NeoCon 2026 showcased a clear trend in workplace design: a stronger focus on tactile and sensory engagement through furniture that invites physical interaction. Exhibitors introduced pieces intended to boost employee engagement by making the workspace more immersive.
The Pohm lounge chair from Division Twelve represents the company’s first venture into soft seating, with design contributions from Nicole Marion of Studio Marion. Drawing inspiration from the French word for apple (pomme), the chair combines a welcoming shape with a bent-metal frame and dual cushions. Its most distinctive feature is the wooden sphere at each armrest, serving as a tactile rest meant to ease tension. The chair comes in 20 standard powder-coated finishes and over 200 RAL colors, maintaining the brand’s warm, familiar and inviting identity.
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Acoustics specialist Turf transformed its showroom under the concept NeoRetroFutureOptimism, merging 1990s and 2000s aesthetics with an optimistic view of the future. The exhibit split into two contrasting pathways: one quiet and moody, and one bright and energetic. A highlight was the Control Room, styled as a retrofuturistic audio command centre. It featured acoustic wall treatments embedded with specialized technology and colour-blocked lighting that allowed designers to master sound attenuation in real life.
Three H’s Aster collection, created by Thom Fougere, follows this direction. Named for the resilient Aster flower, the pieces, a coat rack, a serving cart, an office butler and a portable environment (a large circular planter on casters, not shown), have an almost rugged tactility; with handling, their sandblasted aluminum material will acquire a patina over time. The lightweight construction and purity of form mean the items are easy to move to where they’re needed, adding character rather than defining a space.
