NeoCon 2026

Six Ethos, One Shared Rhythm in Suite 323

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.

Michael Ford, the Hip Hop Architect

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, an ethos area of the showroom.

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.

The Materials Behind Resonance

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  • Palomar Cabernet
    NEW
    Wallcovering

    Palomar

    Cabernet 16 Colors

  • Wallcovering

    Illusion Silk

    Bronze Glow 32 Colors

  • Cube - Stone 1IN Rojo Alicante S6
    NEW
    Acoustic

    Cube - Stone 1IN

    Rojo Alicante S6 8 Colors

  • Beam 100 / 3.5H x 108L Sargazo
    NEW
    Acoustic

    Beam 100 / 3.5H x 108L

    Sargazo 23 Colors

  • BREAKIN' Plum
    NEW
    Wallcovering

    BREAKIN'

    Plum 4 Colors

  • Dance Off Off White
    NEW
    Upholstery

    Dance Off

    Off White 8 Colors

  • Phoebe Maroon
    NEW
    Upholstery

    Phoebe

    Maroon 15 Colors

  • Upholstery

    Faux Mo

    Ochre 30 Colors

  • Silica Leather Raisin
    NEW
    Upholstery

    Silica Leather

    Raisin 33 Colors


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.

Expression, an ethos area of the showroom.

The Materials Behind Expression

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  • Grass Line Birch
    NEW
    Upholstery

    Grass Line

    Birch 15 Colors

  • Wall Protection

    P3TEC Sahara Silk

    Maroon Sky 29 Colors

  • Tundra 1IN - 12H x 108L Opera
    NEW
    Acoustic

    Tundra 1IN - 12H x 108L

    Opera 23 Colors

  • Mathilde Cowrie Shell
    NEW
    Wallcovering

    Mathilde

    Cowrie Shell 12 Colors

  • Grounded Nimbus
    NEW
    Upholstery

    Grounded

    Nimbus 9 Colors

  • Abaca Geo Oat
    NEW
    Wallcovering

    Abaca Geo

    Oat 12 Colors

  • Cypher Snow
    NEW
    Upholstery

    Cypher

    Snow 10 Colors

  • Heddle Rain
    NEW
    Upholstery

    Heddle

    Rain 15 Colors

  • Bayberry Linen Midwinter
    NEW
    Wallcovering

    Bayberry Linen

    Midwinter 9 Colors

  • Upholstery

    Raindrops 552

    81 Meringue 13 Colors

  • Velato Roman Glass
    NEW
    Wallcovering

    Velato

    Roman Glass 12 Colors

  • Minerva Quarry
    NEW
    Wallcovering

    Minerva

    Quarry 8 Colors

  • Upholstery

    Flock

    Demure 25 Colors

  • Silica Etch Rosewood
    NEW
    Upholstery

    Silica Etch

    Rosewood 36 Colors


Collective, an ethos area of the showroom.

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.

The Materials Behind Collective

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  • Bronx Composition Bass Line
    NEW
    Upholstery

    Bronx Composition

    Bass Line 7 Colors

  • Tundra 9MM - 12H x 108L Senado So
    NEW
    Acoustic

    Tundra 9MM - 12H x 108L

    Senado So 23 Colors

  • Croc Maison Cassis
    NEW
    Wallcovering

    Croc Maison

    Cassis 13 Colors

  • Terrapebble Prussian
    NEW
    Upholstery

    Terrapebble

    Prussian 20 Colors

  • Upholstery

    Felt Melange

    Cellar 24 Colors


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.

Materials Behind Continuum

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  • Bronx Composition Money Line
    NEW
    Upholstery

    Bronx Composition

    Money Line 7 Colors

  • Acoustic

    Horizon Circle

    Gherkin 23 Colors

  • Primecork Premium Amber
    NEW
    Acoustic

    Primecork Premium

    Amber 12 Colors

  • Acoustic

    Horizon Circle

    Opera 23 Colors

  • Cypher Martini
    NEW
    Upholstery

    Cypher

    Martini 10 Colors

  • Acoustic

    Horizon Circle

    Terrace 23 Colors

  • Upholstery

    Canter EPU

    Cordovan 48 Colors

  • Eventide Moss
    NEW
    Upholstery

    Eventide

    Moss 20 Colors

  • Park Tweed Cypress
    NEW
    Wallcovering

    Park Tweed

    Cypress 16 Colors

  • Vertiface Gherkin
    NEW
    Acoustic

    Vertiface

    Gherkin 38 Colors


Translation, an ethos area of the showroom.

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.

The Materials Behind Translation

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  • Upholstery

    Canter EPU

    Ink 48 Colors

  • Primecork Premium Amber
    NEW
    Acoustic

    Primecork Premium

    Amber 12 Colors

  • Dance Off Too Blue
    NEW
    Upholstery

    Dance Off

    Too Blue 8 Colors

  • Tundra 1IN - 12H x 108L Pinnacle
    NEW
    Acoustic

    Tundra 1IN - 12H x 108L

    Pinnacle 23 Colors

  • Bronx Composition Hot Line
    NEW
    Upholstery

    Bronx Composition

    Hot Line 7 Colors

  • Oakstone Sapphire Veil
    NEW
    Wallcovering

    Oakstone

    Sapphire Veil 13 Colors

  • Plaster Piece Putty
    NEW
    Wallcovering

    Plaster Piece

    Putty 8 Colors

  • Phoebe Navy
    NEW
    Upholstery

    Phoebe

    Navy 15 Colors

  • Overtone Midnight
    NEW
    Upholstery

    Overtone

    Midnight 9 Colors


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.

Pulse, the ethos area of the showroom.

The Materials Behind Pulse

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  • Flow Chart Brick
    NEW
    Wallcovering

    Flow Chart

    Brick 6 Colors

  • Wallcovering

    Woods

    Quartered Black Walnut 79 Colors

  • Cypher Ocean
    NEW
    Upholstery

    Cypher

    Ocean 10 Colors

  • Cube - Timber 1IN Queensland Walnut W7
    NEW
    Acoustic

    Cube - Timber 1IN

    Queensland Walnut W7 24 Colors

  • Rowan Ember
    NEW
    Upholstery

    Rowan

    Ember 13 Colors

  • Upholstery

    Celebrity CV

    Indigo 23 Colors

  • Upholstery

    Imperial Mohair

    Persimmon 37 Colors

  • Silica Leather Ink
    NEW
    Upholstery

    Silica Leather

    Ink 33 Colors


Suite 323 featuring Autex Acoustics Frontier Beams

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

The conversations, collaborations, and material stories that shaped Suite 323 continue beyond NeoCon.
Explore and sample today.
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  • Michael Ford Collection

    Michael Ford Collection

    Best of NeoCon Gold-winning textiles and wallcoverings inspired by the rhythm and storytelling of Hip Hop Architecture.
    Explore More
  • Wellness Suite

    Wellness Suite

    Hospitality-inspired healthcare solutions featuring woven and coated textiles, privacy curtains, and Circon™ wallcoverings.
    Explore More
  • Autex Acoustics®

    Autex Acoustics®

    Carbon-neutral acoustic wall and ceiling solutions designed for performance, sustainability, and visual impact.
    Explore More
  • B+N Industries

    B+N Industries

    Architectural display and interior systems that bring flexibility, materiality, and thoughtful design together.
    Explore More

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