NeoCon extends its experience outside the Mart offering a welcome outdoor oasis within the city, with an experiential outdoor environment made of ECONYL® regenerated yarn.

Designed by Gensler Chicago and brought to life in collaboration with Forward Fruit Branded Environments, the NeoCon Plaza, the new outdoor amenity that marked the 2019 NeoCon edition,  offered visitors a place to connect, collaborate, relax, recharge and enjoy the outdoors, with breathtaking views of the Chicago River, Riverwalk, and Chicago cityscape.

Inspired by the idea of “The Urban Boardwalk”, the NeoCon Plaza provided a welcome outdoor oasis where guests found different sheltered and unsheltered spaces for work, meeting, rest and enjoy the outdoors throughout each day and evening at Neocon.
These Social Spaces were furnished by Haworth and Haworth Collection brands including Cassina, Cappellini, and JANUS et Cie. Attendees also enjoyed a wide range of gourmet food and drink options for breakfast through the evenings.

According to Todd Heiser, Managing Director and Principal of Gensler Chicago, “An effective workplace is critical, but it’s no longer enough. Employees want, and expect, an excellent experience at work, which means spaces with high levels of choice, variety, and balance. Adding an outdoor element is another step in the evolution of choice and it is with this philosophy that we approached the NeoCon Plaza.

The entire footprint of the outdoor environment featured carpets made with ECONYL® regenerated and regenerable nylon created from waste including fishing nets and old carpets. All the carpet tile has been designed and supplied by Interface, made with ECONYL® yarn.