.16.15
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officenewswire.com
NOTEWORTHY
>We note with great sadness that Michael Graves,
80, died last week at home
in Princeton, NJ of natural
causes. Well-known as one of
the founders of postmodernism, but perhaps as famous
for his product design as his
buildings, Mr. Graves was
beloved of this industry for his
furniture and showroom design as well as his advocacy
for smart healthcare design.
As a popular speaker at design events, he was never one
to hold back on his critical
view of the state of architecture and interior design. His
pithy presentations will be
missed, as will his contributions to the fields of architecture, interior design and
product design.
Read the New York Times
Obituary at http://nyti.
ms/1BFoZfU.
Also of interest, see the
12.1.14 article in officeinsight, Transcending Precedent: Early Michael Graves
Interiors;
officeinsight.com/2201.
>John Baechle, former
CEO and chairman of RJF
International, now known as
Koroseal Interiors, received
the Justin P. Allman Award
from the Wallcoverings
Association. The Allman
Award, WA’s highest honor,
recognizes leaders who have
made long-lasting, positive
contributions that shaped
the future of the wallcovering industry. Established in
1946, it is named for the
founder of the Wallcoverings
Wholesalers Association, WA’s
predecessor organization. WA
presented the award at its
annual meeting in Clearwater,
FL. It also presented President’s Awards, recognizing
long-standing contributions
to the industry, to Beth Rich,
LSI Wallcovering marketing director; Giselle Walsh,
MDC Wallcoverings director
of Environmental Affairs and
manager of Training and
Development; Mark Strauss,
president emeritus of Interior
Design; and Carol Cisco, publisher of Interior Design.
officenewswire.com/16229
>Wayne Baxter, an experienced leader in office
furnishings and product marketing, acquired Flairwood
Industries. Flairwood is a West
Michigan-based manufacturer
and supplier of cabinets and
carts for the education, healthcare and contract furniture
markets. Mr. Baxter, 48, became Flairwood’s president as
well as majority owner with the
completion of the purchase
on Mar. 13. He has more than
20 years of product marketing and product development
background, first with Nuvar
Manufacturing, followed by
Attwood Corporation (subsidiary of Steelcase at the time)
and finally a 16-year tenure
with Herman Miller Inc.
At Herman Miller, Mr. Baxter
played key roles in the product
marketing of both the Aeron
chair and the product launch
of the Mirra chair, two of the
company’s most successful
products. Most recently, was
leading the development and
expansion of Herman Miller’s
Thrive ergonomic and technology portfolio. “I’ve had an
incredible run with a number
of excellent companies, but
I’ve long had the urge to buy
and operate my own business,” he said.
officenewswire.com/16233
>Deborah Osburn, tile maker
and clé founder, is the editor
of a new book, Tile Envy, an
exploration of international
hand crafted tile design.
It profiles 48 contemporary
designers and artisans with
detailed photography of tiles
created in a multitude of
materials including ceramic,
cement, stone, glass, wood,
and steel. The first three
chapters focus on Illustration,
Texture and Pattern. The final
chapter, Art and Architecture,
includes innovative ways tiles
have been used to define
spaces and create sculptural
urban influenced art. The
methods for producing tiles
are as varied as the makers. Their creative process
includes digital printing, cast,
hand formed and slipcast
painted ceramic, etching, silk
screening and photo synthesis.
officenewswire.com/16205
>Waldner’s Business Environments President Meredith
Waldner Stern was recently
interviewed by Newsday
about office design trends.
“It used to be everyone had
their little 6-by-6 workspace,”
she said. “Now a lot of re-
03.16.15
GIVING VOICE TO THOSE WHO CREATE WORKPLACE DESIGN & FURNISHINGS PAGE 26 OF 34
officenewswire.com
architecture projects that
reflect the highest levels of
creativity and excellence from
Latin America and the Caribbean. Design projects must
be located in Latin America or
the Caribbean, but the submitting firm may be located
anywhere. Projects completed
after Jul. 1, 2013 will be accepted. Deadline for entries is
Friday, Apr. 3.
officenewswire.com/16221
Waldners Business Environments President Meredith Waldner Stern
search has shown that people
work better in more casual
environments. Little breakout
collaborative areas throughout the space will encourage
people to move, maybe to
communicate with different
departments, and just foster
creativity and new ideas.”
