METROPOLIS Products 2025

Marlon and Meryati Blackwell

Iconic Panels

are indestructible, formed, and eco-friendly panels that transform hospitality and public spaces. They can be cut, screwed, glued, and even used for casework.

DESIGNED IN CALIFORNIA. MADE IN THE USA.

B+N. Stay Us. B+N. With Us.

Shown here, Norman in Olive Gold, part of the new Architects Collection.

In Color

Grounded Spaces offers carpet tiles that are not only high-performance but also environmentally friendly. With low embodied carbon and carbon neutrality, our collection is perfect for eco-conscious projects. EXPLORE GROUNDED SPACES

workplace orkplace education healthcare

Quora™ brings the look and comfort of contemporary lounge seating to a casual work chair with passive ergonomics. The sculpted seat and back move independently of one another at a defined ratio that corresponds to the natural motion of the body when reclining.

Crafted with Purpose®

Dapper Dialogue | Modular Carpet

Seating that shifts as fast as ideas.

Unifi moves from singular seating to conversational comfort.

Designed by EOOS. Made by Keilhauer.

Meet now, nest later.

Introducing Weve. Maximize space with style.

WORKPLACE

ON THE COVER: Rarify’s David Rosenwasser and Jeremy Bilotti at the company’s warehouse in Lebanon, Pennsylvania

Photo: Michelle Gustafson

Designed by Gensler, NVIDIA’s new campus in Silicon Valley uses geometry, light, structural steel to create interiors that spark innovation.

176 Building the Blackwell Way

Synthesizing regional conventions with a myriad of other ideas,

Marlon and Meryati Johari Blackwell create remarkable spaces and places.

Marlon Blackwell Architects designed Bentonville, Arkansas’ Thaden School, a private institution for grades 6 through 12, funded by the Walton Family Foundation.

ON THE COVER: Marlon and Meryati Johari Blackwell, founders of Marlon Blackwell Architects, in their Fayetteville, Arkansas, studio

Photo: Melissa Lukenbaugh

EDITORIAL

EDITOR IN CHIEF Avinash Rajagopal

DESIGN DIRECTOR Tr avis M. Ward

SENIOR EDITOR AND PROJECT MANAGER Laur en Volker

SENIOR EDITOR AND ENGAGEMENT MANAGER Fr ancisco Brown

ASSOCIATE EDITOR AND RESEARCHER J axson Stone

DESIGNER Rober t Pracek

PROGRAMS COORDINATOR AND ASSISTANT EDITOR Dinky A srani

COPY EDITOR Don Armstr ong FACT-CHECKER Anna Zappia

EDITORS AT LARGE Ver da Alexander, Sam Lubell

PUBLISHING

ADVERTISING DIRECTOR

Tamara Stout tstout@sando wdesign.com 917.449 .2845

NATIONAL SALES DIRECTOR Ra chel Pettit

ACCOUNT MANAGERS

Julie Arkin jarkin@sandow design.com 917.837.1344

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Gr egory Kammerer gkammer er@sandowdesign.com 646.824.4609

Laury Kissane lkissane@sando wdesign.com 770.791.1976

Julie McCarthy jmccarth y@sandowdesign.com 847-567-7545

Colin Villone colin.villone@sando wdesign.com 917.216 .3690

PRINT OPERATIONS MANAGER Olivia Padilla

MARKETING & EVENTS

DIRECTOR, PROGRAMS & PARTNERSHIPS

Kelly Allen kkriwko@sando wdesign.com

DIRECTOR, CLIENT STRATEGY Kasey Campbell

SENIOR DIRECTOR, MARKETING OPERATIONS Ra chel Senatore

DIRECTOR, CREATIVE SERVICES Carly Colonnese

GR APHIC DESIGNER, CREATIVE SERVICES Paige Miller

METROPOLISMAG.COM @metr opolismag

A MORE SUSTAINABLE METROPOLIS

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SANDOW DESIGN GROUP

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Erica Holborn

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VICE PRESIDENT, DIGITAL Caroline Davis

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SANDOW

CHAIRMAN Adam I. Sandow

CONTROLLER Emily Kaitz

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DIRECTOR, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY Joshua Grunstra

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SANDOW was founded by visionary entrepreneur Adam I. Sandow in 2003, with the goal of reinventing the traditional publishing model. Today, SANDOW powers the design, materials, and luxury industries through innovative content, tools, and integrated solutions. Its diverse portfolio of assets includes LUXE INTERIORS + DESIGN, INTERIOR DESIGN, METROPOLIS, and DESIGNTV by SANDOW; ThinkLab, a research and strategy firm; and content services brands, including The Agency by SANDOW, a full-scale digital marketing agency, The Studio by SANDOW, a video production studio, and SURROUND, a podcast network and production studio. SANDOW is a key supporter and strategic partner to NYCxDESIGN, a not-for-profit organization committed to empowering and promoting the city’s diverse creative community. In 2019, Adam Sandow launched Material Bank, the world’s largest marketplace for searching, sampling, and specifying architecture, design, and construction materials.

THIS MAGAZINE IS RECYCLABLE.

Please recycle when you’re done with it. We’re all in this together.

DINKY ASRANI

Dinky Asrani is METROPOLIS’s assistant editor and programs coordinator based in New York City. With a master’s in strategic design and management from the Parsons School of Design, she applies her interdisciplinary expertise as a sustainability-focused researcher and writer. Her background includes research roles at Healthy Materials Lab, where she vetted potentially toxic building materials, and Lot21, where she helped develop design strategies for decarbonization. Grounded in material experimentation and upcycling, her work is an effort to redefine industry standards through research, writing, and regenerative frameworks. In this issue, Asrani explores how metal products are reshaping performance and aesthetics in architecture (p. 82) and spotlights office furniture manufacturers supporting a more circular future (p. 160).

MURRYE BERNARD

Murrye Bernard is an architect, writer, and editor. Currently a writer and strategist with Thornton Tomasetti, Bernard previously served as managing editor of Contract magazine. Her writing has appeared in many other publications, including Architect, Architectural Record, and Architectural Lighting She earned a bachelor of architecture degree from the University of Arkansas. Bernard gained design experience with Polk Stanley Rowland Curzon Porter Architects (now Polk Stanley Wilcox) in Little Rock, Arkansas, and TEK Architects in New York. She is a licensed architect in the State of New York and is now based near Dallas. In this issue, Bernard highlights the latest introductions in workplace seating and flooring (p. 100), as well as new standouts in the textiles (p. 144) and acoustics (p. 138) categories.

MICHELLE GUSTAFSON

Michelle Gustafson is a freelance photojournalist based in Philadelphia and focused on national news and political coverage in the Northeast and MidAtlantic. Her reportage and portraiture keenly reflect a curiosity about and sensitivity toward her subjects, documenting the intimate gestures and subtle interactions between them to tell a larger story of human connection and relativity. Her work has appeared in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, Time, Education Week, Bloomberg Businessweek, Runner’s World, NPR, New York Magazine, Politico, and other publications. Gustafson’s photographs are featured in “Can Rarify Revolutionize the Design Industry?” (p. 150) and on this issue's design cover.

MELISSA LUKENBAUGH

Melissa Lukenbaugh is a photojournalist and documentarian trained in qualitative research methods bridging science, policy, and public impact. Her work explores the tension between extractivism, adaptation, conservation, and economy in service of human health. With a BA in English literature, documentary credentials from Duke, and a master’s in international development focusing on environmental change, she began her career by documenting the HIV pandemic across Africa and Thailand. Currently, she studies South Africa’s “Just Transition” from coal and Tulsa, Oklahoma’s legacy oil contamination, exploring adaptation leading to innovation in clean water, air, and land. Lukenbaugh’s photographs are featured in “Building the Blackwell Way” (p. 176) and on this issue's architecture cover.

Ref. 1371173, Oak Castell limed

Change Your Materials Mindset

MARLON BLACKWELL said something quite profound to me when I sat down with him and Meryati Blackwell for a deep dive into their creative process (“Building the Blackwell Way,” p. 176). “If it’s a good idea,” he quipped, “it can be realized at multiple price points.”

He was talking about the ceiling at the much-lauded Thaden School: a faceted surface that creates variation and excitement in every classroom, hides all the mechanics and ductwork, and adds to both the acoustic and visual comfort of the school. The client’s original aspiration was the reclaimed oak paneling in the Kieran Timberlake–designed Sidwell Friends school in Washington, D.C., but the ceiling the Blackwells gave them is made of AC

plywood—“the cheapest wood you could find anywhere,” in Marlon’s words—and is no less functional or beautiful.

The Blackwells remind us that materials should never be a constraint for creative vision. Instead they should become conduits for expression and real impact. Every architect and interior designer knows the pain of navigating the matrix of cost, aesthetics, performance characteristics, durability, and sustainability to arrive at the final product selections for a project, and sometimes the way of avoiding that pain is to pick what you know has worked in the past.

But if you shift your mindset, then the matrix of considerations needn’t limit your options.

The Thaden School, designed by Marlon Blackwell Architects with master planning by Eskew Dumez Ripple and landscapes by Andropogon Associates, was awarded the Mies Crown Hall Americas Prize this year. The interiors feature a faceted plywood ceiling.

Introducing Dynamic Comfort Diffrient Lounge

Designed by Niels Diffrient, delivering Dynamic Comfort through a powered recline, adjustable headrest, and integrated surface—each element of the Diffrient Lounge works harmoniously to respond to your movements, providing continuous support for work, rest, and everything in between.

Humanscale Designs for Work, Life, and Planet

Find products for these CSI MasterFormat Divisions:

The teams at HLW, IA Interior Architects, and Page discovered this for themselves when they added lower embodied carbon emissions to their set of goals on recent projects (“3 Workplaces with Light Carbon Footprints,” p. 114). Low-carbon choices resulted in cost savings for United Airlines, a healthier office for Lord Abbett, and a more harmonious fit between the base building and the organization’s needs in the case of Page’s own Austin office.

Zoom in on a single product category, and this point becomes even clearer. Most studies show that furniture has the biggest carbon impact in an office renovation, but it has also never been more exciting to make low-carbon choices in furniture! If you work with e-commerce platform Rarify, you can have design icons in your project while lowering costs and carbon emissions (“Can Rarify Revolutionize the Design Industry?” p. 150). Want to stick with a major furniture manufacturer for the advantages of scale and customer service? Haworth, Steelcase, and Flokk are all retooling their offerings to incorporate more circularity (“3 Companies Giving Office Furniture a New Life,” p. 160). And if you want to get even edgier, Heller now offers its entire range of beautifully designed furniture in a biodegradable material (“Compostable Plastics Hit the Design Mainstream,” p. 172).

In fact, this issue is simply full of inspired material alternatives, from the rediscovery of wool, as written in the article “The Wonders of Wool” (p. 130), to new developments in metals, as outlined in the article “Lighter, Smarter, Stronger Metals,” (p. 88). Helpfully, every story is tagged with the CSI MasterFormat Divisions, so you can easily use this issue to supplement your list of preferred products.

Remember Marlon Blackwell’s insight: Good ideas can be realized in a myriad of ways. You have the power to make choices that prevent harm and do good in the world. Use this issue to pick one better option, at least, and don’t hesitate to ask METROPOLIS for support if you find yourself in a materials quandary—we’re always just a message away on Instagram and LinkedIn, @metropolismag.

—Avinash Rajagopal, editor in chief

PLASTICS,

OPENINGS

FINISHES

SPECIALTIES

FURNISHINGS

HEATING, VENTILATING, AND AIR CONDITIONING

(HVAC)

p. 58, p. 66

ELECTRICAL p. 32, p. 138

The Vignelli bench from Heller is now available in new colors and a recycled polyethylene blend that biodegrades in landfills within five years, leaving no microplastics behind.

RT25 Refines Structural Simplicity

A sculptural base with a softened teardrop profile defines RT25, a table collection designed by jehs+laub for Davis Furniture. Building on a branching-leg concept first introduced with Riza Table in 2021, RT25 carries forward that core idea using a custom softened teardrop profile in steel—made possible by an innovative technology for shaping tubular profiles into unique geometries.

Discovered during a supplier visit in Italy, a new way of shaping steel—a process with results similar to an aluminum extrusion—allowed jehs+laub to move beyond standard simple geometric profiles and explore more refined forms. This advancement introduced new possibilities for how the base could take shape. “The tubular steel base is one of the most defining features of RT25—both visually and structurally,” jehs+laub explains. “Its distinctive profile gives the table a sculptural presence, evoking the natural elegance of a tree trunk with roots extending gracefully toward the ground.”

Prototyping was key to the evolution of the design. The team explored different frame configurations—ultimately selecting a four-leg base for its balance, stability, and flexibility across a range of sizes. Subtle transitions were refined and connections simplified, giving the table its clean presence and refined construction.

The steel base can be finished in more than 35 powder coat colors, while tabletops are available in a curated selection of materials, including ash, oak, and walnut veneers, FENIX® Innovative Materials, and standard laminates. These combinations allow RT25 to move fluidly across environments, finding its place in cafés, small meeting spaces and larger communal settings.

Shaped by a long-standing collaboration between Davis and jehs+laub, RT25 brings new technology to a familiar concept—resulting in a design that feels renewed yet grounded in a shared history of thoughtful work.

Scan for exclusive behind-the-scenes interview with jehs+laub.

RT25 Table by jehs+laub Ariel Chair by mario ferrarini

Sustainability Lab at NeoCon

Discover tools, ideas, and inspiration to make thoughtful material choices for a sustainable future.

ON THE 11TH FLOOR OF THE MART, METROPOLIS’s Sustainability Lab returns to NeoCon this year with new exhibits, activations, and resources to help the A&D industry design spaces that positively impact both people and the planet.

This year’s Lab, themed “Material World,” invites you to explore cutting-edge innovations in healthy, circular, and regenerative materials and manufacturing. The Lab’s showcase includes more than 20 sustainable materials and products ready to be specified on projects of all types and sizes.

Special exhibits this year include “Designing from the Soil Up,” a furniture installation by Common Object Studio that merges regenerative agriculture with material upcycling. There’s also a display of Planet Positive Award–winning projects spotlighting breakthrough material strategies.

Meanwhile, special activations from Carnegie, Impact Acoustic, Lutron, and Mohawk will highlight planet-friendly design solutions that also advance human well-being. From product innovations to provocative exhibits, this year’s Lab offers tools and inspiration to make material choices for a better future.

Find out more about the Lab and register for the events by scanning the QR code on this page.

3form’s Know New Plastic initiative exemplifies its commitment to sustainability through advanced recycling technologies. By integrating molecular recycling, the company transforms hard-to-recycle plastics—such as synthetic fibers and dense containers—into high-quality architectural materials without compromising aesthetics or durability. This process not only diverts significant waste from landfills but also reduces manufacturing emissions by 25 percent compared to using virgin materials.

3-form.com

ADAPTABLE COMFORT

The EOOS Embrace Outdoor Lounge Series reflects Carl Hansen & Søn’s commitment to timeless design, craftsmanship, and sustainability. With seven adaptable modules, it seamlessly integrates into various outdoor settings, balancing functionality, beauty, and enduring quality. Its modular structure features an FSC™-certified, untreated teak frame with soft earthy-toned upholstery, and a hand-woven flat rope back.



