He brings a wealth of contract furniture experience from the dealer perspective which he gained while serving as Vice President of Operations for a major Southern Californian dealership, .

Daniel specializes in business development, especially in finding and maintaining major corporate and key local accounts.

” Being part of Inscape is a great opportunity to make a difference in the Southern California marketplace, not only for Inscape but also for our dealer network.

Inscape has a great product offering that delivers value along with a great aesthetic for well designed environments.

I look forward to developing new client relationships, as well as working with our dealers.  In developing stronger client relationships, I will be liaising with all those involved in the many aspects of this industry such as architects, designers, real estate brokers and construction professionals.

As Inscape continues to innovate and refine products we’re  also making a serious investment,  not only in Southern California, but throughout the country to increase our presence and product awareness.

It’s an exciting opportunity and a great time to be a part of this dynamic organization.  I look forward to growing our market share here in Southern California.”

Welcome to the West Coast Inscape team, Daniel!

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

Whether you enjoy a traditional decor with lots of rich wood tones or an ultra modern metallic look, you can put together the perfect combination of surfaces from the Inscape collection.

Perforated tile                            Screened tile                         Circular punched tile

For instance, the tiles featured above demonstrate clearly the different, and very contemporary looks possible using different types of perforations in the surfaces.,

while these surfaces demonstrate the different effects possible with debossing, embossing, and custom logo cut outs.

In the example below, glazing options add further interest to the office furnishing design:

Sliding glazed tile                       Double glazed tile                      Add on glazing

Glazed inserts provide a sophisticated aesthetic enhancement. Both single, double and add-on glazing inserts are available in tempered glass, clear and frosted acrylic.

Not only are there a myriad of surface finish options, but there are also a myriad of work surface shapes and sizes.  They are 1 ¼” or 1” thick and available in Solid or Woodgrain Nuform finishes. The Nuform top is a thermo-formable polymer based sheet continuously bonded to an MDF substrate. This sheet is surface coated with a scratch resistant film. Top and edge are on continuous surface with no edge seam.  Nuform worksurfaces are offered with two edge details, the straight edge and the tapered edge.

Straight Edge                              Tapered Edge

With this many options, the only difficulty you’ll face will be deciding which you like most!

For help with this and all other office furniture system questions, your best solution is to give me a call or email me.

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

One of these things is the superb design of furniture and finishings. While there are some delightful office buildings from yesteryear, for the most part, office furnishing were pretty chunky, clunky and …. frankly, quite ugly.

Today’s offices by contrast have access to such a wide variety of styles, finishings and even colors that it’s possible to not only create a space that looks wonderful, but one that also reflects your personality – whether that be corporate or personal.

For instance, aesthetic appearance is an integral part of Inscape’s  Platform system, available in a variety of surface materials including carded and COM fabrics, 60 standard, 20 textured and 2500 pre-formulated paint colors, Nuform, laminate, composite/natural veneer, glass or acrylic. Multiple tile finishes, fine edge details and superior fit and finish – Platform is designed to complement a range of aesthetic options.

Monolithic and segmented tiles can be finished with wood Nuform, fabric, metal, glass or whatever options suit your particular style and requirements.

In part two of this post, we’ll go into a little more detail on specific finishes available.

- from the small yellow sticky note you use to flag things to the report you can read easier when it’s printed to the multiple presentation copies you have to distribute at the next meeting.

Of course, you need somewhere to put all that ’stuff’ so that you can be productive and stress free.  There’s nothing like having somewhere to put all those important things so that you can find them quickly and easily when you need them.

When you really scratch the surface, you’ll find that there’s nothing closer to our hearts than storage. After all, it’s our heritage.  It’s where we began and now, many decades later, we still believe that storage is one of the most important furniture system considerations.

You can have the prettiest office ever.  You can even have that coveted corner window.  But if you don’t have storage, your space will look a mess no matter how organized you try to be.

Of course, you may be occupying (or designing) the smallest cubicle area in the company, but hey, it simply won’t work without storage.  I mean you don’t really want to be moving piles of files every time you move your chair, do you?

Well, if you’re as convinced about the necessity of thoughtful and practical storage as we are, we think you might appreciate some this:

Call us obsessive, but we have:

42 case heights

• Our lateral files and hinged door cabinets come in 42 standard heights, in 1½” increments from 18” to 80”, and in 3 widths: 30”, 36” and 42”.
• 1½” modularity gives you maximum flexibility. Any combination of drawers, lift-up doors, hinged doors or inserts is possible. Interiors are fully retrofitable and field changeable.
• You can match up heights to any systems panel or architectural detail without adding special bases or fillers.

