Experiences & Activations

Encouraging creative exploration through sight, sound, and touch, this year’s experiences and activations span large-scale installations, pop-up galleries, and unexpected moments of engagement throughout THE MART and beyond––outlined below. The full list is available at neocon.com/features/activations. 

Outside, the South Facade will light up nightly starting June 5 with Currents of Chicago, a special ART on THE MART projection created by Perkins&Will. A spectacular display of vibrant colors and patterns, Currents pays tribute to the visible and invisible forces shaping the city—from water and wind to data, infrastructure, and design. For those looking to unwind, the River Park, presented by Haworth, offers a scenic and social retreat along the Chicago Riverwalk, one of many ways to rest and connect during the show.

A dynamic intersection of global talent, culture, and commerce awaits on the first floor of THE MART. Attendees can experience a cheerful array of hues with the Gensler-designed pop-up by Project Color Corps, Design Creates Joy (Suite 101), which highlights the organization’s mission to foster equity and belonging through color-driven design. Just steps away, Sixtysix Magazine’s inaugural Paved States (Suite 121) curated gallery-meets-retail experience pays homage to Chicago’s brutalist architectural heritage. With remarkable works from rising talents Ia Kutateladze, Hanneke Lorens, Noam Atelier, Anna Stechschulte, Ian Cochran, Cody Norman, Dolly Fox, Lourenz Krassai, and more––the new space invites showgoers to meet the makers and shop artisanal and industrial pieces, from home goods and accessories, to fragrances, and more.  

On the third floor, Haworth’s Design Lab (Suite 339) spotlights sustainability, product innovation, and forward-thinking design, featuring work from designers pushing boundaries in materiality and form. Down the hall, the NeoCon Podcast Lounge powered by SURROUND (Suite 397) offers a front-row seat to live podcast recordings, exciting giveaways, and an opportunity to meet the hosts behind the industry’s most talked-about shows––sponsored by Material Bank, in partnership with HÅG, KI, Stylex, and Turf.

Located on the seventh floor, Material Intelligence: Destination NeoCon (Booth 7-5067),  takes attendees on a tactile journey into the latest cutting-edge materials, finishes, and components driving today’s top commercial projects—-complete with expert insights on durability, sustainability, and creative potential. Across the floor, the BIFMA Lounge (Booth 7-10030) invites visitors to meet the team behind the industry’s trusted standards and programs—from LEVEL® certification and the BIFMA Compliant registry to the newly revised ANSI/BIFMA testing standards and the new Source by BIFMA material database. Nearby, the Bright Day Café (Aisle 10000), sponsored by Spoonflower, presents a colorful, surrealist escape to  refuel in a joyful setting with bold patterns and daylight-inspired design. The Café Lounge by Armstrong Flooring™ (Center Pass-Through) blends rustic charm with thoughtful design, offering a relaxed setting for a coffee break and conversation.

Floor 10 provides a space to recharge and refocus during the show with the INDEAL Connection Hub (Suite 1086), featuring complimentary coffee, a daily happy hour, massage chairs, and touchdown workspaces available to all visitors. INDEAL members and partners enjoy added benefits, including access to bag check, personal lockers, and private meeting areas.

The industry’s top design voices will host spaces on floor 11 where visitors can connect, collaborate, and explore ideas together. Returning for another NeoCon, SANDOW’s DesignScene (Suite 1120) presents a lively mix of thought-provoking roundtables and curated activations spotlighting standout brands and emerging designers. Within the space, the Metropolis Sustainability Lab showcases the latest sustainable products and materials driving positive change for people and the planet. Down the hall, the ReWritten pop-up (Suite 1130) embraces circularity and re-tells stories of all that has been re-saved, re-used, re-crafted, re-finished, re-upholstered, and re-furbished with a collection of repurposed furnishings and materials. My Resource Library’s (MRL) Showroom (Suite 1191) allows guests to relax and browse innovative designs from MRL’s expansive network of students and manufacturers. Nearby, students from across the country will convene at the annual IIDA Student Design Charette (Suite 1147) to take on a surprise design challenge and pitch their solutions to an esteemed panel of judges in a high-energy, real-time design competition. Also on the 11th floor, the Ed Pavilion by INDEAL (Suite 1144) demonstrates how thoughtful design can support learning at every level with a mix of innovative solutions from leading educational manufacturers.

