NEOCON 2019 INSIGHTS: How the hospitality sector influences corporate environments
Held every June at The Mart in Chicago since 1969, the Neocon trade fair has an iron-clad reputation among the international commercial design industry. It’s the perfect place to get inspired and learn all about innovative new concepts. Carpet tiles product manager Jeroom Van Lindt and marketing director Cindy Van Moorleghem went and spotted a major trend: the ever-growing influence of the hospitality sector on office design – and vice versa.
A brief history of office design
“The lines between workspaces and hospitality keep fading”, Jeroom Van Lindt, Product Manager Carpet Tiles at IVC Group, asserts. “That’s why it was interesting to see an increased focus on exploring the needs of the hospitality market and its design needs, as well as the interaction – perhaps even cross-fertilisation – occurring between office and hospitality design.”
“Over the past few years, we’ve seen a huge shift in the way office spaces are designed”, Jeroom continues. “Where there used to be a collection of identically sized cubicles, we first saw a transition into a more communal open office approach. From there, the evolution continued with integrated technology options and the possibility to work anywhere in the office, not just at your own desk.”
“The lines between workspace and hospitality design are fading.”
Jeroom Van Lindt, Product Manager Carpet Tiles at IVC Group
Blurring the lines between hospitality and office design
“Ever since, more and more focus is put on comfort, sustainability and wellbeing when designing office spaces, introducing certain aspects of hospitality,” Cindy explains. “However, snippets of office design are finding their way into the hospitality sector as well.”
Here’s how hospitality enters the office environment and vice versa:
The rebirth of the hotel lobby as a co-working space
More and more often, hotel lobbies are being transformed into living rooms and co-working spaces for guests and non-guests alike. This offers startups and freelancers an inspiring office for a day, and allows the hotels to profit from extra food and beverage revenue.
Offering employees a welcoming place to work
Employees are most productive when they are in a comfortable work environment. That’s why designers are creating more open, collaborative and inspirational spaces with multiple types of seating, quiet zones, access to healthy food and even fitness facilities.
Opening up a new world of flooring design possibilities
“The hospitality influence has also introduced a host of new concepts to the office environment”, Cindy states. “From seating areas and workspaces to coffee corners and cantinas, this re-inspired corporate jungle requires the clever use of flooring solutions to truly make it work.”
That’s where IVC comes in: our broad range of LVT, heterogeneous vinyl and carpet tile flooring solutions allow you to play to the strengths of each flooring type while exploring interesting new design options:
- Carpet Tiles
have great acoustic and comfort properties and add an interesting texture to the overall office design.
- LVT
mimics – and even emulates – the appearance of natural materials like wood and stone, have great acoustic and comfort properties and add an interesting texture to the overall office design.creating embossed or textured surfaces. This touch of biophilic design introduces a sense of calm and wellbeing to the workplace.
- Heterogeneous vinyl
can take a beating and is waterproof, making it perfect for areas like coffee corners, cantinas or even office showers. Additionally, it’s perfect for covering large surfaces easily without compromising on style, allowing for a bold design statement.
“So, whether you’re designing a hotel lobby where people can work or an office that feels like a home away from home, there’s a flooring solution to suit your needs!”
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