Connections

Neoconnect Guest Blog June 17, 2020

COVID-19 forever changed the world. After a period of extreme isolation and social distancing, people are eager to reconnect. My hope is that many communities, families, friends and colleagues will come together stronger as they seek purposeful connection.

In the workplace, there will be a shift away from typical office plans into spaces that are meaningful and intentional, and the greatest value will be placed on time. The workplace in the 2020’s will become a hub for connection and exchange.

Many of us already worked remotely prior to the pandemic. In fact, according to a recent study, some 14.6% worked from home. In the first week of following COVID-19 closures, 34% of the workforce pivoted to working remotely. So, during the period of state and local mandated closures, nearly ½ of the workforce was working from home. (source) Kate Lister, president of Global Workplace Analytics, estimates that 25% – 30 % of the workforce will work from home multiple days per week by the end of 2021. (source)

In the next chapter of workplace design, technology and augmented reality will continue to empower our ability to communicate locally and globally. What has been a rising swell of remote work is now a tidal wave.

The home office is ripe for thoughtful redesign. Residential design was a driver in workplace design in the previous decade. Now it’s the workplace that will strongly influence the residence, such as ergonomic and/or active furnishings. Considerate acoustic planning will also be central to facilitate virtual communications.

All the while, we yearn for the sense of camaraderie, mentorship and creativity that only being together in-person can bring. In the coming decade, the workplace becomes a company’s connection site. Conference spaces, collaborative areas and areas for focus, concentration, meditation or quiet preparation will dominate. The need for open or closed offices will be dramatically reduced, since all task-oriented assignments can be completed remotely. Expensive real estate costs and carbon footprint will be reduced. Two or three companies may even share one headquarter space, alternating days of the week with one another and sanitation schedules. Instead of going to the workplace to work, we’ll go to the workplace to connect.

back to nature |COLOUR HIVE INTERNATIONAL | MIX MAGAZINE ISSUE 59 APRIL 2020

People’s quest for colour is as old as time, first seeking out pigments they could easily source from nature. As artist Stuart Semple points out, “It is nature that makes great colours, and we strive to recreate what nature has given us.”

In the El Castillo caves of Spain, red ochre pigment was used to create the Gallery of Hands; uranium-thorium testing dated the pigment back to at least 39,000 BC. These painting are so far in the past, it is unknown if they were created by modern humans (homo sapiens) or Neanderthals.

 Kate Smith, Conservator of Paintings and Head of Paintings Lab, Straus Center for Conservation and Technical Studies at Harvard Art Museums says: “Until humans began synthesising pigments and other compounds for particular use in art, chemistry, medicine, we relied on what occurred in nature to manipulate in creating art.” Natural pigments provided an impressive palette; yellow from cadmium; blue from lapis lazuli or ultramarine; terre verte of green earth and on. (Greens and blues are much less common in nature and have always been highly prized.) Carmine red was sourced from the cochineal beetle while maroon came from the madder plant.

 Yet the capacity to manufacture synthetic pigment and the enormous potential for creating products with uniform, stable and reliable colour changed the perception of natural pigments. Science had all the answers. Now though, another sea change in perception is taking place, a re-appreciation of the beauty of natural colour, not least because of its variations and individuality. There are concerns too about the environmental impact of synthetic pigments. Textile dyeing is the second largest polluter of clean water globally. Those vibrant colours are often produced using hazardous and toxic chemicals.

Many designers are now turning back to natural pigments for a solution to the issues surrounding pollution and waste. A case in point is Studio Tjeerd Veenhoven, based in the Netherlands. This country is the world’s largest producer of tulips. Interested in the potential for utilising tulip waste, Tjeerd Veenhoven has developed a process to extract the dye from the tulip. The hope is three-fold; to encourage organic tulip farming, consider safe dyes in lieu of highly toxic dyes in the fashion industry, and as designers and artists, influence consumer behavior by introducing a new, natural colour palette to the industry.Veenhoven has successfully developed 120 strains of tulip colour in his works. He explains: “The solutions are in our backyard. This might sound a bit dull and boring but with today’s knowledge we should take another look at the natural material around us. By producing as much as possible from local renewable resources we can greatly contribute to a more sustainable way of consuming.”

