This week’s NeoCon 2014 gold winners demonstrate a firm grasp on the concept of shared spaces. It’s all about the lounge and the conference room. Whether employees are gathering for a mandatory meeting or voluntary collaboration, they should be served with the best furniture.

Lounge Furniture

It’s a bench. No, it’s a worktable. Or is it both? With the Triscape Collection by Todd Bracher (courtesy of HBF), you don’t have to choose. The top of this piece of furniture can be specified in four different ways:

• Solid worksurface
• All upholstered
• Solid with a small, circular padded seat
• Padded with a small, circular worksurface

Mix and match for casual workspaces that offer space for teamwork or a touchdown spot for tablet users. The surface materials are varied, and provide measurable sound absorption to keep down the din.

The softened triangular shape of the Triscape bench/table makes it fun to arrange. It definitely looks more organic than the traditional rectangular bench or table. And it’s more space-efficient than circular tables. The triangles can be clustered in loose tessellations to create an organic, inviting space. Add poufs throughout for additional seating that’s highly mobile. Contrast topstitching can be specified to add visual interest.

Conference Seating

Andreu World won recognition at NeoCon for one of its many Flex chairs. This particular version (the “Corporate”) is the luxury model designed for extended use in shared spaces. The shell is completely upholstered for comfort and visual appeal—with a wide range of colors available. It’s not a full-on task chair, designed for 5+ hours a day of seated support. But it should allow users at a meeting to focus on the topic at hand rather than the discomfort caused by a poorly designed conference room chair.

• The seat is extra wide to accommodate large or restless users
• The backrest is high to support good posture as well as relaxation
• The padding is thicker to ensure the seat remains inviting even after extended use
• The cross seams on the upholstery make these chairs stand out

Flex Corporate is available in a traditional tubular leg configuration, a 4-star base with self-return, and a 5-star base with extra height.

There’s more NeoCon 2014 gold still to come. Visit again next week for a continued tour…