Configura's CET Designer User Conference by Brad Powell, officeinsight

10.27.08

GIVING VOICE TO THOSE WHO CREATE WORKPLACE DESIGN & FURNISHINGS

Configura’s CET Designer User Conference I’d rather be in Chicago than Las Vegas (although the food and entertainment in Vegas is appealing), but I’d rather fly in and out of Las Vegas (it’s probably a weather thing). So, when Configura, the Swedish software producer, invited me to it first CET Designer User Conference in Las Vegas, I went.

FULL STORY ON PG.3

World Workplace 2008 IFMA’s World Workplace Conference & Expo is an annual three-day educational and networking event showcasing the trends and new products affecting today’s built environment. I attended this year’s edition, which was branded the “youniversal” workplace event, complete with “youniversal” lapel pins for attendees! (Cute, right?)

FULL STORY ON PG.8

Concurrents: Questioning the Design Food Chain Is it interesting to anyone else that while commercial interior designers are begging for respect from the architectural community, they simultaneously shun equally qualified residential interior designers…and highly knowledgeable manufacturer’s reps for that matter? In other words, is it time to acknowledge the existence of a design food chain?

FULL STORY ON PG.11

Los Angeles: Catalyst Breakfast 08 After last year’s historic speech at the Catalyst Breakfast by Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. on the environment, Southern California designers continue to thrive on passionate people and smart ideas. This year IIDA’s Southern California Chapter held the Catalyst Breakfast at the Century Plaza Hyatt Regency with Wagner James Au. FULL STORY ON PG.13 CITED: “A POSITIVE ATTITUDE MAY NOT SOLVE ALL YOUR PROBLEMS, BUT IT WILL ANNOY ENOUGH PEOPLE TO MAKE IT WORTH THE EFFORT” —HERM ALBRIGHT

Chapter Fourteen: Interior Doors Kermit the Frog once ruminated on how…“It’s not easy being green” and he was right on. I have to admit, if I weren’t writing this series I would have committed an act so red that I don’t know if I could have lived with myself. I would have probably found a way to justify my actions, but I do think I would have had pangs of guilt for years.

FULL STORY ON PG.15

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people

Is this how you want future interior designers to be educated?

We are running out of qualiďŹ ed educators. To sustain our profession, we need your help.

Call Georgy Olivieri @ 630.346.7923 or IDEC @ 317.328.4437.

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events Configura’s CET Designer User Conference

by Brad Powell

I’d rather be in Chicago than Las Vegas (although the food and entertainment in Vegas is appealing), but I’d rather fly in and out of Las Vegas (it’s probably a weather thing). So, when Configura, the Swedish software producer, invited me to it first CET Designer User Conference in Las Vegas, I went. CET Designer is the software platform developed by Configura for the contract furniture industry to facilitate furniture sales, rapid prototyping design and order entry/specification.

An event for contract dealer personnel is not ordinarily on the top of my wish list, but that’s probably an artifact of my own ignorance and opportunity.

I found the experience very enlightening, both regarding the content of the program and the opportunity to meet many of the interior designers who work in contract furniture dealerships.

JOHAN LYREBORN

While Configura has wisely chosen dealerships as its initial primary market, I can foresee the day in which many A&D firm designers will also attend such a session. One of the remarkable capabilities of CET Designer is its robust 3D rendering capabilities, which according to the experienced users I talked to, far exceeds the 3D capabilities of AutoCAD. Ted Evans and Tracy Scott from Haworth, who both attended the CET Designer User Conference, were enthusiastic about it: We thought the conference was a great networking opportunity for all of us. We are all in the office furniture industry with the same type of challenges. Configura openly listened to our needs as manufacturers as well as our customers to gain knowledge and perception of their own product. That, in itself, demonstrates confidence and a willingness to make a good product better.

There are a number of unusual aspects to the Configura phenomena.

The company is extremely focused on its own vision of how it can help its clients perform better. As a result, Configura has rebuffed the expected acquisition approach of 20-20 Technologies, which – until Configura and ICE Business Solutions came along – had acquired much of the competing software in this area. This is probably why Configura has been able to sign up three of the major North American contract furniture manufacturers to use the same software: Haworth, Steelcase and Teknion. Unheard of!

Spacefile International Corp., Ontario, Canada, a manufacturer of dense storage filing, is Configura’s newest client.

In pursuit of this vision, Configura created the user conference as a gift to its users. “The conference was free to attendees,” said Configura Marketing Director Johan Bengtsson. “We are actively seeking feedback from our users; offering the conference for free was a way of saying ‘thank you’ to them. Our users are truly our partners in the process of making CET Designer the leading design-spec-ordering tool.”

This partnership aspect was emphasized throughout the conference, particularly during the presentation of CEO Johan Lyreborn. Being of Scandanavian extraction, myself, I acknowledge a propensity for a certain terse and gruff plain speaking in that ethnic group, and I have to give the Swedes a few points for this.

An example of this Swedish straightforwardness is Vasa Museum, Stockholm, which holds the nearly perfectly preserved Vasa, at the time said to be the greatest warship of the 17th century. This ship’s strikingly marvelous preservation, the Swedes readily admit – and it says so on a nearby plaque – is that the Vasa sunk in the harbor immediately after its launch in 1628.

It was buried in the mud and thus preserved for its rediscovery in 1957.

Well, the Vasa is impressive – except for the sinking part – but I was more impressed that Swedes openly state, in two languages, that the pride of the fleet, as it were, didn’t float.

This straight-forward, collaborative approach was evident at the user conference, one can but think that that had a lot to do with engendering the trust needed for three major manufacturers to make significant and long-

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events term commitments to CET Designer.

Signing up with Configura entails a willingness to create, at some expense to the manufacturer, what Configura call extensions to its CET Designer application. These extensions – which Haworth calls Canvas, Steelcase has dubbed Smart Tools, and Teknion, Storyboard – comprise the specific data regarding a manufacturer’s products.

The idea is similar to BIM (Building Information Modeling) software in which all pertinent data related to the object – in this case, the building – is entered so that a comprehensive 2D and 3D picture of the object can be accessed, with complete drill down to all specifications, including cost.

One benefit of this is that a change in one aspect of the object will be carried through all of the related data without making conforming changes throughout the object. When this data is available to CET Designer, the user can construct intelligent drawings and/ or renderings of a completely detailed installation of a product down to all fittings and connections, together with the specifications needed for the order to the manufacturer. The frosting on the cake is that the software automatically specifies the needed connectors and parts and will not permit improper part adjacencies.

MAUREEN SOULES Q&A

USER GROUP

Interoperability of CET Designer with Rivet, AutoDesk’s BIM, is one of Configura’s objectives. This will provide complementary full-data applications for the building and the installed furniture. Obviously, this holistic approach could ultimately subsume specialized asset management software now used by dealerships and facility managers..

CET Designer received a Best of NeoCon Gold Award in June. (Its competitor, ICE from ICE Business Solutions, did not enter the competition.)

The software is now used by more than half of Haworth’s dealer community. The Steelcase and Teknion Extensions launched earlier this year and subscriptions are now being sold across North America.

Configura’s vision for itself is nothing less than changing how people work.

This is the most important aspect of technology: not just how technology can facilitate the immediate task, such as word processing or object rendering, but how it reconfigures how people actually accomplish complex tasks. “The potential of the software is just now beginning to be tapped,

and there is so much more we could be doing with it in the future!” said Maureen Soules of Haworth dealer Fluid Interiors, Minneapolis, a CET Designer user who attended the Las Vegas conference.

Consider for a moment that CET Designer is not just a rapid prototyping, rendering and data entry/specification tool. View it as a communication tool, just like BIM, How will these tools help create new forms of communication with new collaborators? Shouldn’t the dealership interior designers connect directly with the interior design firm and the client to facilitate and expedite the design by, in seconds, creating design alternatives, complete with finishes and moveable parts? To give an analogous perspective on the broad implications, how can BIM technology help architects interface with the many consultants they use, such as contractors, engineers, lighting and acoustic consultants, and yes, interior designers.

Configura, then, has two challenges. Teaching people how to use its software, and guiding the development

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events of new business practices through the use of CET Designer. Both challenges were addressed at the user conference at which approximately 100 Configura CET Designer users were present.

Most of the attendees were interior designers who worked at aligned dealerships of Haworth, Steelcase and Teknion. The heads of team at the respective manufacturers were also present. Interestingly, when asked, very few of the dealer interior designers were members of the interior design professional associations. That seems to be a huge missed opportunity for face time with potential collaborators.

