Repeat. No Repeat.

A Look Back: The Best Stuff of 2011

What a year! With all the product releases and introductions, you would never know the economy is still slow. Manufacturers are meeting the demand for good design by consumers and end users, whether it be intended for personal use or on commercial projects. Good design is everywhere (Amen!), as evidenced by the slew of products that made their way across our desks and into our consciosuness. So what was the best stuff of 2011? Let's take a look back....

Row 1 (L to R): HBF - Nest, B&N - Infused Veneer, Allermuir - Octo, Bernhardt - Apel, B&B Italia - Tufty-Too. Row 2: 3Form - HighRes Imagery, Zero - Fisherman, Sancal - Tab, Lama - LED carpet, Vitra - Jill. Row 3: Brentano - Sputnik, KI- Itoki DP, Vibia - Wind, Axor - Axor Bouroullec, Milliken - Fixate. Row 4: Davis - Gingko, Mutina - Phenomenon, Andreu World - Nub, Tom Dixon - Base, Fritz Hansen - Favn. Row 5: B&B Italia - Husk, B.Lux - Around, 3Form - Timber Latitude, Bernhardt - Forest, Davis - Sola.

Row 1 (L to R): Kartell - Comback, Plumen - Plumen 01, Haworth - Reside, Beside, Belong, Davis - Kontour, Steelcase - Soto II. Row 2: Skyline - 5+ Collection, Carnegie - Pixie Applique, Knoll - Krusin Guest, Unika Vaev - Ilias Collection, Keilhauer - Moss. Row 3: Lori Weitzner - Cinema Posters, Corque Design - Puf String, Leland - Ebb, Infiniti - Loop 3D Vinterio, Martin Brattrud - Kurve. Row 4: Murano Due - IXI Lights, Dune - Asteroid, Bend - Farmhouse, Buzzispace - Buzzihub, Duravit - Darling. Row 5: Geiger - Loophole, Humanscale - Trea, Coalesse - Sebastopol, Lobmyer - One Crystal Chandelier, Coalesse - EMU Pattern.

Suzanne Tick and Tandus: Designing with Sero

Textile designer and artist Suzanne Tick, who has spent much of her career crafting designs for Knoll Textiles and Tandus carpet, visited our office in Philadelphia last week to present her latest work with Tandus. We at Kling Stubbins love first hand accounts of the design process from industry luminaries, so it was treat to welcome Suzanne to the office and have her tell us in her own words about the new technology Tandus has called Sero. Sero technology is tied to Tandus' Powerbond product, which is basically 6' wide hybrid product of resilient flooring with carpet face to give you an impermeable, seamless product. Powerbond has been around for over four decades, but no one had ever designed to the medium before nor thought about the entire floor plane, trying to resolve issues of larger scale and repeat. Suzanne and the folks at Tandus tackled that by pushing the boundaries of the tufting machines, thinking beyond the limitations of width and length. Once the idea of creating modular tiles from the Powerbond Sero machines was out of the box, it became apparent that the patterns once installed would be "unidirectional" - a new terms for us designers who are used to more regulated ways of installing carpet tile. The unidirectional approach makes for a faster, easier installation (which always equates to dollars) and less waste, but more importantly, it allows for a more sprawling pattern that is ideal for the open plan office (which we all know is more popular than ever with offices going away). The patterns in the latest collections are fantastic - specifically "Change", which has an undulating fringe type line pattern not unlike an EKG. Depending in which format you use, you can get a very active pattern on the floor, or a more subdued one, with specific areas of pattern placement. We also like "Nonconform", which is a grid pattern of two scales. Suzanne explained the inspiration for this was by watching two different patterns being tufted together on the loom, and how seeing the collision of two scales was very interesting. Images from our time together are below. Thanks Suzanne and Tandus for the visit!

Suzanne Tick presenting new products from Tandus to designers at Kling Stubbins

Overhead view of Change and Nonconform by Tandus

Here is a video explaining Powerbond, which gives you a good sense of what the product is and how it's made, along with the attributes that make it so resilient:

 

 

Report from Neocon '11

The Take5 Forum with The Mohawk Group @ NeoCon 2011 from neoconwtf on Vimeo.