As well as looking forward, other designers are seeking out sustainable dyes from the past. One of the oldest methods of dyeing is the extraction of indigofera tinctoria plant. The oldest known indigo dyed fabric,

found in Huaca Prieta, Peru, dates to 6,000 years ago. Indigo dyeing was and remains significant throughout the world. Jun Aizaki, Owner and Principal of Crème / Jun Aizaki Architecture, explains its appeal: “I have always been drawn to indigo, it is a beautiful neutral colour that creates an impact in a space without being overpowering. I appreciate the universal quality and the rich colour and feel like it is a global material. Historically, it has been cultivated and used all over the world, and its roots trace back to Africa, India, China, Japan, Peru, South America.”

It is important to note that while many natural pigments, such as red and yellow oxides, are considered to be more environmentally friendly in commercial paint and coatings, not all natural products are saintly. Extractions from the earth have environmental trade-offs including consumption of raw materials, mining and potential health hazards for humans. Titanium dioxide was flagged in 2019 for possible carcinogenic implications, especially in powder form.

That said, there is a significant demand for natural based products. We see this in the rise of low VoC paints including the likes of Little Greene and Farrow & Ball and an aesthetic in paint that is moving away from highly synthetic colours. Ashley Banbury, Senior Colour Designer at Pratt & Lambert Paints believes that, whether natural or synthetic pigments are used, paint colour is increasingly inspired by nature. “With the resurgence of the natural dyeing process, we are finding beauty in natural colours and pigments, influencing interior paint. Colours are authentic with muted sophistication and soft vibrancy. We are introducing these naturally derived hues into our home to embrace these nurturing organic shades in a simple small way.”

Finally, the impact of art and craft has also had an effect on our appreciation of natural colour pigment. Subtle changes in tone or consistency now signal honesty, luxury and integrity rather than a lack of finish. And this is not just for niche collections but for big players too; Nike designers have begun exploring the possibilities of plant-based pigments for trainers, resulting in a collection called Nike Plant Color Collection. Nike isn’t saying that this approach solves every challenge in sustainable design but it does offer an exciting opportunity for further development. It helps, of course, that the trainers’ colours are beautiful. As veganism, climate change concern and GretaThunberg all act as key drivers in 2020, the appeal of natural pigments, especially for younger consumers, cannot be understated.

GEN NOW | INTERFACE | HUMAN SPACES BLOG MARCH 2020

It’s the beginning of a new decade, and Millennials and Gen Z now account for the majority of consumers and workers at or under the age of 40. At 56 million and 61 million respectively, these two demographic groups comprise the largest populations in United States history—together known as GenNow.

As a designer, generational research is fascinating. Its fibers weave into everything from arts and culture to design and architecture. So I consulted colleagues across the research, interiors, and design education fields to better understand GenNow’s current and future impacts on the built environment. Specifically, the objective was to track how the GenNow mindset transcends within the design verticals of workplace, higher education and hospitality.

Shared experiences

Chapters, white papers and volumes can be written to sensitively and accurately define the lifestyle values of these two generations—we’ll spare you on generational generalities such as adulting over avocado toast or gaming from the crib. The world shapes every generation throughout history. As such, each generation brings forth a unique set of shared experiences. There are three historical implications in the last 30 years that have left an impression on generations Y and Z: climate change, the Great Recession and the rise of technology. These three vehicles have each served as a catalyst, leaving profound generational impressions.

Climate Change

According to the CDC, 2019 was the second hottest year on record, second to 2016. The decade from 2010 – 2019 is historically the warmest ever recorded on planet Earth.

If ever there could be a silver lining to this sobering fact, it is that sustainability is a shared core value of the younger generations. LEED launched in 1993 and by the time the first Millennials were entering college, a stream of eco-consciousness was growing.

In movements throughout history, activism follows awareness. We’re seeing this unfold in real time, from Gen Z elementary school climate demonstrations to Greta Thunberg’s appeal to the United Nations and her appointment as Time’s Person of the Year.

The Great Recession

Oh, and about that recession—I know, I too just cringed thinking of it.

Companies were forced to downsize and dramatically decrease overhead costs, including the size of the workplace itself. At the height of the recession, unemployment levels were over 10%. It rocked emerging professionals and had a profound effect on young children, who watched their Gen X parents struggle to find employment and pay bills. Those children grew up, and Gen Z now identifies financial responsibility as a value and seeks fair compensation in its respective fields.

