NeoCon is one of the key building product industry trade shows in the United States. When Muraflex, a provider of comprehensive demountable glass partition solutions, leased their showroom space they had less than 13 weeks until NeoCon opened. They needed a high-impact design that could draw crowds, while also doubling as a working showroom for the remaining 360 days. The design team went to work immediately to determine what drivers would shape the project, holding a focused two-day charrette with Muraflex at their Montreal headquarters. The charrette resulted in a shared vision for the project, one that highlighted their range of products in a unified aesthetic which reflected both the “wow factor” of Muraflex’s creative approach and the functionality of an office setting.
The showroom’s design meets these goals by situating Muraflex’s products within a workplace context. Visitors are introduced to the space by a creatively situated product: red glass surrounding an informal meeting room, which draws visual attention while also establishing a sense of privacy for client discussions held within. A gallery of rooms circles around a central social space, each designed to feature a Muraflex product in its appropriate workplace context. This space leads to a bistro/bar area that draws together the different textural elements on display in the showroom and incorporates a wall of artwork is thematically focused on the different Muraflex product components.
The Showroom acts as both an artistic gallery and a working office, bridging the dual goals of high design and practical function. It embodies Muraflex’s design sensibilities and provides a platform to support them to build new client relationships.
