AIS at NeoCon 2026: Designing Workplaces People Want to Return To
For years, workplace furniture was often defined by efficiency first. Rows of workstations, rigid seating, and environments designed primarily around function became the norm. At NeoCon 2026, AIS presented a different vision for the future — one centered on comfort, hospitality-inspired design, adaptability, and a deeper understanding of the people who use workplace spaces every day.
Through conversations with AIS President and CEO Nick Haritos, Product Line Manager Erin Carr, and Color, Materials, and Finish Manager Megan Knust, a clear message emerged: today’s workplace must feel more human.
Bringing Hospitality Into the Workplace
One of the strongest themes throughout the AIS showroom was comfort.
According to Erin Carr, that philosophy guided the development of one of AIS’s newest lounge seating introductions, Ardyn.
“We were looking for a family of lounge seating that really bridged the gap between hospitality-inspired comfort and the workplace,” Carr explained.
For Carr, the challenge was overcoming a long-standing assumption about commercial furniture.
“So often we find that people expect commercial office furniture to be rigid and hard, and we really wanted to eradicate that idea.”
The result is a thoughtfully designed lounge chair that incorporates cushioning in key areas, including the lumbar support and seat, along with carefully sculpted armrests and back angles that encourage relaxation without sacrificing workplace functionality.
“Making sure that we drove home the idea that this could be a very comfortable chair was really integral,” she said.
Ardyn’s versatility was equally important. After spending nearly three years developing the product, Carr worked closely with engineering teams and manufacturing partners to create a platform capable of supporting multiple applications throughout the workplace.
“It started with just kind of a shell of a chair,” she said. “I worked with our engineering facility and our partner factory in Tennessee to really finalize the overall design.”
The platform now offers four distinct base options, ranging from architectural wire-frame styles to five-star swivel configurations and elevated wood bases designed to bring a more residential feel into workplace environments.
The Rise of Warmth and Hospitality
That residential influence extended far beyond seating.
AIS unveiled an extensive new collection of textiles, finishes, and materials designed to help organizations create spaces that feel more inviting and emotionally engaging.
“We are introducing 20 new upholstery patterns and five new vertical surface patterns,” said Megan Knust, AIS’s Color, Materials, and Finish Manager.
Perhaps most notably, AIS is bringing luxury-inspired materials to the mid-market segment.
“Out of those 20 upholstery patterns, all but three of them are Grade A,” Knust explained. “You’re getting bouclés, velvets, and chenilles all at that Grade A price point, which is pretty unheard of.”
The collection features rich jewel tones, warm neutrals, soft-touch laminates, and textured fabrics that would traditionally be associated with hospitality environments rather than corporate offices.
“We’re seeing it move past resimercial and more into hospitality,” Knust said.
Among her favorites are Billy, a chunky European-inspired bouclé making its North American debut, and Dwell, another textured bouclé available in both vibrant and neutral colorways.
Across the showroom, warmth emerged as a recurring theme.
“I think we’re all tired of that cold corporate environment,” Knust said.
Instead, organizations are increasingly looking to create spaces that foster connection and belonging.
“I think people want to come into the office to feel a sense of belonging and a sense of connection,” she said. “Making it feel warm, comfortable, and inviting is how to do that.”
Interestingly, Knust believes workplace design is taking cues from another industry entirely.
“If you look at how hotels are changing, when you walk into that hotel lobby it feels very different than it used to,” she said. “That’s starting to come into the corporate world as well.”
Designing for Adaptability
While comfort and aesthetics played a major role in the AIS showroom, innovation remained equally important.
One of the company’s most significant product introductions was the Reshape task chair, a design that reflects growing demands for sustainability, flexibility, and long-term value.
“Our Reshape chair is a new introduction for us,” said AIS President and CEO Nick Haritos. “It has five patents, it’s Italian-designed and engineered, and it’s the only chair that we know of on the market currently that is completely tool-less assembly, tool-less disassembly, and tool-less reupholstery.”
The chair’s innovative drawstring system allows users to replace upholstery in minutes without specialized tools or service technicians.
“If somebody spills something or you want to refresh the space, you don’t have to buy a new chair,” Haritos explained. “You just have to recover it.”
That combination of flexibility and sustainability helped earn AIS the Business Impact Award for Task Seating at NeoCon this year.
Beyond seating, AIS also showcased new lounge products, a European-designed Poly Stack chair, and Matrix Rafters, an architectural solution that allows organizations to create collaborative environments using existing components.
“Instead of having to start all over again, you can use your existing components to build pods and little areas for common meeting spaces,” Haritos said.
While AIS showcased new seating, materials, and architectural solutions throughout NeoCon, some of the company’s most meaningful innovation isn’t found on the showroom floor.
Haritos spoke passionately about AIS’s Radiance Program, which creates employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities and neurodiverse backgrounds. Today, the program supports more than 270 employees through partnerships with local agencies and customized workplace accommodations.
For Haritos, that commitment reflects a larger shift happening across the industry. As organizations rethink the purpose of the office, the focus is moving beyond individual workstations and toward creating environments that foster collaboration, belonging, and human connection.
“The workplace is shifting significantly,” Haritos said. “People are heading back to work.”
But today’s workforce is looking for something different than previous generations.
“They don’t want to go back to the office to sit in a six-by-six workstation. They want to work with people. They want to collaborate. They want to learn.”
That philosophy was evident throughout the AIS showroom. Whether through hospitality-inspired materials, adaptable products like Ardyn and Reshape, or initiatives that make workplaces more inclusive, AIS’s message at NeoCon 2026 was clear: the future workplace isn’t just designed for work. It’s designed for people.
