Inscape is pleased to welcome Constance Foster to our West Coast team as our A&D Market Manager.

Constance will be responsible for looking after our clients in the Architectural and Design disciplines, as well as the Commercial Real Estate and Project Management fields in Southern California.

Constance brings considerable experience in the contract furniture industry and is well versed in the Southern Californian market.  Her management experience includes oversight and support of 32 dealer offices.  Her education at UCLA focused on Interior and Environmental Design.

” Being part of Inscape with its beautifully precision engineered products that emphasize compatibility, adaptability and integration gives me the platform in which to help lead the development of creative and innovative solutions.

I look forward to nurturing our current client relationships and will also focus on developing new business relationships with various influencers.  I will be strongly covering  our A&D community, and working with Commercial Real Estate Brokers and Construction Contractors.”

Constance believes that her energetic presence in the market and her involvement in building awareness of the Inscape brand will help drive many new opportunities for dealer partners.

“I bring my experience, energy and a dedication to grow our presence here in  Southern California,” she says, “I am thrilled to be part of the team and look forward to this very exciting time with Inscape.”

Welcome to the team, Constance!

Michael Ackelbein
V.P. Sales (Western)
mackelbein@inscapesolutions.com
415.710.8024

What is design? When it comes to designing spaces, you may get different answers depending to whom you talk.

In the A&D community, design is more than style.  It’s about creating an environment that engenders specific responses.

A recent round table discussion* involving members of the A&D community, focused on the education of those entering the design field.  A general consensus appeared to be that the emphasis is on imparting skills rather than on true creative thought and problem solving.

Designing any space should be about the way that space impacts those who’ll use it. One of the round table participants commented,

“It occurs to me now that I never had a single design professor who told me that that was the real stuff of design. All those things they were teaching me – volumetric
interiors modulation, space, light, color – are just the tools. The human factor as- pects are what really matter, and that’s something that they completely failed to mention.”

The human factor has always been of primary importance to the Inscape design team. A priority is creating furniture systems and equipment that aren’t simply functional, but also take into account the psyche and physical requirements of the people who will use them.

What good is the most sophisticated looking furniture if it’s uncomfortable to use.  What good is a pretty space that doesn’t work around the way you work…

The human factor is undeniably the most important aspect of design.  Design should not be about winning awards – though of course, that’s always pleasant.  It should be about enhancing and facilitating life activities.  Design should be created around us, not the other way around.

It’s an obvious and basic truth to which Inscape always has and always will subscribe.

Michael Ackelbein
V.P. Sales (Western)
mackelbein@inscapesolutions.com
415.710.8024

*Office Insight 042610

Whatever your views on that may be, we do know that there is always growth for those who expect it and go after it.  It may not be easy.  it may not be quick.  But, as history has demonstrated time and time again, there are always those who thrive no matter the external circumstances.

Still, it’s encouraging to hear when the pundits pronounce improvement, and the latest improvement we’re hearing about is the A.B.I. (Architectural Billings Index) which is seeing the highest reading since March 2008.

The A.B.I is a leading economic indicator of construction activity, and it does have about a nine to twelve month lag between architectural billings and actual construction spending.  It’s still a good indicator that things are picking up.  The score was 46.1 in March,  up 2 points from February.  A score under 50 shows a decline in the demand for design services, while a score over 50 shows an increase in architectural billings.

But, the good news is that the score is up and that the new project inquiry index is at 58.1, so this could mean that we’ll be seeing the A.B.I rising further in the near future.

More information about the A.B.I. is available here.

Michael Ackelbein
V.P. Sales (Western)
mackelbein@inscapesolutions.com
415.710.8024

Ackelbein has been responsible for Washington, Oregon and California since his appointment by Inscape as Regional Vice President on the West Coast.

He will now assume responsibility for Utah, Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Texas.

Dunlop says, “Michael has over twenty years experience in the North American office furniture industry. His extensive background of working in dealerships has him well positioned to execute our critically important initiatives in his expanded territory.”

“I am looking forward to this new challenge and anticipate a steady rise in the visibility of Inscape as an environmentally conscious manufacturer of quality office systems throughout these states,” says Ackelbein.  “Inscape product is especially popular with the A&D community because of it’s aesthetics, flexibility and price point.  We will be working hard to enhance our already good relationships in this area.”

