(Chicago, IL – March 1, 2023) NeoCon is pleased to announce that the submissions portal for the 2023 edition of the revered Best of NeoCon competition is now open. A NeoCon tradition since 1990, the competition garners hundreds of product entries each year as exhibitors vie for one of the coveted Best of NeoCon awards. Now in its 33rd year, the program will recognize superlative new products in 56 categories spanning a range of verticals including workplace, healthcare, hospitality,  and education sectors. New for 2023, entries will be considered for a Business Impact Award, in addition to honors for Gold, Silver, Innovation, Sustainability, and the singular honor of Best of Competition.

“The Best of NeoCon finalists are emblematic of the latest trends and movements that are shaping how we work, gather, learn, and communicate. This year, I think we will see an even greater emphasis on solutions that consider the growing role that technology plays in our daily lives,” comments Best of NeoCon Director Eileen McMorrow. “From introductions that adapt easily and embrace emerging tech to those that prioritize ergonomics, our jurors will be seeking out solutions that streamline the rapidly evolving ways we work and live, inside and outside of the office.”

More than 50 new and returning jurors representing the industry’s leading design professionals, specifiers, facility managers and decision-makers, will gather on site at THE MART to thoroughly evaluate all Best of NeoCon entries in the days prior to NeoCon, June 12-14. Hailing from diverse backgrounds and areas of expertise, this year’s jury includes individuals from influential entities such as Honda, Cash App, NBBJ, and Studio GC. The final roster will be announced in April.

“I am thrilled to be returning as a Best of NeoCon juror this year. The early access and exposure to cutting-edge innovations and in-depth dialogue with exhibiting manufacturers of all sizes is an enriching and enlightening experience,” remarks Best of NeoCon 2022 Juror Chen-Hui Spicer, Regional Design Director, NELSON Worldwide. “This year, I’m especially looking forward to evaluating and recognizing products and solutions that prioritize human-centered design, sustainability, and adaptability.”

New this year, the Best of NeoCon jury will be able to nominate products for consideration for a Business Impact Award, which will recognize exceptional solutions through a business-oriented lens. These nominees will then be further evaluated by a group of discerning business journalists. The business jury will conduct in-person judging at THE MART on the Sunday before NeoCon, reviewing each of the nominated products based on the degree to which they contribute to a more successful business and better enterprise-oriented, built environment across verticals—from workplace to healthcare. Criteria include: aesthetics, adaptability, ergonomics, ESG, experience, productivity contribution, sustainability and tech-integration. The program is an evolution of last year’s inaugural Business Innovation Awards, which were a great success.

Heralding the first official day of NeoCon, all Best of NeoCon 2023 winners will be unveiled at a live ceremony at THE MART on Monday, June 12. Winning manufacturers will receive the recognizable award designed by NeoCon partner and renowned design firm Maiarelli Studio.

Exhibitors can submit entries through the Best of NeoCon online portal starting March 1, 2023. Any new products introduced to the U.S. market since June 2022 and that will be on display at NeoCon 2023 are eligible. Products that were entered in Best of NeoCon 2022 are not eligible. Submission deadlines and entry fees are as follows:

Early entry by April 21:        $700.00

Regular entry by May 5:      $800.00

Late entry by May 19:          $900.00

More details on the program and entry process can be found at www.neocon.com/features/best-of-neocon. 

NeoCon will take place June 12-14 at THE MART in Chicago. The show is open to trade, C-Suite executives, and other industry-related professionals and registration is free for all attendees. To register, head here. Stay tuned for more details on programming, product trends, and highlights ahead at NeoCon 2023!

For showroom, exhibitor, and general NeoCon news, images, and real-time information, follow NeoCon on: Facebook (@NeoConShows), Twitter (@NeoCon_Shows), Instagram (@NeoCon_Shows), and LinkedIn (@NeoCon-Shows).

Media Contacts: Novità Communications

Alexandra Zwicky / Danielle McWilliams / Emma Reuland / Katie Fosdick

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About NeoCon: NeoCon is the world’s leading platform and most important event for the commercial interiors industry, held each year at THE MART in Chicago. Since launching in 1969, NeoCon has served as the annual gathering place for the commercial design world’s manufacturers, dealers, architects, designers, end-users, design organizations and media. The three-day event showcases game-changing products and services from close to 500 leading and emerging companies—providing unparalleled access to the latest and most innovative solutions. A robust educational program of keynote presentations and CEU sessions offers world-class expertise and insight about today’s most relevant topics as well as the future of commercial design. www.neocon.com

NeoCon® is a registered trademark of Merchandise Mart Properties Inc, a subsidiary of Vornado Realty Trust.

About THE MART: THE MART is the largest privately held commercial building in the United States: it encompasses 4.2 million gross square feet, spans two city blocks, rises 25 stories, and is visited by an average of 30,000 people each business day (or nearly 10 million people annually).