Finally back from the Windy City and another Neocon. As usual, it was an action-packed adventure filled with events, networking, seminars, and of course tons of new products for the A&D community. Here's a recap of all the Neocon related activities that I either particpated in, witnessed, stumbled upon, or merely blew by. But before you scroll any further, click on the above link to see a bunch of folks talking about what inspires them at Neocon. Recognize anyone?

SATURDAY - JUNE 11

The pre-Neocon party to be at is the DIFFA Ball. This year, the theme was "Rock n Roll" and 90s indie rock legends The Lemonheads were booked to play the ball. The DIFFA Ball is indeed the most glamourous of Neocon events, and not even the IIDA Ball can hold a candle to the themed party environment that is carefully created each year as a benefit for AIDS. It is one first-class party, with top-notch decorations and food, as well as compelling speakers and a good DJ, and of course it's always a treat to see designers dress up in creative black tie. I have to admit that I was pretty excited to see the Lemonheads again - this time at a private function - although it was an odd choice for the ball. My hunch proved correct as I was THE ONLY PERSON singing along and rocking out. Yes, the only person out of maybe 1000 people. There were a few people dancing during their set as if they were at the prom, but they weren't fans from what I could tell. It was my own private concert as most party goers went to get dessert, and well that was pretty depressing. So I realized something at that moment, related to all those lectures we get as designers about the differences of the four generations in the workplace. You see, I am part of Generation X, the smallest and loneliest generation of our times. The world is - and the DIFFA Ball was - filled mostly with Baby Boomers ("That music is too loud") and Millenials ("Where is Lady Gaga?). It seemed as if I was the only Gen X'r in the room who related to The Lemonheads. I think all those social anthropologists are on to something. To make me feel better, I did get the set list and Evan Dando gave me his guitar pick. Oh, and I also met Yves Behar of Fuse Project (designer of Herman Miller's new Sayl chair) -  we had a nice chat about art and other things, and I look forward to seeing more products from him in the future.

SUNDAY - JUNE 12

First stop was the Interior Design Magazine Giants event, where I met Design-On-A-Dime star Ali Azhar. It was also great to see many industry friends, as this is one of the joys of Neocon. Then it was off to the IIDA Cool Ball, which was the platform for the awards of the IIDA Annual Design Competition, which were handed out to the lucky designer recipients. Of course Clive Wilkinson won another award for his One Shelley Street project for Macquarie - probably the most iconic corporate project of the last few years. A special award for the winner of the Will Ching Design Competiton was Sand Studios of San Francisco who won for their SPARC project, a medical marijuana facility. Surely this is a first?! After the ball it was off to bed, as the first full day of Neocon was approaching.

MONDAY - JUNE 13

First stop was the Herman Miller showroom, where their Canvas product dominated the showroom. Also visited with Geiger, Leland, Bernhardt, Keilhauer, Allermuir, and Davis. Then went to Haworth where I met Clive Wilkinson in person, who designed their showroom in between collecting awards. The big news from Haworth is that they will now be the North American distributor for legendary Italian furniture manufacturers Cassina, Cappelini, and Poltrona Frau. Che fantastico! Also fantastic is Steelcase's new sister products to Media:scape, Mini and Mobile. Every systems furniture manufacturer now has a Media:scape "me too" product, featuring collaborative conferencing. Had lunch at the Bright showroom, then finished visiting the showrooms on the 3rd Floor after a wonderful stop at HBF. Had fun with MaryJo Miller of HBF Textiles (how I love that woman!) and met the very busy Todd Bracher, designer of HBF's new seating line "Nest" (as well as Humanscale's new "Trea" chair and Shaw's new carpet line "Music Project"). I also explored the Materials Pavilion on the 8th Floor, sponsored by Interiors and Sources Magazine and curated by my dear friend and materials guru Grace Jeffers. My colleague John Trosino from Kling Stubbins gave a presentation in the late afternoon called "Restoring Beauty", about our firm's restoration of the Academy of Music in Philadelphia. It was wonderful reliving all of the stories and details about the ballroom renovation and especially the art and chandelier restoration work. After that was an event at the Tandus showroom, then a very crowded party hosted by Interface, and then the Vitra event held at the newish Renzo Piano wing of the Art Institute of Chicago. What a day! 