Meanwhile, Millennials remain the most disaffected population from the ongoing fallout of the Great Recession. The average Millennial net worth is $8,000—meaning they are financially worse off than any generation before them. According to a 2018 report from The Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, Gen Y—especially those born in the 1980’s who were entering the workforce between 2010 to 2016 —may be experiencing as much as a 34% loss in wealth compared to where they would be had the financial crisis not occurred. Compounding this, the cost of college tuition rose to over $19K per year for a public education and over $28K for private for the oldest Millennials. From 1964 to 2015, public college tuition rose by a staggering 3700%. As a result, Millennials are more risk-averse with their finances and have largely delayed typical life milestones: owning a home, getting married, or having a child.

Technology

As tech natives, GenNow incorporates technology in everything they do. With smart devices in hand, tasks and communication can be accomplished anywhere at any time. Conversely, the cold, constant feeling of glass in our hands has led to an intrinsic need for the tangible and a thirst for immersive experiences with nature.

Made possible by all of the above, the sharing economy is sustainability merged with technology in bootstrapped recession roots.  This economic model utilizes a peer-to-peer (P2P) network used to acquire, provide or share goods and services. A two-car household was once considered a status symbol. Now, a zero-car household is a sexier, sustainable aspiration. Common examples of the sharing economy include car sharing, ride sharing, home sharing, financial lending and rentable fashion. Emerging talent sharing services – such as a Michelin chef hosting a meal at her home — create economic opportunities and adaptable business models.

So, how does this all transcend into design? What are the challenges associated with designing for GenNow? Perhaps well before the schematic design process begins, the first step is to flesh out the generational paradigms, behaviors, and values in order to focus on the shared vision for a space.

Work

Designers have a challenge to create interiors that are conducive for five generations. On top of that, they also have to be thinking about the future workplace.Fostering a strong culture is paramount.

Joseph Cephas, NYC-based Marketing & Branding Executive, suggests that a Transformational, rather than Transactional, approach is more successful for all generations in the workplace. Transformational organizations place focus on people over all else. “For example,” Cephas explains, “as opposed to using terminology like ‘work/life balance’ replace it with values all workers can understand, such as we all work hard for our families or time away from work.” Rather than focusing on catch phrases, the focus shifts to values that all can understand.

Design can be a vehicle for this type of transformational vision. “Instead of the person adapting to the environment, the environment adapts to the person,” says Susan Chung, Ph.D. Director of Research & Knowledge Development at ASID (American Society of Interior Designers).

In the workplace, flexible spaces—from a one-person phone booth to private or open office workstations to comfortable outdoor lounge furniture—can address the varied needs of the current working population. From a sustainable and financial perspective, efficiency is key. Reduced square footage per person (from 225 – 300 SF/usable office space per person prior to 2010 to 100 – 150 SF today) helps reduce overall rent and less build means a reduced carbon footprint.

In the modern workplace, there is also a fluidity of space. The increasing length of the work week (between 47 – 50 hours in the US) has given rise to new necessities in the workplace, such as rest and reprieve or just a great cup of coffee. These principles of residential and hospitality design are commonplace in the connected office.

The all-inclusive, most diverse generation Z continues to enter the workforce and consumer space. Successful diversity and inclusion strategies celebrate the unique perspectives and experiences of each team member. A product of the sharing economy, free address brings choice and a level set to the open office, especially when executives sit amongst the team. However, some wonder if there may be a potential drawback with hoteling. In losing the static desk, have we lost some of our identity? As workplace design continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see personalization and customization evolve and celebrate the person—within the flexible plan.

Stay

The idea of sharing a home is not new in many countries and cultures. The economy of home sharing in the hospitality industry is. Airbnb is set to go public this year, and the company estimates that since being founded in 2008, its economic impact is 100 billion dollars in 30 countries.

Hotels within the hospitality industry have finally taken notice. Ian Schrager, for one, opened his latest hotel in New York’s Bowery neighborhood, Public Hotel, in direct response to the rise of the shared travel brand. At Public Hotel, guest rooms are small with integrated technology. Two restaurants and flexible event space are dedicated to authentic, cultural experiences like dance and theatre.

Cristi Moore, senior associate and design director, Hospitality, at Gensler Atlanta, tells us that GenNow design is also being influenced by the designers themselves. Moore articulates that, “GenNow designers are passionate about all disciplines and don’t silo themselves in one practice area or skill set. Our hospitality team consists of talent encompassing a multitude of practice areas; those with backgrounds in retail, workplace, brand, commercial office buildings, multi-family/residential and more. This diverse experience allows them to look at hospitality from a different perspective resulting in unexpected, fresh ideas and design solutions. This cross pollination has truly blurred the lines between practice areas – it’s about delivering lifestyle experiences through design.”

