In this issue… major workplace brands and manufacturers made big moves, including Haworth’s record $2.7B year and expanded Canadian footprint via Tayco, a Stacy Garcia hospitality furnishings partnership, and West Elm’s launch of West Elm Office, alongside heavy attention on HNI’s Steelcase acquisition and Interface’s record 2025 results. Market signals pointed to shifting real estate and services demand, with European leasing projected to rise, U.K. development skewing toward refurbishments, Philadelphia occupancy sliding, and Office Movers Express expanding through acquisitions. Features explored how design shapes culture and social health, from “Industry”’s hostile offices and SOM’s total-design legacy to POPS, presence and proximity, and what employees value in and around the office, plus Starbucks’ new cups and lounge chair. Workspace news debated AI’s impact on jobs, fairness gaps in male-coded office design, hybrid workers’ pay premium, and London’s growing managed-office cost spread. Design coverage highlighted healthier materials for labs and healthcare, a more human-centered view of office ecosystems, WeWork’s pared-back new aesthetic, and sports-venue lessons for workplace experience. Products spotlighted new wall systems, acoustic tiles, tables, textiles, wallcoverings, power hubs, veneer options, architectural pergolas, hospitality flooring, and expanded lounge/bench collections.