 
Haworth showroom from the hallway 

Davis showroom, featuring Kontour

TUESDAY - JUNE 14

Tuesday was all about the 10th and 11th floors of the Mart. At Knoll I fell in love with the new sister chair to Generation (called Regeneration), which is a slimmed down version of the original. At Shaw, minds were blown with a new concept that "activates the edge". Interface had not one but two carpet showrooms - one for creative and collaborative settings, and one for more typical office settings. Loved both! Visited Bentley Prince Street, Milliken, Mannington, and Aquafill too (where I learned about how they reclaim fishing nets to make their recycled nylon fiber). Had lunch with a cool British company called KITE, and then saw lots more furniture from companies like Vitra, Coalesse, and Andreu World. Later in the day I participated in a panel about Designers & The Web, hosted by Stylex and moderated by Designer Pages. My fellow panelists, which included John Czarnecki (new Editor in Chief of Contract Magazine), had a great time discussing how the web is used in selecting and specifying products. We had a great turn out with great questions at the end, thanks to all who came out (especially the Philly contingincy). After another evening furniture event with an international crowd, and a sighting of HGTV's Vern Yip on the sidewalk, it was off to bed after a long day.

 
Shaw contract's On The Edge collection 

Vitra showroom

WEDNESDAY - JUNE 15

Finished up the 10th and 11th floors with Allsteel, Gunlocke, Teknion, Luna Textiles, Masland, Wolf Gordon (who has added textiles to their repetoire), and B&B Italia. Love the new Gather collection from Allsteel, filled with pieces intended for break out areas - especially the upholstered platforms at mulitple heights. Went to Halcon to visit the Best of Neocon winner (that's Best of Competiton!) which is Motus, the most elegant modular wood table ever. As for the most elegant presenter, we then visited with Carl Magnusson at Teknion to learn all about MAST, his new monitor arm system. Then cruised the 7th and 8th Floors, where my favorite was Design Within Reach's booth, which showcased an Executive Office outfitted in Finn Juhl and Verner Panton. Oh that desk! Also discovered new stones from Stone Source (check out the new Burlington Stone, from a previously unmined part of the quarry). And then Neocon was over, just like that. Is anyone else suffering from post-Neocon depression?

 
Allsteel's Gather collection

Carl Magnusson showing off MAST at Teknion

Click here to view the entire Neocon 2011 photo album.

On The Job!

Testing Kenneth Cobonpue's Dragnet Chair

Learning about Kvadrat's Clouds carried by Haworth

Investigating custom carpet by Clayton Miller Hospitality

Do You Tryk?

In the ever-challenging quest for a sustainable future, the architecture-design-construction world has made great strides and huge paradigm shifts in how we practice. One group leading the way is a small company in Chattanooga, TN called Tricycle Inc. Founded in 2002, Tricycle aims to reduce design sample waste by educating manufacturers as well as designers in the benefits of sample simulation. Tricycle has created numerous programs and technologies that create realistic looking simulations of textile patterns on paper. This has been embraced by many carpet manufacturers - such as Interface, Tandus, Shaw, Mohawk, Mannington, and Milliken among others. However, the technology is not limited to carpet, and can be used for fabrics, hard surface flooring, and other materials and finishes.

Since its inception, Tricycle estimates that their products have prevented 418,000 lbs of carpet from going into landfills, the result of having their sample simulations replace physical carpet samples from being produced and then thrown out. In addition, the use of paper samples over physical samples have so far saved 69,000 gallons of oil due to the carpet industry's use of oil to make nylon fiber and polyester backings. Water and electricity are also saved. These numbers will continue to grow as the industry continues to become more familiar with this method of sampling, which is a good thing since an astounding 700,000 carpet samples will be ordered in 2010 alone! We have to do better to lower this sample number...

For designers, sample ordering - especially for carpet - can be daunting when there are a lot of options and they keep arriving in boxes at the office. Large projects typically require multiple designs and when you factor in several options for each area, the carpet sampling can easily grow out of control.  With the paper simulations, called "Tryks", designers can cut down on waste dramatically and use the Tryks as tools to narrow decisions down so that just the final choices can be ordered as actual tufted samples and resources can be spared. Tryk samples can then be recycled after use, or easily archived as PDFs or in your filing cabinet.