Please see the officenewswire
post for a link to the complete
interview, as well as other
news from Waldner’s.
officenewswire.com/16227
>Empire Office, Inc. expanded several key strategic
roles within the company:
-Jocelyn Corrigan was named
executive vice president of
Sales and Corporate Strategies and will continue to
lead the sales and marketing
groups with a special focus
on designing new, differentiated services and strategies to
bring to market.
-Tori Alexander was named
vice president of Business
Administration and will focus
on helping to bridge the gap
between finance and sales.
In addition, Empire’s Human
Resources department will report directly to Ms. Alexander.
-Chrissy Rosado was named
vice president of Marketing.
-Craig Levine was named
director of Workplace Optimization.
-Erica Cain was named director of Customer Experience.
The newly created positions
are the first phase of a number
of new initiatives the company
is set to launch this year.
officenewswire.com/16225
>IIDA’s 2015 Best Interiors of Latin America & the
Caribbean Competition is
now open for entries. This
competition was established
to recognize interior design/
>Kimball Office welcomed
Renton, WA-based Legacy
Group as its newest Select
Dealer Partner. Founded
in 1999, Legacy Group is a
commercial interior services
company that offers a wide
range of furniture and flooring
products and services.
officenewswire.com/16232
>LOGICDATA North America
Inc. is the new name of
UNITEDLOGIC, Inc., effective Feb. 1. The name
change simplifies branding
for the company, which is
a subsidiary of LOGICDATA Electronic & Software
Entwicklungs GmbH of
Deutschlandsberg, Austria, a
leading supplier in the field of
innovative motor controls and
operating elements for electronically height-adjustable
furniture.
officenewswire.com/16228
>Nienkämper was again
named a Gold Club member
of Canada’s Best Managed
Companies. This honor is
awarded by Deloitte, CIBC,
National Post, and Queen’s
School of Business, and
showcases Canadian owned
and run companies that excel
in overall business strategies and sustained growth.
Nienkämper was first named
as one of Canada’s Best
Managed Companies in 2009
and has re-qualified for six
consecutive years.
officenewswire.com/16226
>OFS Brands, Inc. has
agreed to purchase Highmark, Inc., a seating
manufacturer specializing
in mid-market seating in
the workplace, hospitality,
healthcare and educational
market segments. Founded
by Chuck Loeb in 1993 and
based in Huntington Beach,
CA, Highmark emerged as
a leader in the mid-market
sector by delivering innovative seating products and
bringing the company’s Body
Balance weight sensing
ergonomic technology to the
marketplace. The company
is also known for its “Simple
Sell, Simple Service, Simple
Design Value Proposition,”
which promises customers a
smooth and transparent experience from product design to
production to service.
“The acquisition of Highmark
fills a strategic gap in our
current product portfolio and
more importantly adds even
more depth to our strategic
leadership team,” said Ryan
Menke, OFS Brands’ SVP of
Sales and Marketing. “The
GIVING VOICE TO THOSE WHO CREATE WORKPLACE DESIGN & FURNISHINGS PAGE 27 OF 34
03.16.15
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addition of a state of the art
production facility on the
west coast also balances our
national operating footprint
allowing us to reach our
combined customers in a
quicker, more environmentally
conscious way.”
officenewswire.com/16234
ment. In her new role, her
focus will be to act as Luna’s
liaison to designers, end users and manufacturers.
officenewswire.com/16235
AMA space at MATTER
RE-SITED
>Samantha Castellano joined
Lane Office’s Business
Development team. A network building specialist, she
organizes sponsorship and
industry opportunities through
creating lasting business
relationships. New to the furniture industry, Ms. Castellano
previously was the Executive
Assistant to the founder of a
branding consultancy startup. She managed a variety of
roles, from administrative to
copywriting, while also developing client relations.
officenewswire.com/16236
>Alexis Czyzewski joined
Luna Textiles as Southern
California sales rep. She has
more than seven years of industry experience with a passion for design and extensive
knowledge of project manage-
PROJECTS
>Biber Architects selected
Research Frontiers’ patented
SmartGlass technology for
the roof of the USA Pavilion
under construction for the
Expo Milano World’s Fair.