Moore references the recently completed Reverb by Hard Rock as an illustration of design that brings people with a common passion together, promoting connectivity and self-expression. Reverb harnesses this strength with experiences designed to support connections and networks. Large communal tables, shareable food, interactive installations, an eclectic radio station, co-working, flexible spaces and exhibitions, that celebrate fan culture all combine to create a place where you’re guaranteed to discover something, or someone, new. Reverb brings power to the people infusing technology and personality and demonstrates design for social collision.

Learn

The classroom is no longer relegated to the classroom. Studies have found preschool children benefit from immersive experiences such as gardening outdoors and exploring medium in an artist’s atelier.

Tamie Glass, ASID, IIDA and Associate Professor at The University of Texas Austin says that her students place a greater emphasis on social engagement, originality, and experience. “In our highly digital and image-driven world, design students realize that people are craving physical, place-based experiences that are sensory-rich and promote social engagement and interaction. When creating concepts, they have to go beyond what they find on Pinterest. They also recognize the struggle between designing for the perfect Instagrammable moment and providing a holistic, human-centered response to the program. Lastly, they realize that integrating technology within physical spaces is expected—today, it is completely intertwined with the service and user experience.”

The Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute at the University of Utah is a fitting example of how institutions are accommodating GenNow in higher education. Together, CannonDesign (Architecture), EDA Architects (Architecture and Design) and the University of Utah (Client, Visionary & Researchers) completed the LEED Gold and ASID Outcome of Design award-winning project. Seeking to accelerate and expand its impact, the university recognized the need to create an entirely new type of learning facility for a new paradigm of entrepreneurial learning that could better connect students to each other, to bold ideas, and to exciting new futures. Lassonde Studios opened in August 2016 and houses four floors of residential space on top of a 20,000-square foot maker space, or “garage.” Students from 35 different majors across various grade levels live and network in the building, which was created in an effort to foster collaboration and innovation.

Future Implications

Across all design verticals, GenNow views sustainability as a must-have, inherent to any good space. Active design, healthy material selections and circadian lighting boost user satisfaction, productivity and wellness. Highly tactile 3D materials and finishes satiate the human appetite for interaction amongst the hours spent on devices and screens. Biophilic design is essential to the GenNow experience. The desire is for immersive nature, with walls and ceilings enveloped in plant life, highly grained woods and bold color accents.

Despite this, tech will continue to be a driver of design innovation. The technological world has given rise to the XR, or the extended reality from the virtual, augmented and mixed reality mediums. As we toggle through from the physical to the virtual, gaming and play is largely influenced. In the subsequent years to follow, will this playful world of extended reality will find its way into design and architecture?

Perhaps after CAD, BIM, Revit and parametricism, XR will be the next frontier for design.

synthetic BEAUTY | Colour hive international | mix magazine august 2019

Carolyn Ames Noble finds that a combination of chemical serendipity and the endless quest to replicate the beauty of colours found in nature continues to drive the search for perfect synthetic pigments.

In 1852, William Perkin discovered the first synthetic, or inorganic, pigment. As a student at the Royal Academy of Chemistry, his mission was to create synthetic quinine, a treatment for malaria. Instead he accidentally found what became known as Mauveine. Perkin’s Mauve had a high degree of colourfastness and was inexpensive to produce. Inevitably this synthetic colour became became a massive fashion craze; Queen Victoria famously wore a mauveine-dyed dress at the height of its popularity.

Since then, scientists and artists alike have sought to create their own synthetic pigments. And there is no sign of any let up now. As Narayan Khandekar, Senior Conservation Scientist and Director at The Straus Center for Conservation and Technical Studies, Harvard Art Museums explains: “Some of the newer pigments are Vantablack from Surrey NanoSystems, Singularity black from NanoLab, Brilliant Rose from PIGMENT in Tokyo, and YInMn Blue from Mas Subramanian at Oregon State University.

As so often happens, Mas Subramanian, Distinguished Professor of Chemistry & Milton Harris Chair in Materials Science and his then-graduate student, Andrew E. Smith, made YInMn Blue by accident. “We were seeking new innovations in computer materials, and mixed certain compounds (yttrium, indium, manganese) at high temperatures which came out as a brilliant blue. We repeated the experiment several times and continued to get the same results,” explains Subramanian. Tested extensively by Shepherd Color, YImMn blue is exceptionally stable and actually reflects UV and near infrared radiation. Dual purposes may see this pigment in the artist’s palette or industrial coatings alike. Because it reflects heat, it can actually help stabilise the binder in paint, resist harsh weather conditions and yield energy savings.