(Maybe the dealership leaders should encourage participation and pay fees, especially with the present shaky economic situation?)

The conference was a mixed bag of presentations covering many aspects of the software. Göran Rydqvist, Vice President, Research and Development, whose father spurred the first iterations of the software to facilitate financial calculations for furniture proposals, gave a brief technical overview of the software, and the hardware necessary to easily use it. It doesn’t take a super-computer or mainframe for the software to spin out 3D renderings and walk-through scenarios. But, said Mr. Rydqvist, given the developments in hardware and software, computer upgrades every 18 months are worth the money in terms of cost-savings.

It seemed to me that, viewing the application as a communications tools, laptops would be in order. I suggested that the replaced laptops could be turned over to the sales force whose power requirements are considerably less.

Again, from some of my informal conversations, dealership leaders do not seem to have caught on to the great potential beyond rapid rendering/sales presentations. Quite a few of the designers who used CET Designer regularly – together with AutoCAD, an

GÖRAN RYDQVIST

interoperable resource – were using antiquated 3- or 4-year old hardware, and paying for the time wasted by using these antiquated machines. (Let’s face it, for this kind of work, if you don’t have 1Mb or at least 1/2Mb on your independent graphics card, you are in the horse and buggy era.)

The second line of information included tips-for-use by an expert user/tutor. The designer-attendees were furnished with loaded laptops and given a collection of handy tips for use, which also illustrated capabilities of the software. The audience also had time to ask “How-to” questions, so there was a very practical skill-sharing aspect to the conference. Being totally unfamiliar with AutoCAD and CET Designer, the instruction easily joined the slipstream over my head. This was also true for the designer sitting to my right, although she was familiar with AutoCAD, but had not used CET Designer. Interestingly, during the following break, the designer sitting to my left gave a personal tutorial to the one on the right, confirming the networking objective of the conference.

Another aspect of the CET Designer Academy, was the presentation by Steve Ulstad, Vice President, Sales and Marketing, ProjectMatrix.

The alliance between Configura and ProjectMatrix seems to be a necessary – or certainly very helpful – aspect of using CET Designer. As suggested, CET Designer’s most useful capabilities are dependant upon the programming of extensions for participating manufacturers. These are of primary importance for the dealerships aligned with those manufacturers. But every interiors project also requires a variety of products of other manufacturers, including those who do not have aligned dealers. ProjectMatrix provides the libraries and data needed to compete the furniture specification for the project. Mr. Ulstad gave an overview of the ProjectMatrix product and how their software interoperates with CET Designer.

The third objective of the conference was to provide an opportunity for the Configura developers and executives to get feedback regarding the capabilities and use of the software. This occurred during the full-audience sessions and in dealer/manufacturer breakout sessions. The straight-forward, collaborative mode of Configura seem to have spilled-over into these sessions and the dealers used the opportunity to inform their related manufacturers of

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events their experiences and needs. According to dealer designer Melissa Morris, It has been very helpful to talk directly and openly with the manufacturers during our roundtable session – to explain how dealers work and what CET features are important to us as designers.

These interactive sessions give the attendees/users a strong sense of participation and ownership. Said one designer of the conference, “It was very interactive, and great to have a ‘voice’ in CET Designer; and I loved seeing how others are using it.”

“The two-day event was a huge success,” said Mr. Lyreborn. “The number of attendees – and their feedback – exceeded our expectations.” Apparently users can expect an annual reprise.

“Although we haven’t decided yet to do one next year, we are planning to make this conference an annual event,” said Configura Marketing Director Johan Bengtsson. In addition, Configura will continue the dialogue by creating an online user community of CET Designer users, with additional details to follow in the coming months. Upcoming sessions would be helpful to users, and also to prospective manufacturers and dealer users, at least Michelle Harkness, Business Development, Spacefile, found it so:

BRAD POWELL AT USER CONFERENCE

The online exchanges and the user conferences appear to be a good venue for prospective users, manufacturers and dealers, to evaluate the software. “I had the opportunity to sit in on user sessions and see first-hand how CET Designer is being used by designers and by sales people at dealerships across North America. As a manufacturer who will have a CET Extension in the coming months, it was invaluable to see how simple the tool is to learn and also to see its full gamut of capabilities.

At the end, I was asked to give a few off-the-cuff remarks about trends. I was happy to oblige, but rather than dwelling of product trends such as lowered panel heights or use of library-table workstations, I said that the important trends toward systems thinking (the more formalized practice of holistic thinking), communications and collaboration.

Systems thinking is the umbrella concept that looks at everything as a set of interdependent and interactive variables, actors, and other entities or sub- and supra-systems. A system, if it is to work at all, requires free flowing and real-time communication among all participants and the collaboration that is enabled through this communication.

It was apparent that the creation of a system is becoming part of the Configura story, where the software producer develops its product in the context of the needs of the participating manufacturers, the using dealers, and the responses of the affected design firms and clients. The emergent properties here will be along the line of how work patterns and collaboration are changed or encouraged, rather than the improved aspect of its parts, such as the software.

Another trend I mentioned is a cyclic one: the economy, which at present, is uncertain in a negative

supported by:

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The Premier Design Exposition and Conference for Commercial Interiors on the East Coast with a special focus on the federal government design community NeoCon® East is part of The National Exposition of Contract Furnishings family of shows.

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events sense. These times, as we too well remember, require a high level of change, pro-active thinking and innovation. Flogging the same old horses will not suffice during economic downturns. What can be helpful is the introduction of new, contextually needed, services and products. CET Designer, as a communications tool, and one that is aimed a supporting and facilitating the review of options and quick decision making, can be an edge in getting new business. In addition, it provides a tool that invites interaction and collaboration among the many parties to interiors projects.

Finally, when dealer business is falling off and dealerships are looking for ways to distinguish themselves and get in front of decision makers, CET Designer and the dealer designers that know how to use it provide another door in. Encouraging dealer designers to join and participate in interior design professional associations, as mentioned above, is just one example of this. „ Winners of the Wall of Fame As part of its User Conference, Configura invite its user to submit renderings of their work as part of friendly conferenct.

The winners selected by the conference attendees and CET Designer trainers were:

FIRST PLACE: PAUL RICHES

SECOND PLACE: KULI KUI

First place: Paul Riches, Heritage Office Furnishings, Vancouver, BC (Steelcase dealer) Second Place: Kyli Kui, Meadows Office, New York, NY (Haworth dealer) Third Place: Jessica Poe, Miller’s Inc, Columbia, SC (Haworth dealer) THIRD PLACE: JESSICA POE

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events World Workplace 2008

by Bob Beck

IFMA’s World Workplace Conference & Expo is an annual three-day educational and networking event showcasing the trends and new products affecting today’s built environment. I attended this year’s edition, which was branded the “youniversal” workplace event, complete with “youniversal” lapel pins for attendees! (Cute, right?)

Held at the Dallas Convention Center last week, World Workplace attracted an estimated 4,500 attendees from nearly 40 countries. Indeed the “I” in IFMA (International Facility Management Association) was prominently on display throughout the proceedings.

World Workplace is heavily tilted toward education and the Conference aspect of the event. In keeping with its ‘youniversal’ theme, this year’s Conference emphasized the importance of thinking globally while addressing the challenges universal to the facilities

DON YOUNG AND STEPHEN JAGUN

management profession. From the Global Outlook educational track to the closing keynote presentation of European business guru Dr. Jonas Ridderstråle, a visiting professor at Ashridge Business School in the U.K., to the reports from international members on their countries’ progress against the Global FM Sustainability Project this year’s World Workplace demonstrated the association’s manifest internationality.

So I took it upon myself to interview a few of the attendees from other countries to see if they thought the trip was worthwhile. I am pleased to report that that they “youniversally” did so. On the other hand, I found it quite inspiring to learn more about them and the practice of facility management in their countries. I had a very nice chat with Stephen O. Jagun, President of the IFMA chapter in Lagos, Nigeria.,

and I found the story of how there came to be a chapter in Lagos an amazing example of how a meaningful association can grow and spread.

As you know, Nigeria is an oil exporting county, and where there’s oil exploration and exportation, you can usually find American oil companies. It seems that 10 or 11 years ago one individual Mobil Oil Company “Property Manager” from Nigeria came to World Workplace and left convinced that IFMA’s dedication to professional education and its certification programs could fill a need in Nigeria to develop a generation of professionally trained and certified facilities managers. Owing to their country’s British Colonial background, Nigeria had a job function known as Property Management, which was similar to Facility Management but more narrowly focused on the real estate side of the issues.