The pavilion will feature more
than 10,000 square foot of
SmartGlass on the roof, creating the world’s largest installation of its kind. Manufactured
by Isoclima under license
from Research Frontiers,
the roof will be clad in 312
1mx3m SPD-SmartGlass
CromaLite panels, which can
instantly switch from clear to
opaque to warm or cool visitors with a minimum amount
of energy. Visitors will be
able to control the individual
panels from a touchscreen
tablet. The entire SmartGlass
roof will be returned to the
manufacturer at the end of
the Expo, which opens May 1
and runs through Oct. 31, for
reuse in other buildings.
officenewswire.com/16222
>HDR was chosen to design
a simulated medical environment of the future for a new
partnership between the
American Medical Association and MATTER, Chicago’s
new healthcare technology
incubator. The AMA Interaction Studio at MATTER is
being designed to go beyond
the traditional medical office
and explore how new clinical
concepts and technologies
will influence healthcare interactions in a future physician
practice.
“The Studio will serve as
a prototype test bed that
will enable physicians and
entrepreneurs to collaborate
on the development of new
technologies, services and
products aimed at making the
health system work better for
everyone,” explained Abbie
Clary, AIA, Central Region
Healthcare director for HDR
and project principal. “HDR
is leading aspects of design,
innovation, and research that
will translate into learnings –
environmental, operational,
and experiential – from the
space. This will inform how
we will help clients and partners shape their future and
the future of healthcare.”
officenewswire.com/16223
>Perkins+Will has won a
third consecutive European
award for its tower designs,
this time for the newly unveiled design of its East 37th
Street Residential Tower. The
65-story, 150,000 square foot
condominium tower, conceived by P+W’s New York
office for the Turkish developer Nef, received the MIPIM
Architectural Review Future
GIVING VOICE TO THOSE WHO CREATE WORKPLACE DESIGN & FURNISHINGS PAGE 28 OF 34
03.16.15
officenewswire.com
Projects Award at the Palais
des Festivals in Cannes,
France. The awards “celebrate excellence in unbuilt
or incomplete projects spanning across twelve categories”
from around the world.
The tower is organized as a
vertical urban community,
with five clusters of shared
amenity and park spaces for
residents to enjoy at intervals
along the tower’s rise. Each
community space features
a variety of amenities, from
event rooms, a chef’s table,
private yoga studio, art room,
exterior Jacuzzi, fitness room,
terraced gardens, an outdoor
cinema, observatory, and
at the tower’s top level, an
infinity pool and roof terrace
garden.
officenewswire.com/16224
EVENTS
>The 2015 Applied Brilliance
conference will take place
Apr. 20-21, in New Orleans. It
will bring together a community
of intellectually curious and
independent thinkers who work
alongside brilliant presenters
from the hard sciences, humanities and social sciences.
The theme of this year’s event
is Lifelines: How Storytelling
Can Save Humanity.
officenewswire.com/16218
>Global will host its 2015
Spring Fling on Thursday,
Mar. 26 at its NYC showroom,
and its 2015 Blossom Bash
on Wednesday, Apr. 1 at its
Washington, DC showroom.
officenewswire.com/16237
>IFMA’s Facility Fusion
2015, Apr. 21-23 in
Orlando, will give facility
management professionals
the innovative tools and solutions boost their FM careers.
Early Bird registration by Mar.