Tryk sim samples are paper and take us less room than carpet ones

One of the reasons the paper samples are called "sims" (or simulations) is that they are extremely realistic digital representations of the actual tufted product.  The pattern, texture, and colors are faithfully reproduced and are sampled to scale. This makes it easy for viewing, transporting, presenting, and is a great tool to reduce waste.  Manufacturers have also utilized the Tryk products for their own sample books and merchandising, which is another area that dramatically reduce real product waste and keep in house costs down.

Tricycle has numerous sampling tools to aide the industry, the more useful one being the Tryk Studio Platform. This is an online design tool that allows designers to visualize their desired products in a room setting, with the ability to test out different colorways or patterns.  This again can allow for ease of decision making without the need to order physical samples. There is also downloadable swatch program that allows for dropping patterns into 3D rendering programs such as Revit and SketchUp.

A Tryk paper showing a carpet "sim" and room visualization 

Tricycle is also involved in Ample Sample, a cool program for up-cycling physical carpet samples (or Tryk sims) into something more interesting than items destined for trash. Ample Sample has a competition each year, with the re-purposed products on display at Neocon.  This June, the winner was Steven Rothe, with his Cynch Stool. View the Ample Sample website to see this year's entries - all are pretty clever!

Cynch stool made from carpet samples 

Neocon Spotlight: Snapshots from the Mart - Part One

 
Bernhardt's new Corvo chair, designed by Noe Duchaufour-Lawrance

Gold award winning Site collection at Davis

Laura Guido-Clark presenting Breaking Monotony at HBF to Pratt students

Royce from RNR (L) and Mary Jo Miller from HBF Textiles (R)

Tandus wins Gold with Urban Nature Powerbond by Suzanne Tick

Terry Mowers (C) of Tandus showing off the Authenticity Collection

Cindy Allen of Interior Design talks to EOOS about Keilhauer's Cahoots collection

Milliken's Todd van der Kruik (L) and Roby Isaac (R) 

Knoll's new Antenna system

Masamichi Udagawa (L), Sigi Moeslinger (R) - designers of Antenna, with Royce of RNR (R) and Enrico Colzani of Knoll

Clive Wilkinson and Interface's Peter Greene checking out Memphis

Royce standing on Digital Infusion from Lees at the Mohawk showroom

Diane Barnes (L) and Megan McKenna (R) of HBF show off their new training table configurations

Picasso at the HBF showroom

Gold winning Proximus casegoods by Halcon

Felt paper dividers, part of Halcon's Proximus collection

Mannington's award winning showroom design featured details like this nest made from the new Sylvan collection 

Carl Magnusson presenting the Conflux light at Teknion

More pictures coming very soon!

Neocon Spotlight: Valerie Ottaviano of Bentley Prince Street

It's Day One at Neocon, the commercial design industry's biggest and best trade show and conference! We spent some time today with Valerie Ottaviano, Vice President of Product Design for the Los Angeles based carpet manufacturer Bentley Prince Street.  Valerie was kind enough to show us all the new product launches, as well as answer some questions about her life and inspiration.

Repeat. No Repeat: As most carpet mills are in Georgia, what is it like being one of the few carpet mills in California? I imagine your inspiration and context is completely different than people in Dalton. 

Valerie: Totally different. Everyone in our studio wakes up in a different part of the city, and brings that energy to the mill! We live in a city where designers come to be inspired! How lucky are we?! I drive down Hollywood Boulevard to work every day, pass the Disney Concert Hall, the incredible new High School for the Arts across the street, the new Cathedral and MacArthur Park - you can't help but be inspired by this city. 

RNR: Does fashion and pop culture play a role in your designs?

Valerie: Some lawyers who were taking a tour of the mill just asked me where is the place you get the most inspiration, and without a beat I said my newspapers: The New York Times and the LA Times; I can't live without my papers in the morning! You never know if its going to be some weird picture in the Science Section on Mondays, to of course the Style sections on Thursday and Sunday. In the studio we get the California Apparel news and of course the Hollywood Reporter! Facebook, You Tube, in the studio we love it all - and we are major readers.

RNR: Were there any influential people in your life who got you hooked on design? 