In eleven years from one person’s belief that IFMA had something to offer the Lagos property management community, and through the involvement and dedication of American IFMA fellows such as Jon Martens, Kirt Miller and Dave Harringer, who over the years have traveled there for months at a time, there are now thriving IFMA chapters in both Lagos and Abouja, and about 60 Nigerian members found it worthwhile to travel to Dallas, Texas, to be trained and inspired by experts from around the world in over 80 educational sessions offered at this year’s conference.

I also spoke with two rank and file members of the Lagos chapter; Ezione Amechi of Starr Communications, Ltd and Ogunyinka Adenike of Julius Berger Nigeria, PLC. As they were first time attendees at World Workplace, I wondered how they found the confer-

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events ence and what they enjoyed most.

They both said the Keynote address by Chip Heath, a professor of organizational behavior at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business, was the highlight for them. Prof. Heath, author of Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die, had discussed how to use “naturally sticky” ideas to design more effective business communications, The rookie visitors also assured me that several of the education track classes had given them specific insights they could apply back home to make themselves more effective in their jobs. As I mentioned, the event featured 83 educational sessions on topics such as sustainability, emergency preparedness in a post-Sept.11 world and global facility planning.

Educational session speakers included representatives from ARAMARK, ConocoPhillips and Nokia, as well as from universities around the world, so there were plenty of subjects to choose from.

As Sarah Palin so cleverly pointed out in her recent interview with Katie Couric, Canada is a foreign country too. So while I was on the case of how

DOUG MADDOX AND ANDREW GILLUM, KIMBALL DALLAS

LIZ WATSON AND DARREL BELL, CITY OF CALGARY

World Workplace was perceived by the international attendees, I caught up with Liz Watson and Darrel Bell of the City of Calgary. Mr. Bell said he felt the conference was “very worthwhile”; a great refresher and reinforcement of key principles and best practices. Ms. Watson also particularly enjoyed Prof.

Heath’s keynote address and mentioned getting a lot out of the change management track.

“Every year World Workplace raises the bar, and this year was no exception,” said John McGee, MBA, chairman of the IFMA board of directors. “The educational tracks were excellent; we had a record number of exhibitors; and there were continuous opportunities to network. It was the complete FM experience in every regard. ”World Workplace Expo is the trade show component. This year’s Expo attracted over 300 exhibitors from around the world. Coming from the office furniture industry, I was interested to note that this show is all about building services and not much about furniture, Exhibitors ranged from household names such as AT&T, IBM and Microsoft to tiny IR Cameras, an infrared imaging specialist whose products are useful in finding potentially

dangerous electrical connections as well as detecting costly energy leaks.

Susan Fitzsimmons, senior market manager, Industry Solutions, AT&T Enterprise Business Services, had this to say about their participation: “AT&T is thrilled to be a part of World Workplace 2008. The quality of the conference’s educational sessions and exposition draws the type of forwardthinking facility management practitioner that is the ideal AT&T customer.

The International Facility Management Association’s annual show is the perfect event to share our mobile and wired facility management solutions and services and learn more about our customers’ needs and how we might be able to work with them to improve their business processes.” There were more sellers of used and refurbished “cubicles” than the companies that originally made those cubicles. However, I did run into Versteel President, Scott Schwinghammer and his VP of Sales, Pam Mathias. Echoing Ms Fitzsimmons’ sentiment, they said they love World Workplace because the interest level and quality of visitors is so high.

Maybe it’s a Jasper thing, but one of the only other “usual suspects” from the furniture industry to be there

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events was Kimball Office. Their stand was located in the Green Zone an exclusive section of the expo floor reserved for exhibitors offering environmentally friendly products. Other exhibitors featured in the Green Zone this year included organizations such as the U.S. Green Building Council and companies such as Milliken, Johnson Controls and Kohler.

While the focus was clearly on continuing education, industry partnerships took center stage at the conference. World Workplace 2008 saw IFMA enter into a memorandum of understanding with the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE).

The two groups agreed to collaborate on projects, publications, sustainability research, educational offerings, and legislative and regulatory issues. With buildings accounting for 40% of primary energy use in developed nations, it is becoming increasingly important to find ways to build and operate them in an energy efficient manner. So the two groups hope to be able to collaborate on state of the art solutions to the increasingly urgent global issue of energy conservation.

PAM MATHIAS AND SCOTT SCHWINGHAMMER, VERSTEEL

IFMA also renewed Partners in Excellence agreements with the British Institute of Facilities Management and the Facility Management Association of Australia. Originally signed in 2004, the agreements call for collaboration between the organizations on standards, research, knowledge sharing

and other activities. Following in the tradition of last year’s World Workplace, this year’s conference again received Cleaner & Greener certification from Leonardo Academy, a non-profit environmental consulting group. Organizations seeking Cleaner & Greener certification make a commitment to gather emission reductions, offsetting the emissions caused by events.

With World Workplace 2008 complete, momentum is building for World Workplace 2009, to be held Oct. 7-9 in Orlando, Fla. For information on World Workplace 2009 call for presentations, booth registration or sponsorship opportunities, visit www.worldworkplace. org/2009.

Bob Beck is a longtime veteran of the industry having held senior management positions at Knoll, ai, and Vecta.

He is the principal of Beck and Partners, a furniture industry consulting firm specializing product design and development. He can be contacted at bob@beckandpartners.com

EXPO FLOOR

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opinion : concurrents Concurrents: Questioning the Design Food Chain

by Laura Smith

Exploring Issues of Occupational Parity between Commercial and Residential Interior Designers Is it interesting to anyone else that while commercial interior designers are begging for respect from the architectural community, they simultaneously shun equally qualified residential interior designers…and highly knowledgeable manufacturer’s reps for that matter? In other words, is it time to acknowledge the existence – and the ridiculousness – of a design food chain?

If being a contract designer isn’t enough – add the urban bias to mix, and we have a certain kind of monster on our hands.

As a commercial interior designer working in a Miesian high-rise in downtown Chicago, I can’t say I’ve been exempt from such biases. At the beginning of my design career, glammed out with 2 years of commercial design experience, and manicure financed by manufacturer “X,” I surely made my share of unwarranted snarky comments. In particular, I recall sitting for the NCIDQ in the suburbs of Chicago and chuckling at the eccentric fashion sense of the suburban, presumed to be residential, interior designers in the room. This all seems silly now, but it is an unfortunate aspect of the culture.

It’s like commercial designers have given themselves the role of the 17 year old dairy queen manager – asserting authority over peers, trying desperately to distinguish themselves from a perceived lower level. However, we rarely state our biases out loud – we instead say things such as, “Well, I could never do residential design!

Think of the maniacal clients you have to deal with!” As though working

with corporate clients is analogous to playing with a litter of cuddly newborn kittens.

Another case in point is the relationship between designers and manufacturer representatives. There is no doubt that genuine friendships often exist between the two. But I have to say, I’ve witnessed equally unacceptable attitudes of designers toward representatives, many of whom share educational and professional training with designers. Regardless, interior designers want what they want, when they want it…and isn’t it your job to provide it immediately and with a smile?

Somebody needs to remind designers that specifying miles of vinyl wallcovering doesn’t offer up a design diva crown. (Might I add, the free manicures are not helping this confusion.)

Perhaps designers are secretly jealous of the mobility, social climate, and the consistently delicious lunch hours of our representatives? Maybe we’re envious that many of our reps go home at 5:00? More likely we’re jealous of the paycheck. It’s not hard to imagine a group of reps drinking martinis over extended happy hour and swapping designer horror stories – while the designers are still chained to their desks leaving desperate 10pm phone messages.

But back to the topic at hand, which is the attitude of commercial designers toward similarly qualified design peers who have chosen the residential sector.

This discussion would not round out if we didn’t mention the tricky distinction between “designer” and “decorator.” Indeed, there are very few retired school teachers who pursue a second career in contract interior design. It

LAURA SMITH

is the professional residential interior designers who must strive to differentiate their qualifications on an on-going basis. Perhaps commercial designers take advantage of the sector difference to further distance themselves from this distinction which is often overlooked by outsiders?

Let me take a paragraph for a relevant rant. The truth of the matter is this: all designers decorate. Even architects decorate. Remember that Mies, the great champion of “form follows function,” often used the vertical exterior I-beam not for structure, but for aesthetics. The word “décor” comes from the latin “decoratus” which means to beatify – something I believe we are all interested in accomplishing.