DROPLET BIOME

Droplet is the first and only self-watering planter that draws moisture from the air, keeping plants healthy. Its patented technology refills an onboard water tank, then waters plants automatically. Droplet can be displayed on shelves or tables or built into furniture, supporting cleaner indoor air and well-being. biome.us



MIX

CALYX BY CLARIDGE

Calyx by Claridge’s MIX

Contemporary Mobile Whiteboards are highly customizable, mixedmaterial dry-erase marker boards and tackboards for collaborative environments. The FSC®-certified manufacturer uses a proprietary harvesting and production process, where in-house craftsmen construct MIX’s solid ash wood frames from portions of trees unaffected by the destructive emerald ash borer beetle. Claridge uses landfill-destined ash lumber and integrates recoverable material into MIX’s durable hardwood frame. calyxbyclaridge.com

 DAIS KEILHAUER

Designed to use as few materials as possible, Dais provides a design-forward, sustainable seating solution that is both relaxed and supportive. Constructed with FSC® Certified Wood and biobased foam, it pairs a light, airy frame with a generous, oversized cushion to create a unique visual tension. In 2025, the Dais collection is expanding to include a side chair. keilhauer.com

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LIGHTING SYSTEMS

FRY REGLET

Fry Reglet’s history of trusted metal fabrication meets the latest in LED technology. Its Lighting Systems are specially engineered for drywall, wallcovering, and millwork applications. The extensive selection of industry-leading LEDs includes 28 profile shapes, a range of sizes, and clear and color anodized as well as powder-coat finishes. fryreglet.com

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PAINTS AND COATINGS

BEHR

Behr Paint Company continuously improves its paint formulations to reduce chemical emissions, require fewer coats, and enhance durability. Many products are GREENGUARD Gold-certified, and the company’s packaging uses postconsumer recycled plastic with 100 percent recyclable containers. BEHR® and KILZ® Architectural Coatings are now on Ecomedes, making it easy to find sustainability data and certifications all in one place. The walls of the Sustainability Lab will showcase colors from Behr’s 2026 Color Forecast. behr.ecomedes.com

PVC-FREE PRODUCTS

SHAW CONTRACT

Shaw Contract’s commitment to sustainability takes a bold step forward with its latest PVC-free products. Using the same chemistry as its EcoWorx® carpet tile backing, EcoWorx™ Resilient and EcoWorx® BIO are PVC free, fully recyclable, low embodied carbon, and carbon neutral—designed to support circularity, improve material health, and reduce environmental impact. shawcontract.com



ABPURE® INFINITY

AMERICAN BILTRITE

ABPURE® Infinity is a cradle-to-gate, carbon-neutral rubber flooring in 20 earth-centric colors. Made with renewable natural gas (RNG) from organic waste, it reduces emissions while offsetting its footprint, as verified by its Type III EPD. By investing in local RNG initiatives, American Biltrite is transforming waste into clean energy, reducing reliance on fossil fuels, and creating a more sustainable future for flooring. american-biltrite.com

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PRESERVED GARDENS

GARDEN ON THE WALL Garden on the Wall helps interior designers curate soothing spaces with preserved gardens—offering longevity and material health. Its products meet rigorous environmental standards, including LEED and WELL. The company’s rejuvenation program extends installations’ lifespans beyond 20 years, while the Re-leaf program ensures responsible end-of-life management. The atrium of these corporate offices is adorned with an installation comprised of moss, forest, fern, eucalyptus, and floral species. gardenonthewall.com

 AUTOMATED WINDOW TREATMENTS

LUTRON

Lutron automated window treatments help save 10 to 20 percent of cooling energy and extend the life of floors and furnishings by diffusing sunlight. With hundreds of sustainable fabric options—including 471 GREENGUARD Gold–certified, 14 Cradle to Cradle–certified, and 115 PVC-free SKUs—the company supports certifications such as LEED, WELL, and Living Building Challenge. At the Lab, Lutron will show how its innovative shade system can help designers balance natural light and support indoor wellness. lutron.com

 NOREN IMPACT ACOUSTIC

The Noren acoustic curtain champions sustainability through recycled and reusable materials, circular design, and a digital product passport. Crafted in Italy using the company’s Swiss-engineered ARCHISONIC® Textile and made from 100 percent recycled PET (Trevira CS ECO), Noren empowers designers with unparalleled color customization and offers businesses a profitable path to a circular economy. In the Sustainability Lab, Impact Acoustic will create an installation with its Noren acoustic curtain. impactacoustic.com

 DURACOLOR® TRICOR FIBER

MOHAWK Group

Mohawk’s Duracolor solution-dyed nylon delivers color clarity, colorfastness, durability, enhanced soil performance, and fiber resilience. The solution-dyed fiber uses no water in the dyeing process, affording a huge reduction in water usage. It is easy to maintain and features inherent stain resistance with water-only stain removal. It also has 100 percent recycled content when used in products with EcoFlex ONE modular carpet backing. Mohawk’s experience in the Lab, Shared Senses, will engage visitors with the thinking behind its Color Balance collection. mohawkgroup.com

Visit our new showroom at 811 W. Fulton Market during Design Days and explore Shared Senses— featuring the new MultiSensory Collection.

CARPET



ECONYL® BESPOKE COLLECTION

ECONYL BY AQUAFIL

ECONYL® Bespoke collection seamlessly blends sustainability with timeless elegance, bringing lasting durability and sophistication to any rug design. The collection is made exclusively from waste, including fishing nets, carpet, fabric scraps, and more, and it can be recycled indefinitely. The yarns deliver rich texture and easy-to-clean performance for contract, hospitality, and residential spaces with three finishes inspired by wool, silk, and jute. econyl.aquafil.com

The Biodegradable Vinyl



FLOAT CLARUS

Float by Clarus is a sleek, wall-mounted glass board available in over 250 vibrant colors, limitless custom options, and sizes up to 72 inches by 144 inches. The company makes its products in the U.S. with responsible manufacturing that reduces waste and emissions. It is also working to power all operations with 100 percent renewable energy by the end of this year. All products feature Declare labels for material transparency. clarus.com

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CLEAN IMPACT TEXTILES DUVALTEX

Duvaltex’s CLEAN IMPACT TEXTILES® transform how products are sourced, manufactured, or disposed of at the end of their useful life. CLEAN IMPACT TEXTILES biodegrade in landfills within three and a half years and meet rigorous performance and testing standards without compromise, while OCEAN WASTE CLEAN IMPACT TEXTILES® are made by combining upcycled ocean waste and recycled polyester. Both can contribute to LEED points for recycled content and materials and resources. cleanimpacttextiles.com

EKOA

LINGROVE

Lingrove harnesses ultra-strong flax to make ekoa® natural wall protection. This humble plant is a rapidly renewable rock star and is as durable as it is healthy. Blending performance, style, and free of Red List ingredients, ekoa is ideal for creating stunning walls in hospitality, health-care, workplace, multifamily, and higher education spaces. lingrove.com

WELLBAC® CUSHION BACKING MILLIKEN

Milliken’s WellBAC® cushion backing comes standard on all carpet tile products, creating healthier, quieter, and more comfortable spaces. Made from recycled materials, it improves acoustics and enhances ergonomics for calmer, less stressful environments. WellBAC is also verified to be free of Red List ingredients. millikenfloors.com

BIO-BASED TEXTILES AND KIREI PET CARNEGIE

Carnegie is a 100 percent PVC-free company offering high-performing, sustainable commercial textiles and acoustic solutions, including Xorel textiles, 91 percent of which consist of rapidly renewable sugarcane; coated upholstery made from corn; and Kirei acoustics. Kirei PET is made with at least 60 percent recycled plastic—each saving 235 bottles from landfills and waterways. In the Sustainability Lab, Carnegie will showcase new acoustic solutions, including Cumulus, a ceiling product from sister brand Kirei. carnegiefabrics.com

 HYPHYN NASSIMI

Nassimi LLC, a leading supplier of faux leather, polyurethane, and vinyl-coated fabrics, introduces Hyphyn—the world’s first biodegradable vinyl upholstery. Proven to biodegrade over 90 percent within two years in landfill conditions, Hyphyn is engineered to excel in contract, hospitality, and health-care interiors, offering exceptional abrasion resistance, stain resistance, and bleach cleanability. nassimi.com

PREMIUM FLOORING SOLUTIONS

PARADOR/MATTER SURFACES

Parador, the only flooring company certified under EMAS III, offers premium engineered wood, laminate, and vinyl flooring with a modern, elegant look. Its ecofriendly Modular ONE range has the natural beauty of real wood while being PVC free. The company recycles 99 percent of its waste and powers production with solar energy. parador.de

Reducing the world’s carbon footprint

WE WALK ON IS EASIER WHEN SUSTAINABLE

FLOORING.

Crossville provides creative and sustainable surface solutions—rooted in technical mastery, designed for long-term function, and finished with style and beauty.

Featured: Argent 2.0™ Porcelain Tile Argent 2.0 is carbon neutral and is made in the USA.

 WOOD TEXTURES

TURF DESIGN

Turf’s expanded Wood and Stone Textures collection brings nature-inspired, digitally printed patterns to its range of finishes. Designed to pair with Turf’s exclusive Hues palette, the collection highlights the company’s mastery of its 60 percent recycled PET felt material. Engineered for durability and performance, the designs minimize ink use to preserve the soft look and feel of felt—delivering high-quality, sustainable solutions without compromising aesthetics. turf.design

 HYDROTAP ZIP WATER

HydroTap is more than a faucet—it delivers on-demand boiling, chilled, and sparkling water. Designed for sustainability, it helps eliminate single-use plastics and uses 100 percent water-efficient Dry Chilling technology. Zip Water’s 0.2-micron carbon filtration removes 98 percent of lead, chlorine taste and odor, microplastics, asbestos, and bacteria, while preserving minerals for great taste. us.zipwater.com

 BEYOND ALLSTEEL

The Beyond® architectural system significantly reduces carbon impact and construction waste through repeated reuse and reconfiguration. Made with recyclable aluminum, steel, zinc, and glass, it offers a future-proof, wellness-driven solution. Beyond® walls cut solid waste by up to 64 percent and lower global warming potential by up to 68 percent over time. allsteeloffice.com

 REPREVE TAKEBACK™ UNIFI

Crafted from 100 percent recycled polyester raw materials with at least 50 percent of the recycled content coming from textile waste, REPREVE Takeback helps reduce environmental impact with a solution that is at scale now. By transforming fabric production waste into raw material to be turned into new sustainable products, UNIFI helps address the 92 million tons of textile waste that ends up in landfills every year. repreve.com

The Winners of the METROPOLISLikes 2025 Awards

Among the products showcased in this issue are the 33 winners of the METROPOLISLikes 2025 Awards—standout offerings from NeoCon and Design Days in Chicago. These winners combine responsible manufacturing, innovative materials, and beautiful aesthetics to make an impact in any interior.

At the Merchandise Mart

At River North

At Fulton Market

How Kaiterra’s Go Is

How Sensedge Go Is Shaping the Future of Healthy Buildings

This new generation of data-driven monitors delivers e ortless installation, adaptive AI, and insightful sustainability parameters—all in one wireless device.

By Francisco Brown

IN THE PURSUIT of healthier and more sustainable workspaces, Kaiterra introduced the Sensedge Go last fall—an indoor air quality (IAQ) monitoring system that represents a significant advancement in the company's more than ten years of operation. The monitors are battery powered and fully wireless, with up to eight years of battery life. These new devices offer peel-and-stick rapid installation that doesn’t require IT support or an electrician.

The monitoring technology has expanded to cover 14 air quality and environmental parameters, including PM1 (particulate matter), PM2.5, PM10, TVOCs, CO2, nitrogen dioxide, temperature, relative humidity, and atmospheric pressure. It also offers the option

to add carbon monoxide and ozone—features that are in high demand to meet additional requirements from building certifications such as WELL and Fitwel.

Engineered with a modular sensor design that allows for quick model swaps, the system reduces waste and eliminates data gaps. Kaiterra’s adaptive sampling— powered by artificial intelligence (AI)— adjusts data collection in real time across a network of devices, optimizing energy efficiency and performance in decentralized operations. This allows users to understand the overall or space-specific air quality within office environments.

Sensedge Go supports major building certifications, including LEED, Fitwel, and

Effortless, wireless, and AI-powered— Kaiterra’s Sensedge Go is upgrading healthy buildings with smarter air quality monitoring.

RESET. It measures all parameters required for WELL certification, eliminating the need for manual testing and lab analysis.

More than just a compliance tool, Sensedge Go aims to promote occupant health and well-being—a greater priority in the postpandemic era. Improved IAQ in the workspace has been shown to reduce absenteeism, boost productivity, and enhance talent retention, all while contributing to energy savings and emissions reduction.

Kaiterra’s approach reflects an integrated, data-driven outlook that meets the rising demand for healthier spaces— powered by the latest innovations in battery technology and AI. M

Rubber flooring is going where it’s never gone before — thanks to innovative, environmentally friendly luxury flooring solutions from REGUPOL.

Having proven our strengths in high-traffic, high-impact environments for more than 75 years, REGUPOL rubber flooring now brings an unprecedented combination of design and performance advantages to education, retail, healthcare, mixed use/multifamily, food service spaces and more.

Rethink what’s possible for your next project: high-traffic durability with low-maintenance cleanability. Custom design flexibility with comfort underfoot. Acoustic control and environmental responsibility. Reimagine what rubber flooring can do — with REGUPOL.

SEQUELS

WOOD-LOOK FINISH ARMSTRONG WORLD INDUSTRIES

For those times when a project calls for warmth as well as durability, Armstrong World Industries has added four new wood-look finishes to its MetalWorks ceiling and wall panels. Available in La Jolla Oak, New Haven Walnut, Cape May Cherry, and Montauk Driftwood, the panels feature FASTPeel protective film that is easy to remove for increased productivity on-site. Bonus: The collection is available to ship in four weeks or less. armstrongceilings.com

5 Solutions for Smarter Building

By Nigel F. Maynard

WHEN MOST PEOPLE hear “building products,” they likely think of materials like concrete blocks, roofing, and lumber. But many building products also enhance interior spaces, introduce natural light, and fulfill essential functional roles within a building. This category is continually evolving, with the latest product introductions offering increased durability, reduced maintenance needs, and greater energy efficiency than ever before.

This This space was designed by John Beckmann of Axis Mundi, space was John Beckmann of Axis featuring the Cerebral Matter mantle from his Altared States the Cerebral Matter mantle from his Altared States collection collection exclusively for ABC Stone. exclusively for ABC Stone.

ENSEMBLE RAP ACOUSTICAL DRYWALL SYSTEM USG

USG says the Ensemble drywall system delivers design as well as functional performance. Engineered to install like drywall panels with the performance of an acoustical ceiling, the system produces a smooth, monolithic appearance but offers reduced reverberation while maintaining speech privacy. A new Return Air Plenum resists the passage of air, eliminates soiling, and restricts airflow to intended openings. It’s ideal for airports, educational facilities, and health-care environments. usg.com

Carbon Neutral Flooring

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www.american-biltrite.com

ABPURE® Infinity, a Carbon Neutral flooring collection respectful of mother nature

ABPURE® Infinity is a cradle-to-gate Carbon Neutral rubber sheet flooring collection featuring earth-centric colors. It is produced with renewable natural gas from 100% organic waste. It is a no-wax, easy-to-maintain flooring, featuring PURE colors that last and contributes to the reduction of the embodied and operational carbon footprint of buildings

KLEARSKY SKYLIGHTS KINGSPAN LIGHT + AIR

PHENOLIC MAXIMUM PRIVACY PARTITIONS ASI GROUP

Commercial toilet partitions and washroom accessories manufacturer ASI Group has introduced Phenolic Partitions in two sizes. Available in 20 colors, the 120-inch-tall, floor-to-ceiling mounted partitions feature a 36-inch valance, while the 96-inch-tall, floor-mounted, overheadbraced partitions feature a 12-inch valance. Black anodized hardware and self-closing silent doors come standard. asi-accuratepartitions.com

KlearSky is a metal-framed skylight that is available in standard configurations like pyramids, polygons, segmented barrel vaults, single slopes (spanning up to 22 feet), and ridges (spanning up to 40 feet). It also comes in fully customizable shapes. Architects may also choose UV-stable glazing, high-performance insulating glass, or laminated glass. Available in standard and custom colors, the frames may be powder-coated, anodized, or finished in fluoropolymer paint. kingspan.com

ELDORADO STONE WESTLAKE ROYAL BUILDING PRODUCTS

Westlake Royal Building Products has added two new colorways, Ranchers Ridge and Nordic Peak, to the Eldorado Stone manufactured veneer collection. Designed to capture the spirit of the American West, Ranchers Ridge is a blend of cream, sand, rust, and gray, while the chalky whites and subtle light grays of Nordic Peak draw inspiration from Scandinavia. Ranchers Ridge is available in two profiles, and Nordic is an option for the Cliffstone profile. eldoradostone.com

LOUIS Landscape Forms

Beautiful, Inside and Out

By Sheila Kim

WITH INCREASING AWARENESS of biophilic design principles and how the outdoors can promote wellness, people are finally putting more thought into the design of both public and private outdoor zones, from pedestrian streetscapes and expansive plazas and parks to cozy residential backyards and garden patios. But it’s no longer enough to make these spaces more inviting and aesthetically appealing—there’s also increasing demand for improved comfort, environmental responsibility, and even wildlife conservation. The recently introduced products featured here are proof that outdoor-goods manufacturers are listening and responding.

A catenary luminaire designed for urban settings, Louis pays homage to legendary architect Louis Kahn with its modernist rectilinear structure, joined at the center by a gentle arc. The latter deftly conceals the fixture’s attachment to the cable, giving it an almost floating appearance. The aluminum housing, specifiable in 26- or 48-inch lengths, is offered in a white or gray powder-coat finish with a frosted or clear lens. As a full cut-off light, it doesn’t contribute to light pollution—which is thought to disrupt wildlife and ecosystems—and is, in fact, DarkSky International–approved. landscapeforms.com

Now your hand dryer, soap dispenser, and paper towel dispenser can be hidden.

ASI’s exclusive Velare™ Behind the Mirror cabinet, Piatto™ washroom accessories, and Alpaco™ partitions are the most revolutionary solutions in half a century. Everything you want to see, nothing you don’t. It will change the way you design washrooms. Visit americanspecialties.com/vpa to explore the standard for basis of design in washrooms.

THORVALD SC99 &Tradition

Space Copenhagen has expanded its Thorvald furniture collection for &Tradition with the SC99 dining table, which—like the rest of the series—channels the architecture of Denmark’s 1848-built Thorvaldsen’s Museum, for which it’s named. Its oblique, double-tubular-metal legs, for instance, evoke the repetitive, splayed linear detail framing the facade’s doorways. Along with the other pieces in this modern collection—lounge, arm, and stackable side chairs; café tables; and a side table—the SC99 is available in three colors and is composed of steel for recyclability. andtradition.com

Drop It

Like It’s Hot

Drops and other mini disasters are a now a piece of cake. Armstrong Flooring® TimberTones® stands up to a range of daily demands within hard-working commercial spaces. Our revolutionary process uses heat and pressure, not acrylic fillers, to create an ultra-dense 100% natural, highly sustainable, hardwood floor that’s ideal for restaurants, hotels, retail spaces and more.

