NeoCon 2026
At NeoCon 2026, our Suite 323 showroom at THE MART in Chicago explored how design can shape the way people connect, experience space, and feel a sense of belonging.
Inspired by emerging shifts across workplace, healthcare, hospitality, and education design, the showroom embraced a more human-centered approach to commercial interiors. Layering textiles, wallcoverings, acoustic solutions, and architectural systems, the space explored how many influences can come together to create meaningful experiences.
Among the influences that informed the experience was the work of architect, educator, and Hip Hop By Design™ founder Michael Ford, FAIA, NOMA, NCARB.
Through his exploration of Hip Hop Architecture, Ford examines how rhythm, movement, storytelling, and community can influence the built environment. Those ideas became the foundation for six distinct showroom ethos in Suite 323—Pulse, Resonance, Expression, Collective, Translation, and Continuum—each exploring a different way design can shape how people connect with a space and one another.
Together, these six environments formed a cohesive design narrative—one that invited visitors to experience our showroom through the lens of rhythm, materiality, and human connection.
Resonance
Resonance
The Alcove Nooks Area
Recognition · Familiarity · Ease
Shaped by resonance—both musical and emotional—this setting evokes memory and comfort without slipping into nostalgia. Michael Ford's BREAKIN' wallcovering and its bouclé upholstery counterpart Dance Off (shown on the DARRAN Felix lounge chairs) invite rhythm and movement, while red-toned Autex Acoustics® Frontier™ Beam 100 spans overhead and stone-like Cube™ acoustic backdrops frame each nook.
Type II wallcoverings—including Palomar (Circon™) and Illusion Silk—add depth and warmth, reinforcing recognition, familiarity, and ease.
Shaped by resonance—both musical and emotional—this setting evokes memory and comfort without slipping into nostalgia. Michael Ford's BREAKIN' wallcovering and its bouclé upholstery counterpart Dance Off (shown on the DARRAN Felix lounge chairs) invite rhythm and movement, while red-toned Autex Acoustics® Frontier™ Beam 100 spans overhead and stone-like Cube™ acoustic backdrops frame each nook.
Type II wallcoverings—including Palomar (Circon™) and Illusion Silk—add depth and warmth, reinforcing recognition, familiarity, and ease.
The Materials Behind Resonance
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Expression
Expression
River View Wellness Suite / MedSpa
Voice • Texture • Identity
Shaped by expression—an individual voice within a shared framework—this setting centers texture, variation, and hand-touched detail. Set against river views, Autex Acoustics® Frontier™ Tundra and Ripple layer softness throughout the spa-like retreat, while Sina Pearson's Raindrops 522 and Wellness Suite's Bio Silica Hybrid Grass Line are showcased on DARRAN's Plus lounge seating. Wellness Suite Crypton® woven textiles Grounded and Heddle appear on Davis Furniture's Tote chairs, adding tactile depth and dimension.
Combined with Silica and P3TEC Sahara Silk, the textures and palette reflect a hospitality-inspired approach to healthcare design—supporting comfort, individuality, and personalized care.
Shaped by expression—an individual voice within a shared framework—this setting centers texture, variation, and hand-touched detail. Set against river views, Autex Acoustics® Frontier™ Tundra and Ripple layer softness throughout the spa-like retreat, while Sina Pearson's Raindrops 522 and Wellness Suite's Bio Silica Hybrid Grass Line are showcased on DARRAN's Plus lounge seating. Wellness Suite Crypton® woven textiles Grounded and Heddle appear on Davis Furniture's Tote chairs, adding tactile depth and dimension.
Combined with Silica and P3TEC Sahara Silk, the textures and palette reflect a hospitality-inspired approach to healthcare design—supporting comfort, individuality, and personalized care.
The Materials Behind Expression
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Collective
Collective
The Center of Showroom / Hi-Fi Lounge
Connection • Community • Flow
Shaped by collective—where many influences come together as one—this multisensory lounge centers connection and belonging. Above the Hi-Fi Lounge, Autex Acoustics® Frontier Axis creates a structured canopy, while B+N's double-sided Muro display system introduces layered material moments throughout. B+N Fortina baffles frame the lounge walls, and Michael Ford's groove-inspired Bronx Composition upholstery (shown on Keilhauer's Fyord sofa) pairs naturally with the lounge-like luxury of Circon™ Croc Maison wallcovering.
Designed as an authentic listening room experience with headphones and a record player, the space offers a nostalgic nod to music culture while honoring the musical influence behind Michael Ford's collection—bringing people, patterns, and rhythm together in creative motion.
Shaped by collective—where many influences come together as one—this multisensory lounge centers connection and belonging. Above the Hi-Fi Lounge, Autex Acoustics® Frontier Axis creates a structured canopy, while B+N's double-sided Muro display system introduces layered material moments throughout. B+N Fortina baffles frame the lounge walls, and Michael Ford's groove-inspired Bronx Composition upholstery (shown on Keilhauer's Fyord sofa) pairs naturally with the lounge-like luxury of Circon™ Croc Maison wallcovering.
Designed as an authentic listening room experience with headphones and a record player, the space offers a nostalgic nod to music culture while honoring the musical influence behind Michael Ford's collection—bringing people, patterns, and rhythm together in creative motion.