27 will save up to $200 on full
event and two-day registration. Facility Fusion also
offers two pre-conferences
on Monday, Apr. 20: Workplace Evolutonaries (WE),
featuring case studies and
in-depth sessions focused
on workplace strategies; and
IFMA’s BIM Conference, a
working meeting for owners,
facility managers, and service
providers that will explore the
future of building information
modeling in FM.
officenewswire.com/16217
and
officenewswire.com/16216
>IIDA Illinois Chapter will
celebrate its third annual
RED Awards (Recognizing Exemplary Design) on Thursday,
Apr. 2, at Chicago’s Museum
of Contemporary Art, 6:009:00 p.m. Earlybird ticket
sales end Friday, Mar. 20.
officenewswire.com/16215
>IIDA New York Chapter will
hold its 7th Annual Sustainable Quilt Auction on
Wednesday, Mar. 25, at Open
House Gallery, 6:00-9:00 p.m.
Using discarded materials
from sources including fabric
showrooms, product libraries,
and industry samples, local
design firms have joined together to create one-of-a-kind
quilts, which will be displayed
along with the stories behind
their creations. Proceeds
from this year’s auction will
benefit Be Original Americas
to support the organization’s
efforts to educate and inform
professionals on the moral,
environmental, and economic
value of genuine design.
officenewswire.com/16219
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03.16.15
officenewswire.com
>The La Cienega Design
Quarter’s seventh annual
LEGENDS event, May 6-8,
will celebrate the theme
“Where Muses Dwell.” Showman designer Ken Fulk of San
Francisco, design wunderkind
Sam Allen of Fairfield, CT,
Ellen DeGeneres collaborators
Cliff Fong and Jane Hallworth
of Los Angeles, and rising
design star Young Huh of
New York will be among the
60 interior designers selected
to transform the windows
in the quarter. Among the
keynote panelists: Pamela
Jaccarino, Luxe Interior +
Design’s editor in chief, will
explore the inventive artisans
and creatives who inspire
the interior designers on
her panel; Clinton Smith,
Veranda’s editor in chief, will
delve into the evolution of the
designer monograph and the
design book that has yet to
be written with his panel of
design stars; and Domaine
Home’s Creative Director Mat
Sanders will lead a conversation on repurposing design
with Jessica Alba and Anna
Brockaway, founder/curator
of Chairish.
officenewswire.com/16214
>NeoCon 2015 seminar
registration is now open.
Scheduled this year for Jun.
15-17 at Chicago’s Merchandise Mart, NeoCon offers CEU
credits for all A&D professionals including interior
Sudoku Shack :: Print Sudoku to fill later
designers,
architects, lighting
designers, and healthcare
designers.
officenewswire.com/16220
2/16/15, 10:23 PMCST
SudokuShack.com
Easy Sudoku Number 1000000895
SUDOKU
Fill in the empty cells so that every row,
column and cube contains a digit from 1-9,
without duplication. (Level: Easy)
3
1
2
5
6
4
3
8
4
7
3
2
1
9
6
1
8
3
4
9
2
4
1
8
7
6
1
6
3
4
2
4
GIVING VOICE TO THOSE WHO CREATE WORKPLACE DESIGN & FURNISHINGS PAGE 30 OF 34
03.16.15
business
BUSINESS AFFAIRS
>Inscape Corp. on Mar. 12 released its third-quarter financial
results for FY15 (Canadian dollars in thousands except EPS):
3 Mos. Ended
Sales
Gross Profit
SG&A
Net Loss
EPS (Basic)
1.31.15
$16,855
$3,476
$5,750
-$9,936
-$0.65
1.31.14
$14,373
$2,405
$4,968
-$4,002
-$0.28
%Ch.
17.3%
44.5%
15.7%
-
9 Mos. Ended
Sales
Gross Profit
SG&A
Net Loss
EPS
1.31.15
$56,783
$13,613
$15,991
-$9,680
-$0.67
1.31.14
$50,984
$11,539
$15,467
-$5,641
-$0.39
%Ch.
11.4%
18.0%
3.4%
-
Despite the overall growth in sales, the current quarter’s financial result was adversely affected by several sizable unrealized
and non-cash expenses. Excluding these, the current quarter
would have an adjusted loss of $1.9 million before taxes,
compared with $2.9 million for the same quarter of last year.
Year-to-date adjusted loss is $0.9 million compared with $3.5
million for the same period of last year.