Ackelbein can be contacted as follows:

email: mackelbein@inscapesolutions.com
telephone: 415.710.8024

We’ve taken a stand.  It’s a stand based on the need to be responsible today to ensure a good future for ourselves and for posterity.  We’ve heard it said that many of today’s goods have a built in obsolescence.  Inscape’s products are created with the exact opposite: future proofing is what we call it.

Our official statement on the matter is: “Environmental accountability is at the forefront of Inscape’s corporate mandate. We are committed to sustainability by means of avoiding landfill dumping, decreasing our carbon footprint, increasing renewable inputs and designing products with longer lifecycles. By organizing our environmental program around five specific areas we are committed to ensuring success today, tomorrow and for a long time to come.”

The practical outworking of this philosophy covers 5 major areas of concern:

1. Energy
2. Atmosphere
3. Recycling
4. Technology
5. H2O

We’ve developed policies, efficiencies and measures in each of these areas to ensure that we not only practice our philosophy today, but we’re continually looking for new and better ways to protect the environment we share.

You can read more detail about these policies and measures here.  If you have any questions, or suggestions, or comments, please feel free to comment on the blog or call or email me.

Michael Ackelbein
V.P. Sales (Western)
mackelbein@inscapesolutions.com
415.710.8024

Reviewing some of the posts that have appeared on this blog, I’m pleasantly reminded of just how much Inscape does walk the talk.  Sometimes, we get a little blase about the very things that really set us apart – although they’re really the foundation on which we stand.

Sustainability is probably one of those things.  Creating office systems that provide work environments that support the humans who use them is always key.  But, when you examine  systems such as Planna, Tisch, Scala, Platform and Architectural Interiors, to name just a few, it becomes obvious that sustainability is a fundamental philosophy from initial concept right through to the installation.

In fact, Inscape has actually documented this philosophy product by product with details of what we term the 4 P’s of Sustainability: Processing, Procurement, Production and Packaging.

The  attention to each of these aspects is no simple feat. It requires a complete and future thinking commitment to the concept of protecting the environment and demonstrating responsible stewardship of resources.

For instance, we’ve discussed many of the attractions the Storwal system offers you as a user or designer. But take a look at some of the behind the scenes sustainability measures employed during the process of manufacturing and delivering the finished product – I think you’ll be quite impressed.  I know I was impressed all over again when I began thinking about it!

Storwal’s sustainability cycle:

Processing:

• 43% pre & post consumer material
• Scrap metal recycled off-site
• Powder paint reclaimed on-site
• Waste water is recycled off-site
• Certain textiles sent as technical & biological nutrients to other manufacturing processes
• Meets BIFMA X7.1 standards for low-emitting office furniture and is GREENGUARD Certified

Procurement:

• 100% recyclable steel
• 100% pre-consumer MDF
• FSC certified wood
• Recyclable Fabrics

Production:

• Paint line energy conservation
• Paint emits negligible VOC’s
• Chemical free fabrics
• Adhesives emit negligible VOC’s

Packaging:

• Up to 100% cardboard is made from recycled content
• Honeycomb packaging is biodegradable
• Printing ink is water soluble
• 100% recyclable stretch wrap

Interesting, don’t you think?  There’s definitely a lot more to Inscape’s products than a pretty face… not that I’m minimizing the importance of aesthetics!

If you’re planning an office space and are thinking about how to incorporate environmentally responsible systems, or if you’re working towards LEED certification, I’d be happy to discuss the various affordable, aesthetically pleasing and practical options we can offer.

Michael Ackelbein
V.P. Sales (Western)
mackelbein@inscapesolutions.com
415.710.8024

Our new ‘Dealer Support Plan’ offers a greater level of service to our valuable dealer network.

We will be appointing not one Support Representative, but two:

1. Our Dealer Support Representative will be responsible for working closely with our dealer partners providing training and sales call support as well as assisting dealers in any way possible.
   
2. Our Architect & Design Market expert will proactively liaise with members in the design industry in order to proactively drive enquiries and sales to dealers.

We look forward to introducing you to these highly experienced and goal oriented additions to our team in the near future.

