by AF0615a3 — June 17, 2009—Seventy-two awards were distributed in The Best of NeoCon 2009 competition of contract furnishings, a highlight event during the annual NeoCon World’s Trade Fair 2009, now in its 20th year. It is held each June at The Merchandise Mart, Chicago. Best of NeoCon’09 also issued Innovative and Editors’ Choice awards.
Powermat won Best of Competition for its wireless power distribution technology, as well as the Gold Award in the Technology Support category.
The Best of NeoCon jury consisted of corporate, government and institutional facilities management executives; interior designers; and architects who were responsible for selecting and buying furniture and furnishings for their organizations or clients. Working in teams, jurors visited Merchandise Mart showrooms and market suites to judge each product in person. They were able to “kick the tires” and ask questions of the manufacturers and product designers.
All entries had to be new to the marketplace. Categories in the competition ranged from furniture to fabrics, architectural products to software, lighting to flooring, wallcoverings to carpet.
A total of 352 products were entered in the competition, sponsored by Contract magazine, Merchandise Mart Properties, Inc., The International Interior Design Association (IIDA), The International Facility Management Association (IFMA), and McMorrowReport.com.
This competition is noteworthy not only for the number of entries, but also because the jurors faced a demanding task of seeing, in person, each competition entry within the two days prior to NeoCon’s opening bell.
The following are the Best of Competition winner and Gold Award winners in their respective categories.
GOLD AWARD WINNERS
Technology Support
GOLD and Top winner in Best of NeoCon Competition:
Powermat, for wireless power distribution technology
Architectural Products
Skyline Design, for Botanica
Carpet: Broadloom
Shaw Contract Group, for Wool broadloom
Carpet: Modular
Shaw Contract Group, for Wool modular
Casegoods: Desks & Credenzas.
Coalesse, for Denizen
Education Solutions
Izzy: Dewey by Fixtures Furniture
Flooring: Hard Surface
Crossville, Inc., for UtilMetal
Flooring: Resilient
Johnsonite, for Space
Healthcare: Fabrics
CF Stinson, for Now and Zen Collection
Healthcare: Furniture
Peter Pepper Products, for Health First, Infection Control Centers
Healthcare: Seating
Cabot Wrenn, for Graduation Plush Back Recliner
Healthcare: Textiles
Arc-Com, for Midori Collection
Lighting: Decorative, Chandeliers, Pendants, Sconces
3form, for Light Art
Lighting: Task/Desktop, Furniture-Integrated
Humanscale, for Hospitality Element
Lighting: Specialty: Fiber Optic, LED, Remote Source
Herman Miller, Twist and The Be Collection
Office Accessories
Humanscale, for M2 Monitor Arm
Seating: Conference
Herman Miller, for Setu chairs
Seating: Ergonomic Desk/Task
Knoll, for Generation by Knoll
Seating: Guest
HBF, for Solace Chair
Seating: Sofas and Lounge
Loewenstein, for Elle
Seating: Stacking
Gunlocke, for Vili
Surfacing Materials
Dreamwalls Color, for Dreamwalls Color Glass
Tables: Conference
CCN International, for AERO Conferencing Series
Tables: Conference
Turnstone, for Campfire Table
Tables: Training
SurfaceWorks, for Zii/Drive
Technology Support
GOLD and BEST OF NEOCON TOP WINNER
Powermat, for wireless power distribution technology
Textiles: Drapery
KnollTextiles, for Air Rights
Textiles: Upholstery Fabrics
HBF Textiles, for Campion Platt Collection
Wall Treatments
Maharam, for Maharam Digital Projects
Work Surfaces: Height-Adjustable
Haworth, for Planes height adjustable tables
Workplace Technologies
Armstrong Ceiling & Wall Systems, for DC FlexZone Ceiling Systems
Selected list of Silver Winners:
Carpet: Fiber
Antron, for Antron carpet fiber
Carpet: Modular
Constantine Commercial, John Doe channeled tile
Casegoods: Desks & Credenzas
Gunlocke, for Silea
Flooring: Raised
Haworth, for TecCrete
Furniture Systems
Allsteel, for Stride
Furniture Systems: Enhancements
Haworth, for Compose desking/benching enhancements
Healthcare: Seating
Wieland Healthcare, for Versant Glider
Office Accessories
Teknion, for FX
Seating: Benches
Arcadia, for Islands
Seating: Sofas & Lounge
Herman Miller, for Setu Chairs
Seating: Stacking
Allermuir, for Zenith
Software Technology
Mannington Commercial, for Virtual Library
Tables: Occasional
Tuohy, for Cubist Tables
Technology Support
Intaglio, for InForum
Walls: Movable
Teknion, for Optos Curved Wall
Window Treatments
MechoShade Systems, for EcoVeil Naturals 8060 Shadecloth Series
The Best of NeoCon’09 issued the following Innovation Awards:
GcMc: Avaire, hard-surface flooring
Itoki Design, for SP Chair, ergonomic desk/task seating
Sedia Systems, Genya, bench seating
Also honored were Editors’ Choice Awards:
Tayco, Boss Design’s Kruze sofas and lounge seating
Knoll, Spark stacking chair series