The most significant unrealized and non-cash charge resulted
from the decrease in the fair value of outstanding U.S. currency
hedge contracts totaling $7.0 million due to the upswing in the
U.S. spot exchange rate. The quarter also was charged with a
$1.7 million impairment loss when the company conducted a
review of the recoverable amount of the Walls division’s capital
assets and estimated that the book value of the assets should
be lowered by that amount. In addition, the quarter’s result was
negatively affected by a $0.3 million increase in the fair value of
share-based compensation and $0.1 million from the mark-tomarket valuation of the company’s short term investments. On
the other hand, the increase in the U.S. exchange rate resulted
in a $0.8 million unrealized exchange gain from the translation
of the Company’s U.S. dollar denominated net assets.
Inscape’s third quarter and year-to-date sales increase was
attributed to increased volume in the furniture segment,
improved realized pricing, and higher U.S. currency exchange
rate, partially offset by a decline in the Walls division.
Gross margin percentage of the third quarter was 20.6%, an increase of 3.9 percentage points from 16.7% of the same quarter of the previous year. Increase in the current quarter’s gross
margin percentage was attributed to higher realized pricing,
gain in the U.S. currency exchange rate and favorable overhead
absorption from higher volume. The gains were partly reduced
by increase in production costs resulting from year over year
changing sales product mix. Year-to-date gross margin percentage was 24.0%, compared to 22.6% for the same period of last
Industry Stock Prices
3.13.15
12.26.14
9.26.14
6.27.14
3.28.14
12.27.13
%frYrHi
%fr50DayMA
HMiller
27.7
29.6
30.4
30.7
31.2
29.8
-15.3%
-7.6%
HNI
51.1
51.5
37.0
39.0
35.4
39.4
-4.7%
-0.2%
Inscape
3.3
2.6
2.5
2.3
2.2
2.1
-0.3%
6.8%
Interface
19.9
16.6
16.3
18.9
19.6
21.5
-5.9%
11.7%
Kimball
9.6
9.9
15.4
16.7
18.0
15.3
-35.5%
1.8%
Knoll
19.5
21.4
17.9
17.4
17.8
18.3
-10.9%
-5.3%
Leggett
45.5
42.6
35.5
34.1
32.2
31.1
-1.0%
2.1%
Mohawk
178.6
155.3
136.6
136.9
134.7
146.8
-5.1%
2.0%
Steelcase
18.2
18.5
16.7
15.5
16.3
16.0
-3.7%
1.0%
USG
26.8
27.9
28.3
29.9
32.1
27.9
-24.2%
-7.3%
Virco
2.5
2.5
2.7
2.3
2.5
2.3
-36.4%
0.9%
SUM
DJIndust
402.6
378.4
339.2
343.5
342.0
350.4
17,749
18,054
17,113
16,852
16,323
16,478
-3.0%
*Kimball historical stock prices for 9.26.14 and earlier include both Kimball Furniture and Kimball Electronics earnings prior to the spin-off of the
company’s Electronics segment on 10.31.14. On 11.3.14, Kimball International, Inc. began trading on NASDAQ under the ticker symbol :”KBAL”
and the previous ticker symbol “KBALB” was retired.
GIVING VOICE TO THOSE WHO CREATE WORKPLACE DESIGN & FURNISHINGS PAGE 31 OF 34
03.16.15
business
year. The current year’s gross margin percentage benefitted
from improvements in realized pricing, U.S. exchange rate and
favourable overhead absorption. However, these gains were
largely absorbed by higher production costs throughout the
year and a $0.6 million installation loss for a project that was
disclosed in the second quarter’s management discussion.
Selling, general and administrative expenses in the third quarter
were 34.1% of sales, compared to 34.6% in the same quarter
of last year or $0.8 million higher than the same quarter of
last year. Last year’s SG&A included $0.3 million write-off of a
product license fee. About $0.4 million of the increase was variable selling expense due to higher sales volume and last year’s
relatively lower commission rate for specific large projects. The
increase in the current quarter’s fixed SG&A mainly consisted
of a spike in the fair value of share-based compensation as
the company’s share price was up at the end of the quarter, a
decrease in the fair value of interest rate sensitive short-term
investments when the prime rate was reduced in January, and
pre-operating costs incurred in the launch of new ventures.