Perhaps the knowledge in residential interiors is downplayed because decoration is seen as the primary function as opposed to a tool used to achieve more comprehensive ends.

Are residential interior designers not dealing with the same issues of health, safety and welfare as the rest of us?

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opinion : concurrents Have commercial designers masculinized their superiority competitively, and as a function of square footage? Scale, of course, is another facet of the discussion; but how much does size really matter relative to design innovation and quality of product?

It is interesting to note that architecture does not have so deep a bias in terms of residential versus commercial architecture. In fact, it is the small scale, and sometimes the eccentric client, which allows residential architecture to really push boundaries. Can we re-frame residential interiors in a similar, more

positive light? Residential interior design can be a lab for innovation not always possible at the scale of commercial environments.

Here is another perspective of the importance of residential interiors. The emergence of the commercial interior designer has been fueled by a cultural shift over the last half-century – the societal emphasis on working hard, escapism by travel, and endless consumption in general. As these trends gain momentum, residential interior design is called to increasingly provide a sanctuary from the chaos of the outside world. Home is

the place where we want to be, not the place we have to be, and that raises the bar for residential design.

Even without any of the frames discussed above, the issue should be perceived clearly. This is a major issue of occupational parity. Commercial and residential interior designers have the same training and the same qualifying exam, and both branches of the profession deal with environments which impact and matter deeply to the people who occupy them. An attitude of superiority, regardless of source, is not only absurd, it is without warrant.

The flow of communication in an office setting is impacted by the physical design of a space, which supports or hinders the intuitive distribution of knowledge through an organization, according to research in Environment and Behavior. To learn more about how effective space planning may increase connectivity, see our Research Summary, “Space Planning and Organizational Productivity.”

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events Los Angeles: Catalyst Breakfast 08

by Steve Francis

After last year’s historic speech at the Catalyst Breakfast by Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. on the environment, Southern California designers continue to thrive on passionate people and smart ideas. This year IIDA’s Southern California Chapter held the Catalyst Breakfast at the Century Plaza Hyatt Regency with Wagner James Au presenting, The Making of Second Life. ,, this year’s event chair, best explained the event in his statement, “The Catalyst Series: Ideas for Breakfast was developed to address issues of importance to the Southern California design industry and the community at large.”

Before the presentation, Southern California IIDA Chapter President

Elect, Suzanne Molina, (Klawiter Associates) and Tim Gajewski (Interior Architects) introduced Honoree Blake Mycoskie, founder of TOMS Shoes.

In 2006, Mr. Mycoskie befriended the children of an Argentine village and found that they had no shoes to protect their feet. Wanting to help, he created a company that would match every pair of shoes sold with a pair given to a child in need. This year his company will give away 200,000 pairs of shoes to poor children living in small villages in Argentina and Africa. After a very touching video of his shoe drops, Mr. Mycoskie received a donation towards his mission as well as a standing ovation from the

TIM GAJEWSKI AND WAGNER JAMES AU

IIDA Southern California Chapter for his very important work. His video won the Humanitarian Vision Award at this year’s Newport Beach Film Festival.

For more information on Mr. Mycoskie and TOMS Shoes, visit www.tomsshoes.com .

www.dTank.com

Architect: Felderman Keatinge and Associates Los Angeles, CA Client: Oversee.net

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events Featured speaker Wagner James Au, the author of the Making of Second Life and former employee at Linden Lab, explained the creation of the virtual world, Second Life, which has attracted more than a million active users, millions of dollars, and created its own real economy. The Making of Second Life is the amazing story of the creation of a virtual 3-D world with its own industries, culture, and social systems. Real world companies including Reuters, Pontiac and IBM have created “virtual offices” within Second Life. The inside story of the creation, development, and the unexplored potential makes Second Life one of the hottest places on the internet.

Second Life is a world rich with architecture. In turn, this virtual world has led to the creation of realworld projects that have evolved and developed around content originated in Second Life. Users include architects, designers, engineers, artists, astrophysicists and creative corporate types. The median average user age is 32 with more than 42% being women.

Lori Tierney (Principal of Unisource Solutions) so eloquently summed it up in her comment,” Second Life, as illustrated at Catalyst 2008, offers the creative interior designer a blank cyber canvas to showcase virtual interiors for the First Life- a cost free model in advance!”

Wagner James Au was on hand to sign books and meet with the audience following his speech. Sponsors of the event included Bentley Prince Street Fullmer Haworth & Unisource Solutions Herman Miller Knoll Steelcase Tandus Teknion Sidemark Steve Francis is a Southern California Independent Representative and the founder of Steve Francis Associates.

JUDITH WILSON, FIIDA AND KATHY PRAY, IIDA

ADEL SMITH-CHAPMAN, IIDA AND JESSA FINNEGAN

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eco-issues Chapter Fourteen: Interior Doors, Putting My Money Where My Mouth Is

by Kathleen Vick, ASID

Kermit the Frog once ruminated on how…“It’s not easy being green” and he was right on. I have to admit, if I weren’t writing this series I would have committed an act so red that I don’t know if I could have lived with myself. I would have probably found a way to justify my actions, but I do think I would have had pangs of guilt for years. Because I am writing this series I have found an alternative solution.

It all goes back to the decision my husband and I made to use those Argentine mesquite butcher-block counter tops in the kitchen. We managed to justify the decision to use imported wood because the produc-

A THRU Z DOORS

tion was going to happen right here in Arizona. We were going to keep a bunch of local guys who lived way out in the boonies in work by milling, fabricating and finishing the butcherblock countertops for us.

Anyway, as one thing leads to another, we tried to find a compatible wood to use for other design elements (in this case, interior doors and trim). Man oh man, did that mesquite butcher-block look great with mahogany! I did my research and found an amazing price for single panel, solid wood, pre-hung mahogany interior doors. They were beautiful and, while not cheap, they were an astonishing value. Prob-

lem: they were made of Brazilian mahogany; they were fabricated in Brazil, shipped to California and then trucked over to me in Phoenix. LEED would have sanctioned it, since they were coming to me from, allegedly, only a few hundred miles away. But I knew better; there was no real local in the mix, just a pass-thru, so I had to pass, too.

I am not patting myself on the back; this incident (and column) has caused me to think about the choices I make and take responsibility for them. Back in the ‘60’s we believed each one of us could make a difference; we believed we could change the world for the better. For years I have given this message to my students but sometimes I just don’t know: can the actions of a single person honestly make any difference at all? Will anything I do accomplish anything in the big picture of things?

Man, this is getting too heavy. Let’s get back to doors.

One of the critical elements for successful living in an extended family situation involves acoustical separation; hence, heavy, solid doors play an essential role. Wood, more than metal, seemed to make the most sense in terms of acoustics, sustainability, maintenance and appearance. Because high use doors come into constant and close contact with hands and other items, painting them doesn’t make too much sense.

Fingers leave marks; impacts leave dents and chipped paint; natural wood disguises these. So, it had to be wood for our doors.

The only real wood in Arizona and its environs is either soft, or knotty, or just plain inappropriate for doors and trim so we were forced to look at

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GIVING VOICE TO THOSE WHO CREATE WORKPLACE DESIGN & FURNISHINGS PAGE 16 OF 25

eco-issues a different design vocabulary using woods from other parts of the country (having decided to turn our backs on exotics). Taking a trip of three and a half miles down the road to our local door company, A Thru Z Doors (www.athruzdoors.com), we sat down with Nathan & Bill to size up our affordable, sustainable options. In the end we selected a combination of doors with different construction and finishes.

All our front of the house and highuse doors will be solid core maple, made in Iowa by Woodharbor (www. woodharbor.com). All of our back of the house and low-use doors (closets within bedrooms) will be solid core paint grade: Woodharbor’s PrairieLake line with a medium density fiberboard core, having a minimum of 70% recycled content and an SCS (Scientific Certification Systems) certification. Not only are the doors

BOB AT A THRU Z DOORS

fabricated in the USA (approximately 1600 miles away), Woodharbor ships them to me in their own trucks, using their own full time employees who get medical, 401K and other benefits. Then A thru Z installs the hardware and hangs them right in their shop with their own full time employee, Bob. The proposal I had for the 19 solid mahogany doors from Brazil (made by who-knows-who with who-knowswhat-kind of compensation and benefits) was for just under $11,000 (without hardware and having no AZ sales tax because they were totally from out of state). The price for a combination of domestic maple and paint grade doors is just over $11,000 (including hardware and sales tax).