ESOSOFT OUTDOOR

Cassina

A marriage of comfort and elegance, the Esosoft Outdoor collection, designed by Antonio Citterio, boasts an aesthetic that’s equal parts light, modern, and cozy—making it just as suitable for the living room and other indoor spaces. It comprises sofas and an armchair, each with a slim aluminum frame, a wicker basket–evoking shell, and soft, removable cushions, along with coordinating low tables with iroko-woodslat tops. Sustainable attributes include cushions made partly with recycled PET wadding and steel bases that disassemble easily for recycling.

cassina.com

An exploration into recycled PET fabrics led celebrated Japanese architect Kengo Kuma on a journey to create a series of textiles for Gandía Blasco’s rug division, Gan, which he then combined with wooden frames produced by the brand’s furniture arm to fashion a hammock-like deck chair and a coordinating footstool. Adding a cultural touch, his design uses Japanese interlocking joinery to both assemble the iroko-wood frames and attach the rug-like textiles. gandiablasco.com

HOS GANDÍA BLASCO

Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico

Architect: Sasaki | Product: Linear Open

Photo: ©Jorge Taboada

Making strides in sustainability, Vestre is the first furniture manufacturer to use Swedish steel company SSAB’s 100 percent fossil-free steel with the launch of its Tellus bench. Designed by Emma Olbers, Tellus sports a streamlined design of thin steel sheets perforated to form ribs that echo the wood slats of conventional park benches. Measuring 59½ inches wide by 29 inches deep, it’s available in all classic RAL colors. vestre.com

TUNGSTEN SMARTHEAT ELECTRIC Bromic

Ideal for those nippier evenings, this outdoor radiant heating unit is sleek and unobtrusive, ensuring comfort without detracting from a patio or deck’s design. Four heat outputs are available, from 2,000 to 6,000 watts, capable of covering areas from 65 to 160 square feet. The heater comes in a black or white finish with a honeycomb mesh screen and can be wall- or ceiling-mounted, or ceiling-recessed. To optimize energy use, it features an adjustable bracket that directs the heat more precisely. bromic.com

Dedon

The classic shell chair reimagined, Caladio presents a sculptural handwoven envelope slipped onto a frame of CNC-cut teak sourced from certified plantations. But the chair’s appeal also lies in what can’t readily be seen: The woven shell is crafted from Dedon’s proprietary EcoCycle Fiber, a polyethylene material composed mostly of renewable plant-based materials and produced with low-carbon renewable biofuel. dedon.de

CALADIO

TELLUS Vestre

Designed from eelgrass collected off the coast of Denmark, Søuld Baffle highlights a rapidly renewable, carbon-storing material while offering exceptional sound-absorbing qualities.

A New Standard for Wood Performance

By Nigel F. Maynard

Few materials combine warmth, versatility, and good looks like wood. But it does have some drawbacks—it’s susceptible to movement as well as warping with prolonged exposure to water and moisture. High-traffic applications can also be problematic. As a result, more companies are finding ways to improve the durability and performance of the product while maintaining its aesthetics.

QUARTILE COLLECTION SPINNEYBECK

A collaboration with designer Lars Beller Fjetland, the Quartile Collection consists of 12-inch-square blocks of hardwood that come together to create striking decorative wall cladding reminiscent of midcentury breeze block facades. Available in two designs—Quartile 1 and Quartile 2—the collection comes in beech, Douglas fir, maple, sapele, walnut, and white oak. spinneybeck.com

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glass, matte black trim X2 Glass Markerboard

EKOA PANELS LINGROVE

Made with rapidly renewable flax and plant resins, these biocomposite panels offer an eco-friendly alternative to finished wood veneers and laminates. Designed for hospitality, health care, workplace, multifamily, and higher education spaces, the panels are free of Red List chemicals and are available in 14 wood-grain options. lingrove.com

ACRYLIC INFUSED FLOORING NYDREE FLOORING

An alternative to traditional hardwood flooring, Acrylic Infused Live Sawn White Oak is an engineered product made with acrylic resin. The process results in highly durable flooring for commercial and residential applications that is 300 percent stronger than natural hardwood. It utilizes seven plies of Baltic birch plywood glued together with marine-grade adhesive, making the flooring highly stable and water resistant. nydreeflooring.com

TELLUS

Vestre is introducing the world’s first bench made from fossil-free steel.

Steel is everywhere in the built environment – from skyscrapers to site furniture – but its production is one of the biggest contributors to global emissions, accounting for around 7–8% of the world’s total.

is in the built environment – from to site furniture – but its is one of the contributors to for

That’s why fossil-free steel is a breakthrough. Developed by our partner SSAB, this revolutionary material is made by replacing coal and coke with green hydrogen, a clean energy source produced using electricity from renewable sources. The result is steel made without fossil fuels – and without the heavy carbon cost.

That’s is a our partner revolutionary material is made by coal and coke with , a clean energy source from renewable sources. The result is steel made without fossil fuels – and without the cost.

TELLUS has a 70% lower carbon footprint than a conventional steel bench –without compromising strength, durability, or design.

a 70% lower carbon a –without or is a manufacturer of urban furniture since 1947 that continues to the boundaries of sustainable innovation – social for millions of around the world. TELLUS is Emma

Vestre is a leading manufacturer of urban furniture since 1947 that continues to push the boundaries of sustainable innovation – creating social meeting places for millions of people around the world. TELLUS is designed by Emma Olbers

Armstrong Flooring’s TimberTones Densified Hardwood begins with real hardwood that is treated with heat and pressure—without acrylic fillers or chemicals—to close its open cells and densify the veneer. The result is a floor that’s six times more dent-resistant and four times more scratch-resistant than traditional wood. armstrongflooring.com

TIMBERTONES ARMSTRONG FLOORING

RED OAK VENEER URBAN EVOLUTIONS

Sourced from underutilized wood, this live sawn red oak veneer paneling is an eco-responsible alternative to white oak. Cut from select at-risk, mature, or diseased trees, the veneer is applied to medium-density fiberboard made with up to 80 percent recycled material. Panels measure two or four feet wide, eight feet tall, and three-quarters of an inch thick. urbanevolutions.com

MASS TIMBER WOOD PANELS MID-ATLANTIC TIMBERFRAMES

The Pennsylvania-based company offers mass timber wood panels made either from cross-laminated beams or glued laminated timber. Each can be engineered for walls, floors, and roofs. Growing in popularity for commercial and midrise multifamily buildings, the panels are strong, dimensionally stable, and visually appealing. matfllc.com

Because your commute should be worth the trip.

Hudson by ThreeH

4 Metals Transforming Building Aesthetics

By Dinky Asrani

METALS HAVE LONG BEEN a cornerstone of architectural innovation, prized for their durability, versatility, and aesthetic appeal. Today, a new wave of metal building products is expanding the boundaries of both performance and design, delivering less embodied carbon, improving energy efficiency, and equipping architects and designers with a broader, bolder creative tool kit.

01 UNITIZED BAFFLE CEILINGS PURE+FREEFORM

Made from aluminum—a metal requiring high energy to be produced from ore but infinitely recyclable—the Unitized Baffle ceiling system supports a cradle-to-cradle life cycle. Its preassembled units reduce installation time and labor, while embodying the “form follows function” principle by seamlessly blending sculptural design with sustainable performance. The result is a system that offers designers the creative freedom to craft elevated and expressive spatial experiences. purefreeform.com

Jansen’s Swiss-made VISS facade system sets a new benchmark in architecture by blending precision engineering with exceptional strength, thermal performance, and design flexibility. Its steel profiles allow expansive glass surfaces and slender sight lines, creating bright, energy-efficient spaces. Ideal for residential, commercial, and landmark projects, VISS delivers seamless aesthetics and robust functionality by meeting demanding requirements for thermal insulation, sound reduction, and fire protection. jansen.com

02 VISS FACADE SYSTEM

JANSEN

03 WEATHERING COR-TEN STEEL

BŌK MODERN

BŌK Modern’s Weathering Cor-Ten Steel panels are a natural, low-maintenance facade solution that develops a rusted patina over time, ensuring every project is distinct. Offering corrosion resistance and reducing a project’s carbon footprint, the prefabricated panels simplify installation and maximize material efficiency for sustainable, visually striking exteriors. bokmodern.com

04

VAPOR

CEILING PANELS ARKTURA

Inspired by topographical and weather patterns, Arktura’s Vapor Ceiling Panels (shown in Dappled) feature a perforated design that adds natural texture to walls and ceilings, while optional acoustic backers help control noise—making the system both striking and functional. Vibrant powder-coat finishes ensure these sculptural panels are not just seen but experienced. For architects and designers, they provide the flexibility to craft interior spaces that are both impactful and adaptable across a wide range of projects. arktura.com

Engage Innovative Wall Cladding

Lighter, Smarter, Stronger Metals

From carbon-cutting aluminum to ultralight metal foams, emerging innovations are unlocking metals’ potential for greener, higherperformance design.

By Blaine Brownell

IN RECENT YEARS, metals haven’t received the same level of fanfare in architecture and design as materials like wood and biopolymers. This inattention may be partly due to concerns over metals’ high embodied energy. Nevertheless, the material’s practical and cultural significance is profound—as the strong reaction to the recent U.S.-imposed tariffs on steel and automobiles revealed. Furthermore, metal products and processes have shown compelling advances in recent years, offering measurable improvements in the environmental, functional, and aesthetic performance of designs. The following recent developments bolster metal’s innovative contributions to design and construction.

A novel manufacturing process known as ELYSIS may not be a household name, but it deserves to be. Developed by Alcoa in collaboration with Rio Tinto, the

invention—which the company describes as “the greatest breakthrough in the aluminum industry since the late 1800s”—radically reduces aluminum’s carbon footprint.

ELYSIS replaces the carbon anodes used in traditional smelting with proprietary inert materials, eliminating greenhouse gas emissions and releasing only pure oxygen. The BMW Group entered into an agreement with Rio Tinto to incorporate the ELYSIS aluminum process, powered by hydroelectric plants, into its automobile manufacturing operations. According to the company, the process reduces carbon emissions associated with conventional aluminum production by 70 percent.

Another carbon-reduction innovation assumes the form of liquid metal. A research team led by Sydney’s University of New South Wales (UNSW) engineers devised a

method using liquid gallium—which transforms from its solid state above 86°F (30°C)—to convert carbon dioxide into oxygen and solid carbon via a triboelectrochemical process. Requiring only modest electricity and operating at 92 percent efficiency, the method can process a metric ton of CO2 for around $100. A spinoff company, LM Plus, is developing a trucktrailer-sized module to capture and convert emissions directly from industrial processes at manufacturing sites. Paul Butler, the former LM Plus director, explains in a UNSW press release, “This is a very green process which also produces a high-value carbonaceous sheet, which can then be sold and used to make electrodes in batteries or for carbon fiber materials that are used in high-performance products like aircraft, racing cars, and luxury vehicles.”

PhD candidate Jordan Noronha with a 3D-printed titanium lattice cube—an ultralight, ultrastrong structure inspired by nature and optimized for even stress distribution, developed by researchers at RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia.

Bold curves. Sculptural simplicity. Elevated design. The New Cirque Collection by Rocky Mountain Hardware is crafted with movement and fluidity in mind. Cirque’s debut features four signature pieces that combine minimalist beauty and substantial form with the craftsmanship you expect from Rocky Mountain Hardware.

From left: Professors Martin Leary, Ma Qian, Milan Brandt, and Jordan Noronha, at RMIT’s Centre for Additive Manufacturing. Compression tests reveal (below, left) stress hotspots in traditional hollow lattices, while (below, right) RMIT’s double lattice design disperses stress more evenly for superior strength.

The AcoustiBuilt® Seamless Acoustical Ceiling System combines the smooth, monolithic look of drywall with superior acoustical performance and sustainability attributes. The pre-engineered design allows easy fixture integration to enhance IEQ in a broad range of spaces. Get inspired at armstrongceilings.com/acoustibuilt

AcoustiBuilt Seamless Acoustical Ceiling System & Calla® Panels in Black

University of Maryland - Yahentamitsi Dining Hall, College Park, MD

Ayers Saint Gross, Baltimore, MD

Foamed metals offer promising carbon-reducing capabilities as well as other performance enhancements. Similar to plastic foams, these materials are filled with bubbles, making them unexpectedly lightweight. Composite metal foam (CMF) is made of hollow metal spheres in a matrix of alloys like steel, aluminum, and titanium. The Dr. Afsaneh Rabiei Research Group at North Carolina State University has developed CMF with ultralight, ultrastrong capabilities suitable for a variety of industries demanding extreme mechanical strength. For example, CMF’s effectiveness at stopping armor-piercing bullets is similar to that of conventional steel armor used in military vehicles. However, CMF is half the weight of steel and offers twice the level of protection against fire and heat. These advantages suggest potential design applications with both significant material savings and enhanced protection.

Metal foams’ inherent resistance to heat also presents an advantage for thermal regulation. One of the most rapidly growing needs for this is in computing. The International Energy Agency reports that data centers, cryptocurrencies, and AI are consuming electricity at accelerated rates, and energy demand for computing may reach a breathtaking 21 percent by 2030. Zurich-based Apheros has developed a metal foam that is highly effective in dissipating heat. It’s produced by foaming a suspension of metal particles, which it dries, sinters, and shapes via additive manufacturing processes. The metal foam’s remarkable cooling capability comes from its massive surface area, which is 1,000 times greater than that of

comparable foams, and the material is sufficiently porous to float on water. Given that 40 percent of data centers’ electricity use is for active cooling, the substitution of a passive, material-based solution offers clear advantages.

Other porous, additively manufactured metals exhibit extraordinary structural properties. Researchers at RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia, devised a 3D-printing method to fabricate a metal lattice with a superior strength-to-weight ratio. The team studied natural models to achieve unnatural results. Taking inspiration from the lightweight lattices in the Victoria

water lily and other hollow-stemmed plants, the researchers developed a lattice structure in titanium alloy optimized for even stress distribution. The resulting “metamaterial,” so named for characteristics not observed in the natural world, boasts a strength enhancement of 50 percent over the next-strongest aerospace alloy of a similar density. RMIT’s research indicates that as the industrial capacity to maximize the strength-to-weight ratio of metals scales to achieve larger volumes, the design of products and building components—and eventually, entire building structures—could be radically transformed. M

Composite metal foam samples developed by Dr. Afsaneh Rabiei’s team at North Carolina State University— before and after demonstrating the material’s remarkable strength and lightweight performance.

Under a Steel Canopy, NVIDIA Unveils a New Kind of Tech Campus

Designed by Gensler, the bold triangular campus uses geometry and light to support innovation at scale.

By Lydia Lee

Gensler’s design for NVIDIA’s LEED Gold Santa Clara campus is anchored by a striking steel canopy, forming a unified identity across two geometric buildings. The expressive structure enhances daylight, reduces heat gain, and supports a high-performance environment aligned with NVIDIA’s vision for innovation, collaboration, and future-focused design.

Ifyou’re flying in or out of San Jose, California, there’s a good chance you’ll spot the headquarters of AI-systems company NVIDIA. The two buildings—one roughly triangular and the other hexagonal—with their undulating geodesic roofs, stand out from all the tilt-up structures around them. Designed by architecture and design firm Gensler in two phases, the campus addresses the fundamental Silicon Valley question: How do you get thousands of people to collaborate as if they were working for a start-up?

“We were thinking about how to design the best workplace for NVIDIA and how engineers can collaborate, whether it’s indoors or outdoors,” says Hao Ko, principal and Gensler’s global director of design, who notes that the design team began work on the campus in 2012, well before the pandemic. “If you center a design around people, all the other things fall into place.”

The first building is commonly referred to as Endeavor, an homage to Star Trek, and features a triangular floor plate with beveled corners. Because the bulk of the square footage is in the center, the shape itself helped people gravitate toward the middle. The three-sided building also freed up more of the rectangular site for open space, a key request from the client. The long sides of both the two-story Endeavor and the more recently constructed three-story Voyager back up to a channelized creek, while the t apered sides, buffered by open space, face a local expressway. Together, the two buildings encompass 1.25 million square feet and accommodate nearly 6,000 people.

Inside, expansive open floorplates foster cross-team collaboration, while natural materials, abundant daylight, and biophilic elements create a calming, productive atmosphere. The interiors prioritize openness and clarity, with expansive column-free floorplates made possible by 70- and 72-foot steel spans. Triangular skylights punctuate the roof, channeling daylight deep into the space while subtly shaping atmosphere and spatial rhythm.

To create the equivalent of one large room, the architects looked for the most efficient structure. “If we could build a room with no columns, that would be the ultimate [approach],” says Ko. A typical office building has 30- or 45-foot spans between columns. To maximize those spans, the design team turned the building into a series of equilateral triangles, creating 70-foot spans in one building and 72-foot spans in the other. The triangular facets of the roof also allowed the designers to shape it in subtle ways, directing the light coming through small triangular skylights and angling it up and down along the perimeter to minimize solar gain.

Structural steel was the only material that could provide those span lengths while remaining light enough to be supported by thin columns at the vertices and minimizing the thickness of the horizontal beams for the parking levels below. The lightness of the roof also enabled an efficient and economical method of seismic stability, an important attribute in the earthquakeprone San Francisco Bay Area. Instead of isolating the buildings from the ground, the team designed a reverse base-isolation system in which the roof floats atop support columns that are anchored into the building podium.

To provide covered outdoor space, the area between Endeavor and Voyager features an enormous metal “tree,” a steel shade structure that is covered in solar panels. The 70-foot-tall trellis has a 240-foot-wide canopy that shades the southeastern side of Voyager, where the campus’s main entrance, tallest glass facade, and café are located. Beneath the trellis are two round “tree houses” that float above the ground level, providing space for about 100 people to lounge or work. The airy, basketlike structures are lined with Ipe slats, bringing a residential backyard quality to the project.