Year-to-date SG&A was 28.2% of sales, compared to 30.3%
of last year or $0.5 million higher, consisting of $1.0 million
increase in variable selling expense, offset by $0.5 million lower
fixed expenses. The higher variable selling expense was due to
increased sales volume and last year’s relatively lower commission rate for certain large projects. On the fixed expenses, the
increases in the fair value of share-based compensation, markto-mark decline in the short-term investment and pre-operating
costs were absorbed by reductions in other overheads throughout the year.
At the end of the third quarter of fiscal year 2015, the company was
debt-free with cash and cash equivalents totaling $17.3 million.
Inscape’s 3Q15 consolidated financial statements, available at
http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/996660_financials.pdf, include
a section analyzing results by segment and geographical area:
Results by Segment (Canadian dollars in thousands):
3 Mos. Ended
1.31.15
Furniture
Sales
$13,671
Op. Inc./Loss
-$601
Moveable walls and rollform
Sales
$3,184
Op. Inc./Loss
-$1,673
1.31.14
%Ch.
$10,568
-$2,208
29.4%
-
$3,805
-$355
-16.3%
-
9 Mos. Ended
1.31.15
Furniture
Sales
$40,986
Op. Inc./Loss
-$380
Moveable walls and rollform
Sales
$15,797
Op. Inc./Loss
-$1,998
1.31.14
%Ch.
$36,068
-$4,425
13.6%
-
$14,916
$497
5.9%
-
Sales by Location (Canadian dollars in thousands):
3 Mos. Ended
U.S.
Canada
Other
1.31.15
$14,178
$2,670
$7
1.31.14
$12,443
$1,822
$108
%Ch.
13.9%
46.5%
-93.5%
9 Mos. Ended
U.S.
Canada
Other
1.31.15
$51,046
$5,693
$44
1.31.14
$44,723
$5,861
$400
%Ch.
14.1%
-2.9%
-89.0%
The full text of Inscape’s 3Q15 earnings release, including
all tables, is available on the company’s website. A telephone
replay of its Mar. 13 conference call will be available until
midnight Eastern Time on Friday, Mar. 20. To access the
rebroadcast, please dial 1-800-558-5253 (Reservation Number
21761526). http://inscapesolutions.com/company/pressreleases/
>Kimball International, Inc. will present at the Sidoti & Company, LLC Nineteenth Annual Emerging Growth Research
Institutional Investor Forum in New York on Tuesday, Mar.
17. The presentation is scheduled to begin at 8:40 a.m. Eastern Time. Scheduled to meet with investors are Bob Schneider,
CEO and Chairman of the Board; Don Van Winkle, President
and COO; Michelle Schroeder, Vice President and CFO; and
Dennis Gerber, Treasurer and Director of Investor Relations.
The company will discuss previously announced restructuring
actions taken by the new executive team following the spin-off
of its electronics manufacturing services segment, the recent
adoption of best practice governance policies by its Board of
Directors and other actions taken to grow shareholder value
as a furniture-focused company. The associated presentation
materials are posted on the company’s website at http://kimballinternational.com/calendar_of_events.aspx.
>Knoll, Inc. posted its First Quarter 2015 Investor Presentation. As noted in a Form 8-K filed Mar. 10 with the SEC, CEO
Andrew B. Cogan and SVP/CFO Craig B. Spray will use the
presentation in connection with various meetings with stockholders and investors during the quarter. It may be vieweed
at http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=66169&p=irolpresentations.