And speaking of hardware…lever handles make so much sense, not just because of the ADA but because

the “universal” benefits are real. I love being able to press on a lever to open a door when my arms are full of groceries-or after I have just put lotion on my hands (an almost constant occurrence in the desert) and my mother’s arthritis causes her difficulty with knobs. Some of my friends have dogs that have learned to use the levers to let themselves out. (Of course, closers are critical in these situations.) We settled on lever hardware from a company, Emtek (www.emtek.com), which assembles their products in the City of Industry California (approximately 350 miles away). One of the nice things about Emtek’s products is they are heavy, cast metal; no flimsy metal stamping. Another nice thing is that they are reasonably priced; our satin nickel solid metal passage sets cost approximately $65 each, installed.

When all is said and done, the cost for the Iowa doors is approximately the same as those from Brazil but to keep the price in line we did have to compromise on finish (approximately half of our doors will be paint grade). This modification to our “interior design language” necessitates finding a way to “couple” maple and mesquite; the solution will bring more visual complexity to the interior by incorporating this unexpected juxtaposition.

But I really do feel better; I am convinced I did the right thing about taking this route with the doors. I kept some folks up in Iowa in work and in benefits; I patronized a local business that hires people who live within a couple of miles of me; and I put money into the state coffers to pay for education and other services I say are vital. After all, paying taxes is a patriotic, even a humanitarian, act and I believe it is important to put your money where your mouth is.

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MATERIAL OF THE WEEK MC# 6149-01 PVC- and phthalate-free inks for textile screen-printing. The proprietary ink does not contain chemicals commonly found on Restricted Substance Lists (RSLs) including PVC, phthalates, organo-tin compounds, aromatic amines (Azo), heavy metals, PCP, APEO, polycholorinated biphenyls or pesticides. Compared to other PVC-free plastisol inks, it does not dry on the screen and clean-up is possible with water instead of harsh solvents or chemicals. Field tests indicate the ink withstands up to 200 home launderings. Inks are available in 19 primary colors as well as several specialty inks, such as a Clear Base, Puff Additive, Foil/Transfer Adhesive, and Glitter Base and in 1 quart (0.95 liter), and 1, 5, 30, or 50 gallon (3.8, 18.9, 114, or 189 liter) containers. Applications are for screen-printing onto light and dark 100% cotton fabrics and some light-colored polyester fabrics. „ This column is published in collaboration with Material ConneXion. For more information regarding the material previewed, please contact Michael LaGreca at mlagreca@materialconnexion.com. T: 212.842.2050.

PRODUCT INTRO > National Office Furniture introduced Myriad tables for training and occasional selections. Myriad training tables come with wood, laminate or thermofoil surfaces and are designed to accommodate any-size training class or activity. They can be folded and nested for easy storage.

The Myraid occasional tables offer a range of floating top, box, cube and cylinder styles and come with an optional glass kit and a one-touch pivoting power grommet. http:// www.nationalonline.com

> NaturesCast released a new Club Furniture Set for the home, office and commercial markets. The Filipino-based manufacturer

uses a process to create functional and artistic furniture from agro-forest waste, such as dry leaves, twigs and barks from forests in the Philippines. The process shreds, bonds and shapes the material into functional forms. The Club Furniture Set includes a sofa, chair, footstool, ottoman and sidetable and comes in a variety of colors including natural, black, RC tone, brown and two-tone. The furniture and accessories are on display at the NaturesCast permanent showroom at Las Vegas World Market Center, Building C, Suite 785. Besides the Club Furniture Set, NaturesCast also created other products and accessories that include vases, tables,

NATIONAL: MYRIAD

NATURESCAST: CLUB FURNITURE SET

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table accents, wall art, accent pieces, trays, bowls, wine chillers, frames, chairs, stools and many more. http://www.naturescast.com/

NOTEWORTHY > Joe MacIsaac, President of Knoll International, was a juror for the 2008 International Architecture Awards. The awards are a program of the Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design, which celebrates architectural solutions for skyscrapers, corporate buildings, institutions, art facilities, airports, private homes, industrial structures and urban planning projects. A total of 114 projects were selected to receive the prestigious Award. > HPFI, High Point, NC, opened its redesigned showroom. The space was updated as part of High Point Furniture Industries’ rebranding effort for the mid-market contract and healthcare furnishings industry. Business partner, Mayer Fabrics, also will showcase its latest products. Roughly half of the graded fabrics in the HPFI upholstery books are provided by Mayer Fabrics. The showroom was a collaborative effort between interior designer, Austin Rese and HPFI’s internal team. http:// www.hpfi.com/

> IFMA announced its Awards of Excellence win-

ners. Presentations were made during the World Workplace 2008 Conference & Expo held in Dallas, TX. Recognizing companies and individuals for their achievements that advance the facility management profession, as well as chapters and councils for outstanding performance, winners were announced in 19 categories.

For more information about IFMA Awards of Excellence categories, nomination procedures or judging, e-mail awards@ifma.org. > Ancient Celts thought that spirits and ghosts roamed the countryside on Halloween night. To avoid being recognized as humans, the Celts wore masks and costumes. (We are not sure where the candy came in, but we think it was a noble addition.) > Donghia, Inc. expanded its showroom at the Chicago Merchandise Mart.

Donghia’s enlarged space in suite 631 will encompass over 8500 sq. ft and will feature multiple lines including Blackbird, Calvin Fabrics, Townsend Leather, Bergamo Fabrics, and Pollack. http://

pany rerouted phone lines to homes with operational phones. A makeshift production line was moved to a central location in the plant, a network of laptop computers were assembled in the lobby and generators were installed. By Wednesday, four days after the storm hit, a 500 chair order was shipped. www,ergogenesis. com

> Gensler released the results of its 2008 U.S. Workplace Survey. The survey reveals that topperforming companies are embracing a restructuring of the workplace for collaboration, learning and socialization, rather than a “headsdown” work approach.

Gensler commissioned Added Value to conduct an online survey with a random sample of 900 participants with full-time, in-office jobs and representing all staff levels of work. The survey makes evident that improving business performance via workplace improvements depends on the quality of space, not quantity of space. Specifically, design-

www.donghia.com/

> ErgoGenesis withstood the impact of Hurricane Ike using ingenuity and imagination. Although its building sustained little damage, power was lost and the Texas heat was up.

With large orders to fill and livelihoods dependent on a functional facility, the com-

HOLCIM GOLD WINNER: SOLAR2

ing a workplace to support the right proportion of four knowledge work modes – focus, collaboration, learning, and socializing, is a key differentiator between top-performing companies and average companies.

Top-performing companies are those identified by survey respondents as the most profitable, admired, and leading in their industries. For a survey report or tips on workplace design in an economic downturn, go to: http://www. gensler.com/#aboutus/news/ pressreleases/61

> The Holcim Awards competition winners for Sustainable Construction projects were announced.

In the second annual North American competition, nine projects from Canada and the United States were presented with awards for their approach to housing affordability, employment, renewable energy, and water efficiency. The competition is run in parallel in five regions of the world by the Swiss-based Holcim Foundation for Sustainable

10.27.08

Construction. Almost 5000 projects from 90 countries entered the competition.

The winners are: - Gold: The Solar 2 Green Energy, Arts and Education Center for producing all the energy and building needs from sustainable sources, becoming New York City’s first carbon-neutral building.

- Silver: A self-contained day labor station in San Francisco, CA for its flexible structure which offers shelter, benches, washrooms and a facility to prepare and provide food, creating a sensitive environment for people living on the periphery of society.

- Bronze: The Freshwater Lake Restorations and Research Facility in Ontario for its self-sufficiency in electrical and heating needs. http://www.holcimfoundation.org

> I Saloni WorldWide Moscow ended on October 11.

The fourth annual show of Made in Italy Home Furnishings featured 499 exhibitors and nearly 29,000 visitors, an 11.27% increase over last year. Adolfo Urso, the Undersecretary of State for Economic Development with responsibility for Foreign Trade, made an official visit and also presented prizes to the three most promising designers. First prize was awarded jointly to Mantas Lataitis, a Lithuanian designer, for his “Babel” tablestool-bookcase and Natalja Kuznecova, Latvia, for her “Friday” tray-table bar.