Valerie: I have to say the funniest thing about me graduating from textile school was what my grandfather said: "All these years we have been trying to get out of the mills and look, our first college graduate in the family and she gets a degree to go into the mills". I think in the Northeastern part of the country textiles are just a bigger part of your life, especially where I grew up (Fall River, Massachusetts). My dad was in QC his whole life, and I grew up making runs with him to Joan fabric plants in Lowell Mass, not known for Mass MOCA in those days but for real mills, where stuff was actually made! 

RNR: I know that at one point you were a sales rep for Prince Street carpet. Do you think that this has helped you on the design side?

Valerie: Absolutely. It made me keenly aware of timelines, real budgets and if nothing else a sense of scale. As a textile designer I have to remind myself that just because I'm in love with pattern does not mean that the facility guy signing the check is. I always credit my time in sales as the empathy I bring to my team. I know when the designer gets that call that the CEO will be there for one afternoon the next week, that rolls to a call to a rep, and then the call to the mill is REAL! and the product is there for consideration or not, so we need to MOVE! 

RNR: You have been in the industry almost twenty years - what are some of your career highlights? 

Valerie: Being a part of the development of BPS products Machine Made, Mass Produced, and Industrafelt, these are items that I am still most proud of. I could go on for twenty paragraphs on that, lets just say it's the only set of products I ever wrote a poem to honor the development (and then didn't keep a copy!). That product was developed with so many people in the mill helping me out. I googled local felt manufacturers and found new friend "John the Felt Guy". It was like if you could define "Democratic Product" this was the one!

My first product in the line Andiamo is also a big highlight because, as simple as it was, it was the first time classic fabric techniques were ever used in carpet design. They thought I was a twenty year old genius, and it was like the first thing you learn in weaving school! 

RNR: What is the most rewarding part of your job? 

Valerie: Getting to meet people like you! Seriously - not sucking up, but how great is a job, where I get to come in contact with the coolest designers in the nation, John the Felt Guy, and all the serious people that take pride in making great product! 

I mean I can wake up in the morning and literally think "we should make a collection based on the works of W.H. Auden" (my colleague Sam and I are both in love with Alexander McCall Smiths books - i.e.The Sunday Afternoon Philosophers Club, all the books featuring his character Isabel Dalhousie, and the author quotes Auden all the time).  There is the Hollywood Connection with Auden too. I can then text Sam, and by Noon, we have the roots of a new idea! That's so cool (that just happened last week!), and I never take it for granted!

RNR: What's on your radar screen these days?

Valerie: I'm looking for new materials, and I love the idea of NanoTechnology . Also there are some mathematic concepts that Nick (my 15 year old son) is studying that I think could be so cool in eroding designs. He thinks that's crazy because the concept is about building layers but I think it would be awesome to take away stuff, and use it as a technique to maybe make things more non directional. I don't remember it from school at all (must have been out that day!).

Valerie standing on new pattern "Hollywood Story"

 Valerie explaining the "Global Vistas" product launch to a Neocon visitor

New product "Domestic Alchemy" 

New collection "Modern Block" 

Get ready for the 2010 Vision Awards!

The Architecture and Design profession is one based on critiques and juries.  When in school, design students are faced repeatedly with audiences to whom they must defend their designs and learn from the comments of others with more experience.  Not much changes when you work in a design firm, as the design process is evolutionary and is subject to frequent and ongoing reviews.  So it's no wonder that our industry is also rife with competitions.  There are lots of them, and it's easy to gloss over the many that come across your desk.  Every once in a while we get excited about one that stands out, especially regarding the world of materials  - hence we bring you the 2010 Vision Awards!

The Vision Awards celebrate design excellence in flooring, specifically how well flooring is integrated into an architectural project.  This year, the competition is sponsored by Floor Focus magazine in conjunction with manufacturers Bentley Prince Street, Centiva, Crossville, and Johnsonite. Designers and architects have until February 19th to submit their projects, which must have been completed between January 1, 2007 and December 31, 2010 in order to be eligible. There are four categories in which projects can be entered: New Construction (a separate category for both Large and Small project), and Remodeled projects (also separate categories for Large and Small projects).  A winner will be selected in each category earning a prize of $2000, and one entry will be the overall winner with a prize of $4000. The judges will look for examples of projects where the flooring is a major part of the concept and how it complements the project's overall design. The winning projects will also be featured in Floor Focus, the design industry's most well respected flooring magazine, and Floor Daily, the respective website.

