Industry Wrap-Up! NeoCon 2025 Winners Highlights

NeoCon 2025 Winners Global Open Spaces Furniture System

The sun is shining, temperatures are warming up, and summer has officially begun.  For the commercial design industry, it can only mean one thing: NeoCon 2025 is here and everyone is obsessed about finding out who the NeoCon 2025 winners are.

NeoCon is the largest and most important annual event for designers to connect and introduce new ideas and concepts that can shape the landscape of interior design. It takes place early to mid-June for 3 days, and this time it was held from June 9-11 at THE MART in Chicago, along with other surrounding venues. The 2025 theme, Design Ahead, foreshadowed an exploration of creativity and innovation to inspire a more sustainable future. With seven awards ranging from Gold, Silver, Sustainability, Innovation, Business Impact, Best of Competition and People’s Choice Award granted to forty-three categories, here are the standouts of the NeoCon 2025 Winners!

Capisco Puls Chair by HÅG 

SUSTAINABILITY WINNER / TASK SEATING — HÅG received the Sustainability Award for the Capisco Puls chair, their latest in the Capsico lineup. Like all of their products, Capisco Puls is built with HÅG inBalance technology to ensure a dynamic sitting experience. But what makes Capisco Puls a step above the others? Their ingenious use of recycled snow plough markers that does not compromise on comfort or aesthetics.

NeoCon 2025 Winners HAG Capisco Pulse
Photo: HAG Capisco Puls Chairs & Stools

Modix System by Safco/Onsemble

BUSINESS IMPACT AWARD / BENCHING & FURNITURE SYSTEMS — Safco and Onsemble are two sister companies that shared an exhibit at this year’s NeoCon event. Onsemble’s mission statement is to promote the wonders of collaboration with their inventive products. They achieved that goal with the Modix System, a fun workstation collection created with functionality and flexibility in mind. Work how you want—Modix can adapt to any work style with their wide variety of desk and storage options. Their modern, hassle-free features are what won them the Business Impact Award, a special category even among the Best of NeoCon Awards program.

Open Spaces by Global Furniture Group

SILVER AND PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD / BENCHING &FURNITURE SYSTEMS — A winner twice over, Global Furniture Group takes NeoCon by storm with their breathtaking Open Spaces furniture system. Open Spaces is Global Furniture Group’s response to the chaos of the open office. This furniture system can curate a sense of belonging in a loud environment with their diverse options of materials and finishes, as well as their softened edges of each shape and surface. With this year’s theme emphasizing the future of design, it’s no wonder attendees voted Open Spaces as their favorite product for the People’s Choice Award.

NeoCon 2025 Winners Global Open Spaces Furniture System
Photo: Global Open Spaces Furniture System

Cogni Classroom Seating by KI

SILVER AWARD / EDUCATION SOLUTIONS — KI’s design philosophy is consumer focused. They believe that people rely on furniture to carry them through their work, learning, and life, inspiring them to create reliable solutions to modern-day problems. Cogni Classroom Seating is one of them: a comprehensive seating solution made to enhance student engagement with their elevated aesthetics and mobility features. Cogni is a multi-sensory experience. Its flexible seat and comfort ledge can adapt to every student’s unique sitting style and the patent-pending sensory surface and anti-tip heel wheel boosts engagement. Cogni isn’t just a seat—it’s a classroom essential.

NeoCon 2025 Winners KI Cogni Classroom Seating
Photo: KI Cogni Classroom Seating

Z-Bar Titan Floor Lamp by Koncept

SILVER AWARD / TASK LIGHTING — Koncept lights the way for bold designs with their Z-Bar Titan Floor Lamp. Created by Kenneth and Edmund Ng, the Z-Bar Titan Floor Lamp breaks the mold of the typical bulb-and-shade configurations with its streamlined design of three simple bars and energy efficient LEDs. The Z-Bar is a titan in its own category: it comes with a list of features such as an intuitive on/off function, a dimming option, and a 78” width and up to 84” adjustable height. 