THE MART serves as the home to Chicago’s most creative and technologically innovative companies, including Motorola Mobility, 1871, Yelp, PayPal, and MATTER, as well as Fortune 500 companies Conagra Brands, Allstate, Medline Industries, Beam Suntory, Avant and Grainger. It is also the largest and most important center for design in North America with more than 250 premier design showrooms offering the latest resources for both residential and commercial markets.

We are honored to share that Industrious Scottsdale received the Best Of Workplace Award by the 2021 IIDA GA Best Of The Best Awards. View the full list of winners here.

We are honored to share that Passion City Church Cumberland received the Best of Government, Institutional & Public Safety Award by the 2021 IIDA GA Best Of The Best Awards. View the full list of winners here.

For years, brands and retailers have leaned into pop-ups as a way to uniquely connect with niche consumers and ultimately, create buzz. Now, mixed-use developers are taking it to the next level with the “pop-up village” concept. These environments feature several spaces, instead of a singular experience, and create a mini mixed-use destination, if you will.

This month NELSON teammates explored two of these villages—The Current located at the Boston Seaport and The Box Shops in the West Loop of Chicago—clearly designed to connect with up-and-coming urban markets.

The Current 

Located in the Seaport District of downtown Boston, The Current, by WS Development is a retail village that is home to “an ever-evolving lineup of brands and businesses that spin the concept of a traditional storefront into something truly special.” As guest tenant(s) rotate, each village expression is strategically woven together with a theme. This POV-driven location gives consumers the chance to discover something new throughout the course of the year, while also acting as an innovative retail incubator for brands. Previously, The Current curated a collection of female business founders and distinctly branded the experience as She-Village.

At the moment, The Current is hosting the infamous best-in-beauty brand, Glossier. While we’ve watched Glossier make waves in the retail world, this location is differentiated from its NYC flagship and other pop-ups. Making its debut in Boston, the brand did a full takeover of the Current’s nine freestanding spaces. Each individual space creates a focused display for each of Glossier’s product categories (makeup, skincare, body care and fragrance) or brings to life immersive, “selfie-worthy” installations that celebrate key brand elements. Shoppers order product as they shop each category’s space, and then head to a dedicated pick-up location that serves the entire destination. The execution is undeniably Glossier as each exterior and employee is decked out in the brand’s iconic Millennial pink.

The Box Shops by Related 

At The Box Shops in West Loop Chicago, shoppers can enjoy a “rotating roster of local retailers” in a temporary retail market made of repurposed shipping containers. Powered by Related, the developer behind Hudson Yards, and in partnership with Equinox and Boombox, The Box Shops consist of seven spaces, none over 320 square feet in size with vendor leases starting at $1,000/month. This strategic retail solution provides local start-ups with access to an area they otherwise may not have been able to afford, while also bringing retail into parts of the city where it’s currently lacking. Related reports that the activation has brought more awareness to the site, where they’re building a hotel and apartments nearby, as well as its bigger developments.

The night we stumbled upon the space, you could shop for gifts or jewelry, grab a beer or Israeli street food, and hear a DJ’s music trickle into the streets. It featured an outdoor lounge that invited you to stay awhile and “sip, shop or play”—a non-committal way to enjoy a bustling Chicago neighborhood that often requires a reservation.
We’ll readily admit that we’re a sucker for any kind of new experience, knowing we can always learn something from it—but we predict this pop-up village concept might be here to stay. It steals the novelty of a traditional pop-up, while also providing a reliable, go-to retail destination. And, we’re excited to see mixed-use developers taking the lead to create valuable experiences for tenants and consumers, alike.

In a recent article with Universal Fibers, teammates Kristin Cerutti and Anne Gibson discussed their thoughts on how designers have long been sought out as experts in the built environment, but the role of a “designer” is perhaps more valuable today than it’s ever been. 

“We need to design for all of the senses and consider people who are both hypo-sensitive (need to be stimulated) and those who are hyper-sensitive (need a reduction of stimulation), whether that is acoustic, tactile, visual – or even as it relates to scents and balance.” – Kristin Cerutti

Through an extremely agile prototype space, employees will be able to reconfigure the space to meet their needs and provide feedback on what works and what doesn’t. – Anne Gibson

Read the full article here.

It is an honor that two of our projects have been recognized in IIDA GA’s 2023 Best of the Best Awards! Our project with US Xpress Midtown is a finalist in the Best of Workplace Less than 20,000 SF Category and our project with Health Insurance Company Amenity Spaces is a finalist in the Best of Workplace 20,000 – 75,000 SF Category.

In a recent article with Forbes, teammate Robyn Novak discussed how airports can reimagine and implement new design strategies to reduce stress and cater to new behaviors.

While we will continue to see a resurgence in travel, we’re also going to see a more discerning guest, embracing the ‘Travel Less, Travel Better’ mantra. With safety and security still top-of-mind, more travelers will look for opportunities to upgrade their experience. Airports should consider offering a more tiered approach, providing a wider array of exclusive amenities, elevated environments, and more convenient detours, to cater to this growing market of premium customers. Not to mention the opportunity for airports to make up for the lost profit in 2020 with these potential new revenue streams. Read more here.