“I believe the most exciting element to design is the inspiration behind it,” says Anthony Minite, President and CEO of Bentley Prince Street. “So, it is exciting to support a program like the Vision Awards that recognizes individuals and firms who were inspired by flooring and appreciate its role in creating beautiful interiors".

For an entry form and submission guidelines, visit here.

The New Breed: Milliken's Roby Isaac

Milliken carpet is no stranger to reinvention.  Based in LaGrange, Georgia, Milliken has been manufacturing carpet for decades (and textiles since 1865).  They have been and continue to be a major player in the commercial and residential carpet industries.  In 1995 Milliken suffered a terrible factory fire that caused them to re-evaluate their plant processes and commitment to sustainability.  Since then they have rebuilt a carpet empire that continues to evolve and change with the times.  Known primarily in contract circles for their print process, Milliken is now developing tufted patterns in order to offer a more diverse portfolio of options for architects and designers to specify.  With this new shift comes new staff - the addition of two young designers (albeit with experience), under the wing of Creative Director and color expert Kaye Gosline. Said designers are Roby Isaac and Todd Van de Kruik, both of whom bring a decade of experience working with tufted carpet and have big ideas for the future.

Roby Isaac recently spent some time with us at RNR to talk about the industry and his first collection for Milliken called "Ghost Artist". Born in India and raised in Philadelphia, Roby was introduced to the visual art world through participation in an inner-city art program. This experience fueled an interest in textile arts, which led to Roby earning a B.S. in Textile Design. Roby's career spans 10 years within the floorcovering industry, starting with Monterey Carpets in California, with the last five years designing for Tandus in Dalton, GA. He is currently responsible for Milliken Contract's new Solution Dyed Nylon division's product design. 

Repeat. No Repeat: What is it like to work at Milliken, one of the largest and most well respected carpet mills in the US? 

Roby Isaac: I've been with Milliken for just about 10 months now, and I'm having a great time. While attending textile school, I learned of Milliken and its great reputation for ethics, quality products and rich textile history. It's been more than 10 years since school, and that reputation, I believe, still holds true. I'm coming in during an exciting time on the company’s design side, and feel honored to be part of this experience.

RNR: Do you feel pressure to be the new young hope at a company looking to reinvent itself? 

Roby: No, not so much pressure, as much as an anxious energy to dig into this creative opportunity and do some interesting things. Thankfully, I’m not in this alone. My friend and co-designer, Todd Van der Kruik, and I have worked together for the majority of our careers and collaborate well. We are surrounded by a talented & dedicated team that’s making sure the new vision is communicated in the best ways. 

RNR: Tell us about the inspiration for your first collection at Milliken, "Ghost Artist".

Roby: After graduation, I was looking through a book on textiles, and, in the preface it mentioned how textile designers are "ghost artists" who made fabrics that were so often seen in our daily lives, it took special attention to see them at all. It went on to say textile design is the kind of artwork in which the personality of the designer fades so much, it disappears. That thought has stuck with me during this past decade. Being in the commercial interiors industry, I see that the interior designer and architect are similar in this description - in that the spaces and structures they design are seen so often, that we often don't notice them at all. The collection of patterns specifically sprung from my interest in certain architectural details that, although purposefully included in the design, may often go unnoticed...just like the Ghost Artist. 

RNR: You worked with some amazing creative people at Tandus such as Suzanne Tick and Terry Mowers, prior to your arrival at Milliken.  What was it like to work with them?

Roby: It was great working with them and their studio staff. I believe every experience helps one grow, and this opportunity allowed me to learn more about effectively presenting, marketing and selling design. 

RNR: How did you get into textile design? 