NeoCon 2025 Winners Koncept Z-Bar Titan Floor Lamp
Photo: Koncept Z-Bar Titan Floor Lamp

Zylo + by Oxti Corporation

GOLD AND INNOVATION AWARD / TASK LIGHTING — Oxti Corporation is an emerging designer that impressed the attendees at NeoCon with their groundbreaking Zylo+ lamp. Zylo+ was made to tackle two workplace problems: lighting and disinfection. It can provide a well-lit workspace to reduce eyestrain and fatigue while keeping your desk hygienic using specific light frequencies from Biovitae’s patented technology. No wonder they won a Gold and Innovation Award; with Zylo+ the future is already here.

Central Bark by DARRAN

INNOVATION AWARD / CASELOADS — Comfort meets Productivity with DARRAN’s Central Bark. Chrissy Fehan introduces an unexpected product to the office: a dog bed. While this may be a surprising idea, there are actually many benefits of bringing a pet to work, such as reducing stress, improving work-life quality, and even enhancing work engagement. Central Bark can stand alone or be seamlessly integrated with DARRAN’s Central Park case goods line while providing your pet with a cozy haven. It’s also easy to clean with its machine washable cushion covers.

NeoCon 2025 Winners Darran Central Bark Dog Bed
Photo: DARRAN Central Bark Dog Bed

Tumble by KFI Studios

SUSTAINABILITY AWARD / OCCASIONAL TABLES — Tumble is KFI Studios’ newest sustainability-driven design. Crafted from shredded and compressed textiles, Tumble has a trademark flecked surface that makes each piece one-of-a-kind. Its organic look is further enhanced by a rounded wood base cutout reminiscent of the tumble-dry laundry symbol—an ode to the concept of recycled textiles. With its soft lines and curved form, KFI Studio’s Tumble is a refined take on environmentally-friendly design.

NeoCon 2025 Winners KFI Studios Tumble Tables
Photo: KFI Studios Tumble Tables

Cooee Spaces by Func.

GOLD AWARD / ACOUSTICS AND PRIVACY — In an office that’s re-embracing open spaces, things can get a little hectic. That’s where Cooee Spaces comes in. Cooee is all about defining spaces and curating new ones when you need them. Whether its breakout zones, meeting spaces or private workstations, Cooee can do it all. Their colorful and vibrant partitions elevate function and flexibility while bringing a playfulness to the space.

Bolete Armchair by Andreu World

SILVER AWARD / GUEST SEATING — Andreu World is once again a Silver Award winner in this year’s NeoCon event with their unique Bolete Armchair. Fluid and free-flowing, Bolete transforms any setting it inhabits. With its plush seat and pleated-patterned base combined with a 100% recycled thermopolymer shell, Bolete is a champion of modern and sustainable design.

NeoCon 2025 Winners in Review

Now that NeoCon has ended, we are seeing what the latest innovative solutions have to say about the future of the commercial design industry. Trends such as multi-use spaces, sustainability, and durability are still going strong, but others like inclusive design are being expanded to spaces that support emotional wellness. The 2025 theme, “Design Ahead,” signifies a forward-looking shift in perspective: present-day problems are going to be resolved with new solutions, not reused ones. NeoCon’s 2025 Winners are proof of that.

NeoCon 2025 Dates

NeoCon 2024 Registration: February 4
NeoCon 2024 Dates for Convention: June 9-11

Read Also: Highlights: This Year’s Outstanding NeoCon 2024 Winners
Main Photo: Global Open Spaces Furniture System
Resources & Special Thanks to Respective Product Manufacturers: DARRAN, Global Furniture Group, HÅG, KFI Studios, KI Studios & Koncept

Planning and Designing Distinct Office Spaces to Motivate Employees and Boost Productivity

Planning distinct office spaces in a corporate office environment can balance the need for stability while allowing for changes in scenery. This way, employees can work within their routines without letting the familiar patterns grow stale and stifling.

An office is a place to accomplish work and tasks by interacting with others. Having distinct work areas gives people the opportunity to find the best environment suited for them at specific moments.

