Knoll Inc., a constellation of design-driven brands and people celebrating its 80th Anniversary, presented Hospitality at Work at NeoCon 2018 – the annual contract industry trade show that took place in Chicago from June 11-13, 2018
“ We have experience both in how people live and work, allowing us to help clients create hospitality-focused social and collaborative environments. Our work with the world’s best architects and industrial designers has resulted in workplace solutions that redefine flexibility and address the roles of individuals and teams.”
“ Our perspective on Immersive Planning, a Knoll Revolution Workplace planning paradigm, positions hospitality as one of four key factors that contribute to a new way of working and thinking about the office environment.”……………….. Benjamin Pardo, Knoll Design Director
Immersive Planning, a Knoll Revolution Workplace™ planning paradigm, identifies five major shifts that are changing the way work is done:
a) Group-based work;
b) Hospitality and residential influences;
c) Office as home base;
d) Abilities for employees to make the workplace their own; and
e) A decreasing real estate footprint.
Together, these considerations lead to an environment that blurs the lines between workspace types, enhancing interaction and connected experiences, and creating a sense of hospitality at every exchange.
Today’s workplace is a place you want to be.
Today’s mobile work styles lift limitations on where work is done.
From soft and welcoming touch-points to highly flexible environments, this year’s showroom– Hospitality at Work–presents a new way of thinking about the office and a more welcoming way to work.
To this end, organizations are focused on creating engaging environments that attract workers to the office.
In response, the workplace has taken on a new life, incorporating elements of residential and hospitality design to add comfort, functionality and aesthetics for employees to collaborate, ideate and socialize.
The Knoll Hospitality at Work Showroom features four individually themed spaces, illustrating the power of hospitality in today’s workplace: –
1) Welcoming Environments,
2) User-Directed Experiences,
3) Flexible Solutions,
4) Material Variety and
Each Incorporates residential comforts and hospitality amenities that encourage comfort, community and ideation.
1) Welcoming Environments
A welcoming environment invites you to feel at home.
These spaces evoke a sense of comfort that encourages you to take a seat, plug-in, or strike up a conversation.
An approachable concierge area or reception desk serves as a gateway to an experience-based workplace.
Abundant plants and greenery bring the outside in, pairing lush green foliage with warm furnishings for a tranquil introduction to the space.
“Welcoming materials, soft-touch points and up-to-date amenities are expected. Companies are realizing the importance of creating a space that is truly inspiring to attract and retain the best talent.” ……………………………. Benjamin Pardo
2) User-Directed Experiences
The power of choice is essential to hospitality in the workplace—to be able to chose what kind of environment you want to work in at any given moment.
This space features a large, open footprint with areas to kick back and ideate, or spread out and roll up your sleeves.
” Welcoming materials, soft-touch points and up-to-date amenities are expected. Companies are realizing the importance of creating a space that is truly inspiring to attract and retain the best talent.” ………………………….. Benjamin Pardo, Knoll Design Director
3) Flexible Solutions
Hospitality in the workplace goes beyond providing choice in environment to providing choice at the product level.
Allowing for an ever-changing work landscape, flexible, multi-use spaces empower you to control your surroundings and adjust workspaces for the task at hand.
Truly flexible spaces host a spectrum of collaboration, co-creation, power and data solutions.
4) Material Variety
Material variety balances warm and rich tones with creative forms to compose a truly inviting space.
Natural materials–warm woods, wool felt, premium leather–evoke a “third-place” within the workplace.
Mixing unexpected materials in a more informal manner enlivens a space.
The right mix of hard and soft, bright and subdued, harmoniously ties a space together.
About Benjamin Pardo
Benjamin A. Pardo, Executive Vice President and Design Director, is responsible for product and showroom design worldwide.
Benjaminhas been an Executive Vice President of Knoll, Inc. since June 9, 2011 and has been its Design Director since September 2005.
Mr. Pardo served as Senior Vice President of Knoll Inc. since September 2005.
Prior to joining Knoll Inc., Benjamin served as the President of Unifor, Inc., where he was employed since 1988 and developed strategies and programs to enhance the Company’s success with the design community in North America.
Benjamin earned a B.A. from Vassar College and an M.A. [in literature] from the University of Bologna.
2011 cover of MMQB
About Knoll
Knoll, Inc. is a constellation of design-driven brands and people, working together with our clients to create inspired modern interiors.
Our internationally recognized portfolio includes furniture, textiles, leathers, accessories, and architectural and acoustical elements brands.
These brands — Knoll Office, Knoll Studio, Knoll Textiles, Knoll Extra, Spinneybeck | FilzFelt, Edelman Leather, Holly Hunt, DatesWeiser and Muuto — reflect our commitment to modern design that meets the diverse requirements of high performance workplaces and luxury interiors.
A recipient of the National Design Award for Corporate and Institutional Achievement from the Smithsonian`s Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, Knoll, Inc. is aligned with the U.S. Green Building Council and the Canadian Green Building Council and can help organizations achieve the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) workplace certification.
Knoll, Inc. is the founding sponsor of the World Monuments Fund Modernism at Risk program.