Since then, YInMn Blue has become something of a global phenomenon. The last blue pigment, blue cobalt was discovered in 1802, so this is the first new blue for over 200 years. Subramanian, an accomplished scientist with some 56 patents and over 300 white papers, describes that of all of his discoveries, YInMn Blue is the most important. Subramanian’s discovery has certainly brought him fame and the respect of his peers. In May of 2019, Subramanian was awarded the Perkin Medal (named for William Perkin) from the Society of Dyers and Colourists. The medal was created in 1884, and awarded only a handful of times, honoring discoveries or other work of outstanding importance in relation to the tinctorial and allied industries.

Crayola even created a new crayon in spirit of the new pigment, Bluetiful. Subramanian believes that his discovery has formed an informal community of people who wish to connect to the colour, from budding artists to musicians, chemists and technology entrepreneurs. As blue is identified by 40 per cent of the world as its overwhelming favorite colour, Subramanian notes that the excitement is intrinsic to the colour. “Were it to receive such attention, if say the discovery was a yellow?” he says.

Also garnering its fair share of international attention is Vantablack. According to Khandekar, this deepest, darkest black comes in two forms. The first is a series of vertical nanotubes grown on a surface (VANTA stands for vertically arranged nanotube array) under an electron microscope; it looks like micro velvet. Light enters the surface and does not get reflected, so it is impossible to make out any irregularities.  So, if a sample is on a crinkled aluminum foil sheet, it would not be possible to see the crinkles at all because the surface is so light absorbing (99.965 per cent). The second kind of Vantablack uses nanotubes like a pigment and it is sprayed onto a surface. Supplied by Surrey NanoSystems, this black is once again incredibly light absorbing but under the microscope you can see that the surface look like sprayed paint, different from the first type.

While science has certainly been pivotal in the discovery of synthetic pigments, so too has the artist. UK based Stuart Semple has founded what he refers to as the “Pinkest Pink” and “Black 3.0.” Both are water-based products, safe and readily available for the canvas application. Semple’s pigments reflect his struggle as an artist to find the right media and colour for his work. “Pre the Victorian era, artists made their own colours, and assistants would closely match. Utilising available, ready-to-mix paint, artists lost the connection. Colour is like flavour in food or notes in music. The right colour can stimulate emotion and convey things,” he explains.  Semple’s Black 3.0, is a contrast to the hard-to-find Vantablack sample. In fact, Semple considers it a community-driven exploration of the ultra matte, ultra black pigment, 98 per cent light absorbing, funded by a crowd sourced Kickstarter.

For colourfastness, Semple admits his pigments do have a shelf life but in this his pigments are not alone. Khandekar explains that most of the pigments that come onto the market are the result of synthetic organic chemistry, which simply means that they are carbon-based and made in a lab. It is not possible to have a rule of thumb about colourfastness. Colour stability is on a pigment-by-pigment basis. ASTM tests the colourfastness of pigments using a strict set of guidelines and this information is available on the side of paint tubes. Karl Tylman, Technical Director of Duha Group explains: “Colourfastness is engineered to have certain properties. New innovations such as nanotechnology seek to change the molecular level to improve a colour. It is desirable to resist UVA and UVB colour, but I would argue that everything would eventually fade.”

When asked about his inspiration, Semple states that nature that makes good colours but that it is human nature to try and replicate what they see; this is often the foundation of art. He explains: “The orange in a Bird of Paradise or the green of certain algae glows better than anything. Human beings are just trying to catch up with what Mother Nature has already perfected.” The search for the perfect colour pigment continues.

the mother of all trends | interface human spaces blog | august 2019 | BY CAROLYN AMES NOBLE

In the next decade of design, the Earth will be central in everything we create. 

Focused on the earth, three unique trend narratives will unfold and begin to influence how we live and work (if they haven’t already). The first theme is the Awakened Earth, focusing on sustainable and resilient architecture. In the Enhanced Earth, artificial technology and neuroscience advances are made for the good of the planet and humans alike. The last narrative, Earnest Earth, presents the benefits of Biophilia and human-centered spaces.

First, we’ll examine how each of the three trend narratives manifest on a macro level — how we see them in our everyday lives. Then we’ll see how they trickle down into architecture and interior design and are curated into product design and art. Then we’ll delve even further and see what distinct color, materials and pattern trends emerge.

