Cutting-Edge Interiors Symposium

In addition to the specific workshops within this symposium, Build Boston's three-day conference schedule includes workshops on marketing, networking, mediation, negotiation, presentation techniques and leadership that may appeal to professionals practicing in the interior design market.

Technical workshops that cover ceilings, doors, hardware, acoustics, glass, accessibility and lighting and morning tours of two modern homes (TB3), the Stata Center (TA3), Alvar Aaltos Baker House (TA6) and more may also be of interest.

Below you will find the listings for the specific Cutting-Edge Interiors Symposium as well as other workshops that may be of interest.

Cutting-Edge Interiors Symposium

Wednesday, November 19

Best practices, innovative materials, and design trends interiors are highlighted in this day-long symposium.

A08 Codes, design and door hardware
8:30 am–10:00 am

Demands on door hardware range from aesthetics to functional performance to security and safety. This session presents what you need to know about hardware from an architect's point of view, from design through construction. Topics include: options in performance levels; assessing your owner's security requirements; recent changes to codes in the New England region; how to specify hardware yourself or how to work best with a hardware consultant; and what to look for when reviewing hardware submittals during construction.

A28 Environmental choices for wood doors
10:30 am–noon

Are you clear about the real environmental options for wood doors? Do you know the difference between FSC certification and the USGBC LEED credit for certified wood? How do wood doors help you achieve the USGBC credits for regional materials, recycled content, and no-added urea formaldehyde? When you add into the equation current life-safety issues, such as fire door compartmentalization and sprinklers, wood doors as an option for fire doors in stair towers, wood door core construction and veneer options, it’s clear there's a lot to learn. This session gets you quickly up-to-speed on the complexities of selecting and specifying wood doors.

A45 Selecting acoustical ceilings
1:00 pm–2:30 pm

There's a revolution in choices for commercial acoustical ceilings – canopies, clouds, curves, translucents, metal, wood, mineral fiber, and Fiberglas. Add in the requirements for sustainable design, seismic design, fire-ratings, priorities and make cost-effective, green, and functional choices for your projects. A quick overview of their visualization and CAD/BIM tools is included.

A65 High-performance drywall systems
3:30 pm–5:00 pm

Gypsum wallboard, mold, water, abuse and fire-resistant panels, tile backer boards, flexible gypsum panels, veneer plaster, finish plaster for walls, ceilings...add in requirements for sustainable design, seismic restraint, fire-ratings, recycled content and recycling and product selection, and the result can be dizzying! This session presents the best ways to get both high-performance and high-design from your partition systems as you design with drywall for every project. Learn which products are best for which applications and how to evaluate cost versus performance criteria.

The package cost for the symposium is $260 if you register before October 24 and $300 if you register after that date (this is a significant savings over the individual workshop costs). However, you may choose to register for one or more individual sessions by selecting the individual workshops in the a la carte section of the online registration site or under section 3 on the paper registration form.

Additional Interiors Workshops

A11 Modular office interiors: separating myth from reality
The use of raised flooring and operable or demountable wall structures in office renovations or new construction has been gaining momentum as design professionals, owners, and property managers begin to recognize the advantages, which include saving money, improving air quality, and increasing adaptability and accessibility. However, many misconceptions about these techniques remain. This session addresses the myths and realities of a few of the key architectural modular elements, including raised access floors and moveable walls. Using real-world case studies, we address and debunk three key myths – prohibitive costs, unproven strategy, and poor acoustics.

A26 Who hid the Great Hall? Wayfinding challenges of historic buildings
Take the Massachusetts State House, first built in 1798 and with later additions, fast forward to 2008 realities, mix in the diverse needs of tourists, legislators, and lobbyists, and you have a building complex that is ripe for getting lost. However, in an effort by the Massachusetts Division of Capital Asset Management to make the State House more accessible, the Massachusetts Bureau of State Office Buildings hired wayfinding experts and devised a plan to turn the notorious maze of the State House into a place people of all abilities could navigate. In this workshop, led by a panel of professionals who commissioned, undertook, and now live with the outcomes of this project, we discuss the ongoing joys and challenges of planning and managing wayfinding systems for today’s public buildings.

A73 Integrated green--retail case study
Sponsored by: the BSA’s Women In Design Network In spring of 2008, W/S Development broke ground on a 600,000-sf life-style center in Dedham, Massachusetts. Among the dozens of tenants are Whole Foods Market and LL Bean, known leaders in fitting-out sustainable stores. The project was marked by the collaborative process of a unique team of developer, tenants, architects, contractor, and consultants who worked together to achieve the common goal of building a sustainable and profitable place to shop. Learn what each party’s goals are in creating a sustainable retail project and how to implement a process that brings all members of the team together to begin working as a group.

