Bye Bye Merchandise Mart. Bye Bye NeoCon. Andrew Cogan, Knoll Chairman and CEO, announced that Knoll will debut its Chicago showroom, showcasing the Knoll constellation of brands. The new Chicago showroom will host “Knoll Design Days,” June 10 -12, the same time, but not the same place as NeoCon.
Currently in the final stage of construction in Chicago’s Fulton Market District at 811 W. Fulton, the space is scheduled to open on Monday, June 10, concurrent with the contract furniture industry’s annual trade fair. The Fulton Market District, with its vibrant architecture and streetscapes, is an ideal setting for Knoll to excite the next generation of architects, designers and clients.
“Since our founding 80 years ago, Knoll has contributed to the vitality of reimagined neighborhoods that attract both the design community and creative individuals alike. We are excited that Knoll design will be at the epicenter of Fulton Market and are especially pleased to be an anchor of the district, contributing to neighborhood growth,” said Mr. Cogan.
Benjamin Pardo, Knoll design director, added, “Our new showroom, designed in collaboration with Gensler, offers a transformative presentation of how we work and live. Our team looks forward to greeting the design community and clients at Fulton Market and demonstrating how we help them create hospitality-focused social and collaborative environments that redefine flexibility and address the roles of individuals and teams.”
Commenting on the “total design” approach across the three floors of the new space, Pardo said, “We’ve designed Fulton Market to inspire our commercial, education, healthcare, hospitality and public sector clients to plan environments that adapt to evolving workstyles.”
NeoCon Not. Knoll Design Days
The “Knoll Design Days” showroom display will leverage the Knoll constellation of brands, bringing together the Company’s workplace solutions and services – including Knoll Office and KnollStudio furnishings and accessories; DatesWeiser conference and meeting room furniture; Spinneybeck and FilzFelt architectural and acoustic materials; KnollTextiles fabrics, wallcoverings and drapery; and Muuto, the affordable luxury Scandinavian brand that expands the Knoll offering of ancillary products.
One floor of the Fulton Market location will serve as the Muuto flagship showroom in North America, featuring the brand’s award-winning products and new designs that pair seamlessly with Knoll products. Together, Knoll and Muuto address the “resimercialization” of the workplace.
At “Knoll Design Days” Knoll will also introduce new designs by Antenna Design, Dorothy Cosonas, Daniel O. Grabowski, Piero Lissoni and Glen Oliver Loew alongside Muuto introducing new designs to the North American market by Anderssen & Voll, Thomas Bentzen, TAF Studio and Big-Game. Knoll will also celebrate Bauhaus. The Bauhaus, the German school founded 100 years ago, exerted a unique influence on the modern evolution of design. Its legacy is intertwined with Knoll through company co-founder Florence Knoll who studied with Bauhaus masters Walter Gropius, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Marcel Breuer. Florence Knoll adapted Modernist principles with those of the American Modern movement to create a new “total design” approach relating architecture, people and furniture that continues to drive Knoll today.