GIVING VOICE TO THOSE WHO CREATE WORKPLACE DESIGN & FURNISHINGS PAGE 19 OF 25

> J&J/Invision give its customers a new way to sample carpet. uDESIGNnow is a digital toolbox, designed and created by Tricycle Inc., that allows customers to browse patterns, using standard colorways or creating custom colors, and to view them on the screen as a swatch or dropped into a room scene. After browsing and modifying the product, customers can save or order their creation as a Tryk, a brand name for three-dimensional paper simulations of patterns or room scenes created on uDESIGNnow.

A Tryk replaces physical carpet in the early rounds of product selection, leading to less physical samples, and therefore less waste carpet at the end of a design project. From uDESIGNnow customers can link to designs2inspire, a site featuring new patterns, from traditional to modern.

To access uDESIGNnow or designs2inspire, customers may visit http://www. jj-invision.com and click on the uDESIGNnow link. > John Motley Associates, Laurel, MD and Myers Brazell & Associates, Roswell, GA, will merge to represent the office products industry. “Carey Brazell has been a close friend for over 30 years and I have great admiration for him and his entire organization,” said Mr. Motley. “Our organizations share very similar cultures and values,” he added, “and we’re both looking forward to the tremendous

opportunities this merger offers. It will not only generate increased economies of scale that will enable us to provide more services and value to resellers, but it also means a single point of contact for the manufacturers we represent in a market that extends literally from Maine to Florida.” While the formal merger of John Motley Associates and Myers Brazell isn’t effective until January 1, 2009, the two organizations have already begun work on consolidating operations and coordinating market coverage. > Kasian appointed three Senior Associates and eight Associates firm wide. The new Kasian leaders for the Vancouver office are: - Ken Mah, Senior Associate, Sarah Nelles, Senior Associate, Joanne Stich, Senior Associate, Deborah Day, Associate, Kristalina DinovskyKutev, Associate, Judith Horvath, Associate, Terry Smith, Associate, Douglas Steele, Associate, Andrew Thomson, Associate.

- Jason Hess was named Associate for the Edmonton office.

- Ralph Dopping was named Associate in Toronto.

For information about the new Kasian leaders visit: www.kasian. com/2008appointments

> Material ConneXion is moving its New York headquarters to 60 Madison Avenue. Along with a newly renovated showroom and new spaces for workshops

and meetings, the Material Library will be expanded for greater material viewing. Material ConneXion will transition from October 27- October 31 and will open at its new location on Monday, November 3.

During that time, to conduct on-site materials research, contact Michael LaGreca at T: 212.842.2046 or email: mailto:mmiagreca@materialconnexion.com. For general information: mailto:hinfo@ materialconnexion.com

> SMWM, San Francisco, CA joined forces with Perkins+Will. SMWM has planned neighborhoods, districts, waterfronts and entire communities in the United States, Latin America and Asia. Examples from SMWM’S architectural portfolio include the San Francisco Ferry Building, numerous mixed-use urban buildings, the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and UC Berkeley’s Hearst Memorial Gym. Prominent academic clients include Harvard, Brown, NYU and Stanford Universities. http:// www.perkinswill.com/

> Steelcase’s October 2008 360 e-zine, “Midterm Review” revisits the company’s LearnLab environments for college classrooms, first introduced in mid-2007. Case studies from Eastfield College in Dallas, Texas, and Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Michigan, show dramatic improvements in student educational perfor-

GIVING VOICE TO THOSE WHO CREATE WORKPLACE DESIGN & FURNISHINGS PAGE 20 OF 25

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mance as well as student retention rates, justifying the higher initial investment.

A trigonometry instructor, for example, completed all of the required course material with still a full month to go in the semester, so his students spent the remaining weeks exploring the subject together in greater depth using LearnLab’s various collaborative tools. A chemistry professor, noting that science professors are among the most resistant to changing from the traditional lecture format, observed that collaborative learning sections of his courses “always outperform the lecture sections.”

According to the Steelcase article, students in today’s universities spend nearly three-quarters of class time in group discussions and nearly a quarter of the time in group work. The LearnLab classroom design is ideally suited to teach the skills needed in the 21st century workforce: collaboration and teamwork, creative problem solving, and critical thinking. Grand Valley’s two LearnLabs are booked solid 12 hours per day, and the university reportedly plans to open two more.

Eastfield has four more LearnLabs under construction. http://360steelcase. com/ > Vista System International helped with the installation of a sign system in Val D’oise, France.

Vista supplied the flexible, easy to install, double sided

pylons to StockSignes for installation at the Red Cross Therapeutic Center for children. The center was in need of a sign system to help people find their way in the big park and building complex. http://www.vistasystem.com

shared concerns for workplace productivity. Other findings include: - The most popular social networking sites among white collar workers include: MySpace (66%), Facebook (46%) and LinkedIn (22%).

- 73% of workers who have a social networking profile report that they are “friends” with their colleagues.

- 65% of workers have not signed onto social networking to maintain personal privacy - The majority of respondents sign onto social networking sites to reconnect with family or friends.

Further information on workplace issues is available in the knowledge center on Steelcase’s Web site at http://www.steelcase. com.

VISTA

> A Workplace Index Survey on the nature of work looks at the significance of social networking. Commissioned

by Steelcase and spurred by how best to bridge the communications between the Millennial and Boomer generations working together, the survey went out to 300 office workers nationwide.

71% of respondents foresee social networking sites playing a larger role at work in the future. According to the Manager of Corporate Marketing for Steelcase, social networks, although not new in the workplace, reach beyond workday hours with the advent of the Internet.

Although there are marketing and recruiting advantages to networking, respondents

> The World Workplace 2008 Conference & Expo concluded last week in Dallas, TX. Nearly 4,500 attendees from 40 countries were present, generating $12,853,728 in revenue for the city. In addition to the exhibitors, there were 83 educational sessions, the second annual Green Zone, a memorandum of understanding between IFMA and the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, and a renewed partnership in excellence with the British Institute of Facilities Management and the Facility Management Association of Australia.

World Workplace 2009 will be held Oct. 7-9 in Orlando, FL. (See story this issue)

RE-SITED > Jim Fredeen joined Perkins+Will Minneapolis as Associate Principal and Director of Operations. Mr. Fredeen brings more than 30 years of experience as a senior project architect and senior project manager. http://www.perkinswill.com

JIM FREDEEN

> Lisa Kieffner was hired

by Mayer Fabrics as its OEM Market Manager. She will serve manufacturers and specifiers in southern Indiana, southern Illinois, southern Ohio, Kansas, Missouri and Kentucky.

Previously, Ms. Kieffner was marketing director for the Jasper Group in Jasper, IN. http://www.mayerfabrics.com/

LISA KIEFFNER

> John Martin was hired as Director of Public Policy for IALD. The International Association of Lighting Design-

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ers has taken a leadership role in the energy and public policy arena through discussions on energy policy, providing representation on key committee and boards, and cultivating relationships with the U.S. Department of energy. With the addition of Mr. Martin, IALD now will have the leadership to guide its members in public policy efforts. Mr. Martin is knowledgeable and experienced in the regulatory and advocacy arenas. He is a former congressional staffer for the Committee on Education and Labor and he has worked as Director of Federal-State Relations with the Council of Chief State School Officers. For a decade, Mr. Martin served as Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer for A&L/Martin Electric Corporation, a commercial electrical construction firm in Paramount, CA. http:// www.iald.org

> Michael Roughan was named a healthcare principal for HDR Boston. He will be responsible for strengthening firm’s practice in the Northeast, focusing on client relationships and developing marketing strategies. Previously, Mr. Roughan worked as the director of healthcare planning and programming with Payette in Boston. He is known as one of New England’s preeminent healthcare planners, with extensive experience in executive management levels working on community to large hospital systems in the U.S. and

abroad. Mr. Roughan lectures frequently at organizations such as Harvard Graduate School of Design and ASHE as well as numerous other healthcare conferences. http://www.hdrinc.com

MICHAEL ROUGHAN

> Chad Wentz, Senior Associate for IA Interior Architects returned to the Denver, CO office. Mr. Wentz has been in Columbus, OH on assignment. His ongoing role in project and client leadership remains the same. http://www.interiorarchitects.com

CHAD WENTZ

ENVIRONMENT > Energy Center I received LEED-Silver certification from the USGBC. Completed in January 2008

by Dallas-based Trammell Crow Co. and Des Moines, IA-based Principal Real Estate Investors, the project is the largest speculative office building in Houston to receive LEED certification as well as the first office building in Houston’s Energy Corridor to the receive the designation. Energy Center I is fully occupied by Foster Wheeler USA, which uses the building as its corporate headquarters. Construction is also advancing for Energy Center II, the second phase of the project. The project has been pre-certified to the LEED-Silver level, and is scheduled for completion in December. > Shaw Industries received the Corporate Environmental Award from the Georgia chapter of the AWMA. The Air and Waste Management Association presented the award to Shaw Industries, in part, for its Cradle to Cradle recycling and waste to energy recycling practices.