Trend 1: Awakened Earth

Without intervention, earth is on-pace to warm by 4 degrees Celsius by the end of this century. With that warming comes rising ocean levels, extreme weather events and turbulent weather whiplash. At the same time, the United Nations predicts that the world’s population will grow to 8.5 billion people by 2030, 9.7 billion by 2050, and surpass 11 billion by 2100. To match that dramatic population growth, we will require more construction to build the places we live, work and play. 

The thing is, buildings already comprise nearly 40% of greenhouse gas emissions. In response to future demand, designers and architects are striving to make a monumental difference in the way we design and build structures. Manufacturers and suppliers are developing products that are carbon neutral or even carbon negative. For example:

• The 2030 Architecture Challenge calls on all new construction to be designed carbon-neutral. 

• The AIA 2030 Commitment sets out a framework that elevates the architectural practice at large, is cost-efficient for clients and ultimately helps combat climate change. 

• materialsCAN (Carbon Action Network) is connecting members of the global building industry to start prioritizing embodied carbon in building materials. 

The message is resounding: sustainable and resilient practices need to become the baseline for all responsible architecture and design. This groundswell of climate action is the Awakened Earth.

AWAKENED EARTH CMF

 Ultimately, we’ll see this Awakened Earth trend realized in more sustainable and resilient methods. Product transparency will be key, and materials will come largely unaltered from the earth. For example, rough-edged stone slabs meet a smooth metallic finish in FICT Studio’s Fragment Series. Or, Tom Dixon’s SWIRL art objects feature a new material mixed from recycled marble powder, pigment, and resin. 

Colors are coral, deep teal, graphite and phosphorescent white.

Materials are rudimentary and simple, of the earth and tactile - carbon, crystals, charred wood.

Patterns include striated and swirled surfaces, rough stone in contrast with smooth surfaces, highly grained wood, and low gloss metallics.

Trend 2: Engineered Earth

Technology defines the Engineered Earth. In the natural environment, robotics and artificial intelligence are stimulating agriculture and quantifying deforestation. In the built environment, neuroscience and monitoring technology are beginning to enhance the human experience.

The ways we’re using technology are becoming forward-thinking. Satellites can detect unsustainable agriculture and places of critical deforestation. Coupled with predictive artificial intelligence, these places could be protected and saved. AI modeling could simulate future extreme weather events and help governments against the worst kind of devastation.

On a human scale, we’re seeing neuroscience incorporate into the built environment and evolve into a new field of study: neuroarchitecture. Utilizing human-monitoring technology, we’re able to marry brain activity to physiological data such as heart rate as a user interfaces with elements in a space. Tech also has a human-centered approach, as wearable and smart technology weave seamlessly into our spaces (smart sensors) and onto our bodies (wearables). Neuroarchitecture will rapidly evolve evidence-based design principles, empowering designers and architects seek to create more impactful spaces.

ENGINEERED EARTH CMF

This trend story will manifest itself in immersive art and light-filled spaces. The disciplines of design and science merge into new products, such as Jan Klingler’s colorful Bacteria Lamps. Crowd-funded projects such as Precious Plastic are repurposing that material into new applications.               

Colors: Yellow gold, oak-moss green, crimson and infused aqua. Color transparency and overlapping color are important. Color becomes trans-seasonal.

Materials: Engineered nature. AI innovations realize methods and materials that are low or zero carbon-based. Repurposed plastic.

Patterns: Biomorphic, amoeba-like and digitized interpretations of nature.

Trend 3: Earnest Earth

The Earnest Earth brings the outdoor sensibilities of the natural environment indoors. The International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) estimates that human beings spend 93% of our time indoors. Compounding that statistic? The time we spend on our devices and screens. 

Biophilia, only recently an industry buzzword, is set to be an integral part of the interior design planning process.The biophilia hypothesis indicates that human beings have an intrinsic need for interaction with nature. We’re seeing more research indicating that looking at or immersing ourselves in nature can change the attention restoration mode in our brains. This can promote creative thinking and concentration. 

Taking that principle into the interior, biophilia is predominant in cascading plant walls, pebble motifs and water features in areas such as open office seating, where it can benefit the majority of inhabitants.

At the same time, we’re seeing workspaces more actively promote human health and wellbeing. For example, the WELL Building Standard “applies design and policy solutions to enable people to live healthier, happier and thriving lives,” according to Jessica Cooper, Chief Commercial Officer at International WELL Building Institute. The WELL Standard and similar certifications are poised to be meaningful influencers in the built environment for years to come.