10 drawer heights in 1½” increments, from 3” to 16½”

Select the ideal drawer height and width for storing any media. For example, 7½” drawers instead of 9” for CD ROMs, 10½” drawers instead of 12” for suspended Pendaflex and 13½” lift-up drawers with fixed shelves instead of 15” for 3-ring binder storage. By accumulating this saved 1½” over several drawers, an additional drawer can usually be added.

We think that you’ll be able to find the perfect storage combination for just about any kind of space.  We’ve done our best to give you enough options to consider.  In fact, you might have so many options that you just can’t decide. After all, Inscape offers more storage options than any other manufacturer.   If you find yourself unable to reach a decision about which of our options you prefer, just email me or call.  I’ll be happy to help you analyze exactly what will work best.

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

Using a small set of components it can virtually morph to suit any application  you may need – whether it’s a single desk or a benching situation, conference area or touch down base.

Obviously the judges from Design Journal and the A&D community  thought it was a little out of the ordinary, which is why they recently awarded it the coveted Gold ADEX award.

ADEX stands for Awards for Design Excellence and is the largest and most prestigious awards program for product design of furniture, fixtures and finishes marketed to the design trade. Design Journal, the international trade publication for interior designers, architects and facility managers is the proud sponsor of the ADEX Awards. Design Journal as a way of recognizing superior product design introduced the Awards for Design Excellence (ADEX) in 1994. Response from manufacturers was immediate as over 100 companies participated in the inaugural event.

An anonymous panel of professionals representing a cross section of the design industry conducts all voting for the ADEX Awards. ADEX judges are among the ablest in their respective areas of expertise and so the ADEX Award represents the best product designs of the year in the opinion of those who themselves reside at the top of their specialty. Specifiers who specialize in office design judge the contract entries, lighting specialists judge lighting, flooring specifiers judge flooring and so on.

Each category has potential for three award levels of platinum, gold or silver. Judges award points in several categories for each entry. Total points earned determine each product’s score. Minimum scores are needed to qualify for awards. Winners are published each April in Design Journal.

Tisch has also won the GOOD DESIGN Award.

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

Tisch: European design, North American interpretation!

Tisch may be an award winning European design, but it certainly has a North American perspective:  this table based system is all about communication.

Communication, collaboration and co-operation is what we’re all about on this side of the ocean – we know that if two heads are better than one, then a team is better than an individual when it comes to creating innovative solutions on a budget and in a hurry!

Tisch shines in those situations where you really need to pull together as a group, then be able to split up to do your thing.  It can migrate from a single desk to a benching application, to a casegood system or a conference table.

In other words, it’s just like you. A great multi-tasker!

And, if you need something more traditional, Tisch can also adapt for hotelling and more traditional applications.

All your cables, power, voice and data are taken care of with a sleek management system that provides fast and easy access.  Accessory rails, organizer units, screens, filing trays and shelves help users to work more efficiently.

Award winning Tisch is manufactured and marketed by Inscape under license from Bene, an Austrian-based company renowned for their innovative products and outstanding design.

Tisch’s European styling with North American business in mind,  gives you a system that you can rely on for trouble free support for years to come.

You have questions?  Well, as the saying goes, “I have answers!”

Give me a call or email me!

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

Essentially, the backbone of the Storwal system are the base and stack modules which can be configured to create a unique space specifically designed to provide all the things you look for in a great work environment: looks, streamlined power and data management, maximized space and, of course, plenty of practical storage.

The advantage of the Storwal modules is that the storage units and drawers are  available in custom sizes in increments of 1.5″.

You’d think that with a modular approach, you’d be stuck with a static, ‘blocky’ kind of look.  Nothing could be further from the truth.

The base module can be customized by combining different drawers, shelves and doors.  You can choose open or closed storage – or both.  When it comes to the doors, you can choose from any combination of hinged, sliding or tambour.  Voila!  Already, you’re making this space completely your own with a unique look and style!

But, why stop there?

Next, decide which of our three drawer widths you prefer. All are 18” deep, so whatever you choose, you’ll always have plenty of space for all your things! And with Storwal’s electrical, voice, power and data management zone already built in you won’t have to worry about unsightly wires cluttering up your space either.

You’ll probably want to incorporate some stack units, and just like the base units, these are configurable with the different door options and in different heights.  You add the amount of shelving you need and now you have a work space that’s just perfect to support your productive work day!

Now wasn’t that easy?!

Get more information by calling or emailing me!

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