>Steelcase Inc. on Mar. 11 announced it has initiated procedures with the applicable work councils regarding a project
to establish a Learning + Innovation Center in Munich,
Germany. In order to foster and accelerate innovation, this
new facility would pull together in one location more than 150
people involved in the research, design, engineering, marketing
and support functions driving new product development in the
company’s Europe, Middle East and Africa region. The space
would be designed to reflect the Company’s latest research
03.16.15
GIVING VOICE TO THOSE WHO CREATE WORKPLACE DESIGN & FURNISHINGS PAGE 32 OF 34
business
around collaboration and innovation, with the objective of accelerating the pace and increasing the productivity and impact
of product development efforts. The new center would host
customers, architects, designers and others to come to collaborate around innovation or who wish to explore some of the
emerging ideas around how space might be used. It would also
be a place for leadership to gather to support innovation and
learning and to engage with customers. The company chose
Munich due to its global character, close proximity to existing
and potential customers and easy access from the entire EMEA
region.
ously announced actions, are part of the Company’s on-going
multi-year EMEA strategy to improve revenue and the fitness
of its business model. The Company anticipates the EMEA
segment will continue to report adjusted operating losses until
the benefits of the multi-year EMEA strategy are more fully realized and the overall economic environment in Western Europe
improves.” http://ir.steelcase.com/financials.cfm#SEC
The project would involve the relocation of certain positions, including positions in the product development, marketing, sales
and learning and development functions, from the Steelcase’s
current locations in Rosenheim, Germany, and Schiltigheim,
France, to the new location in Munich. As the Munich center
opens, the company’s facilities in Rosenheim, Germany, would
remain the home for the existing manufacturing plant and
other functions, while the its Schiltigheim, France, location
would remain a business center and base for specific corporate
functions. The establishment of the Munich location would represent a further step in the company’s implementation in the
EMEA segment of various strategic initiatives that have been
successful in driving revenue growth in the Americas segment
over the past several years. Steelcase expects the location in
Munich, once fully operational in fiscal year 2017, would help
drive revenue growth and market share gains in the EMEA
segment.
>Jess Bernevig, an interior designer at TBI, a Haworth dealer
in Tucson, AZ, is the CET Designer User of the Month for
March. A proud San Francisco Academy of Art University
alumna, Ms. Bernevig holds a bachelor of fine arts degree in
interior architecture and design and describes herself as an
“Artsy Avid Artist with ADD.”
In connection with this project, the company would offer to
relocate employees in the affected positions to the new location
in Munich. It expects to incur an aggregate of between $15
million and $17 million in restructuring costs in connection with
this project, including approximately $8 million to $10 million in
costs associated with employee and equipment moves, retention compensation and consulting cost and approximately $7
million in potential separation costs for those employees who
do not move. In addition, the company expects that it may
incur up to approximately $10 million in operating expenses
associated with overlapping facilities and staffing during the
implementation of the project. These costs all represent future
cash expenditures, and the actual amounts may vary depending on which employees relocate to the location in Munich.
These costs are expected to be incurred throughout fiscal year
2016 and the first half of fiscal year 2017.
Steelcase noted in the Form 8-K filed with the SEC on Mar.
11 to report these plans that “The economic environment in
Western Europe remains challenging, impacting the demand
for the Company’s products and solutions in the EMEA segment. The project being announced today, in addition to previ-
TECHNOLOGY
She started her career in high-end residential design but, after
a few years, wanted to participate in a more universal, impactful and obtainable design realm. She changed routes for commercial spaces. “I now have over eight years of experience in
commercial interior design, specializing in Haworth products,”
she said. “I’ve used CET Designer consistently for about a year
now, and it’s made me a whole lot more efficient. I recently
specified a project with more than 154 workstations, 33 private
offices, and various collaboration areas, all in record time, and
with minimal product fixes!”
03.16.15
GIVING VOICE TO THOSE WHO CREATE WORKPLACE DESIGN & FURNISHINGS PAGE 33 OF 34
technology
CET Designer rendering by Jess Bernevig
Today, she uses CET Designer for design, product specification,
quotations, installation drawings and renderings. “Everyone is
wowed by the ease, speed and realism of CET Designer,” she
said. “Applying exact finishes in real time, and being able to
make quick changes in front of clients, is great. The customer
service that we can provide with CET Designer is top notch!”
Ms. Bernevig’s best CET Designer tip is keyboard shortcuts:
“The Page Up command is my newest favorite, and the increment tool just saved me two hours of tagging stations!”