EARNEST EARTH COLOR, MATERIALS + PATTERNS

In this Earnest Earth story, we see a revival of artisanal and time-honored processes, such as Japanese indigo-dyeing, seen in the Indigo Exchange Chair from Jun Aziaki’s CREME Studio. Products are intentionally designed to be circular.

Colors: Celestial purple, haze green, jute brown and indigo.

Materials:  Materials are both physically and visually tactile. Fungi, alternative leathers like palm. Natural-dyeing techniques and processes. 

Patterns: Wood grains, waves and ripples, fractals of earth; and/or soft, simple geometries.

Mother Earth is the mother of all trends in the decade to come. Architects and designers will drive change through sustainable and resilient design, and interiors will resemble our restless Awakened Earth. The Enhanced Earth embraces technology to realize new processes that positively benefit the planet and people alike. And finally, the Earnest Earth reflects the need for human health and wellness in the built environment. It will be fascinating to observe how the three color stories within this macro theme emerge, take shape and evolve in color, material and pattern.

the intrinsic need for Healthy and sustainable materials | interiors + sources | april 2019 | BY CAROLYN AMES NOBLE

The built environment accounts for over two-thirds of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. In the majority of the places we live, work and play, research has realized that indoor air quality is more polluted than the outdoors, even in the largest industrialized metropolitan areas. Human beings spend over 90% of our time indoors.

The case for healthy and sustainable materials in this time of turbulent climate change is ubiquitous. Sustainable materials help reduce carbon emissions and nurture the overall health of the planet. Harmoniously, healthy materials produce meaningful eudemonia to the inhabitants of the space. These types of holistic spaces are vital, fundamental to the health and equity of human beings and to the health of the planet. There is also an intrinsic and perhaps even a philosophical need for these materials in our dwellings. In the future, perhaps these materials should become the baseline for all building projects.

O.S. (Organizations, Summarized).

There are many admirable organizations that support healthy and sustainable design philosophies, included and not limited to the American Institute of Architects (AIA), Environmental Design Research Association (ASDA), Fitwel, International Interior Design Association (IIDA), and more. American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), founded in 1975, champions that “Design Impacts Lives” and uses evidence based design and research to demonstrate how.

The United States Green Building Council (USGBC) began its Leadership in Energy and Efficient Design (LEED) program mission in 1993. Twenty-six years later, LEED is the most widely used green building rating system in the world. Available for virtually all building, community and home project types, LEED provides a framework to create healthy, highly efficient and cost-saving green buildings.

The International Living Future Institute (ILFI), founded in 2009, defines its mission to make communities socially just, culturally rich and ecologically restorative. The ILFI’s Living Product Challenge is a philosophy first, advocacy tool and product certification program that defines the most advanced measures of sustainability in product manufacturing today. The Challenge is comprised of seven performance categories called Petals: place, water, energy, health & happiness, materials, equity and beauty.

Launched in 2014 after years of extensive research and development across disciplines, the International Well Building Institute strives to revolutionize the way people think about buildings. It explores how design, operations and behaviors within the places where we live, work, learn and play can be optimized to advance human-health and wellbeing. IWBI offers the WELL certification program focused on seven guiding concepts: air, water, nourishment, light, fitness, comfort and mind. The mission for viable buildings starts with the people, processes and products that comprise them.

“The Product: A Cascade for Sustainability”

Wall finish and flooring selections are fundamental on the six planes of interior selections. Paint color is appointed perfectly with coatings like Sherwin-Williams Harmony, which was a green industry-first in 2001. Harmony meets the most stringent VOC regulations and has achieved GREENGUARD Gold Certification satisfying LEED® V4&V4.1 criteria. Its additional qualities of odor eliminating technology and formaldehyde reducing technology help improve indoor air quality by reducing VOCs from possible sources such as cabinets, carpets and fabrics.

Regarding color for spaces of vitality and retreat alike, Emily Kantz, interior designer at the Sherwin-Williams Company, recommends the following palettes: “The Electric Exploration palette features the striking Rivulet, Rejuvenate and Izmir Purple. These colors bring energy and life into the space. The Off the Grid palette is a breath of fresh air with the nature inspired colors of Almond Roca, Copper Mountain and Cascades, bringing the earthy elements of the great outdoors inside to give us a sense of health and well-being.”