Michael Ackelbein
V.P. Sales (Western)
mackelbein@inscapesolutions.com
415.710.8024

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During the initial installation,  the two areas required the manufacture and installation of approximately 6,500 linear feet of Smart Wall and 400 Utility Chase cabinets.

In addition to the Smart Wall we have also installed approximately 4,000 linear feet of Academic Wall and 300 door frame units. By completion of Phase I and II, an additional 1,800 linear feet of Smart Wall, 150 Utility Chases and approximately 3,000 linear feet will have been  manufactured and installed.

At the end our first 12 months of the Pentagon project we manufactured, delivered and installed approximately 15,000 linear feet of walls. This may seem like an enormous amount of material but it only comprised 1/3 of the 1st Wedge… with 3 more wedges to go!

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The Pentagon
The Pentagon is one of the world’s largest and most recognizable office buildings and can boast the following statistics;

• Total Land Area – 583 acres ? Access highways -30 miles ? Parking Area -67 acres

• Capacity 8,770 vehicles ? Gross Floor Area – 6,636,360 square feet ? Total length of corridors -

17.5 miles

The Pentagon is composed of five concentric pentagonal rings connected by ten radial corridors. Each of its outer walls is 921.6 feet long. The building covers 29 acres, the largest ground area of any office building in the world.

A five-acre pentagonal courtyard is located in the building’s center. The building and its central courtyard cover 34 acres. There are 17.5 miles of corridors in the building. The structure is three times the size of the Empire State Building. The building rests on 41,492 concrete piles, the combined length of which would stretch 200 miles.

The five concentric pentagonal rings are separated by interior courts which serve as light wells. This design feature increases the number of windows allowing natural light. Each ring has five stories. The Mall and River sides of the building have a Basement area which includes a partial Mezzanine.

The History
The Pentagon was built during World War II. The original construction took only 16 months.    At the peak of construction 15,000 men worked in three, 5,000 man shifts work around the clock. Since its construction some 50 years ago, the building has never undergone a major renovation. Obviously all of the building systems are in need of modernization and thus the Pentagon Renovation (PenRen) was born.

The Renovation
The renovation of Wedges 2-5 was a phased design/build project involving 4 million square feet of occupied space in the Pentagon. The project brought all remaining un-renovated areas of the building into compliance with modern building, safety,    ADA and fire codes.

Work included removal of all hazardous materials, replacement of all building systems, addition of new elevators and escalators to improve vertical circulation, and installation of new security and telecommunications systems. Renovated spaces will be modern, efficient, and flexible. The design-build project, which began September 2001, was  on an accelerated schedule with a completion goals of December 2010, four years sooner than originally plan

What is “design-build?”
Design-build is a construction contracting approach adopted by the Pentagon Renovation Program that allows design and construction to operate as a single entity under one contract. This is in contrast to the standard government contracting approach of design- bid-build which often results in conflict between the design, construction contractor and the owner.

Installation of Smart Wall

What is Smart Wall?
Smart Wall is the back bone of the Pentagon’s “Universal Space Plan” USP system. The concept of the USP is to build a framework of building features and systems which will accommodate internal configuration and future reconfiguration. Division of space can be reconfigured with minimal downtime and virtually no reconfiguration of building systems, such as data, electrical and communication wiring.

Authored by Karen Sanders Project Manager.
Smart Wall creating a conference room

Dunlop notes that the government in Saudi Arabia is investing heavily in the region’s infrastructure, “The scope of investment is incredible.”

Dunlop goes on to say, “The Saudis are truly planning for the future by looking at the necessary investments to ensure a first class education for their citizens.  They are also focusing on the building of strong financial institutions.”

During the visit, Dunlop and Ackelbein met with three ministry leaders and worked closely with a major Saudi corporation who control 21 business organizations and are involved in high quality office furniture.

Their visit was warmly received and Dunlop believes that as a corporation, Inscape is well positioned to participate in the tremendous opportunities in this region of the Middle East.

“Inscape, in many ways, is a perfect partner for organizations in Saudi Arabia,” says Dunlop, “We’re looking forward to working with our new friends and business partners in Riyadh.  We’ll be back there again in the very near futuer.”