(Chicago, Il - March 2019) Now in its 51st edition, NeoCon, the world’s leading platform for commercial design, continues to expand as the lines between various disciplines increasingly blur and synergies emerge. Held from June 10–12 at the Mart, the 2019 show will feature an increased focus on hospitality design through its educational programming, as well as the hundreds of exhibitor product launches that address the needs of the vertical market. Complemented by exciting off-site tours, NeoCon will be a great resource for designers and architects in the hospitality sector and beyond.

From international restaurants, hotels, and airport lounges, to nightclubs, the work of three of this year’s keynote speakers, Robin Standefer and Stephen Alesch of Roman & Williams Buildings and Interiors, and Ilse Crawford of Studioilse, demonstrates the depth, breadth, and reach of hospitality projects, as well as illustrates NeoCon's commitment to supporting the growing sector.

The show’s rich conference program explores everything from how the scope of hospitality projects has expanded beyond conventional boundaries, prompting designers to draw on fields like psychology and sociology, to how best to balance authenticity and relevance when tackling historic preservation of iconic hospitality properties.

On Monday, June 10th, Cheryl Durst, Hon. FIIDA, CEO and executive vice-president, International Interior Design Association, IIDA, will explore “What Clients Want: Essential Design Conversations (M107)” with Robin Klehr Avia, FIIDA, regional managing principal, Gensler and Neil Schneider, IIDA, design director, IA Interior Architects. The seminar will explore the challenges of designing today’s hospitality spaces and highlight key projects that exemplify what clients truly want.

A session on “Approaching Historic Preservation with Authenticity in Hospitality Design (T214)” will also be offered on Tuesday, presented by Lisa Haude, ASID, RID, NCIDQ, president, Paradigm Design Group. Haude will address the topic by speaking to her experience designing historic and iconic hospitality properties in the US, from the South in New Orleans and Florida, to the East Coast in Maine.

New off-site designer-led tours add a dynamic, experiential component to the programming and products at the 2019 edition. Some of Chicago’s latest and most innovative spaces are a part of NeoCon and IIDA’s Inside Design program. Tours include an insider look at TAO Chicago, led by the Rockwell Group team credited for designing the trendy restaurant and a guided tour of the Hotel Essex, led by The Gettys Group, the creative force behind the stunning hotel project. Details and registration for Inside Design tours will be available at the end of April.

The focus on hospitality is carried throughout the many innovative solutions on display at the show. Over 300 NeoCon exhibitors will offer hospitality-minded products, such as Sossego Design, whose Tereza chair was recently specified in the trendy new Bobby Hotel in Nashville, as well as Andreu World, whose Alya, Flex and Ronda designs can be found in the acclaimed Michelin-starred Dos Cielos restaurant in Madrid.

From textiles, flooring, seating and wallcoverings, to lighting, acoustical solutions, and indoor/outdoor products, there will be a comprehensive range of offerings from brands with solutions suitable for hospitality including ​Arper, Style Library, Bentley, BuzziSpace, Chilewich, Moore & Giles, Brentano, NappaTile, Sandler Seating, ​Diesco, Davis, Decca, ​Maya Romanoff, ​Martin Brattrud, CF Group, Brown Jordan, Humanscale, HBF​,​ Gabby (Summer Classics)​, Wolf-Gordon, ​Sunbrella Contract, and hundreds more on the 7th Floor Exhibit Hall and throughout the Mart.

NeoCon is open to trade, media, C-Suite executives and other industry-related professionals. Registration is available online at www.neocon.com. Expo: online registration by June 7th - free; On-site registration - $65. Keynote Presentations: free. CEU Seminars and Design Tours: online registration by June 7th - $65 each; onsite registration - $75 each.

NeoCon press registration is complimentary to credentialed media and also available online at www.neocon.com.

For showroom, exhibitor and general NeoCon news, images and real-time information, follow NeoCon Shows on the following: Facebook (@NeoConShows), Twitter (@NeoCon_Shows), and Instagram (@NeoCon_Shows).

About NeoCon
NeoCon is the world’s leading platform and most important event for the commercial interiors industry, held each year at The Mart in Chicago. Since launching in 1969, NeoCon has served as the annual gathering place for the commercial design world’s manufacturers, dealers, architects, designers, end-users, design organizations and media. The three-day event showcases game-changing products and services from both leading companies and emerging talent—providing unparalleled access to the latest and most innovative solutions. A robust educational program of keynote presentations and CEU sessions offers world-class expertise and insight about today’s most relevant topics as well as the future of commercial design. NeoCon is open to trade, media, C-Suite executives and other industry-related professionals. www.neocon.com

NeoCon® is a registered trademark of theMART, a Vornado Property.

About theMART
theMART (formerly The Merchandise Mart), located in the center of the sought-after River North submarket, is interwoven into the fabric of Chicago as an innovator in business, technology, culture, art, media and more. As the largest privately held commercial building in the United States, it is one of the world’s leading commercial buildings, wholesale design centers and the preeminent international business location in Chicago. Encompassing 4.2 million gross square feet, theMART spans two city blocks, rises 25 stories, and is visited by an average of 30,000 people each business day and nearly 10 million people annually. Offering continuous innovation and creativity from leading manufacturers and design forward showrooms, theMART serves as the home to Chicago's most creative and technologically innovative companies.

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