In addition to manufacturing products that can be collected, deconstructed and remanufactured back into themselves, the company also is working to close the loop on the recycling process through its Evergreen nylon recycling facility in Augusta, GA. Shaw has recycled more than 100 million pounds of post-consumer carpet

through Evergreen since opening the facility in 2007 - an equivalent savings of more than 80,000 barrels of crude oil. www.shawfloors. com

PROJECTS > School of Visual Arts (SVA) will soon have a new cultural center with state-of the-art movie theater capabilities. Aragon Construction, in conjunction with Laurence G. Jones Architects, has begun renovation on a 25,000 sq. ft. two-screen facility for the college of art and design at 33 West 23rd Street. The facility, when Aragon completes construction in January, will host film screenings and other events produced by SVA as well as lectures and cultural programs that support the educational mission of the college. New screens and draperies, an up-to-date audio system and expanded stages (that can be used for performances and meetings) are also being installed.

Lighting in the space is being redesigned, while the 1960s era front doors and entryway to the space are being entirely updated. In addition, Aragon is constructing a new lobby, created by designer and SVA acting chairman Milton Glaser. The exterior facade of the building will be a changing set of graphic and sculpture art related to various aspects of the College’s curriculum and will serve as the theater’s signature element.

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> Skanska USA Building won the “Best Meal” award in the Canstruction competition. Using 6,100 food cans, the company built the “Meadowlands Foodball Stadium”, a reproduction of the new Meadowlands Stadium currently under construction.

At the close of the exhibit on October 24, 2008, all the canned foods will be donated the Community Food Bank of New Jersey for distribution to pantries, shelters, soup kitchens, the elderly and day care centers.

This 10th annual event generated more than 40,000 pounds of canned food.

Skanska’s Canstruction team included Kevin McCormick, John Altieri, Kate Catalda, Paul Cocuzza, David Foose, Gregory Hsu, Nick Kizoulis, and Casey Piscitello. > STA Architecture created the design scheme for Costa dEste Beach Resort. Owned by singer/producer couple Gloria and Emilio Estefan, the resort is centered on various organic geometrical expressions, namely the circle. Drawing inspiration from sunrises, bubbles and nesting sea turtles, husband and wife team Isabel Saavedra-Tragash and Todd Tragash of Miami-based STA Architecture successfully created an oasis that celebrates nature and heavily reflects the Estefans’ own personal style. Originally built in the early 1970s as The Palm Court Hotel, Costa dEste Beach Resort was completely reconstructed. It is grounded by two five-story

twin towers connected by one story which creates a “U” shape opening to the central pool deck and beach.

Recurring arches and circle formations soften the architecture. http://www.staarchitecturalgroup.com

EVENTS > ART ASIA makes its debut December 4-7, in Miami, FL. Close to 60 exhibitors from 17 countries will celebrate the burgeoning presence of art from Asia on the global scene. The fair, located in the ART ASIA Pavilion, 3000 NE 1st Avenue, Miami, FL, will feature painting, drawing, sculpture, prints, photography, mixed media, installations and video from both established and emerging artists. A series of lectures and panel discussions, given by prominent curators, scholars, and writers will examine the breadth of Asian contemporary art and special projects, on and off-site, will deepen the understanding of art in Asia. For a list of events and featured artists, visit: www. artasiafair.com > The Center for Architecture will celebrate its fifth anniversary during Architecture Week 2008, October 27-31.

To celebrate the milestone, a roster of events has been planned including the anniversary party, Party@the Center 2008Take Five, on October 30, 9pm-2am. Other events include: - An Evening with MaryAnne

Gilmartin, Chapter Award Recipient, October 27, 6-8 pm - An Evening with HPD Deputy Commissioner Holly Leicht, representing Commissioner Shaun Donovan, 2008 Center for Architecture Award Recipient, October 28, 6-8 pm

- An Evening with Studio Daniel Libeskind, 2008 President’s Award Recipient, October 29, 6-8 pm All events will take place at the Center for Architecture, 536 La Guardia Place, NYC. www.aiany.org/partyatthecenter

> IIDA NY continues its 101 Series on November 6. The lecture will be held at Con Edison, 4 Irving Place, 19th Floor Auditorium, NYC, 5:45-7:00 pm. Titled, Small Commercial Lighting, Creating the Right Light, Using Effective, Energy Efficient Solutions, the course will teach attendees practical lighting design fundamentals and how to achieve energyefficient solutions that meet quality design criteria.

Attendees will also learn about financial incentives available through the New York Energy $mart Programs for the design community and end users. http:// www.iidany.org/catalog/ item/5620184/6374067.htm

> Light! will launch at NeoCon World’s Trade Fair, June 15-17. The expo and conference for lighting products developed for the hospitality, commercial and health care industries will feature 100 lighting exhibitors, 13 CEUaccredited educational ses-

sions, and a keynote speaker.

Light! is owned and produced

by Nielsen Business Media and presented by sister publication, Contract magazine > Living the Italian House in Soho opens October 27.

The showroom, 172 Mercer Street, NYC, showcases the design style of the Lombardy region of Italy by recreating five spaces using items from 35 design companies. Created by Promos, a division of the Milan Chamber of Commerce, and Regione Lombardia, the house will include more than 150 products from such companies as Luceplan, Bizzari and Bodema.

The event runs from October 27-December 20 (TuesdaySunday/ 12 am-7 pm.). http:// www.livinglombardy.it

> Tour 4 the Cure @ NeoCon East begins October 29.

Forty exhibitors are lending their support to The Common Thread for the Cure Foundation by participating in the fundraising event, which raises awareness and unites the furnishings industry in the battle against breast cancer.

To be identified as a participating exhibitor, a tax deductible donation of $275 is made to the foundation. Exhibitors will be listed in the Tour 4 the Cure passport. All show attendees receive a passport and are encouraged to visit these booths for the opportunity of winning an instant prize and to qualify for the Grand Prize of the PENTAX OPTIO A40 digital camera. http://www.commonthread.info

GIVING VOICE TO THOSE WHO CREATE WORKPLACE DESIGN & FURNISHINGS PAGE 23 OF 25

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JOB SITE To place ads: ad@officeinsight.com Billing information: brad@officeinsight.com Or, call or fax: T 203 966 5008 F 203 972 6512

Soduko: Fill in the empty cells so that every row, column and cube contains a digit from 1-9, without duplication. (Level: Medium)

1 9

www.officeinsight.com

4

6

National Design Center Manager Chicago, IL Herman Miller is looking for a National Design Center Manager in Chicago.

This position is responsible for all aspects of managing a Corporate Design Center. Oversees installations, customer experience, events, and day-to-day operations of the design center. Manages concierge and receptionist.

- Work closely with Project Manager on installation of product and design center construction.

- Maintain current product knowledge on all product lines and understand current work place issues for impromptu presentations to customers, dealers, A&D, students and walk-ins.

- Maintain the appearance of the design center so that it is a first class experience for our clients.

Must embrace a ‘sense of pride’ in all areas: product, hospitality, offices, conference areas - the entire facility - Bachelor’s degree in business or facility management, or industry related degree.

- 3-5 years contract industry experience.

To apply go to www.hermanmiller. com and reference job id 700.

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© 2008 officesite, inc.

24 East Avenue (#1299) New Canaan, CT 06840

9 2

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Bradford J. Powell brad@officeinsight.com T 203 966 5008 F 203 972 6512

Jean Lin jean@officeinsight.com T 203 912 7423

GIVING VOICE TO THOSE WHO CREATE WORKPLACE DESIGN & FURNISHINGS PAGE 24 OF 25

10.27.08

business BUSINESS AFFAIRS > Herman Miller was upgraded to buy by Sidoti & Co., according to StreetInsider.com: http://www.streetinsider.com/Upgrades/Sidoti +Upgrades+Herman+Miller+(MLHR)+to+Buy/4062051.html > Interface, Inc., announced that its Board of Directors declared a regular quarterly cash dividend of $0.03 per share payable Nov. 21 to shareholders of record as of Nov. 7. > Interface, Inc., on Oct. 22 announced results for the third quarter ended September 28, 2008: Third Quarter Summary (Dollars in millions, except per share data) 3 Mos. Ended Net Sales Gross Profit Oper. Income Income from Cont. Oper.