Within, the spaces feel voluminous. The buildings have the grandeur of an airport terminal but are much quieter, thanks to their acoustic perforated ceilings. The white-painted exposed steel structure highlights the lightweight canopy above. At the center of Voyager, the spaces are designed as a “mountain,” terr aced with gathering spaces. The back of the mountain functions like an amphitheater during all-hands meetings.

A 240-foot-wide steel trellis spans the plaza between the buildings, shading outdoor seating and circulation zones. Clad in solar panels, the canopy integrates energy production with passive climate control. Two elevated “tree houses,” framed in steel and wrapped in Ipe wood, provide informal gathering spots that blend architectural precision with tactile warmth.

The triangular geometry of the building also neatly underscores the technology that was responsible for NVIDIA’s early success. In the 1990s, the company launched its graphics accelerators, which speedily render 3D worlds for gaming—and the basic shape for these 3D models is the triangle. “It was serendipitous: The geometry serves a purpose for the structure, it signals convergence and collaboration, and it’s an iconic shape for NVIDIA,” says Ko. “That’s when you know this is what the design is calling for.” M

New Furniture and Flooring for the Evolving Office

By Murrye Bernard

MANUFACTURERS ARE

DRAWING INSPIRATION

from nature and iconic designs of the past for 2025 workplace flooring and seating introductions. Alongside new releases, existing collections get updates focused on enhanced ergonomics, versatility, environmental responsibility, and style—all while fostering connections between occupants.

The Attune task seating collection has been updated to be even more adaptable, lean, and lightweight. Designed in collaboration with Aaron Duke’s firm, Studio Black Box, Attune adapts to a range of sitters’ body types while remaining durable and resistant to impact and flex fatigue. A new fully upholstered version of the chair is now available, and the introduction of a height-adjustable task arm further elevates its versatility. allseating.com 02 DOWNTOWN

LOUNGE

Jean-Marie Massaud has reimagined the Downtown office chair as a versatile lounge armchair. It features an ergonomic headrest, customizable upholstery in Pelle Frau® leather or fabric, and a 360-degree swivel base with automatic return or a fixed wooden trestle base in solid ash. The seat, backrest, and armrest structure are made of molded polyurethane foam with metal inserts and padding of differentiated-density polyurethane foam with quilted wadding. poltronafrau.com

ATTUNE ALLSEATING

POLTRONA FRAU

concrete sinktop in galaxy, console in matte black mirror with matte black frame

faucet & towel ring in matte black

towel stand in matte black

bathtub in two-tone white and black

tub filler in matte black

stool in gloss white

shower heads & valve in matte black

CREATING BEAUTIFUL BATHROOMS

NEWTERRA

03 UNIFI

Unifi features a midcentury-inspired design with a soft, upholstered seat and industrial metal frame. The armless chair rolls smoothly on casters, making it adaptable to a variety of workplace needs. It is available in all of Keilhauer’s powder-coat finishes—including a newly launched palette—and can be upholstered in a range of textiles, faux leathers, and leathers. keilhauer.com

04 EVO ALLSTEEL

Updates for flexibility and sustainability expand upon Allsteel’s Evo Chair, known for its minimalistic T pattern, which highlights its lumbar support mechanism. A new backing, Evo Technical Knit, was created in partnership with Camira and is constructed from recycled materials and SEAQUAL® upcycled marine plastic through a zero-waste manufacturing process. allsteeloffice.com

05

Designed by renowned industrial designer Niels Diffrient, Humanscale’s first lounge chair aims to balance work and leisure. It features a custom-engineered recline mechanism and a refined silhouette, with independently adjustable back and headrest for a personalized experience. Integrated details include USB charging, discreet adjustment buttons, and an optional swivel table. humanscale.com

06 CATIFA (RE) 46 ARPER

Designed by Lievore Altherr Molina in 2004, Catifa 46 has recently received updates with contemporary materials, resulting in the Catifa (RE) 46, which features a distinctive shell made from 100 percent recycled plastic. The shell is available in eight shades and pairs with three base options: four wooden legs, four steel legs, and a sled base. A new seat cushion, also available for outdoor use, is made from Breathair®, an elastomeric polyester. Optional armrests can be added to certain configurations, and Catifa (RE) 46 is also available as a stool in two different heights. arper.com

KEILHAUER

DIFFRIENT LOUNGE HUMANSCALE

07 RESONANT SPACES

TARKETT

This workplace carpet tile collection is designed to shape spaces that resonate with occupants, generating an invisible flow of energy, feeling, and rhythm. By combining texture, pattern, and color, Resonant Spaces helps to spark creativity and deepen focus. The line includes three patterns: Beneath, Intangible, and Subtle Forces. It is available on ethos® tile, which is made with up to 79 percent recycled content and comes with a backing that can be fully recycled into itself. commercial.tarkett.com

08 PATHMAKERS TEXTURES

MOHAWK GROUP

Inspired by the role bees play in sustaining ecosystems, this new collection of carpet planks from Mohawk Group features two textural styles, Gentle Ground and Buzzing Trails. The planks, which measure 12 by 36 inches, consist of solution-dyed Duracolor® Tricor Premium Nylon and feature a patterned multicolor loop. They are available in eight colorways. mohawkgroup.com

MOBILE SURVEILLANCE

Invisible Security

Security Design is currently based on restricting access and protecting perimeters. Invisible security in contrast foresees free access.

Invisible security uses data, technology and design to secure places. Everywhere and at any point in time.

While putting security at its core, it respects public acceptance, privacy and convenience, in order to make physical spaces not only safe, but also frictionless, trustworthy, and liveable.

CONTINUOUS AUTHENTICATION

VIRTUAL PERIMETER

BEHAVIORAL ANALYTICS

CONSENT-BASED IDENTITY MANAGEMENT

09 GROUNDED SPACES

SHAW CONTRACT

Designed to foster a sense of calm and connection to nature—and between the room’s occupants—this carpet tile collection suits high-traffic commercial areas such as workplaces, health-care facilities, and education environments. The collection features nine styles in ten colorways and is crafted with solution-dyed EcoSolutionQ100® fiber and EcoWorx® backing. Quick Ship options are available. shawcontract.com

10 OPEN STUDIO MILLIKEN

The Open Studio carpet tile collection pays tribute to artistic experimentation and time-honored techniques, encouraging designers to reimagine open spaces as blank canvases. The design draws inspiration from multimedia methods such as plaster and printing and is available in four neutral patterns and one color-forward pattern. The tiles are fully recyclable and are made with ECONYL, a high-quality yarn produced from 100 percent recycled materials. milliken.com

11 DRESSED LINES INTERFACE

Drawing from the tailored, crisp lines of midcentury modern design, this collection of carpet planks and tiles offers contrasting and angular patterns that feel at home in modern commercial settings. The collection features six styles in a range of color combinations that span from warm neutrals to bolder options. The planks measure approximately 10 inches by three feet, while the tiles are approximately 20 inches square. interface.com

Vitra Launches Two New (but Separate) Collections by the Bouroullec Brothers

The Mynt chair and Courier desk, although designed independently, speak to both brothers’ minimalist approach to functional workplaces.

By Sheila Kim

This year, the Bouroullec brothers have designed two new collections for Vitra. Mynt, a versatile task chair by Erwan, and Courier, a sleek, minimalist desk by Ronan. Pictured: Erwan Bouroullec next to his Mynt chair, which is made of 80 percent recycled materials and is 99 percent recyclable at the end of its life.

The Mynt chair was designed to be a universal seating solution that fits in at home and in an office. Crafted to support dynamic movement with a patented, weight-responsive mechanism, the seat moves independently of the backrest—only the height has to be adjusted.

Following three decades of collaborating on innovative products for leading international furniture brands, Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec sent shockwaves throughout the design industry when they ended their professional collaboration in 2023. But it hasn’t taken long for them to prove that, despite working solo and out of separate studios, neither brother has lost his edge. Take, for instance, the fresh new pieces they designed independently for Vitra: Ronan’s Courier desk and Erwan’s Mynt chair.

“The idea for this desk emerged during the pandemic, when everyone had to rethink their homes and use them as

primary workspaces,” says Ronan of Courier. “It’s a simple idea, a desk flexible enough to fit into a wide range of domestic spaces.” And while post-pandemic some companies have required employees to return to the office, there’s continued emphasis on “resimercial” design, which is why this home-office desk is perfectly relevant in the evolving workplace, too.

Ronan’s design language, which underscores simplicity—peppered with subtly playful and sophisticated notes—is evident in the resulting product, which is “a reduction of the desk to a form that is essential and visceral.” Ronan calls it a

“naked solution”: a thin wooden surface offered in a dark or natural oak veneer on a die-cast aluminum base in a choice of three colors. On the one hand, its stepped silhouette is thoughtful and whimsical: Viewed from the side, its metal frame, with nonperpendicular legs, evokes a serif typeface— hence the name Courier. But it also has a practical purpose: The lower desktop, measuring 47¼ inches wide and 20 inches deep, has enough surface area to hold a laptop and essentials like a cup of morning joe, while the slim raised platform at the back, which adds an additional 9.7 inches, can accommodate a separate screen.

Erwan’s signature style—similarly simple, minimal, and functional, with a twist—is reflected in his Mynt chair. Its clean design comprises a thin seat shell and equally thin back that slopes downward to form armrests on a compact aluminum frame supported by a four- or five-star base. “Mynt is made of very few parts,” says Erwan. “It’s all incredibly optimized, and everything can be exchanged, repaired, and replaced because that’s the key to sustainability.”

The seat and back are available in either plywood with a natural oak finish or 100 percent recycled postindustrial polyamide in basic dark (black) or gray. A zipper-fastened upholstered seat and back

covers are easily removable for washing and are offered in a wide array of fabrics—from recycled polyester to a wool-polyester blend—to further customize the chair’s appearance. Meanwhile, its aluminum base can be completed with casters or glides. The bases can all be finished in deep black, but the four-star base is additionally available in soft light, blasted aluminum, or bottle green.

The aforementioned twist is Mynt’s patented mechanism, which enables the seat to move independently of the back. Weight-activated, it adapts to various sitting postures without any external knobs, dials, or levers to fuss with, save for the height-adjustment paddle. “Instead of having just a couple of settings, you’ve got a

Ronan Bouroullec’s Courier pairs a slim wooden surface with precisely engineered aluminum legs, creating a refined and durable workspace. Inspired by the form of serif lettering, the desk offers just enough surface for focused work. Its pared-back construction reflects Vitra’s growing focus on material efficiency and transparency and shift toward recyclable components.

million positions—the body is surfing on the chair,” the designer explains. Like Courier, this chair was designed with the new office in mind, whether it’s at home or the workplace, with this mechanism specifically tailored for shared environments, where sitters may have a wide range of body types and postures. Although the Bouroullec brothers designed the two pieces individually, one can’t help but notice that they share a remarkably similar aesthetic and, in fact, look like a natural pair. But make no mistake: Ronan and Erwan are two peas in a pod who can create strong stand-alone pieces that are still universal enough to mingle with other furnishings. M

3 Workplaces

with

These office designs demonstrate that avoiding carbon emissions goes hand in hand with cost savings, healthier spaces, and beautiful interiors.

By Will Speros

Light Carbon Footprints

The renovation of United Airlines’ headquarters, completed by IA Interior Architects, reused over 1 million pounds of material and furniture (center); Page’s Austin office achieved a 78 percent diversion of construction waste (left); and Lord Abbett’s Jersey City office by HLW cut embodied carbon by 34 percent.

RECLAIMING THE VALUE OF MATERIALS

As the first airline committed to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 without carbon offsets, United Airlines needed the renovation of its Chicago headquarters to embody its values. Housing more than 3,000 employees across 650,000 square feet and 13 floors of the Willis Tower, the office was refreshed by IA Interior Architects with a new lease on circular economy.

“Our goals were to demonstrate United’s commitment to pursuing environmentally conscious design, reducing utility consumption, and implementing resourceful construction practices,” says IA senior

director of sustainability Brett Gardner.

“We employed circular economy strategies with an emphasis on reuse, recycling, and diverting materials from landfills to reduce the embodied carbon for the project by 3,333 metric tons of CO 2e.”

Metal frames and fabric panels of 2,254 existing workstations were used to create new hybrid workstations, diverting more than 500,000 pounds of material from landfills in the process. Another 793,000 pounds of furniture was also diverted by recycling other existing elements like acoustic ceiling tiles.

“Reusing existing architecture and

furniture is a challenge,” Gardner says.

“But it was worth the extra time, as it delivered dividends on both carbon and cost reductions.”

United also looked to resolve its carbon footprint beyond the workplace by integrating out-of-service airplane parts. The most notable appearances include engine-inspired light fixtures, a turbine coffee table, and a winglet room divider. Playful artwork composed of seatbelts and runway batons brings character to a project distilled by Gardner in a succinct phrase: “Keeping materials simple optimizes future reuse.”

The designers returned more than 560,000 square feet of existing carpet tile using Shaw Contract’s Re[TURN] program before specifying new, sustainable product from Shaw. This one strategy alone saved carbon emissions equivalent to 86 cars being driven for one year. The team also incorporated actual airplane parts in the office, including a winglet as a room divider (facing page) and an engine fan blade hub within a custom coffee table.

Cellulose-based Homasote board, Armstrong’s biobased Tectum acoustic ceiling tiles, and Interface’s CQuest Bio Carpet Tile were among the healthy new materials that Page specified for its Austin office, in addition to reusing products like the ceiling tiles from its old office in the materials library (facing page).

USING DIVERSE MATER IAL STRATEGIES

After more than 20 years at its original Austin address, the architecture firm Page was long overdue for a fresh start. So, when space opened up in a local building from its own portfolio, the firm leveraged its intimate knowledge of the building systems to craft an interior that complemented the LEED Platinum tower. “We knew how sustainability was embedded into the design core and shell. We knew how water was reclaimed, about the green space that was adjacent, about the terraces,” says Wendy Dunnam Tita, Page’s chief practice officer and commercial & mixed-use sector leader.

In the new office, textural concrete ensconces a mix of open studios, quiet zones, private meeting rooms, and communal hubs. Biobased or reused ceiling panels and recycled carpeting dampen noise, as do the renewable felt wall panels. Homasote wraps the exterior of collaboration pods to double as a seamless pinup surface while also absorbing sound. Other highlights of the sustainable materiality include locally fabricated terrazzo countertops and the circulating staircase composed of sustainably harvested wood. Page also opted to redeem some of its existing furniture, reupholstered in sustainable leather. “If you were moving your house, you would not want to throw away the whole piece of furniture, because it means something to you,” says Page associate Julien Brown. “That mindset actually is very important to the principles of sustainability and reuse.”

Page conducted a carbon asse ssment of the project, with preliminary data

suggesting that its furniture selections would have a ten-times greater impact on embodied carbon than all other interior finishes combined. “We were able to quantify that we saved eighty-three metric tons of carbon,” Brown adds. Such considerations resulted in a 78 percent diversion of construction waste, not to mention a 16 percent decrease in embodied carbon emissions and a 17 percent energy cost savings. And what’s good for the planet is good for its people: “Delight and choice and human connection—it didn’t really cost more to do that,” Tita says. “It was just better planning.”

RELYING ON THE POWER OF NATUR E

The investment management firm Lord Abbett tapped HLW to realize a modern workplace inside the Goldman Sachs Tower in Jersey City, New Jersey, centered on wellness and transparency. With support from sustainability consultancy BEYOND, the firm conceived of a biophilic office design predicated on circadian lighting, air quality, and employee comfort that is already paying dividends. “We also had a really big focus on decarbonization, especially focused on embodied carbon,” says HLW principal and global director of sustainability and wellness Jonce Walker. “The original target was ten percent reduction, and we’re trending to thirty to thirty-five percent, which is pretty high for a project like this.”

Across 178,000 square feet, a palette of natural ma terials yields sumptuous, sun-drenched interiors. Drop ceilings and flooring were reused, while low-carbon carpet and chipboard complement the airy space. Alongside collaboration spaces and versatile nooks, “serenity rooms” offer employees reprieve through meditative bonding with plants. The plentiful greenery underscores a 34 percent reduction in embodied carbon— the equivalent of planting 24,000 trees and nurturing them for a full decade. The LEED Platinum design reduces water use by 40 percent and energy consumption by 20 percent as well.

HLW’s space planning also reduced Lord Abbett’s dependence on artificial lighting, with 60 percent of regularly occupied spaces enjoying natural illumination. Accessed via the prime staircase, an upper level amenities suite beckons with even more daylight and a backdrop of sprawling vistas. “It ties back to Lord Abbett’s goals,” says Melissa Strickland, HLW principal and managing director, “and what they wanted to give to their employees.” M

The HLW team collected 110 material disclosure documents to ensure that only healthy materials made it into the Lord Abbett office. Every product was also screened for end-of-life options, and almost half of them (by mass) have programs for reuse or recycling.

The Intuit Mailchimp Atlanta Office Pulses with the Energy of the City

At the new 360,000-square-foot

Atlanta office, Studio O+A, TVS, and Intuit Mailchimp’s brand and art teams collaborated to create a vibrant workplace along the Beltline’s Eastside Trail.

“Our new Atlanta office is an intentionally designed, city-inspired space that fosters innovation, collaboration, and community,” says Michael Merola, Intuit’s vice president of places. The design features a network of distinct “neighborhoods” across nine floors.

A vibrant collaboration between Studio O+A, TVS, and Intuit Mailchimp, the office offers a network of “neighborhoods” that create an inspiring, community-driven atmosphere.

By Erinn Loucks

It was early 2022.