Mohawk Group has a suite of Living Product Challenge Petal certified flooring including: Lichen carpet plank, Nutopia carpet plank, Nutopia Matrix carpet plank, Sunweave broadloom/area rug and Pivot Point enhanced resilient tile. Representative of the Living Product Challenge, Sunweave’s Petal Certification aims to leave a handprint rather than a footprint. Mohawk Group engaged in a special handprinting partnership with Groundswell to ultimately install 10 SmartFlower™ solar systems in underserved communities and at educational institutions with STEM programs across the U.S.

George Bandy Jr., Chief Sustainability Officer at Mohawk Flooring North America, considers the designer’s role expanded well beyond the typical project scope to being the connector between carbon and social change. He ponders, “how can the designer bring the enormity of the climate change issue to each individual client and make it personally relevant?” He considers his own place in the design industry as CSO not as a career pinnacle, but instead part of a greater journey that began in the 1990s at the University of Texas - Houston. He served as the Chairman of the USGBC and worked alongside Ray Anderson at Interface before joining Mohawk Group three years ago.

At Mohawk, Bandy also sees himself as the connector – in his case, connecting the dots between the internal and external product creation, between the industry and the community. He envisions the product as a cascade for sustainability, utilizing sustainable practices throughout manufacturing, and leaving a lasting, positive social impact on the communities where Mohawk plants are located.

Reimagining Waste

Striving for a Circular Economy, designers have reimagined, repurposed and reused what was supposed to be waste. A category of new and innovative composites from plastics and other discarded materials has been invented. Foresso is such a composite: a sheet material composed of timber and wood waste from sawmills. Conor Taylor, Creative Director at Foresso muses, “We consider ourselves very lucky to get to work with timber every day, the richness of wood adds warmth to interiors and can make any space more welcoming. Nowadays it is hugely important to consider the sustainability of our work so we endeavor to use every part of the tree in Foresso and hope that by doing so we can encourage others to make the most of this incredible material.”

Tom van Soest and Ward Massa founded StoneCycling in The Netherlands in 2013, their shared vision that the need for reimagined waste products was also the opportunity. They created a building material whose main input is the waste output from construction sites, which massively pollute the earth. Their product, WasteBasedBricks, which as an early prototype was conceived in a homemade industrial blender, has evolved - and their circular, sustainable and aesthetically pleasing products are being used across Europe and the US.

Also a product of The Netherlands, the tulip may be the single most iconic image from the region. In fact, 77% of the world’s tulips come from this small country of 12 provinces, comprising for roughly two billion tulips. “Strangely, the most beautiful part of the flower, the head, has no economic value except being a coveted photo object of many a tourist,” says Tjeerd Veenhoven of Studio Tjeerd Veenhoven. By a process of extraction from what would be the waste residual of the dried flower head, pigment is distilled. Color is a wonder in this artisanal process, and applications range from uses in finger paint to biological plastics.

Engineering Mother Nature

In the quest to save Mother Nature, nature itself is investigated and replicated. Bolt Threads developed Microsilk after studying the silk spun by spiders and produced their own protein. Whereas 60% of fabric fibers are petroleum based, Microsilk is generated mostly of sugar. Bolt Threads has partnered with iconic brands such Patagonia and Stella McCartney. The company currently does not have any specific plans for the interior design material industry, though the brand is excited about what the future holds and will continue to introduce new materials for a more sustainable world.

Renee Hytry Derrington, vice president and global design lead at Formica Corporation, reports of the company that the past several years, Formica has introduced a suite of sustainability décor-based products including Reclaimed Denim Fiber and Paper Terrazzo patterns. Reclaimed Denim Fiber is real reclaimed denim fiber made from post-production waste collected at cloth production mills, embedded in paper. Not one sheet is exactly alike due to the natural paper making process, which will be seen as a slight linear direction to the laminate sheet. Paper Terrazzo utilizes small fragments of post-production solid color paper that would otherwise have gone to waste. These paper chips are re-used to create a new paper sheet that is 30 percent reclaimed material. This paper technique uses small-batch craft production so that each sheet is unique and natural.

Bio-based plastics are forecasted to be a $35B business by 2022. Corn starch, sugar, cooking oil and even waste avocado stones are re-engineered for use in this material category. Algae and fungi-created materials will continue to bloom in use and scale. And designers continue seek solutions reimaging the ultimate waste product – Carbon – itself.

“In the future, healthy and sustainability materials will be considered the standard and not called out as special or unique. This will be the result of product designers reusing and reducing waste, considering the human interface and thinking about the environment during the design process,” predicts Hytry Derrington.