Throughout the building, this year’s sponsor spaces invite a sense of discovery. From Tucci’s enchanted Shade in Bloom installation at the Kinzie/Wells interior entrance, Haworth’s blue-lit fashion runway-inspired vignette in the South Lobby, to Calma’s special acoustic performances in the North Central Corridor and Turf’s DJ-led takeover of the frequented Freight 22 elevator in partnership with Elevator Music, each imaginative brand expression is designed to pique curiosity and energize the atmosphere inside THE MART. Visitors will also encounter KFI Studios’ pod-filled pop-up in the East Pass-Through, featuring clever concepts inspired by unique personas such as Flowmaster, Catalyst, Visionary, Botanist, and more.

Events

The energy at NeoCon 2025 extends well beyond the showroom floors, with a full slate of events and honored industry traditions that celebrate community and culture, outlined below and in the complete schedule available at neocon.com/features/events.

The pre-show festivities begin on Sunday, June 8, with INTERIOR DESIGN’s annual HiP Awards on The Grand Stair, setting the tone by recognizing some of the year’s most innovative people and products shaping the future of commercial interiors. The evening continues with IIDA’s Revel in Design at the Four Seasons Hotel, a black-tie affair uniting global design leaders for delectable dining, powerhouse networking, and the announcement of the 51st Annual Interior Design Competition and 32nd Annual Will Ching Design Competition winners.

The first day of the show, Monday, June 9, kicks off with the Best of NeoCon Awards, honoring excellence in commercial design across categories from seating and surfaces to emerging technologies. This prestigious competition, now in its 35th year, is judged on-site by a panel of top design professionals, facilities managers, and business media, and announced over breakfast. Hosted by Michelle Kool, Facility Planning Senior Specialist at Northwestern Mutual, and Mark Wilson, Global Design Editor at Fast Company, the ceremony also recognizes Business Impact Award recipients spotlighting smart solutions that drive organizational performance through smarter workflows, cost savings, space optimization, and other strategic outcomes. Capping off a day of hospitality across all of the show floors, Sixtysix Magazine will host a cocktail reception for Paved States, inviting visitors to experience the intersection of brutalist inspiration and contemporary design over drinks. Later in the evening, the buzz continues at Tree House (149 W. Kinzie St) for My Resource Library’s annual NeoCon AfterHours Party.

Amidst a jam-packed second day on Tuesday, June 10, attendees can enjoy a moment of zen on floors 6 and 14 during AFTERNOON OASIS—an immersive exploration of luxury showrooms paired with sound bath meditations and rejuvenating refreshments. That afternoon, the IIDA Student Design Charette Awards Ceremony (Suite 1147) offers an opportunity to celebrate the next generation of talent with a showcase of student work and a celebratory toast. The Happy Together Hour, the show’s annual open-air social, blends scenic views from River Park with complimentary cocktails and live music, providing a moment to connect with peers under the Chicago skyline. Closing out the night, the Designing a Better Chicago After Party at Secrist Beach, hosted by the Design Museum of Chicago, honors recipients of the Designing a Better Chicago Award—an impactful program presented by NeoCon and the Driehaus Foundation dedicated to improving lives through design and recognizing projects that uplift communities.

NeoCon’s final day, Wednesday, June 11, starts with the annual BIFMA Breakfast in the NeoCon Presentation Studio, a longstanding industry tradition where design leaders gather for networking and forward-thinking presentations. This year’s theme, “Bring Impossible Ideas to Life,” marries fresh perspectives with meaningful conversations. In the afternoon, the inaugural Best of NeoCon People’s Choice Awards—voted by NeoCon attendees throughout the week—will be revealed online, spotlighting the fan favorites that captured attention across the show. 

For the full schedule of events and experiences, visit NeoCon.com. For showroom, exhibitor, and general NeoCon news, images, and real-time information, follow NeoCon on: Instagram (@NeoCon_Shows), LinkedIn (@NeoCon-Shows), and Facebook  (@NeoConShows).