After nearly two years of working from home, employees were tentatively returning to the office, many carrying with them a newfound preference for the flexibility and convenience of remote work. While the Intuit Atlanta office, home of Mailchimp, was still in its conceptual stage, employers across industries were reimagining the office, considering what a workplace could give back to its workers— adaptable environments, a welcoming feel, and an enlivening design.

“What’s missing from working from home is the camaraderie and joy that only the workplace makes,” says Primo Orpilla, cofounder and principal of Studio

O+A, one of the firms that collaborated on the design for the office. “Intuit and Mailchimp were asking, how do we take care of our people? And how do we keep them energized and rejuvenated?”

The design of the 360,000-squarefoot office—situated along Atlanta’s Beltline on the popular Eastside Trail in the Old Fourth Ward district—began with an ambitious concept: to create a selfcontained “city” within the building.

“When you’re in a city, you can be in one neighborhood and walk to another with a different personality. All those areas are so wildly different, yet you know you’re in one city,” says Christian Widlic, global head of design at Mailchimp. “We asked ourselves, how can

we create this sense of belonging while having it not all feel the same?”

The design teams envisioned each of the nine floors as a “neighborhood,” complete with unique color and brand stories, furniture styles, artwork, and meeting room designs. While levels vary in visual identity, all floors share similar architectural frameworks designed to support different types of work. Private offices and quiet zones like moody libraries support focused tasks. Communal lounges, coffee bars, and maker spaces foster informal collaboration and creativity.

At the heart of each floor, “homerooms”—warm, inviting spaces inspired by residential living rooms—function as central gathering points, much like parks

Designed to foster connection and creativity, the LEED Gold–certified office features collaborative spaces such as casual lounges, colorful break rooms, and hands-on maker spaces. A central gathering space (opposite) supports all-hands meetings and team bonding.

An extensive art program curated by Wink Creative, Intuit Mailchimp’s in-house creative agency, enlivens the interiors with 40 wall murals and 267 works. In the entrance lobby, an abstract representation of the brand’s logo and energy sets a playful tone, while each floor features its own art theme.

“We know the inherent value of art and the [sense of] well-being and inspiration it can provide to people.”

Quieter zones throughout the office balance the energy with spaces for focus and restoration.

Moody libraries support heads-down work, while residential-style homerooms and the whimsical Tiki Room—complete with a brand totem—offer cozy retreats for informal meetings and moments of respite.

in an urban landscape. Positioned near the elevator entrances, they include a mix of comfortable seating options, greenery, and touches like board games and craft areas ideal for casual conversations between coworkers.

“A homeroom is a communal space to come together,” says Kate Lincoln, interior designer at Atlanta-based TVS, which focused on the working typologies in the office. “These homerooms are a destination and a reason to come back to the office.”

To reflect the global diversity of Intuit’s customer base, each floor is themed around a distinct art genre.

According to Trey Wadsworth, creative director at Intuit Mailchimp, art speaks to Mailchimp’s imaginative and vibrant brand and makes the completed office—which

opened in February 2024—feel like an upscale home. “Art has always been historically important to Mailchimp,” he says. “We know the inherent value of art and the [sense of] well-being and inspiration it can provide to people.”

From massive wall murals to small clay sculptures, the original artworks around the office are carefully curated to reflect each floor’s theme. “Outsider Art” by unestablished artists, with raw, unfiltered expression, populates Level 4, while Minimalism, Surrealism, Contemporary Art, Pop Art, and Op Art define other levels. The level of detail in curating these was high: A canvas by Ukrainian artist Aleksei Bordusov was shipped in and unrolled on-site, while artist Ruohan Wang spent several days mixing colors before even beginning her mural. In total,

the building features 40 wall murals and 267 individual works of art.

“Mailchimp is such a fun, quirky brand, and we were able to embrace color in strategic ways,” says Chelsea Hedrick, senior brand designer at Studio O+A during the Intuit Atlanta project.

“Where many clients want to go more neutral, they were open to the playfulness and color in the space.”

Brand storytelling is woven subtly and playfully throughout the interiors. Meeting spaces imitate storefronts, with names inspired by Mailchimp’s customers. The main lobby artwork is the deconstructed logo, and the totem pole in the Tiki Room—a re-creation of the quirky hangout space in Mailchimp’s first offices—includes a c arving of the brand’s iconic Freddie chimp. M

The Wonders of Wool

Should this insulating, carbon-munching, and pollution-filtering material play a bigger role in the built environment?

As mountains of waste wool pile up around the world, its untapped potential is coming into sharper focus.

By Malaika Byng

FORMAFANTASMA

Oltre Terra: Why Wool

Matters by Formafantasma was a 2023 exhibition at Norway’s National Museum. Through research-driven installations, it explored the ecological, cultural, and political significance of wool, repositioning the material as vital to sustainable design and revealing its deep connections to landscape, industry, and society.

Wool has been part of the fabric of our lives for millennia. The material has provided us with clothing, shelter, and even sails—making it possible for us to settle in some of the world’s most inhospitable locations during the Viking era. Humans’ relationship with wool is a reciprocal one, with sheep depending on us to shear off their winter coats every spring (save for wild mouflons, which shed their fleece seasonally.)

In today’s world, however, wool can do more than keep us cozy and dry. This renewable, carbon-munching material could play a larger role in protecting the health of humans and the planet. No man-made fiber can rival wool’s ability to

WOOL MATTERS

Designer Beatriz Isca traveled the Netherlands to map local wool journeys and meet farmers for her Wool Matters project, exploring how wool can connect people, animals, and the land. It encompasses a book and “A Blanket to the Soil,” cocreated with local makers. beatrizisca.com

RESKU 2.0

In 2024, U.K.-based Camira Fabrics reimagined its recycled wool fabric, ReSKU, which originally launched in 1998. Available in 24 colorways, ReSKU 2.0 is an innovative blend of recycled wool—generated from the compan’s own manufacturing waste—and harvested flax. camirafabrics.com

filter volatile organic compounds from the air while regulating temperature and moisture and being naturally flame resistant and biodegradable. “The cellular makeup of wool has evolved for thousands of years,” says Andrew Legge, founder of insulation company Havelock Wool and a self-described wool evangelist. “No research and development department in the world can compete with that.”

But intensive farming and the invention of synthetic fibers have ruptured this symbiosis between humans, other humans, and the environment. Colonists took merino sheep to Australia in 1797, where flocks grew rapidly, trampling native ecosystems and establishing the country as the dominant producer of wool. Meanwhile, the rise of mass-produced manmade fibers in the midtwentieth century has rendered all but the softest merino yarns nearly worthless, decimating processing infrastructure in Europe, America, and elsewhere.

“Wool is either a luxury or a waste material,” says Netherlands-based designer Beatriz Isca, whose project Wool Matters explores local wool as a “weaver of people, animals, and land.” She explains, “If farmers can’t get money for their wool, they don’t care for it and the value plummets. It’s a vicious cycle.”

Today, clean wool fiber accounts for just 1 percent of the world’s textile trade, compared to polyester at 57 percent,

09

WOOL LIBRARY

Designtex collaborates with textile mills in Prato, Italy, to create four weaves in myriad hues from 70 percent recycled wool fibers. Using a combination of inventor Benjamin Law’s “shoddy” technique and a cotton recycling method recalling papermaking, the process results in long, soft fibers. designtex.com

according to the Textile Exchange. And in Europe, where colder climates mean coarser fibers, mountains of wool get burned or buried each year.

But Isca is part of a new breed of designers who are reexamining the material. For her project Wool Matters—exhibited at Dutch Design Week last autumn—she met farmers, weavers, and processors who are part of the Dutch arm of Fibershed (the U.S.-based nonprofit developing regional fiber systems that build environmental and community health) and documented their stories in a book.

Isca sees craft as a tool to shift people’s mindset. “When people make something with their hands, it changes how they perceive a material’s value,” say s the designer. She worked with Holland’s Leidse Deken Foundation and the local community to coproduce a blanket from Dutch wool, the short yarns giving it a fluffiness that is ideal for the task. “A blanket to the soil,” as it is called, symbolizes the “ideal last stage in wool’s life” and addresses the issue of wool being buried illegally. Craft can’t change the world, she says, “but it can create momentum.”

European rules dictate that wool (deemed a “special waste” of animal origin) must be discarded in dedicated facilities after cleaning—costly for shepherds who cannot sell their flocks’ fleece. As a result, some sheep are now bred to lose their mantle without human help—a fact tha t fascinated the Italian design studio Formafantasma when researching Oltre Terra , its ongoing investigation into the ecology and global dynamics of wool. “We’re interested in how the biological development of a species corresponds to product development and the intimate yet intricate relationship between humans and animals,” says cofounder Simone Farresin.

At the center of its 2023 installation at the National Museum in Oslo, Norway, was a carpet produced by CC-Tapis made from the “neglected wool” of 12 Italian sheep breeds.

Even for carpets and upholstery, however, European wool has its challenges beyond infrastructure. “British wool contains black hairs that are difficult to hide in plain fabrics,” says Ian Burn, director of marketing and sustainability a t West Yorkshire–based international brand Camira Fabrics, which makes products

FLOCK

Mareen Baumeister’s Flock project explores the functional and aesthetic properties of European wool types. She uses a robotic felting process to create a mono-material stool with varying degrees of hardness. mareenbaumeister.com

FASAD

Kasthall’s 2025 Fasad collection, designed with David Chipperfield, reimagines luxury rugs through sustainability. Using 25 percent recycled wool and linen, the woven bouclé designs—Uno and Duo—echo the brick facade of Kasthall’s Swedish mill. The collection blends architectural precision with environmental responsibility, offering tactile pieces crafted for longevity. kasthall.com

U.S. brand Havelock Wool uses airlay technology— which enables uniform production of nonwoven fibers—to create batt and blown-in (loose fill) insulation, as well as acoustic panels, from New Zealand wool. havelockwool.com

HAVELOCK WOOL

for interiors from wool and plant fibers. It uses British wool for transportation upholstery, where black fibers can be hidden among rich patterns, but imports virgin wool for its interior collections from New Zealand, a country with “strong animal husbandry practices,” he says, alongside higher flock numbers and better cleaning facilities to ensure consistent quality.

But Camira Fabrics is among the brands revitalizing wool recycling, using the “shoddy” technique invented by Benjamin Law in Yorkshire in 1813 to transform its own waste. Popular until the arrival of cheap synthetic fabrics, it saw machines with sharp teeth chomp through the fibers, before they were blended with virgin wool, carded, spun, and woven int o new fabric.

The brand is giving “shoddy” a new shine by teaming up with recycling specialist Dr. John Parkinson and bringing his textile reprocessing machines to its Huddersfield spinning factory. The first collaboration was Revolutionary by Camira: a ten-shade collection of fabrics made from 26 percent recycled wool, with the materials’ past lives evident in the flecks of color on the fabrics’ surface. Camira has now upped the ante with ReSKU 2.0, made from 66 percent recycled wool with flax fibers for added flame retardancy.

But if we can dress our bodies and furniture in wool, why not cocoon our homes in this “inherently over-capable material,” as Legge puts it? He hit upon the idea of starting a U.S.-based wool insulation business while building his vacation home in New Zealand, itself lined in the material, but was unaware of the ten-year uphill battle he would have to fight.

“The construction industry is dominated by products that are not only toxic but don’t perform well,” he explains, referring to synthetic insulation materials that lack wool’s breathability and moisture control. “If you enter with a highperforming product and tell tradespeople that they can use it similarly—but not exactly the same way as others—it doesn’t work. It took me years to figure that out.”

Havelock Wool recently swapped its old fiber carding machines for Italian company Cormatex’s airlay technology, which enables uniform production of nonw oven fibers. If you squash one of its new wool batts, it will spring back

into shape. Precut for standard framing, The batts also fit into place without adhesives or tacks.

Legge’s dream is for every American school to feature wool insulation and acoustic panels, helping to “protect young minds” from harmful chemicals that pervade the built environment. To aid this, he would love to “hoover up” waste wool in the U.S., but the country lacks the infrastructure to guarantee quality, he says, so Havelock Wool imports product from New Zealand “due to the country’s expertise in cleaning and grading wool.”

But to boost more than just our own health, we need to support farming practices that c are for both animals and soil. Thankfully, change is taking root. In

HempWool by Hempitecture is a sustainable, nontoxic insulation made from 90 percent natural hemp fiber. With an R-value of 3.7 per inch, it offers excellent thermal performance, moisture regulation, and acoustic comfort. USDA BioPreferred certified, HempWool is safe to handle, mold resistant, and carbon negative.

New Zealand, regenerative agriculture platform ZQRX collaborates with merino wool growers across five million acres of land to produce regenerative wool, while in the U.S., Fibershed uses its Climate Beneficial Wool to verify sourcing from land stewards who are restoring soil health. Meanwhile, to bolster the market for recycled wool and raise the standard, international wool authority The Woolmark Company has launched the Woolmark Recycled Wool certification, indicating whether a product is made from 100 percent recycled wool or a blend containing at least 20 percent recycled wool. If momentum builds, it will add to our comfort as we relax in our wool-lined cocoons, inhaling the healthy air. M

HEMPWOOL

8 Sleek Ways to Soften Sound

By Murrye Bernard

IN THE PAST, successful acoustical treatments remained out of sight and out of mind. Today, product companies are offering innovative solutions that incorporate lighting and space-defining elements to enhance commercial interiors. Here are some of the latest offerings that dampen sound while amplifying design.

Turf’s

A modular collection of linear, cylindrical light fixtures with acoustic properties, Stalik is designed to be clustered or dispersed throughout open workspaces. Featuring an inner recycled PET structure and sustainably sourced New Zealand wool exterior, Stalik is available in three heights and 77 color options. An unlit baffle version is also available for applications in which sound absorption and spatial division are top priorities. luxxbox.com

In collaboration with Instyle, Unika Vaev introduces the Ecoustic Weave Hang Up. Helping to define zones within open-plan spaces, the suspended acoustic screen is crafted from Cradle to Cradle Certified PET, available in 24 colorways, and achieves a noise reduction coefficient (NRC) of 0.95. The company also offers the Ecoustic Weave Ceiling Tile, which reimagines drop ceiling grids with an intricate interlaced design that creates a dynamic play of light and shadow. unikavaev.com

02 STALIK ACOUSTIC PENDANT LUXXBOX

03 ECOUSTIC WEAVE HANG UP UNIKA VAEV

04 XAF CUMULUS 3D CLOUD CARNEGIE

The latest addition to Carnegie’s XAF Clouds collection, the XAF Cumulus 3D Cloud has a sculptural silhouette, measuring 55 inches wide, 20 inches high, and 4.75 inches deep. The product is backed with Kirei’s recycled PET and finished in proprietary plant-based Xorel fabric. carnegiefabrics.com

05 ACOUSTIC DIAL LIGHTART

A drum light fixture wrapped in vertical fins, Acoustic Dial delivers noise absorption while making a striking visual impact. Available in multiple sizes, styles, and colors, it’s an instant statement piece appropriate for workplaces, hospitality environments, and education settings. The shades feature nine-millimeter-thick Sola Felt, a PET material manufactured with 50 percent postconsumer recycled content. lightart.com 04

06 X-FELT BAUX

Inspired by Japanese Zen gardens, X-FELT is a collection of acoustic panels and tiles featuring precision-cut patterns that infuse spaces with a sense of calm. The collection meets rigorous fire safety standards while eliminating the need for harmful fire-retardant treatments. X-FELT is made from GRS-certified PET that is fully recyclable through the BAUX Circle Program. baux.com

07 NEST BAFFLE FILZFELT

Nest Baffle is a series of hanging acoustic panels made from 100 percent biodegradable and compostable wool felt. The contoured panels come in half-round, quarter-round, and linear formats, allowing for multiple configurations. Available in 95 colors, the collection offers an NRC of 0.70 and meets the criteria for the Living Building Challenge and California Prop 65 compliance. filzfelt.com

08 PIXELS IMPACT ACOUSTIC

Designed by Rafa Ortega, Pixels is a retractable room divider system that offers a contemporary reinterpretation of the classic vertical blind. With adjustable, vertically suspended lamellas, it provides glare and privacy control while supporting spatial and acoustic zoning. Available in four designs and 36 colors, Pixels can be used along window walls or as freestanding dividers in open-plan environments. impactacoustic.com

New Textiles Weave Comfort with Care

By Murrye Bernard

IN 2025 textiles see a return to nature as inspiration. Sustainability remains at the forefront, with a continued focus on doing better for the planet. At the same time, we could all use a softer touch and gentler palettes to soothe us through stressful days.

