5.5.08 | Milan'’s premiere design museum, the Trienalle di Milano, states: to know Italian design, you have to understand Italy and vice versa. We are back from the 2008 Salone Internazionale del Mobile (Salone) to report on the latest in European design trends, and after spending days afoot in the exhibition halls, it became clear that I was due for a refresher course in Italian design (and Italian language, for that matter).

5.5.08 | Introduction
Most architects are faced with significant competition when they decide to compete for a large industrial facility design project; when the process includes both architects and design-build contractors this competition often becomes both more severe and more polarized. And neither the design firm nor the developer is often able to step out of their metaphor for industrial design quality.

5.5.08 | There’'s no doubt in anyone’s mind that Charles and Ray Eames left an astounding legacy to the world of design. From film to product design, this couple created timeless pieces that still resonate to fresh minds today. This year, IIDA Northern California chose to honor them at the 2008 Pioneers in Design event. Charles’ daughter Lucia Eames, and her daughter Llisa Demetrios came to the Four Seasons hotel in San Francisco to represent their family legacy, and to share with us many pictures of the couple and their house that had never before been made public.

5.5.08 | Project/product rapid prototyping and specification software we be an indispensable tool for manufacturer-dealer sales people and interior designers within the next five years. This software represents a great leap forward from the current dealer specification tools and now equips dealers and interior designers to collaborate to most effectively present to clients their project capabilities.

5.5.08 | The worlds of interior design and fashion travel in similar, but differing circles. Rarely do the two worlds collide with such force and grandeur as on the evening of the Emerging Green Builder’s Project Earth Day, an eco-friendly fashion show put on by the USGBC’s young professional contingent. Teknion positions itself right in the thick of things by hosting the event at its New York City showroom, a space that perfectly suits the event’s eco-minded theme as well as the stylishly chic crowd.

5.5.08 | As the industry quakes as the present economic difficulties recall the blood-letting earlier this decade, thoughts inevitably turn toward areas less struck by business cycles. Those include government work and, as if to create some silver lining the IIDA (International Interior Design Association (and Tandus are collaborating to produce a series of events in 2008 for government designers, and in particular members of IIDA’s Government Forum.

4.28.08| Kimball Office and chiropractors see eye-to-eye: alignment can be a good thing. In 2001 Kimball Office started developing its Select Dealer program, and this, of course corresponds to Kimball’'s expansion into a full-line contract furniture manufacturer, building – significantly –on its wood casegoods roots.

4.28.08 | Chuck Saylor had an idea for a little cute company using his granddaughter’'s nickname, also cute: izzy. (See officeinsight 05.07.07) izzy (formerly called izzydesign is now a brand name within this growing conglomerate). It was founded by Mr. Saylor in 2001 (nice timing), but even then he was shrewd and had a lofty vision.

4.28.08 | This year's Calibre Awards was a bit different and included a 20 year retrospective of all the worthy, proven partners on the design team. Calibre Awards were given in seven categories.

4.28.08 | In 1994, the Northridge earthquake caused such significant structural damage to the highly acclaimed UCLA Medical Center that the cost to repair the damage and retrofit the building was more than double the cost to replace it, so replace it they did. On March 7th 2008, the brand new Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, the most technologically advanced medical center in the world, held one of its first pre-openings: a tour led by Lynnette Tedder, Perkins + Will (founding member) and other members of the design team for AAHID (American Academy of Healthcare Interior Designers).

4.28. 08 | Spring in New York is more pleasant than many would envision, The smallest bud and a few rays of sunshine after a long winter mean so much more in this giant gray city than they do on the plains. And so it was on the evening of April 8^th the spirits were buoyed as we looked forward to the ELF, (Educational Legacy Fund) Ten Years of Giving annual Interior Design student scholarships.

4.21.08 | If you haven't been to the NYC Leaders Breakfast, it's worth the trip just to see everyone all suited up. But for the bright sunlight and gorgeous water views, it could have been a semi-formal cocktail party affair.

4.21.08 | There are generally two significant ways in which building design can impact occupants. The first area is the science of building performance; this describes the process of maximizing variables that influence occupants' perception of comfort such as acoustics, lighting, daylighting, temperature, and indoor air quality. Other variables that affect the perception of comfort in a more peripheral way include human factors and ergonomics

4.21.08 | During NeoCon 07, an alarm was sounded for the interior design profession. The warning was loud and clear: a serious decline in the pool of interior design educators was and is putting our profession in jeopardy. We realized we need to do something fast to continue fostering future generations of interior designers with the ever increasingly complex skill set demanded by our clients. The original Call to Action Dialogue at NeoCon 07 to address the declining pool of interior design educators, sponsored by Kimball Office, was well attended by interior design educators and practitioners. It became clear that the problem has many challenging and disparate components.