The types of spaces needed to offer refreshing changes are centered around categories that are transferable from one industry to another:

  • An entrance or reception area
  • Individual places to focus (a workstation or desk)
  • Gathering spaces for highly structured meetings and informal meetings
  • Breakrooms

How those specific areas are planned, designed, and furnished depends on your company’s specific needs.

Look into the variety of office environments on the 2010 Office Inspirations page to browse space utilization, furnishings, and color schemes.

Let’s look at some different types so you can see what to adapt.

A Fast-Paced Entrepreneurial Office

Some office environments are fast-paced like public relations firms in Orange County working on deadlines or production studios in Burbank churning out the next show for Netflix, Amazon, or the networks.

Close collaboration is needed when ideas are tossed around like confetti at the Rose Parade.

A few workstations clustered together may work best in this environment. Accessories like whiteboards and bookcases can define boundaries around the space, especially in an open floor plan.

Working intensely hour after hour throughout the day can become counterproductive.

Provide an area to relax in and step away by using the best modular lounge furniture. The different distinct office spaces can be right next to each other but the way they’re arranged changes an employee’s expectations and mindset.

THE WORK SETTING

The workstations may be a simple open-plan benching solution like the ODS Artiv Open Plan Benching with privacy screens. It’s easy to have rapid-fire chatter and discussions happening while developing marketing campaigns or scripts.


Photo: DeskMakers Hover Height Adjustable Table

Or someone may want to stand and use a height-adjustable desk while a colleague may prefer sitting.


Photo: DeskMakers Narrative Meeting Table

Look into the compact DeskMakers Narrative Meeting Table which is great for charting ideas.

Where do you go when ideas don’t flow and more personal time is necessary?

THE LOUNGE SETTING

Create a lounge space where people can literally take off their shoes and put their feet up.


Photo: Encore Seating Clipse Lounge

Consider the Encore Clipse Lounge Seating arrangement with a timeless look.

You can provide different spaces that are adjacent by easily shifting focus from group interactions to an individualized focus.

An Established Professional Firm

The appearance and functionality of a legal firm, educational institution, or engineering company working on a contract in Southern California should convey trust and high degrees of expertise.

The atmosphere may not have a frenetic pace like a startup but the need for utilizing different spaces still exists, especially if clients stop in for meetings.

THE WORK SETTING

Look into the Private Executive Office for both individual focus and a small team meeting space.

Stylish cubicles can offer the privacy needed for going over documents with clients or partners.


Photo: HON Accelerate Workstation


Photo: Friant System 2 Workstation 

The HON Accelerate Workstation or the Friant System 2 Workstation are easily installed and can be configured to accommodate an individual or a few people.

Use architectural walls from Trendway for conference rooms so the space feels inviting and not closed off.

Choose conference tables that elicit discussion and allow attendees to remain focused.

THE LOUNGE SETTING

What’s the best plan for a lounge area in a more subdued office setting?

The Enwork Adventure Table fits well into the design of an office with a Modern Industrial theme. This could enhance the office look and functionality where it’s located in a place like the Arts District near downtown Los Angeles.

Use the Cherryman Emerald Conference table for a classic appearance.

How about lounges?


Photo: Krug Leyton Lounge Seating

The Krug Leyton Lounge Seating offers high-class comfort. Arrange the seating with indoor office plants and floor lamps for a sense of privacy without feeling closed in.

A lounge can also be a library with an assortment of hard copy publications, a flat screen monitor, and compact tables to enjoy discussions with coffee or over lunch.

Make It Work For You

The best design for your office setting is the type where employees can interact with each other while having a place for uninterrupted work time when needed.

Plenty of options exist to equip your space that supports your brand and your company’s goals. The team at 2010 Office Furniture is available to help you plan it well.

Rely on Expertise for Designing Distinct Office Spaces

Contact the team at 2010 Office Furniture for planning your space and equipping corporate offices and remote work locations like home offices.

Get input based on more than a half-century of combined experience working with clients who are among Southern California’s most distinguished corporations, universities, and small businesses.

Read Also: Office Design Layout Best Practices
Main Photo: Global Princeton Workstation
Resources & Special Thanks to Respective Product Manufacturers: DeskMaker, Encore Seating, Friant, Global, HON and Krug