As profiled here previously, in 2009 and 2010, Teknion, a Canadian office systems manufacturer, played a major role in the renovation of the Taproot Foundation‘s headquarters in San Francisco. Rounding out design work donated by HOK, Teknion donated freestanding furniture, task seating, lounge seating, and casegoods, previously displayed in its Chicago showroom for the annual NeoCon tradeshow. A newly-published case study from Teknion details their side of the story, but suffice to say, the Taproot Foundation was transformed into the kind of comfortable and inspiring space that a nonprofit of their caliber deserves.
Every year around this time, tens of thousands of people descend on the massive Merchandise Mart building in Chicago for NeoCon. The vast majority fall into two categories: designers and manufacturers, with the latter group showcasing their latest and greatest new office chairs, carpeting, lighting fixtures, and what is known as “contract furniture.” With better coordination, those manufacturers could furnish (or refurnish) every Chicago are nonprofit or social service agency, and then some, purely with the product they rotate out of their showrooms each year. We look forward to the day.
Click here to read Teknion’s case study on its work with the Taproot Foundation, or click here to learn more about the NeoCon design conference and tradeshow. Caption: Photo by David Wakely Photography.