Net Income EPS (Dil.)

9/28/08 $278.4 $94.9 $31.0 $13.6 $8.4 $0.14

9/30/07 $279.5 $97.9 $34.8

%Ch. -0.4% -3./1% -10.9%

$15.2 $8.6 $0.14

-10.5% -2.3%

Nine-month Summary (Dollars in millions, except per share data) 9 Mos. Ended Net Sales Gross Profit Oper. Income Income from Cont. Oper.

Net Income EPS (Dil.)

9/28/08 $835.2 $294.5 $95.4

9/30/07 $787.9 $273.4 $90.0

%Ch. 6.0% 7.7% 6.0%

$43.6 $38.4 $0.62

$37.6 ($31.1) ($0.50)

16.0%

Included in the third quarter 2008 results was an after-tax loss from discontinued operations of $5.2 million, of which $4.2 million was related to a reserve placed on the deferred purchase price amount of $6.5 million for the 2007 sale of the company’s fabrics business. The remainder of the loss from discontinued operations relates to an impairment charge for certain assets remaining from the fabrics business that are currently being held for sale.

“Our sales in the 2008 third quarter showed remarkable resilience in the current economic environment and illustrate the benefits of the strategic actions we’ve taken to strengthen our position in the market,” said Daniel T. Hendrix, President and Chief Executive Officer. “Driven by our diversification across both end markets and geographies, third quarter sales held substantially even with the strong results reported a year ago. While we have seen a slow-

down in demand within the corporate office segment, particularly in Western Europe and the United States, it has been balanced by continued solid demand for modular carpet in segments such as government, education, healthcare, and retail, and growth in emerging geographic markets. In Europe, we continued to invest in the implementation of our market diversification strategy, which has been a strong driver of our success in the United States. While these investments have had a near-term impact on profitability, we believe there is a significant opportunity for growth in Europe in these segments, which have remained largely untapped to date.”

The company’s modular carpet segment, benefiting from a trend toward carpet tile, actually showed a slight increase in sales, from $242.9 million in the third quarter of 2007 to $243 million in the third quarter of 2008. “Performance in this segment was especially strong in our North American modular business,” said Chief Financial Officer Patrick Lynch. Operating income for this segment decreased, however, from $35.2 million or 14.5% of sales in third quarter 2007 to $30.3 million or 12.5% of sales in third quarter 2008. Mr. Lynch attributed this decrease primarily to “lower volume levels in our European division and additional costs for plant expansion in our Asia-Pacific division.”

Interface’s Bentley Prince Street division saw a 3.3% decrease in sales, from $36.6 million in the third quarter of last year to $35.4 million in this year’s third quarter. “Bentley Prince Street continues to work through operational issues associated with the ramp-up of its carpet tile backing operations, as well as rising raw material and energy costs,” explained Mr. Lynch. Efforts to “right-size” this division through headcount reductions and other cost-cutting measures, combined with a price increase, have begun to pay off, with operating profit improving 140 basis points compared to the second quarter of 2008.

Interface’s overall balance sheet also showed improvement over the quarter. “At the end of the thrid quarter 2008 we had $85.5 million in cash compared to $83.6 million at the beginning of the quarter, an increase of $2 million,” said Mr. Lynch.

Mr. Hendrix concluded, “For the past several years, Interface has been repositioning the business for long-term growth and success.

We have established Interface as the leading provider of modular carpet worldwide and executed a successful market diversification strategy that has expanded the number of end markets we serve as well as our geographic reach, lessening our exposure to the cycles of the corporate office market. We believe the benefits of this strategy will continue to be evident in our performance going forward. At the same time, we are focused on strengthening our balance sheet by generating cash and paying down debt, while still making the investments necessary to meet our strategic goals.

We believe we are well positioned, both operationally and finan-

GIVING VOICE TO THOSE WHO CREATE WORKPLACE DESIGN & FURNISHINGS PAGE 25 OF 25

10.27.08

business cially, to continue to build our business and expand our leadership position in the carpet tile market, despite a challenging economic environment. Looking ahead, we will take the steps necessary to protect the profitability of our business and generate the cash necessary to support our future success.”

An archived replay of the company’s Oct. 22 conference call will be available for approximately one year at http://phx.corporate-ir. net/phoenix.zhtml?p=irol-eventDetails&c=112931&eventID=1993 975 or through the Company’s website at http://www.interfaceinc. com/results/investor/. > Kimball International scheduled its first quarter 2009 earnings conference call for Wednesday, Nov. 5, starting at 11:00 a.m.

Eastern Time. To participate in the call, dial 800-261-3417 (or 617-614-3673 for international callers). A live webcast can be accessed at www.ir.kimball.com, where the call will also be archived for approximately 90 days. A telephone replay will be available through Nov. 19 at 888-286-8010 (617-801-6888 for international callers); passcode 18081719. > Kimball International’s Board of Directors declared regular quarterly dividends of 16 cents on its Class B common stock

and 15.5 cents on its Class A common stock, payable Jan. 15 to shareholders of record as of Dec. 24. Also at the company’s 2008 Annual Share Owners Meeting, the following board members were elected to serve until the next annual meeting: Douglas A. Habig, James C. Thyen, Christine M. Vujovich, Polly B. Kawalek, Harry W. Bowman, Geoffrey L. Stringer, Thomas J. Tischhauser, and Dr. Jack R. Wentworth. Share Owners also ratified the appointment of Deloitte & Touche, LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for fiscal year 2009, and approved and affirmed the Kimball International, Inc. 2003 Stock Option and Incentive Plan. > Mohawk Industries will release its third quarter 2008 earnings report on Monday, Nov. 3, with a conference call scheduled for 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 4. Participants may access the call by dialing 1-800-603-9255 (U.S. and Canada) or 1-706-6342294 (international or local); Conference ID 67235451. A live webcast can be accessed at www.mohawkind.com , where the call will be archived until Tuesday, Dec. 2. A telephone replay will also be available at 1-800-642-1687 (U.S. and Canada) or 1-706-6459291 (international or local) until Tuesday, Nov. 11; Conference ID 67235451.

Industry Stock Prices 10.24.08

9.26.08

6.27.08

3.28.08

12.28.07

9.28.07

6.29.07

%frYrHi

%fr50DayMA

ChromC

0.5

1.7

3.3

4.7

4.9

4.7

7.5

-91.5%

-70.2%

CompX

5.3

5.8

5.2

9.3

14.8

19.6

18.5

-74.1%

-7.5%

HMiller

18.5

25.1

25.2

24.5

28.8

27.1

31.6

-45.4%

-22.3%

HNI

16.0

25.6

18.4

27.7

35.7

36

41

-63.9%

-29.7%

Inscape

2.5

3

3.5

3.5

3.5

3.7

3.5

-44.4%

-14.7%

Interface

6.4

11.9

12.9

14.3

17.5

18.1

18.9

-67.4%

-37.3%

Kimball

6.5

11.2

8.6

10.8

14

11.4

14

-57.8%

-31.8%

Knoll

12.3

15.2

12.4

11.6

16.6

17.7

22.4

-35.1%

-13.3%

Leggett

15.7

22.3

17.2

14.9

18.7

19.2

22.1

-36.1%

-23.4%

Mohawk

44.2

69.9

64.8

71.5

75.5

81.3

100.8

-49.0%

-27.8%

1.7

5.8

11

11.1

14.4

20.6

30.3

-91.6%

-66.2%

14.4

23.1

24

11.4

22.6

21.5

23.7

-45.7%

-30.8%

Steelcase 20-20 Tech

8.1

10.4

9.9

3.1

15.3

18

18.5

-56.3%

-19.8%

2.7

3.4

5

6.1

6.4

6.6

7.1

N/A%

N/A%

UntdStat

31.4

49.4

36.6

47.7

47.4

55.5

66.6

-48.5%

-27.7%

USG

19.5

28.7

30.1

35.2

36.6

37.6

49

-51.6%

-20.7%

-82.6%

-31.7%

OffDepot Staples

Virco

2.4

3.6

4.7

5.4

5.9

7.8

SUM

208.1

315.9

292.9

335.5

378.6

406.4

475.5

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DJIndust

8,379

11,143

11,346

12,216

13,339

13,895

13,408

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