Wednesday, November 19

B42 The first LEED-rated house in Rhode Island - a case study
We examine and review the first LEED-rated house built in Rhode Island under the USGBC for Homes program. We chronicle the steps involved in the process, from beginning to completion, for the house’s achievement of a LEED rating. We also describe design solutions to specific challenges, discuss the construction and design integration of the house as a whole, and offer opinions on specific materials and methods as they relate to the LEED process. This presentation contains many graphics and photos.

Thursday, November 20

C25 Healing spaces
Just as our bodies have an innate system of balance and vitality, well-designed spaces can provide the right balance for fostering and accelerating healing in all aspects of life. Discover how art, feng shui, architecture, and landscape architecture can integrate designed environments with natural elements that reduce stress and instill a sense of emotional and spiritual well-being in the inhabitant. Learn how these spaces support self-healing abilities and connect to the healing energy of the universe while nourishing, refreshing, and restoring us. We explore the science, intuition and evidence-based design initiatives that provide us with a sense of wholeness and well-being.

C35 Today’s decorative energy-efficient lighting
Decorative energy-efficient lighting is now available for nearly every application. However, many specifiers and decision-makers are still unaware of the availability and benefits of these lighting forms – from chandeliers to wall sconces to outdoor lighting. We highlight the various styles of decorative energy-efficient lighting and suggest ways to achieve success with Energy Star qualified lighting fixtures. An EPA Energy Star program representative presents the features and benefits of Energy Star lighting along with information on the Energy Star Advanced Lighting Package, which is referenced in LEED and various green program guidelines. A manufacturer representative presents success stories on how to promote, market, and sell decorative Energy Star lighting.

C53 Selecting a light source
We describe the variables associated with the different electric light sources used in the lighting industry today. Incandescent, halogen, fluorescent, HID, and LED lamps have specific characteristics that vary depending on the light source type. Characteristics explored include shape, size, wattage, light output, voltage, candlepower distribution, efficacy, lamp life, lumen maintenance, SPD, CCT, and CRI. These characteristics are compared among each light source type.

C54 Grow your practice: the interior advantage
This workshop is led by architects and design professionals of interior architecture studios at nationally known architecture firms. The session features a dialogue on growing an architectural practice through interior architecture and addressing the challenges of succeeding in a competitive market. Examples of projects from three different design studios are used to illustrate how attendees can gain the business information and knowledge necessary to expand and diversify your practice.

C65 Workspace that works for everyone
Everything about work has changed – workplaces today must accommodate the broad diversity of the workforce, the central role of ever-evolving technology, and the blurring of the 9-to-5 workday. Perhaps the most dramatic change, which gets the least attention, is the expectation that we will almost inevitably work into our 60s, 70s, and maybe even 80s. Workplace design needs to catch up to the new reality of workers across at least five decades in age. This session, led by the author of a UK trilogy of books on the design of the office environment, explores case studies of workplaces that embrace the diversity in age, culture, and ability of the 21st-century workforce.

C69 Outside the box: the new ‘soft geometry’ in kitchen and bath design
Sponsored by: the Northern New England Chapter of National Kitchen & Bath Association As walls come down and floor plans become more and more open, designers are embracing new organic shapes in floor plans and products. This workshop panel features kitchen and bath industry professionals showcasing the newest trends in cabinetry, appliances, and plumbing fixtures as used in ‘outside the box’ floor plans. The panel gives an overview of the new ‘soft geometry’ in kitchen and bath interior architecture and discusses how it is giving a new sense of flow to these organic spaces. The workshop also examines the advent of sensual and irregular shapes in both functional and decorative products, along with exciting design applications.

C72 Nanotechnology in commercial interior textiles
This workshop introduces the specific nanotechnology involved today in commercial interior textiles that provide superior and permanent stain resistance and easy clean-ability. Hands-on demonstrations illustrate how nanotechnology works and explains how high performance textiles are evaluated for severe end uses, such as sporting arenas, healthcare applications, restaurants, and other commercial installations. Studies involving cleaning and staining are also illustrated. Additional studies are used to show the effect of repeated treatment by disinfectants and bleach on the durability of these molecular finishes. Important environmental features of nanotechnology, such as low VOCs, are emphasized, and projections for wider use of nanotechnology round out this workshop.

C90 What to know before you buy office furniture
Selecting and buying office furniture can be a confusing process. However, there are easy ways to avoid the confusion and arrive at decisions that accomplish your objectives and stay within your budget. This session reviews some helpful hints for making the process more manageable. Using the recent experiences of Shire, which is relocating some of its office space, we walk you through the process of selecting furniture and/or office systems and creating a realistic budget and timeline for your project. We also discuss ergonomics and review sustainable design options, including de-mountable walls and raised flooring.