Launched in 2006, New York-based INC Architecture & Design was conceived on the notion of integrating design disciplines. The studio, which is behind the design of this year’s DesignWell Pavilion at HD Expo + Conference, is helmed by Drew Stuart, Gabriel Benroth, and Rolston, who will also take part in the Sustainability, Environment, Future panel. The firm specializes in a range of projects, each imbued with authentic design elements that create an emotional impact, whether it’s the eco-friendly 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge or the restoration of the TWA Hotel at JFK Airport, both in New York. Here, he shares his thoughts on wellness, innovation, and the future of sustainable design.
What does sustainable design mean to you?
The meaning of sustainability isn’t a personal one. The question isn’t what it means to me, the question is, what does it mean to us, the human race. It’s not a matter of interpretation. It is super simple. (We all agree that the word apple refers to the fruit and the technology company.) Webster’s dictionary defines sustainability as ‘of, relating to, or being a method of harvesting or using a resource so that the resource is not depleted or permanently damaged.’ The word sustainability means the survival of the human race.
Has client demand for sustainable design changed over the past two years?
We see wellness and sustainability as inextricably linked. In the last two years, we have seen how interdependent our health and wellbeing are on a global scale. Our neighbor’s health has an immediate effect on our own, and the national health and protection protocols of any country have an immediate effect on our health and wellbeing no matter where we live. This popular paradigm shift has reframed sustainability as a civic responsibility. If we take care of each other, we take care of ourselves, and by extension, if we take care of the planet and its resources, we protect ourselves and our children’s future. At INC, we think of wellness as the gateway drug to an investment in sustainability because it is now more widely clear that what is good for the planet is good for humans, and what is good for humans is good for the planet. In this context, every project in our studio and every ownership group currently is resourcing sustainability and wellness best practices. Sustainability and wellness are the threshold of entry now. If you are not on it, you are out of it.
In terms of sustainability and innovation, what are the design trends you’re currently seeing?
Ohio State has been researching what is potentially a first-of-its-kind, viable non-petroleum-based plastic replacement. In our industry, it is petroleum-based products and mechanical systems that consume fossil fuels. This is the economic blue sky of innovation of the future. Those who innovate will prosper. As an example, we are currently working on the first all-electric residential skyscraper in New York.
A rendering of the DesignWell Pavilion at HD Expo + Conference, featuring a wave-like blue ombré shear
Can you share more about your concept for the DesignWell Pavilion at HD Expo?
We all want the same thing: Beautiful, sustainable environments that support health and wellbeing and enhance the quality of our lives and performance. The making of sustainable and healthy products is the industry’s responsibility, while the specification of healthy, sustainable products is the designer’s responsibility. However, loveliness and beauty shouldn’t be left on the table. The 14 points of biophilic design, the USGBC, and the Well Building Institute all can be seen as either a rule book or an inspiration. At INC, these tools are an inspiration.
For the DesignWell installation, we touched on several aspects of biophilic design. Science tells us that light, uplifting spaces are one of best tools to fight seasonal affective disorder and that patterns of nature provide a calming effect. Here, we begin with an archipelago of islands of energy that define the flow of circulation and areas of congregation. The islands are created by applying, in a one-to-one documentary style, the pattern of grounding blue zone marble. The paths are a sandy beachhead. Rising above the archipelago is a wave-like blue ombré shear that encloses a virtual room that protects and calms. As we like to say, well design is just design for humans.
Hear more from Adam at HD Expo in Las Vegas:
Sustainability, Environment, Future
Tuesday, April 26th
11 a.m. to noon
Location: DesignWell Pavilion