She appreciates CET Designer Support and Training. “It’s
amazing! Any issue that I’ve needed help with was fixed that
day, usually within the hour,” she said. “The training and webinars are amazingly helpful as well. I recently participated in
Advanced CET Designer training taught by Kendra Steinhaus in
Atlanta and returned with so much useful knowledge.”
Ms. Bernevig has lived on both U.S. coasts and places in
between, but living in Tucson takes the cake, she said. “Tucson has all sorts of creatures and vegetation that don’t exist
anywhere else!” She is pleasantly “freaked out” each time she
discovers something new – especially the lizards!
She also has an up-and-coming “pet portrait” endeavor, writes
poetry (and has been published!) and enjoys crafting “UnWelcome” mats. www.officenewswire.com/16230
>Civilight North America introduced 11 new LED lamps that
are listed on the ENERGY STAR® list of qualified products.
Offered in three series - Architectural, Professional, and Commercial - these new models are said to “push the boundaries
of CRI and R9, while maintaining the efficacy and lifetime required for ENERGY STAR certification.” Twelve additional models are pending ENERGY STAR® approval and are expected
to be included in the qualified products list in spring/summer
2015. www.officenewswire.com/16203
>LaMar Lighting Co.’s new R1L/R2L Series of premium
recessed LED lensed luminaires is designed to deliver
high-quality volumetric lighting and superior glare control.
Targeting commercial applications including office, education,
healthcare and retail, they feature contemporary style and
ability to provide even illumination without dark areas common
with traditional troffers. A custom ribbed frosted acrylic diffuser
provides uniform light distribution and luminous appearance
without LED hot spots. www.officenewswire.com/16204
GIVING VOICE TO THOSE WHO CREATE WORKPLACE DESIGN & FURNISHINGS PAGE 34 OF 34
03.16.15
JOB SITE
At National, we pride ourselves in having a world-class team
that champions growth, diversity and operational excellence.
We’re creating an environment that inspires an insatiable
desire to learn, stretch and do things better every day.
We have immediate openings and are seeking individuals
to be key players on our team.
To place ads or for billing
information, email
[email protected]
Or, call
T 972 293 9186
District Manager - Philadelphia Metro Area
District Manager - Columbus, Ohio
Find the rest of our ads on
our online job site.
Responsible for territory management with focused attention
on dealer development, vertical market end-users as well as the
A&D community.
Independent Sales Rep - Various
Bernhardt Design is currently
seeking independent sales
representation in Ohio,
Indiana, Kentucky, Western
Pennsylvania and West
Virginia. Ideal candidates are
dynamic, self-motivated and
relationship-oriented sales
people with at least 3-5 years
of proven success within the
A&D community.
Bernhardt Design is a leading
manufacturer of design-driven
seating, tables, casegoods
and textiles for commercial,
hospitality, healthcare and
institutional interiors and
offers a competitive benefits
and compensation package.
E-mail resume:
colemangutshall@bernhardt.
com
Successful candidates must:
• Be a progressive self-starter with the ability to work independently
in a very fast paced environment
• Possess strong communication and organizational skills in
addition to strong business planning and business development
skills
• Have the proven ability to manage and develop relationships
• Be an analytical thinker with creative problem solving aptitude
for overcoming business challenges
• Have a sound foundation in report analysis with excellent
understanding of sales and marketing functions
• Hold extensive knowledge of the office furniture industry and
3+ years of demonstrated successful sales growth
Interested candidates, please submit your profile and job
interests online at www.NationalOfficeFurniture.com/Careers.
As a business unit of Kimball International, we offer an
attractive salary and flexible benefits package including a
retirement plan with 401(K) feature.
National Office Furniture is an American Heart Association
2014 Fit-Friendly Platinum Worksite.
National is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified
applicants will receive consideration for employment without
regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin,
genetic information, disability or protected veteran status.
www.officeinsight.com
www.officenewswire.com
© 2015 officeinsight,LLC
PO Box 967
Cedar Hill, TX 75106
Robert Beck
[email protected]
T 972 293 9186
Mallory Jindra
[email protected]
T 219 263 9006
Bradford J. Powell, Hon. FASID
[email protected]
T 203 966 5008