The Materials Behind Collective
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Continuum
Continuum
The Reception & Sample-Drawer Area / Trio-Arched Nooks
Longevity • Trust • Balance
Shaped by continuum—where design carries forward through enduring materials and timeless form—this central hub grounds the showroom in a modern organic palette defined by softened geometry and subtle mid-century influence. Autex Acoustics® Horizon™ Circles float overhead, while B+N’s curved wood-look Fortina battens and Sorbetti shelving layer rounded forms alongside woven and stone-inspired wallcoverings.
Designed for gathering, conversation, and material exploration, the space embodies reassurance, longevity, and quiet confidence.
Shaped by continuum—where design carries forward through enduring materials and timeless form—this central hub grounds the showroom in a modern organic palette defined by softened geometry and subtle mid-century influence. Autex Acoustics® Horizon™ Circles float overhead, while B+N’s curved wood-look Fortina battens and Sorbetti shelving layer rounded forms alongside woven and stone-inspired wallcoverings.
Designed for gathering, conversation, and material exploration, the space embodies reassurance, longevity, and quiet confidence.
Materials Behind Continuum
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Translation
Translation
The Front of Showroom / Window Display
Movement • Form • Energy
Shaped by translation—where sound becomes structure and influence becomes form—this arrival space emerges in gradients of blue remixed with warm contrast. Autex Acoustics® Frontier™ Fins in deep navy define the ceiling plane, while Michael Ford's Dance Off in Too Blue (shown on Boss Design's Beau sofa) and Bronx Composition (shown on Boss Design's Paloma barstools) carry that movement through sampled color and fine-lined, large-scale stripe.
Grounded by Muratto® Primecork Premier and Circon™ Oakstone, the scene supports clarity, orientation, and a more intuitive, navigable experience.
Shaped by translation—where sound becomes structure and influence becomes form—this arrival space emerges in gradients of blue remixed with warm contrast. Autex Acoustics® Frontier™ Fins in deep navy define the ceiling plane, while Michael Ford's Dance Off in Too Blue (shown on Boss Design's Beau sofa) and Bronx Composition (shown on Boss Design's Paloma barstools) carry that movement through sampled color and fine-lined, large-scale stripe.
Grounded by Muratto® Primecork Premier and Circon™ Oakstone, the scene supports clarity, orientation, and a more intuitive, navigable experience.
The Materials Behind Translation
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Pulse
Pulse
The Sound Bar / Café
Rhythm • Clarity • Charge
Shaped by pulse—the steady beat that anchors the experience—this setting establishes rhythm through grids, symmetry, and repeat that read instantly. Michael Ford's Flow Chart wallcovering and Cypher textile carry the cadence, while a cassette tape-inspired digital print introduces a nostalgic, graphic tempo.
For NeoCon, our customer-facing café transformed into an immersive sound bar experience, featuring a custom island from Fríant designed for the DJ setup and framed by DARRAN's Versi Banquette, inviting guests to gather, lounge, and experience the rhythm of the space.
Autex Acoustics® systems provide acoustic comfort from above, while walnut-toned surfaces—including Fortina QuickStick™ from B+N Industries—add warmth and structure. Together, these elements create clarity, focus, and dynamic movement throughout.
Shaped by pulse—the steady beat that anchors the experience—this setting establishes rhythm through grids, symmetry, and repeat that read instantly. Michael Ford's Flow Chart wallcovering and Cypher textile carry the cadence, while a cassette tape-inspired digital print introduces a nostalgic, graphic tempo.
For NeoCon, our customer-facing café transformed into an immersive sound bar experience, featuring a custom island from Fríant designed for the DJ setup and framed by DARRAN's Versi Banquette, inviting guests to gather, lounge, and experience the rhythm of the space.
Autex Acoustics® systems provide acoustic comfort from above, while walnut-toned surfaces—including Fortina QuickStick™ from B+N Industries—add warmth and structure. Together, these elements create clarity, focus, and dynamic movement throughout.
The Materials Behind Pulse
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Together, the six ethos revealed how diverse materials, perspectives, and partnerships could come together to create a cohesive showroom experience. From Pulse through Continuum, each environment contributed to a broader narrative of rhythm, creativity, and human connection.
Every layer of the showroom reflected the power of thoughtful collaboration. Mohawk carpet anchored each ethos with deep, saturated hues and a textural low-pile foundation that grounded the design without overwhelming the space. Lighting from Lumenwerx complemented the integrated acoustic ceiling installations, while decorative fixtures from 3form reinforced the overall design intent—working in harmony to create a cohesive, immersive experience.
Beyond the materials, Suite 323 came to life through conversation, music, hospitality, and community—from live podcasts and product exploration to Track by Track cocktails and tunes, Club Autex silent disco, and gatherings throughout NeoCon week.
Together, the six ethos revealed how diverse materials, perspectives, and partnerships could come together to create a cohesive showroom experience. From Pulse through Continuum, each environment contributed to a broader narrative of rhythm, creativity, and human connection.
Every layer of the showroom reflected the power of thoughtful collaboration. Mohawk carpet anchored each ethos with deep, saturated hues and a textural low-pile foundation that grounded the design without overwhelming the space. Lighting from Lumenwerx complemented the integrated acoustic ceiling installations, while decorative fixtures from 3form reinforced the overall design intent—working in harmony to create a cohesive, immersive experience.
Beyond the materials, Suite 323 came to life through conversation, music, hospitality, and community—from live podcasts and product exploration to Track by Track cocktails and tunes, Club Autex silent disco, and gatherings throughout NeoCon week.
Shaped by Many
Shaped by Many