Incorporating the best properties of silicone and biobased polyurethane, this textile collection is inherently antimicrobial and stain resistant, and sustainability is a top priority. It features 100 percent postconsumer recycled polyester backing sourced from recycled water bottles. Bio Silica Hybrid encompasses three distinctive patterns—Kepler Print, Farra, and Flitter Print—and each is PFAS free, flame retardant free, and GREENGUARD Gold certified. momentumtextilesandwalls.com

Evy is derived from a Hebrew name meaning “life” or “to breathe”; thus the textile collection’s subtlety and refined elegance invites occupants to relax and recharge. The centerpiece is Catnap, a luxurious bouclé fabric offering 70,000 Wyzenbeek double rubs and bleach cleanability. Lenis is ideal for high-traffic areas, crafted from 50 percent PC FR recycled polyester and 50 percent FR polyester, offering a rich, velvety sheen with 100,000 double rubs. brentanofabrics.com

BIO SILICA HYBRID MOMENTUM

03 UNIFIED FIELD LUUM

Luum Textiles’ former creative director Suzanne Tick conceived Unified Field as a thoughtful collection of six textiles inspired by the concept of interconnection. Tick focused on reimagining classic patterns and materials such as argyle, stripes, and wool to capture Luum’s ethos of fiber-to-finish design. The offerings fuse multiple textures, colorways, and sustainable features that will stand up to a variety of commercial environments. luumtextiles.com

04 HAIKU CF STINSON

Featuring eight patterns and 66 colorways, Haiku is a textile collection aimed at health-care designers. Intended to complement healing environments, the collection offers soft pastels to deeply saturated jewel tones. Three patterns are produced using a minimum of 50 percent resin derived from forest industry waste, while the Kigo pattern is produced using yarn containing marine plastics. All patterns have been constructed to meet rigorous health-care requirements. cfstinson.com

05 PALERMO II MAYER FABRICS

There are many ways to leave your mark—but not on this fabric. Featuring a distinctive pebble grain embossing, Palermo II is a premium polyurethane polycarbonate seating fabric that boasts a soil- and stain-resistant top coat with ink resistant technology. Available in 28 colors and 250,000 double rubs, the fabric is GREENGUARD Gold certified and bleach cleanable. mayerfabrics.com

06 TRANSISTORS MAHARAM

Transistors is based on a 1957 marker drawing by legendary designer Alexander Girard in which he explores his fascination with intricate mechanisms. In it, an embroidered pattern features a circuit-like design, with short lines articulated by round dots spanning across a felted wool ground. Color palettes derive from Girard’s tritone silk-screen studies in combinations of cream, brick, and brown; ocher, silver, and stone; forest, ink and magenta; and cobalt, steel and cherry. maharam.com

07 COLOR CRAFT AND CRISS CROSS WOLF-GORDON

Wolf-Gordon’s Color Craft (pictured) and Criss Cross by Dorothy Cosonas celebrate creativity with patterns inspired by color theory, art materials, and playful experimentation. Printed on durable woven upholstery, the designs blend precise line work with movement and structure—bringing warmth, sophistication, and a fresh yet nostalgic feel to learning spaces and beyond. wolfgordon.com

08 PRISME PALLAS TEXTILES

Prisms provide an enchanting interplay between light, color, and geometry, and the Prisme collection from Pallas aims to capture this magic in textile form. Patterns include Array, a lofty bouclé; Chroma, a vegan leather; Facet, a bold blend of diagonal stripes and fragmented shapes; Glint, a coated textile reminiscent of tweed; Hue, a minimal-yet-vibrant weave; and Lumen, featuring concentric circles set against a serene backdrop. pallastextiles.com

Can Rarify

Revolutionize the Industry?Design

The e-commerce platform rooted in history, innovation, and sustainability is reframing the future of the furniture market.

By Adrian Madlener

by Michelle Gustafson

Photography

David Rosenwasser (left) and Jeremy Bilotti at Rarify’s warehouse in Lebanon, Pennsylvania. David is seated on a 1960s Warren Platner lounge chair, newly reupholstered in red Knoll bouclé. Jeremy is seated on a one-off zebrawood Eames 670 lounge chair in green leather by Herman Miller.

As a child,

David Rosenwasser spent hours searching eBay for good deals with the cash gifted to him on Hanukkah and birthdays. He quickly understood that by flipping his finds and becoming an expert in the secondhand market, he could gain an edge. Growing up in rural Pennsylvania, he encountered an Eames Lounger, which shaped his interest in furniture design. He saved up enough money to purchase his first LCW chair at age 11.

As he got older, Rosenwasser began borrowing his parents’ car to scour the surrounding region for midcentury American designs. With resale profits, he purchased more and more, slowly but surely amassing a robust collection. By the end of high school, he had secured a deal with a Filipino purveyor seeking out piece s in this canon that brought in enough seed capital to establish a business. This was the genesis of the original vintage-only collection, called “D Rose Mod.” That collection grew over the years and is now part of the Rarify

Rarify’s collection includes some of the earliest Charles and Ray Eames plywood chairs, from 1946 to the 1970s. These include lounge models (LCW and LCM) and dining chairs (DCW and DCM).

1960s Hans Wegner “The Chair” by Johannes Hansen in oak. Rosenwasser points to the special finger joints that help to make the chair so recognizable.

Rosenwasser is surrounded by vintage Knoll pieces and, on the shelf just to the left of his head, is a rare armchair from the Finnish Pavilion at the 1939 World’s Fair. While the chair was designed by Wilhelm Schauman, the pavilion itself was designed by renowned architects Aino and Alvar Aalto, who selected the chair for the space.

ecosystem—an independent, education-oriented e-commerce platform that would eventually take the industry by storm.

Cofounder Jeremy Bilotti came at it in a slightly different way. His creative interest—matching a proclivity for science and technology—stemmed from taking painting lessons with an artist whose “modernist oasis” home became a vital source of inspiration.

While both studied architecture at Cornell University, the kindred spirits found every excuse to collaborate. It was a time when new digital processes were beginning to challenge traditional practices. “We were learning about modernism during the day and publishing research papers on computational design and fabrication technology at night,” Bilotti says. Through this self-initiated transdisciplinary approach, the pair cultivated an appreciation for research and education, principles that would become e ssential to Rarify's business model.

During grad school—Rosenwasser at the Harvard Graduate School of Design and Bilotti at MIT—the collaborators garnered recognition for their praxis-based endeavors, exploring the intersection of history, commerce, computer science, and emergent manufacturing. A suggestion by designer Stephen Burks— guest critiquing at Harvard at the time—solidified the duo’s next step: establishing Rarify as a fully fledged e-commerce platform.

“We wanted to translate David’s expansive collection—which continued to grow in the background and expand beyond just American design—through a technological and commercial lens,” Bilotti adds. “It was never about nostalgia but rather investigating and communicating the innovations that defined the field throughout the 20th century and how they led to the designs we have today.”

Instagram became a powerful platform for attracting a younger audience and standing out. Rarify organically generated a following of over 200,000, with its account featuring reels that explore design, cultural significance, and technical innovation. Rosenwasser delves into 20th century design, while Bilotti highlights more contemporary pieces. This free, intuitive form of marketing reflects the duo’s quality-oriented mindset. “By prioritizing documentation as well as refurbishment and repair, we’re comfortable with the idea that a piece could be with us for months or years until it finds the right project or home,” Rosenwasser says.

SOM Architects, an Eames RAR rocking chair, the TG-10 chair by Gratz Industries, the Ireland chair by Nicos Zographos, a polished aluminum Navy Chair by Emeco, a 1940s George Nakashima chair for Knoll, and a one-off zebrawood Eames 670 lounge chair in green leather, among others.

This page, top: A pair of 1227 Giant Floor Lamps by Anglepoise, commissioned by the Roald Dahl Museum.

This page, bottom: Rarify has become an expert at storing and refurbishing Eames Aluminum Group and Soft Pad chairs by Herman Miller.

Opposite page: Bilotti holds a rare Evans production Eames DCM chair. In the foreground are the Halston chair by Charles Pfister for Metropolitan Furniture, an Eames Intermediate chair, a toddler-size Bertoia chair, an Inland Steel chair by Davis Allen and Gordon Bunshaft for

Bruno Andrews (left) and Chris Kirkwood (right) are working on the restoration of Frank Gehry’s Power Play chair from 1993 for Knoll, along with a pair of Pigreco armchairs by Tobia Scarpa from the 1970s for Gavina and Knoll.

Restoration is a big part of the equation and is enacted on a case-by-case basis. Value, collectability, and the cost involved in carrying out such interventions factor into the decision-making, as does the longevity of a piece and whether it has the potential of becoming a sought-after classic in the future. The repair process might simply consist of steam cleaning upholstery. It might also require much more labor-intensive refinishing of various wooden and metal components.

“Since most of what we work on was originally manufactured in a factory environment, there is a beauty to the consistency of the original production,” Rosenwasser adds. “This means that we can become experts in particular products after we deal with dozens or hundreds of them. Rarify ac ts as a curator, collector, and perhaps tastemaker in the pieces we purvey.”

One area in which the company specializes is in the work of Ray and Charles Eames. Across 80,000 square feet of workshops, warehouses, and a recently opened Philadelphia flagship (established to meet the demand of a growing market in the city), Rarify holds 1,150 Aluminum Group chairs. These count among thousands of pieces by other historic and contemporary designers, such as Naoto Fukasawa, Sabine Marcelis, and Konstantin Grcic.

For the cofounders, quality and quantity are by no means mutually exclusive. “In a given quarter, we take in multiple tractor trailer loads of material—incoming pieces are inventoried, assessed for cleaning or restoration when applicable, and professionally photographed on-site,” Rosenwasser explains. “Then we build out listings digitally and make sure that our information is accurate. For outgoing pieces, we have hundreds of shipments going out during that time as well.”

In just a few years of operation, Rarify has also built a formidable digital archive—an expansive network of more than 5 million interconnected data points, including details about the use of certain materials, specific hardware, and unique manufacturing techniques. Bilotti and Rosenwasser plan to make this resource public in the near future.

From a sustainability standpoint, the cofounders hope to demonstrate how this sheer volume of revamped and repurposed items could have a larger impact. “There’s a growing appetite to not see this material go to waste,” Bilotti says. “Architects, interior designers, and developers need to realize that it’s not ‘impossible’ [to outfit] an entire office building or home with used and vintage pieces. There are so many floors of corporate towers around the U.S. with two- to ten-year-old furniture that gets tossed out,” Rosenwasser concludes. “The beauty is, most clients could end up with higher quality products if they consider the alternative.” M

Opposite page: Rosenwasser and Bilotti in front of their display of vintage and more contemporary chairs by Charles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller (bottom three rows), along with others by Eero Saarinen for Knoll (top row). The

chairs span production years from 1946 to 2020, as the Rarify team pays close attention to collector-grade works, as well as large quantities of decommissioned pieces from corporate offices that are often only a few years old.

Top: Mike Lopez doing a gentle touch-up to a 1980s postmodern club chair.

Bottom: A sizable lot of 400 tubular Brno chairs by Mies van der Rohe for Knoll, which Rarify acquired from McKinsey’s New York headquarters.

3 Companies Giving O ce Furniture a New Life

Through thoughtful material usage, supply-chain logistics, and incentive programs, these leading manufacturers tackle their waste, giving used pieces a sustainable new chapter.

By Dinky Asrani

Every year, millions of office chairs, desks, and furnishings are discarded, with less than 2 percent of contract furniture granted a second life or properly recycled. The rest goes straight to landfills. In response, manufacturers are rethinking their role in the circular economy, creating programs that transform yesterday’s workplace waste into today’s sustainable solutions.

HAWORTH

Haworth’s closed-loop manufacturing process currently applies to Fern chairs in black plastic manufactured in North America, with plans to expand it to other product lines.

With the Fern chair as its first product to fully achieve closed-loop manufacturing, Haworth is proving that environmental responsibility and ergonomic excellence go hand in hand. The process reuses plastic generated during production stages and from end-of-life chairs to create new Fern models, optimizing existing resources and reducing waste to deliver brand-new products without sacrificing quality or increasing costs.

But Haworth’s closed-loop process goes beyond smart manufacturing—it reflects a broader vision of forging lasting business collaborations. “It’s important for others to understand our sustainability journey. It’s not just about Haworth. It’s also about bringing our suppliers and community along with us,” notes Katie Chapman, senior sustainability engineer. One breakthrough, for instance, was connecting injection molded plastics manufacturer Royal Technologies with recycler Padnos, so that scrap plastics could be processed. “This was a great step in the direction of involving the rest of our supply chain and partners in Haworth’s sustainability journey to help them advance theirs as well.”

By embedding closed-loop principles into its core offering and then expanding these practices across more products, Haworth is not only reducing its carbon footprint but also empowering its entire network to move toward a more sustainable future.

STEELCASE

A pioneer in design for disassembly, Steelcase is taking the next step with its bold Circular by Steelcase program. This initiative aims to give products a second life and redefine sustainability in the workplace. Instead of conforming to industry norms, Steelcase is designing for longevity, repair, remanufacture, and recycling at every stage of a product’s life cycle. Through this program, worn or damaged chairs—from lines such as Gesture, Leap, and Amia—are disassembled, refurbished, and returned to clients with less than half the carbon emissions of a new product, plus a full 12-year warranty. But this shift is more than operational—it’s a new way of collaborating with clients and industry partners. “Circular by Steelcase provides our customers with a range of solutions when it’s time for a

Steelcase's circular design enables reuse, repair, recycling, and donation— mining existing raw materials instead of sourcing new ones. This approach adds radically new dimensions to product development, building on the company’s established sustainability practices.

change,” says Kaila Bryzgalski, product sustainability marketing manager. “Just like it extends the life of our products, Circular by Steelcase is helping us extend the life of our client interactions! It’s a way to find new value.”

The company’s commitment to circularity is also central to its path to net zero by 2050. “Designing for circularity is critical to our future success and an area to focus our innovation efforts right now,” adds Michael Held, vice president of global design. In a world where the carbon impact of repeated interior renovations can eclipse that of a building’s structure, Steelcase’s approach signals a necessary industry change—one that values reuse, recycling, remaking, and a future where furniture never becomes waste.

FLOKK

Flokk, the parent company behind the renowned HÅG Capisco chair, has reimagined its design icon in a limited-edition collection made entirely from recycled materials. “By including recycled components in such an iconic product, we are signaling that sustainability and high performance can coexist,” says Henning Karlsrud, CEO of Flokk. “It sets a precedent for other product lines and reinforces our internal sustainability culture. This move also serves as concrete evidence that it is possible to facilitate the change from virgin to recycled materials in existing designs.”

This shift has also deepened Flokk’s relationships with supply chain partners, sparking new collaborations to develop new sourcing methods and enhance material traceability. By keeping production close to key markets and prioritizing local suppliers, Flokk is cutting transportation emissions while building resilience and transparency throughout its value chain. The result is a chair that’s as sustainable as it is iconic—and a business model that’s paving the way for a circular future. M

HÅG’s sustainability journey began in 1993 with the use of recycled materials and a focus on production impacts, which account for 90 percent of emissions. Today, the company's 5-III principles—five circular design criteria and three focus areas—continue to guide its carbon reduction efforts.

3 European Brands

FRONT Materials, a:gain, and Aectual are all transforming waste— from coffee cups to demolition debris—into beautiful, usable building materials.

By Jaxson Stone

When looking at the sleek products produced by FRONT Materials (opposite, left), a:gain (opposite, right), and Aectual (this page), one can hardly believe that they were made from someone else’s garbage. These three brands show how new technologies and good old-fashioned upcycling can transform the industry.

That Are Refining Reuse

FRONT MATERIALS AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS

Founded in 2015 by Dutch designer Tom van Soest and business strategist Ward Massa, Amsterdam-based FRONT Materials—formerly known as StoneCycling—has emerged as a pioneer in circular construction. The company’s innovative product line began with van Soest’s graduation project at the Design Academy Eindhoven (2009–2011), where he explored upcycling demolition waste, leading to the company’s debut of its first product, the WasteBasedBrick, in 2015. FRONT Materials has since introduced panels made from paper waste, facade cladding made from 100 percent PVC waste, interior wall systems made from corn biomass, and even tiles grown from bacterium.

FRONT collaborates with partners like DC Bricks, Circular Matters, and Alusid to sc ale production and diversify its offerings. “We not only design and develop products that have a long lifespan (over 50 years) and contribute to a circular world, but we also prioritize building long-term and durable relationships with our customers, producers, suppliers, and other stakeholders,” the company writes in its “Rule Book.”

To date, the company has upcycled over 3.3 million kilograms of waste. Its vision is to help create cities constructed with materials that are reusable and demountable and absorb more carbon than they emit. FRONT is redefining the future of circular construction by not only making sustainable products but rethinking the systems behind them.

WASTEBASEDBRICK

Each WasteBasedBrick is made of 60 percent waste sourced from construction, ceramics, and glass industries and is designed to meet the performance and aesthetic standards of modern architecture. Its counterpart, the WasteBasedSlip, offers a thinner cut of the same material, enabling reduced material use while maintaining visual consistency. The company aims to create products from 100 percent waste in the coming years.

BIOBASEDTILES

Launched in 2022, BioBasedTiles grow with the help of bacteria. Powered by the biomimetic methods of Biomason technology, the collection draws inspiration from coral and marine ecosystems. The tiles consist of 15 percent biocement and waste from granite production. They can grow in less than three days and are also 20 percent lighter and three times stronger than a concrete block. And unlike many ceramic tile alternatives, they don’t require kiln firing. That combined with the collection’s biofabrication process results in low-carbon, high-performance floor tiles.

SKIP TILE

FRONT’s Skip Tile addresses the carbonheavy process of ceramic tile production. While traditional methods rely on spray drying—a highenergy, CO₂-intensive step—Skip Tile eliminates this stage, using a low-energy, dry-granulation process that cuts emissions by over 50 percent. The result? A tile with both low impact and high design value. Produced by Alusid, the tile is suitable for any type of construction or renovation project.

AECTUAL AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS

Aectual is an architectural technology company redefining material use in the built environment through large-scale 3D printing and a fully circular design approach. Founded by and for architects Hans Vermeulen and Hedwig Heinsman in 2017, Aectual blends cutting-edge robotics, parametric design, and sustainable innovation to transform recycled and biobased waste into bespoke architectural products. Its portfolio includes divider systems, wall and flooring panels, storefront facades, and furniture—all made from materials like reclaimed ocean waste, wood waste, beverage cartons, consumer plastics, and plant-based fibers.