4.21.08 | A year ago, I had never heard of IFI- The International Federation of Interior Architects/ Designers but this august organization was formed when interior design was still in its infancy in the United States. IFI was founded in Denmark in 1963 to unite and provide discussion of interior design issues within a handful of European countries. Now, the organization has membership representing 52 member associations, institutions and schools in 45 countries on every continent and, through its membership associations, represents over 25,000 practicing interior designers worldwide. In the U.S., the American Society of Interior Designers is a full member, and several interior design schools are members. Shashi Caan, as an ASID member, is the president-elect of IFI.

4.14.08 | Teknion’'s new Boston showroom opened on April 4^th to a crowd of hundreds. The area’s A&D community came out in droves to welcome the company and all of its heavy hitters to celebrate the opening of the space.

4.14.08 | You don'’t have to be a designer to get excited by the variety and quality of Luna Textiles’ offerings. It used to be, and for many still is, the case that fabric is an afterthought. But who would design a fantastic interior without considering the aesthetic of color and texture? In that way, Luna, known as “the Armani of textiles,” is a designer’s dream.

4.14.08 | Imagine you were a state legislator and some folks asked you to pass a law making it a crime to give advice about paint colors and throw pillows without a license. Well, that‘'s pretty hard to imagine, but it’s how Clark Neily, Esq., of the ironically named Institute for Justice, a libertarian organization, began his opinion piece in the April 1, 2008 Wall Street Journal.

4.14.08 | As Modern architecture ages to a point where preservation is necessary, the methods and technology used in this preservation have to be carefully considered to maintain the design integrity of the building. Theodore H.M. Prudon’s (PhD, FAIA) Preservation Of Modern Architecture (published by Wiley) provides useful guidance, with many case studies, for the professional architect interested in a broad background in preservation as a field as well as specific material and technology issues in preservation.

4.14.08 | Benjamin Moore presented its annual HUE Awards on March 27 in New York City.This year’'s honorees competition winners were:

• STUDIOS Architecture, San Francisco, for Contract Interiors
• Donald Lococo Architects, Washington, DC, for Residential Exteriors.
• Danielle Bokor, of Bokor Consulting, Inc., Woodmere, NY, for Residential Interiors

4.14.08 | Last month, officeinsight went to the exhibition of the 2007 International Design Awards at the Museum of Design, Art, and Architecture in Culver City, CA. The International Design Awards is a new competition whose mission is to “recognize, celebrate and promote legendary design visionaries and to uncover emerging talent in architecture and interior, product, graphic and fashion design.” IDA was founded by the Farmani Group, the same minds that created the Lucie Awards for Photography.

4.7.08 | The HON Company, one of HNI Corporation’'s big financial engines and a mid-market furniture powerhouse, continues to be a treasure house of surprises. Generally, most people are aware of its operational superiority, but few know what that means and how that translates to worker attitude, and a variety of other essential corporate attitude.  Recently, I met with HON'’s Don Mead, Vice President of Marketing, Jim Cahill, Vice President of Systems and Mindy Billingsley, Environmental Marketing Manager, along with several of their colleagues, who offered an excellent overview of HON’'s “green” initiatives, as well as some candid observations on how to effectively communicate the company’s environmental story to its mid-market customers.

4.7.08 | French architect Jean Nouvel is all over the map – both literally, with projects on four continents, and in terms of his design as well. Maybe the diversity of his work is why Pritzker Prize jurors have been slower in recognizing the 62-year-old Nouvel, the 2008 winner, than several of his peers. Unlike, say, previous winners Frank Gehry or Richard Meier, Nouvel has no signature style.

4.7.08 | Knoll has formed a new high-end textile brand called Knoll Luxe. Designed by creative director Dorothy Cosonas, the line incorporates the modern, minimalist style of Florence Knoll, who started the industry's first commercial textile program in 1947.

4.7.08 | HBF and HBF Textiles hosted Pratt Institute Department of Interior Design Career Night last week in its New York City showroom. It was the events fifth year and 80 or so attendees included Pratt students and faculty, design professionals and special guest Dr. Tom Schutte, President of Pratt Institute.

4.7.08 | Late Friday. I was sorting through the email. Invitation; a fundraiser. I reached for the delete button. But paused . . . DIFFA (Design Industry Foundation Fighting AIDS). Dining by Design; food. Allsteel and HOK hosting. (Hmm.) $800 a head. Was I worth it? Hardly, but O.K., I’ll go.