Roby: While in high school, I was fortunate enough to be accepted into a creative arts program at the Fabric Workshop in Philadelphia. The Workshop is an "arts-laboratory" where silk-screen fabric printing is done in collaboration with artists who work in all different mediums. At the time, my interest in textiles was piqued solely because my high school art teacher mentioned the apprenticeship in class. I went through the interview/portfolio process, which led to the apprenticeship and exposure to the world of textiles. I was completely enamored. Thankfully, the high school apprenticeship extended into a scholarship program when I started college. The staff of artists there sensed my discontent in studying biology at Temple (I thought I was going to be a veterinarian) and suggested I check out the Philadelphia College of Textiles. I had no idea that such an amazing school was right around the corner from where I grew up. I visited the campus, saw the studios and knew it’s exactly where I wanted to be.

RNR: You grew up in Philadelphia, which is where we are based. How did Philadelphia influence your design sensibilities?

Roby: I grew up, like many kids in urban Philadelphia, concerned about how I'd make a better life for me and my family. The art and design we had around us were used more to disguise rough patches of daily living. There wasn't always extra to spend on the nicer things. It had to be functional. If it looked nice, that was a bonus. I learned to think more about how and why design brings value to the user. I started to think in terms of "form AND function," as opposed to one being greater than the other; and that has stuck with me in many ways.

Additionally, we Philadelphians measure character by one's passion and determination. I believe that plays a part in what I like in design. There has to be sincerity in thought; the concept or execution can't be disingenuous.

RNR: What advice do you have for aspiring designers out there, especially in light of the market today?

Roby: Most creatives, if they end up in a creative field, will more than likely work in some commercial environment. No matter what field of design that ends up being, always make time for your own work. There will be plenty of hours you'll be spending on someone else's ideas. Mark out time for your own. It will lead to greater things - personally or professionally. Aside from that, I'd say to just remain observant. Often times we won't have the opportunity for design research as we might have had in school. Since information continues to move faster and "down-time" continues to decrease, it's critical that we're aware of what's going on around us so our products remain relevant.

RNR: Who are your favorite designers these days?

Roby: There are so many creative people doing inspiring things, but I'd have to say I’m a fan of designers like Hella Jongerius, Marcel Wanders, and Front Design to name a few. Their projects always seem to embrace the processes used in making the objects. I'm very much into technique and process, so their projects appeal to me. I also like that they inject a bit of unexpectedness that ends up being integral to the work.

"Facade" from of the Ghost Artist collection 

"Trace" from the Ghost Artist collection

"Trace" from the Ghost Artist collection - detail

"Shadowpoint" from the Ghost Artist collection

"Semblance" from the Ghost Artist collection

Bio-Based Carpet Fiber Takes Root

For over seventy years, nylon has been a tremendously popular synthetic material known for it's durability and silk-like hand, especially in textiles, clothing, and carpet.  Today, nylon fiber is the gold standard for both the the commercial and residential carpet industries, costing less than wool and having a great performance specification, especially for soil resistance and appearance retention.  Yet as we move towards a more sustainable world, designers and end users are demanding alternatives to petroleum based products.  The carpet industry has been the biggest leader thus far in the construction arena to respond to consumer demands for products with recycled content and aggressive methodologies for production and reclamation.  This is no doubt due to the fact that discarded carpet makes up the most waste in landfills, and the production is energy and fossil fuel dependent.  But we are always still left with the same question: how do we move away from using virgin nylon?  Some manufacturers are making carpet and backings with no new nylon, only recycled content.  But beyond that, there are few alternatives unless we use carpets made from natural fibers, like wool.  Therefore, it's an amazing moment when large premium fiber manufacturer Invista- who bases their business on nylon production - comes out with a bio-based alternative.

White Bio-Antron fiber, ready for dyeing
 
Invista announced in June their new bio-fiber, which is made from Castor bean oil.  Called Bio-Antron, it is an agricultural based version of their premium Antron "Legacy" nylon which is widely used by carpet mills manufacturing contract carpet.  At present the fiber has only 10% bio content, the other 90% being nylon - but it's a start.  The bio content is extruded from the castor bean oil, which is considered rapidly renewable but shares similar properties to nylon, enough to be warrantied by Invista just like their other branded nylon products.  This is a marked improvement from another bio-based corn fiber, PLA, which was briefly on the market several years ago but had issues passing flame resistance tests.  And like other commercial nylon carpets, it can be recycled at the end of it's useful life.  