The company’s systems, such as Freeline and Origami, demonstrate that circular design and customization can go hand in hand. At the heart of Aectual’s mission is its Circular Takeback Service, a closed-loop system that helps eliminate waste and minimizes resource consumption. In an 82-page product playbook, Circular & Tailor-Made Interior Architecture Made Easy, the brand states: “Our unique Circular Service allows products to be returned, shredded, and reprinted into entirely new designs—turning yesterday’s projects into tomorrow’s solutions.” This ongoing cycle exemplifies true circularity, with the potential to reduce material use by up to 600 percent over 50 years.

Aectual’s Origami panels, made from plant-based materials, were used in Dubai’s Museum of the Future to clad curved surfaces, offering flexible, semiopen designs that enhance light, shade, and privacy. With other products used worldwide by clients including Nike, BMW, and Amsterdam Airport, Aectual proves that sustainable, 3D-printed architecture is not just a possibility—it’s already here.

ORIGAMI

Aectual’s 3D-printed Origami wall panel system (opposite page) is a statement piece that also provides acoustic comfort. The system can bend in two directions, making it a great choice for cladding curved and double-curved surfaces, from walls to furniture.

Using Origami panels, Casper Schwarz of Amsterdam-based DLA Piper created a sculptural statement piece for the atrium of Strawinskyouse (above), serving the dual purposes of beauty and function. “I love to play with those opposites, and these panels allow natural light to filter through while offering enough seclusion for people inside,” Schwarz explains in a Q&A with Aectual, referring to the sculpture as a “champagne-colored bonbon.”

TYSTØ

A:GAIN

COPENHAGEN, DENMARK

Since its founding in 2015, Danish construction company a:gain has diverted more than 2.1 million kilograms of construction waste from landfills into high performance building products for B2B clients. Specializing in upcycling industrial by-products, demolition debris, and postconsumer waste, a:gain offers facades, flooring, acoustic panels, and partitions that can be used in a variety of settings. These products are designed to seamlessly replace conventional materials, offering a sustainable alternative without compromising on performance.

“Our approach is to identify suitable waste streams, including by-products, offcuts, and production waste, and repurpose them into functional and durable building materials at scale,” the company explains. “This helps mitigate environmental degradation by reducing demand for virgin materials and all the associated refining, transport, and manufacturing processes, as well as avoiding end-of-life processing of the waste.” In addition to waste stream research and tracking, a:gain conducts varied testing for fire resistance, sound insulation, and structural strength.

Beyond product development, a:gain emphasizes transparency and quality assurance, providing warranties and comprehensive documentation for its materials. By integrating advanced digital infrastructure and design tools, the company ensures that its circular products meet the stringent requirements of professional construction projects.

The company’s commitment to sustainability is evident in its product offerings, which have been utilized in over 100 projects across Denmark and internationally. Recently, a:gain contributed to the award-winning TRÆ building in Aarhus, supplying a range of circular products that significantly reduced the project’s carbon footprint, including discarded wind turbine blades, recycled facade panels, bricks, wood, and reclaimed double glazing.

In 2024, a:gain secured €4 million in seed funding to accelerate its mission of decarbonizing the construction sector. This investment underscores the growing demand for sustainable building solutions and validates a:gain’s innovative approach to material reuse. M

Tystø is a modular indoor partition system crafted from reclaimed glass units that were previously used as facade windows or indoor partition glass (opposite, left). Carefully removed from its original buildings, the glass is given new life as custom-built partitions that are screwed together and designed for disassembly.

FUSØ

Fusø tabletops are made from 100 percent postconsumer waste from Carlsberg’s disposable DraughtMaster kegs, resulting in a black and green surface that resembles stone. Typically, kegs like these would not be recycled, so a:gain washes, sorts, and granulates the material to transform it into products including tabletops, bar cladding, and more.

BRONSØ

Bronsø Thermo wood facade cladding is a thermally treated wooden product made from the discarded pine wood from the creation of wooden goods. A:gain is currently conducting a biodiversity study on Bronsø cladding, writing, “Increasing our knowledge of biodiversity impact will help us and our customers to make better-informed and more impactful decisions.”

Compostable Plastics Hit the Design Mainstream

Thanks to new material technologies, manufacturers are able to offer plastic products that return to the soil.

By Avinash Rajagopal

Nassimi’s breakthrough biodegradable vinyl, Hyphyn (left), is the result of six years of R&D. At Salone del Mobile, the Portal exhibition by Decibel (opposite page) showcased ten original chairs by global designers, each digitally crafted with cutting-edge tools and circular manufacturing methods—including the Kave chair made from PLA and a cellulose fiber filler.

PLASTICS ARE A PROBLEM. In 2019, only 5 percent of all U.S. plastic waste was recycled. A little less than a tenth of the waste, 9 percent, was incinerated—with the risk of releasing toxins into the atmosphere—and a whopping 86 percent ended up in landfills, where the plastics will remain as they are for hundreds of years, leaching microplastics into the ecosystem.

A fourth way—plastics that biodegrade just as natural materials do—has long been a dream of material scientists and manufacturers, with the first commercially viable bioplastic becoming available in 1996. Usually made from sources like corn, sugarcane, or soy rather than fossil fuels, plastics like polylactic acid (PLA) continue to entice designers today with the promise of biodegradability. At this year’s Salone del Mobile, for example, 3D-printed-furniture maker Decibel showed the Kave chair, made from PLA and a cellulose fiber filler.

These plastics have some significant drawbacks. Most require a commercial composting facility to biodegrade, few of which exist in the United States. A backyard compost heap, or even a landfill,

won’t suffice. And when these compostable plastics do break down, studies show, they also generate microplastics.

However, this year, two major manufacturers in the A&D industry have announced a switch to biodegradable plastics: Heller’s entire line of plastic furniture is now available in a compostable plastic, while Nassimi has released a new biodegradable vinyl fabric that will also be carried by a number of its partner brands. What sets these apart is the attention both companies have paid to the details of what happens to their materials when they are disposed of.

John Edelman purchased the iconic brand Heller in 2022 and right away recognized the company’s focus on mono-material plastic objects as a relative advantage for sustainability, compared to the approach of brands that had more complex offerings. He first switched the entire product line to recycled and recyclable polymers and then, in April this year, announced a partnership with Worry Free Plastics to offer a compostable option with all Heller designs.

Heller now offers its iconic plastic furniture (opposite page) in a compostable option using Worry Free Plastics that breaks down in five years in landfills, leaving behind no microplastics or toxins. Nassimi's Hyphyn (right) is engineered to perform like conventional vinyl while breaking down in landfills without leaving microplastics behind.

Worry Free adds a very small amount of an organic enzyme— about one part in a hundred by weight—to existing plastic polymers. “Luckily, we didn’t have to change much at all in the manufacturing process,” Edelman says. “We are a mold-based company. We just had to adjust our mix to add Worry Free Plastics.” Once the plastic has been molded into furniture or other objects, the enzyme stays dormant until it reaches a landfill, where it allows microbes to break down the objects in about five years, leaving behind soil with no microplastics.

Fabrics manufacturer Nassimi had a more uphill journey. The coated fabrics market is dominated by vinyl, a.k.a. PVC, which raises a unique concern: About 15 percent of PVC waste is simply burned, which, if improperly managed, can generate dioxins that are linked to cancer, neurodevelopmental issues, and other health concerns. When Nassimi conducted a life cycle assessment of its coated fabrics about six years ago, the company wondered “how the end of life was being addressed,” says executive vice president Iwan Nassimi. “We believed that biodegradability would be the ultimate endeavor and focused our research on that.”

The result of six years of R&D is Hyphyn, a biodegradable vinyl. Not only did the company adjust its resin to incorporate the enzyme that facilitates biodegradation, “we put this material through the wringer in

every way,” Nassimi says. This included a battery of performance tests to ensure that Hyphyn endured as well as or even better than conventional vinyl. “Additionally, we worked with several furniture manufacturers to do upholstery testing on a variety of styles of furniture. We developed a proprietary backing (made from biodegradable polyester) for Hyphyn that is specially engineered to tailor well.”

In addition to biodegrading over 90 percent within two years of being in a landfill, Hyphyn does better than regular PVC if it ends up in an incinerator. Because of its special resin mix, it melts at a lower temperature, before dioxins have a chance to form.

It was important to both Nassimi and Edelman that their respective offerings be easy-to-specify, competitive alternatives to products their customers are already used to. “The consumer shouldn’t have to work hard to do the right thing,” Edelman says. “If given the opportunity, we believe that specifiers will choose the sustainable option, while enjoying the added benefit of not having to pay more.”

To be sure, this new generation of compostable offerings does not address the built environment’s reliance on fossil fuels. They shouldn’t be taken as encouragement to continue sending materials to landfills, either. But given the realities of the building industry, Heller and Nassimi offer a welcome palliative to our plastics problem. M

Building the Blackwell Way

Synthesizing regional conventions with a myriad of other ideas, Marlon and Meryati Johari Blackwell create remarkable spaces and places.

Photography by Melissa Lukenbaugh

Marlon and Meryati Johari Blackwell, founders of Marlon Blackwell Architects, in their Fayetteville, Arkansas, studio. The firm has designed prolifically in its local community, and has completed notable projects in Indiana, Michigan, Texas, and Tennessee.

Inside the Heartland Whole Health Institute, spaces flow like a forest—inviting gathering, exploration, and retreat. Part office, part wellness center, part retreat, the building embodies Heartland’s mission to challenge siloed, reactive healthcare with a proactive, holistic approach.

Award-winning architects Marlon and Meryati “Ati” Johari Blackwell fuse influences—geological forms, vernacular building traditions, automotive paint—into buildings that are rooted in the Ozarks but resonate far beyond their place. METROPOLIS editor in chief Avinash Rajagopal sat down with Marlon and Ati to suss out the formulas of this alchemy.

A STUDY IN CONTRASTS

This year, Marlon Blackwell Architects (MBA) completed an 85,000-square-foot building for the Heartland Whole Health Institute in Bentonville, Arkansas. A curvilinear upper floor lined with brass fins sits above structures clad in multicolored fieldstone, echoing the region’s landscape and vernacular buildings. Inside, CNC-milled fins made from local pecan wood paired with green felt create an arboreal ambiance.

Marlon: The idea was to allow it to “speak” to the local topography, the geological [characteristics], and the flora and fauna, the cave and the forest, refuge and prospect. And then we translated all that through the vernacular, with the giraffe stone buildings, these fieldstones, and then putting our own spin on that. We were also thinking about performance and the role of the outer lining of the building in controlling the sun. We have these brass brise-soleil fins that we beveled on the ends to catch the light and the shadow. As the sun moves, they go from light to dark and dark to light.

Ati: I never really quite understood the obsession with long linear buildings in the beginning. But over time, what I came to appreciate, and what I think is a very positive outcome of our really thin and long buildings, is that we get light from both sides.

That’s the most important thing for me. The reason why the building feels the way it does is the light. You get light from both sides, and the light is controlled in some way, so there’s no glare. It’s conducive to work, but when it’s overcast or bright and sunny, you can feel all that, and it changes how you feel inside.

A lot of our buildings have that quality. It’s how we approach sustainabil-

ity—the whole idea of the building’s placement, the right orientation to take advantage of light and views, prevailing wind, and all that. But what we don’t really talk much about, beyond energy savings and all of that stuff, is how people feel inside.

You can’t go wrong when you have good light.

Avinash: Can you tell me the story of the gir affe stone?

Marlon: Sure, yeah, that’s the local name for it. Many people don’t understand the vernacular, so they might look at it and go, “God, that’s just weird. What are you doing here?” Then, when you tell the story, they’re like, “Oh yeah, I get it.”

This [giraffe stone] is an example of the self-reliant sensibility in the Ozarks. For stone, you take what’s beneath your

feet, right? Thoreau said heaven is beneath our feet as well as above our heads. You take the stone from your fields, and you lift it up. Two people usually can hold it. They’re not professionals, so they use big, thick grout joints so they don’t have to resolve the edges of the stone to each other. And that’s what you see in this area. It’s not designed per se; it’s just sort of assembled together in an ad hoc fashion. So, in that spirit, we did a similar thing except we shaped it the way we felt it best. We directed the masons to use a special type of joint called a rope joint, that creates shadow patterns on the stone itself, mixing the browns and the grays.

But that for us is the idea of the rock, the cave, the stable base, the anchor to this building that floats above. We contrasted these two modes of assembly. One, a big stone veneer, and the other, above it, an elegant sort of line and plane.

Marlon and Ati Blackwell with their model of the Heartland Whole Health Institute. The design integrates boxy forms with Arkansas’s rolling topography, creating healing spaces that feel naturally rooted in the landscape.

BLENDING NATURE AND CULTURE

Over the years, MBA has designed a number of buildings for the Thaden School, an independent institution in Bentonville. The firm completed the Reels Art and Administration Building (facing page) in 2019, followed by the Bike Barn (right) in 2020, the Wheels Science and Fabrication Building later the same year, and the Performance Building in 2022.

Ati: Our architecture is a lot about a very strong silhouette in the landscape or a very strong form that is based on something—like chicken houses, in this case. In Northwest Arkansas, our main industry is chicken farming. The way they house these chickens is in long linear structures. So, when we talked about the Thaden School, we talked about a common sense attitude to master planning—something like how a farmer would place the house this way because of the wind, and they would put trees here, and then they would put the barn here to create a farmyard.

Marlon: We’re trying to give you this novel form, but we never talk about it like that. We talk about why it does what it does. Here’s a folded roof pitch and roll. Why are we doing that? Well, we’re trying to keep sectional differences in a onestory building that creates variety, dissimilarity, and even choice in the different classrooms, rather than everything being the same.

Avinash: You often push the envelope on building techniques or material treatments. Even when you use an industrial or off-the-shelf material, you’re doing things that are quite remarkable with it. Tell me a little bit about your process of working with the people who actually build your buildings.

Marlon: No matter what the material is, or how ordinary it is, we try to deal with it through a great deal of care in how it’s placed and precision in how transitions work. In the transitions, in the fascias, at

the eaves, and the windowsills, we do custom transition details that allow for seamlessness between the different planes, between roof and wall. And so we’re having di scussions with our contractors pretty early on to get them to understand that it’s nothing beyond what they can do; it’s just something that they haven’t done yet.

We especially saw that with the Thaden barn. To do that roof, a lowsloped roof like that, requires the right weatherproofing technology. We were working with roofers very early on to figure out how to make these transitions: Where does the water go?

All of that has been resolved and is resolute, because something we’re looking for, always, is a degree of resoluteness between the building in its form and scale, its relationship to the site, but also in relationship to the detail, the scale of the hand. Resoluteness is the goal.

Avinash: You also use color as a way to overlap different ideas in a building.

That’s especially remarkable at the Thaden School.

Marlon: It’s part of our love of the intersection of the culture-made with the nature-made. There are patterns that connect these two conditions. In this case [at the Thaden School], the patterns were in color. We knew that the landscape architect had specified Osage prairie grasses. Well, what’s a color that would work with that? The ’67 Shelby GT Cobra, the green gold of that car.

What we discovered is a lot of the paints and the finishes on mobile things are sourced from similar places. Whether it’s a bicycle or a skateboard or a car or motorcycle, all this metal flake was pioneered by Dean Jeffries back in the ’50s and ’60s.

So, we started tweaking those colors to create something distinctive but also somewhat biophilic, helping the building fuse with its landscape at certain times of the year.

MBA shaped distinctive angular structures for the Walmart founders’ educational vision at the Thaden School, where restored and relocated historic buildings complement bold contemporary design.

While reviewing material samples, the team discusses the choice of special rope joints that cast distinctive shadow patterns on the stone and create a deliberate contrast between the grounded foundation and the floating structure above.

TRANSCENDING THE VERNACULAR

For the 2025 International Architecture Biennale in Venice, MBA worked with D.I.R.T. Studio, TEN x TEN Studio, Stephen Burks Man Made, and Jonathan Boelkins to create a porch for the United States Pavilion—a cantilevered woodenshade structure with stairs and seating below it to invite visitors to sit and participate in the pavilion’s activities.

Marlon: This really started with [dean of the Fay Jones School of Architecture at the University of Arkansas] Peter B. MacKeith’s idea for the Venice Biennale—a porch, an architecture of generosity. The question was: How do we provide an aspirational representation of the porch as both a stage for life, a kind of proscenium, and a threshold with a civic nature?

It needed to be made out of wood, which makes sense because that’s part of the traditional material of porches. We’re using Austrian spruce, making a superstructure deep inside the courtyard and then cantilevering the entire porch out, so it doesn’t really actually touch the pavilion.

The underside is Haint Blue, which is a color from Geechee culture in Georgia. It started as a West African tradition: a blue that would keep away tortured spirits. It’s used in the South to actually keep spiders and insects away from your porch by painting the ceiling this blue, which is like the sky.

Avi: You layer lots of sources in your work. You start from the vernacular, but you’re often trying to build ideas on top of

it. That’s really unique to your practice.

Ati: We’re trying to transcend the local and also push the envelope in some way. Porches in the South typically have some sort of support, right? But remove the idea of any [visible] supporting structure, and you start looking at this as though it’s some sort of flying machine, but it has all the elements of a porch. There is no symmetry to it. There’s a certain balance and also a sense of agitation.

I see our work as something that’s a little bit on the edge.

Marlon: It’s a little bit strange. We are sort of committed to re-creating strangeness in a wonderful way that has a kind of sensual pragmatism t o it. M

At the Venice Architecture Biennale, the U.S. Pavilion evokes familiar vernacular forms like sheds and gables, echoing architectural elements found in traditional porch designs. The ceiling is painted Haint Blue—a carefully selected reference to the Geechee culture in Georgia.

Product Showcase

NATIONAL TERRAZZO AND MOSAIC ASSOCIATION

This terrazzo installation embodies the spirit of Las Vegas, where luxury and assertive design converge. The gleaming terrazzo finish is a functional and artistic centerpiece creating visual continuity across pedestrian bridges that connect three casinos. Glass aggregate brings sparkle and saturated color, while intricate patterns in zinc divider strips uphold the high-end aesthetic. ntma.com

INFINITY DRAIN

Infinity Drain introduces its newest tile insert linear drain, Disco-rectangle . Featuring soft, rounded corners and inspired by mid-century modern design, this style seamlessly blends form and function. Disco-rectangle emphasizes a fluid, organic aesthetic with smooth, curved contours. This design moves away from sharp angles while maintaining the structural integrity and performance of the product. infinitydrain.com

DIVISION TWELVE

Crux is proof that opposites attract—wood brings the warmth while steel brings stability. The collection includes stackable arm and armless café chairs, smooth-rolling casters, bar and counter height stools, and matching tables in all three heights to bring it all together. division12.com

NATURALIST

Naturalist creates immersive biophilic environments through preserved moss wall installations that blend art, sustainability, and innovation. Rooted in the belief that nature should be a part of everyday spaces, our work is designed to improve well-being, enhance acoustics, and contribute to healthier, more inspiring built environments. naturalist.us

FABRICUT CONTRACT

Featuring tailored menswear-inspired solids, elegant herringbone designs, and casual strié textures in sophisticated neutrals and vibrant hues, Fabricut Contract’s Blackout Library provides a functional element or a decorative statement at the window with its 3-Pass and 4-Pass blackout options. fabricutcontract.com

FRÍANT

With its clean lines and understated elegance, our Aras Collection introduces timeless, minimalist styling to any room. Both seating sizes are versatile enough to be used across a range of settings. Choose between eight colors in our Sunday fabrics lineup to create stunning seating that brings together impeccable design and comfort in perfect harmony. friant.com

IMPACT ACOUSTIC

A revolutionary acoustic curtain system that redefines space and sustainability with recycled materials, reusability, and a digital product passport. This ARCHISONIC® Textile-based room-in-room solution transforms spaces. Noren champions sustainability through recycled and reusable materials, circular design and a digital product passport. Empowering designers with unparalleled color customization, and offering businesses a profitable path to a circular economy. Transform your space with the Noren acoustic cur tain, delivering an impressive -19dB sound reduction for exceptional acoustic performance! impactacoustic.com

LUTRON

Lutron doesn’t make motorized window treatments—our window treatments are intelligent. They’re designed from the start to work with our cloudconnected, location-aware smart control systems. That means they can adjust shade position automatically based on where the sun is in the sky, keeping occupants cool, focused, and comfortable while preserving outdoor views, improving building efficiency, and reducing carbon footprint. lutron.com/shades

CARNEGIE

A long-awaited expansion of the world’s first biobased high-performance textile, Xorel Luxe is a luxurious indoor/outdoor Biobased Xorel made with a new boucle yarn. All the legendary performance and durability of Xorel, now enhanced with a much softer, more supple hand feel. carnegiefabrics.com/carnegie-xorel-luxe

MOHAWK GROUP

Sustainable color for every vibe. This 12” x 36” Color Balance II carpet tile collection blends rich texture with a palette of 24 warm neutrals and vibrant hues. Made with Duracolor® yarns and EcoFlex ONE® backing, it’s Red List Free, Beyond Carbon Neutral, and engineered for performance—perfect for expressive, high-traffic spaces that prioritize wellness and design flexibility. mohawkgroup.com

Sources

Discover the people, manufacturers, and suppliers behind the projects featured in the Products 2025 issue of METROPOLIS.

HEARTLAND WHOLE HEALTH INSTITUTE

(“Building the Blackwell Way,” p. 176)

• Client: Art and Wellness Enterprises, Alice L. Walton Foundation

• Design architect/architect of record: Marlon Blackwell Architects

• Interiors: Marlon Blackwell Architects

• AVI consultant: Threshold, LLC

• Engineering: HSA, Studio NYL

• Fire protection: HSA

• Graphics: Two Twelve Landscaping: Michael Boucher Landscape Architecture

• Lighting: TM Light

• Acoustical consultant: Threshold, LLC

• Civil: CESO, Ecological Design Group

• Envelope: Studio NYL

INTERIORS

Bath surfaces: NEMO Tile

• Ceilings: Up & Down Industries, Armstrong

• Flooring: Mohawk, Interface Furniture: EVO, Innerplan, ImageWorks, Herman Miller, Steelcase, SitOnIt Seating, Blu Dot, Coalesse, Orangebox, Knoll, Hightower, West Elm, Gordon, Southern Aluminum, Kimball, Moooi, OFGO Studio, Geiger, Wenger, Room & Board, Byrne, Clarus, AllModern, Davis, Emeco, Tom Dixon, In-Detail, Ozark River Tables Kitchen cabinets: Up & Down Industries

• Lighting: Lutron, A-light, Lucifer, Delta Light, Hammerton Studio, ERCO, Muuto, Q-Tran, DiodeLED, AXIS Lighting, Juno, Spot On Lighting, H.E. Williams

• Paint: Sherwin-Williams

• Partitions: Modernfold

• Upholsteries: Camira, Maharam, Momentum, Designtex, Knoll, Carnegie

• Wall finishes: Armourcoat, Designtex

• Other: Benton Daylight Control Systems, Maars Living Walls, FilzFelt, TGP

EXTERIORS

• Cladding /facade systems: MG McGrath

• Doors: Ellison, Kawneer

• Glazing: AGNORA, Raico, Kawneer, Ace Glass Construction

• Lighting: Lutron, BEGA, Lucifer, Lumascape, Strand, B-K Lighting, DiodeLED, Q-Tran LED, Lumenpulse

• Other: Rainbow Stone/Stronghold NWA, MG McGrath Inc, Hydrotech

OUTDOORS

• Furniture: Emu

BUILDING SYSTEMS

• Conveyance: OTIS

• HVAC: DAIKIN

• Structural: L&L Metal Fabrications, Prospect Steel, Cantera Concrete

INTUIT MAILCHIMP

“The Intuit Mailchimp Atlanta Office Pulses with the Energy of the City,” p. 122)

• Design consultant/interior designer: Studio O+A

• Architect of record/interior designer: TVS

• Art/graphics/signage: Wink Creative General contractor: Humphries and Company

• Art consultant: Anne Tracht, Art Consult

• Lighting consultant: CD+M Lighting

• Furniture dealer of record: KBM Hogue

• Acoustics/AV: Newcomb & Boyd

• MEP/low voltage: Newcomb & Boyd

• Structural engineer: Uzun & Case Sustainability consultant: Ecoworks Studio

• Signage vendor: A-R-T & Associates

INTERIORS

• Ceilings: FSorb, Tectum, Turf

• Flooring: Forbo, Tarkett, Todd Contract, Interface

• Furniture: MillerKnoll, Blu Dot, Hightower

• Wallcoverings: Baux

• Millwork countertops: PaperStone

LORD ABBETT HEADQUARTERS

(“3 Workplaces with Light Carbon Footprints,” p. 114)

• Client: Lord Abbett & Co. LLC Design architect/architect of record: HLW

• Interiors: HLW

• AVI consultant: TAD

• Engineering: AMA, Thornton Tomasetti

• Landscaping: Blondie’s Treehouse

• Lighting: Spark

• Sustainability consultant: BEYOND Construction manager: JT Magen

• Management firm: Gardiner & Theobald

• Acoustical consultant: Longman Lindsey

• Broadcast consultant: Barbizon

• Expeditor: Milrose Consultants

• Kitchen/food consultant: Davella Studios

• Energ y modeling: Cosentini Associates

INTERIORS

• Bath fittings: Kohler, Sloan, Bobrick, ASI

• Bath surfaces: Ann Sacks, Town & Country, Fireclay, Crossville, Florim

• Ceilings: USG, Armstrong, Kvadrat, Certainteed

• Flooring: Interface, Bentley

• Furniture: Steelcase, Poltrona Frau, OFS, Bernhardt, Nienkamper, Andreu World, Stylex, Haworth, Nevins, Geiger, Herman Miller, Knoll, Prismatique, Datesweiser Kitchen cabinets: Mark Richey Woodworking

• Kitchen products: Sharp, Egro, Meiko, Fisher & Paykel, Sub-Zero, Manitowoc, Natura

• Kitchen surfaces: Caesarstone, Corian, ABC Stone Lighting: USAI, i2Systems, Acolyte, Starfire, Amerlux, Flos

• Paint: Benjamin Moore, Sherwin-Williams

• Partitions: IOC Project Partners

• Textiles: Maharam, Holly Hunt, Knoll, HBF, Arc-Com, Carnegie, Kvadrat, Holland & Sherry

• Upholsteries: Maharam, Bernhardt Textiles, Knoll Textiles, Opuzen

• Wall finishes: Studio Aix, Galaxy Glass, Arktura, Portola Paints, Scuffmaster, ABC Stone, Florim, Nasco Stone + Tile, Fireclay, Town & Country Surfaces, Ann Sacks, Phillip Jeffries, Calico, Yo2, Turf, Osborne & Little, Carlisle & Co

BUILDING SYSTEMS

• Security: TM-Technology Partners

NVIDIA VOYAGER OFFICE BUILDING

(“Under a Steel Canopy, NVIDIA Designs a New Kind of Tech Campus,” p. 94)

• Client: NVIDIA + Devcon

• Design architect/architect of record: Gensler

• Interiors: Gensler

• AVI consultant: AVI-SPL

• Engineering: Taylor Engineers, ACCO

• Fire protection: BFP Protection

• Landscaping: Hood Design Studio

• Sustainability consultant: Atelier Ten

• Other: Kier & Wright, Nishkiam Menninger, Olympique, Watry Design

PAGE AUSTIN OFFICE

(“3 Workplaces with Light Carbon Footprints,” p. 114)

• Client: Page

• Design architect/architect of record: Page

• Interiors: Page Engineering: Page

• Graphics: Page

• Lighting: Page

• Sustainability consultant: Page

• Other: Green Standards, Harvey Cleary

INTERIORS

• Accessories: Spruce Drapery

Bath fittings: Sloan

• Bath surfaces: Kohler

• Ceilings: Armstrong

• Flooring: Interface Flooring

• Furniture: Teknion Workstations, Herman Miller, Blue Dot, DWR, Industry West, Steelcase, Nucraft, Chilewich, Knoll, Emu Americas, JANUS et Cie, Rove Concepts, Grand Rapids, Bernhardt, KASL Studios

• Textiles: Green Hides Leather

• Kitchen cabinets: Mortensen

Kitchen products: Blanco, Elkay, Kohler

• Kitchen surfaces: Newbold Concrete

• Lighting: CX, LUX, Lutron Ketra, Current, DMF, Coronet, Lightnet, Bell & McCoy

• Paint: Sherwin-Williams

• Partitions: Allsteel

• Upholsteries: Carnegie, Maharam, Designtex Wall finishes: Homasote

EXTERIORS

• Solar/solar protection: WT Shade

OUTDOORS

• Furniture: Blue Dot, JANUS et Cie, Emu

• Pavers: EXAGRES

• Landscaping: Natura

BUILDING SYSTEMS

• AVI/IT/data: Page, VI-SPL

• HVAC: Airco

• Security: Paladin Technologies

• Other: Harvey Cleary

UNITED AIRLINES HEADQUARTERS (“3 Workplaces with Light Carbon Footprints,” p. 114)

• Client: United Airlines

• Design architect/architect of record: IA Interior Architects

• Interiors: IA Interior Architects

• AVI consultant: NV5

• Engineering: Stantec

• Fire protection: Stantec, The Hill Group Graphics: IA Interior Architects

• Lighting: Schuler Shook

• Sustainability consultant: Ecos Studio

INTERIORS

• Accessories: Privada, Bobrick

• Bath fittings: Sloan, American Standard

• Bath surfaces: Corian Quartz, LG Hausys, Stone Source, ASI, Daltile, Carnegie

• Ceilings: Armstrong, International Cellulose Corporation, 9Wood

• Flooring: Shaw Contract, Bentley Mills, Mohawk, CTS Cement, Daltile, To Market, Tarkett, Mosa, Ameripolish

• Furniture: MillerKnoll, Geiger, Allsteel, Haworth, Giani, Furniture Shop, Parenti & Raffaelli, Icon Modern

• Kitchen cabinets: Parenti & Raffaelli

• Kitchen products: Hoshizaki, Oster, True, Elkay

• Kitchen surfaces: Durat, Wilsonart, Formica

• Lighting: Lumenwerx, Litecontrol, Elio, Lutron, Q-Tran, Focal Point, Veve-Optics, Zaniboni, Lightolier, Cali, Bartco, Coronet, SMARTrack System, Micro Nite Star

• Paint: Sherwin-Williams, Benjamin Moore, Scuffmaster

Partitions: Modernfold, Allsteel

• Textiles: Rose Brand, Carnegie

• Upholsteries: Carnegie, Maharam, Kvadrat, Camira, Luum

• Wall finishes: DI-NOC, Designtex, Knoll, Marlite, Maya Romanoff, Carnegie, Walktalkers, Phillip Jeffries, DL Couch, Innovations, MDC, Camira, FilzFelt, TheCornerGuardStore, McNichols, Fireclay, Virginia Tile, Surfacing Solution, Dooge Veneers, clé tile

Other: MechoShade, Moz, SchluterSystems, Gradus, Skyline, Novawal, Conwed, Corian

BUILDING SYSTEMS

• AVI/IT/data: Crestron, BrightSign, Shure

• HVAC: Titus, Johnson Controls

• Structural: Corsetti Structural Steel Inc., K&K Iron Works LLC

• Other: AO Smith, Lowry’s, 3M

Learn more about the topics you’re interested in as you explore the Products 2025 issue of METROPOLIS.

TECHNOLOGY & RESEARCH

PEOPLE & PRACTICE

ART AND CRAFT

122 The Intuit Mailchimp Atlanta Office Pulses with the Energy of the City

130 The Wonders of Wool

CULTURAL ANALYSIS

176 Building the Blackwell Way

DESIGN TRENDS

66

150

SUSTAINABILITY, WELLNESS, EQUITY

AIR QUALITY

58 How Kaiterra’s Sensedge Go Is Shaping the Future of Healthy Buildings

BIOPHILIA

66 Beautiful, Inside and Out

100 New Furniture and Flooring for the Evolving Office

144 New Textiles Weave Comfort with Care

176 Building the Blackwell Way

CIRCULARITY IN PRODUCTS

32 Sustainability Lab at NeoCon

100 New Furniture and Flooring for the Evolving Office

114 3 Workplaces with Light Carbon Footprints

130 The Wonders of Wool

138 8 Sleek Ways to Soften Sound

150 Can Rarify Revolutionize the Design Industry?

160 3 Companies Giving Office Furniture a New Life

164 3 European Brands That Are Refining Reuse

172 Compostable Plastics Hit the Design Mainstream

EMBODIED CARBON

88 Lighter, Smarter, Stronger Metals

114 3 Workplaces with Light Carbon Footprints

164 3 European Brands That Are Refining Reuse

ENERGY EFFICIENCY

60 5 Solutions for Smarter Building

82 4 Metals Transforming Building Aesthetics

HEALTHY MATERIALS

32 Sustainability Lab at NeoCon

114 3 Workplaces with Light Carbon Footprints

130 The Wonders of Wool

144 New Textiles Weave Comfort with Care

164 3 European Brands That Are Refining Reuse

172 Compostable Plastics Hit the Design Mainstream

RESPONSIBLE RENOVATION

114 3 Workplaces with Light Carbon Footprints

ACADEMIC RESEARCH

88 Lighter, Smarter, Stronger Metals

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

58 How Kaiterra’s Sensedge Go Is Shaping the Future of Healthy Buildings

BIOBASED MATERIALS

130

3 European Brands That Are Refining Reuse

Compostable Plastics Hit the Design Mainstream

CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS

60 5 Solutions for Smarter Building 74 A New Standard for Wood Performance 176 Building the Blackwell Way

INNOVATIVE CONSTRUCTION

94 Under a Steel Canopy, NVIDIA Unveils a New Kind of Tech Campus

NEW MATERIALS

88 Lighter, Smarter, Stronger Metals

PLASTICS

32 Sustainability Lab at NeoCon

172 Compostable Plastics Hit the Design Mainstream

PREFABRICATION AND AUTOMATION

82 4 Metals Transforming Building Aesthetics

SOFTWARE

58 How Kaiterra’s Sensedge Go Is Shaping the Future of Healthy Buildings

STRUCTURAL DESIGN

82 4 Metals Transforming Building Aesthetics

94 Under a Steel Canopy, NVIDIA Unveils a New Kind of Tech Campus

Prioritizing People and Planet Sustainable and Socially Responsible Manufactured in America

Designed for those who go against the grain

If creativity is in your nature, our new family of Wood Textures is your acoustic solution. Maximize style and minimize echo with an exquisite suite of colors and textures.

Photograph by Kendall McCaugherty

Monolith Wall Scape