To date, only one commercial carpet manufacturer has launched a product using Bio-Antron - Bentley Prince Street  introduced "New Gotham" this season.  Surely more mills will come out with more as we all head toward a more sustainable industry.  This is just the beginning!

"New Gotham" by Bentley Prince Street

re:WORK yourself!

Like other industries hit hard by present-day economics, the Architecture and Design community has been greatly affected by layoffs and not enough work to go around.  In an unprecedented move to assist those designers who have been out of a job, carpet giant The Mohawk Group has been hosting a series of workshops called re:WORK, geared to get people polished and ready for what's next.  In conjunction with IIDA and Interior Design Magazine, Mohawk has been hosting these re:WORK events around the country with great success.  Due to popular demand, re:WORK has expanded into free webinars that offer CEU credits so designers can stay on top of their learning credentials for IIDA.  Scheduled once a month for the next four months, Mohawk is hoping to reach more people than ever before.  To participate, see info below or at the re:WORK website.

HZL by Henzel Rugs

Soho 202 No. 1,  Deluxe Rug Collection, HZL by Henzel
  
Often area rugs are overlooked as a backdrop to a room's more dominant features, or a zone to anchor a grouping of furniture.  With the launch of the HZL line by Henzel, area rugs have taken center stage.  They also fill a void in the marketplace, as even contemporary area rugs have not been as bold as the HZL collection dares.  Made of 100% New Zealand wool (and silk for the Deluxe and Ultra Simplicity collections), all rugs in the six collections are hand tufted and intended for both commercial and high end residential markets. Designed by Calle Henzel, the patterns are for the most part large scale graphics inspired by collage and modern expressionist painting.  They are also rife with pop culture references - our favorite is "Love Will Tear Us Apart", a nod to that classic somber pop anthem by Joy Division.  The rugs are handmade at Henzel Studio in Gothenburg, Sweden, and are available via four US showrooms (New York, Chicago, San Diego,and Santa Monica) as well as several reps around the country.  

Love Will Tear Us Apart, Contemprary Rug Collection, HZL by Henzel

Palermo No. 52, Second Session Rug Collection, HZL by Henzel

Ray Anderson: Confessions of a Radical Industrialist

 

Ray Anderson may not currently be a household name in your home, but he is in mine, and he should be in yours.  Anderson, the 75-year old visionary that leads Interface (the world's largest carpet tile manufacturer), has become the design industry's foremost steward of sustainability and an example for corporate leaders the world over.  When I first met Anderson many years ago at Interface's Chicago showroom, he proudly announced "Now Royce, that's some happy carpet!".  I never forgot his enthusiasm and passion for his company's product and the sustainable message he always strives to convey - however Anderson's involvement doesn't stop just there. Devoted to the carpet industry and the LaGrange, Georgia economy in which he helped build, Anderson wasn't always committed to environmentalism. But an introduction in 1994 to Paul Hawken's book "The Ecology of Commerce" was followed by a life-altering epiphany -  Manufacturers like Interface can not only change their business practices to end pollution and waste, but can also be a model for true sustainability.  Today Interface is leading by example; their Mission Zero campaign is a promise to be a closed loop, negative impact manufacturer by the year 2020.  Since '94 Anderson has become a spokesman for green manufacturing, and has appeared in films such as "The Corporation" and "The 11th Hour" and programs on Sundance in order to share Interface's incredible story of transformation, and more importantly to inspire individuals to the call to activism. Now Anderson has his own platform, the recently released book "Confessions of a Radical Industrialist - Profits, People, Purpose -Doing Business by Respecting the Earth" (St. Martin's Press).  (Of course Anderson's latest book is printed with sustainability in mind - post-consumer recycled content paper, soy based inks, and efficient use of paper sizes).  The book challenges all industries to share his vision of  zero-impact manufacturing of goods while showing that companies can still be viable and profitable.  By using his own company as the example, Anderson shows how Interface managed to cut consumption, waste, emissions, and water usage all while inventing new technologies, increasing sales, and creating a better brand.  This book follows Anderson's first book from 1999, "Mid Course Correction", which chronicled his personal decisions and challenges in turning Interface's carpet products from petroleum dependent to finding alternative green solutions.  

Here's a video clip of Ray Anderson discussing his new book, which no doubt will inspire the next generation of business leaders and manufacturers: