Kimball International Announces New Location for Chicago Showroom

Commercial furnishings provider Kimball International recently announced that its Chicago showroom will move to a new location in the Fulton Market District. The company plans to debut the full-floor, 13,000-square-foot space in spring 2023. It will showcase its five brands designed for use in workplaces, education facilities and health facilities: Etc., Interwoven, Kimball, National and Poppin.

“As business leaders anticipate and execute office returns, healthcare organizations confront caregiver burnout, and in-person learning continues its resurgence, we wanted to create a space that inspires their tomorrow,” said Chief Customer Officer Michael Roch of Kimball International. “Our new flagship showroom will be a destination that engages customers, business partners, influencers and talent, creating a truly memorable experience in a part of the city that matches our creative spirit, rich history and innovative nature.”

The showroom’s new location places it near a wide variety of tech and design firms, local restaurants, and gallerias and boutiques. It includes a balcony featuring an open-air, wraparound terrace as well as floor-to-ceiling windows to flood the space with natural light. Kimball also plans for the space to become WELL certified.

“We are thrilled to have a blank slate and the opportunity to challenge the status quo of showrooms by designing a space that can be so much more,” said Senior Director of Brand Marketing Jessica Gubbins. “Our space will be an experience hub where the design community, our customers and CRE partners can come to not only be inspired by the products, solutions and resources that we have to offer, but also create connections. Whether it is joining in for a learning experience, thought-leadership event, or socializing and conversation, we are excited to create an interactive environment.”

Kimball International is partnering with Eastlake Studio for the new showroom’s design.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • California School District Completes Elementary School Modernization

    The San Diego Unified School District in San Diego, Calif., recently held a ribbon-cutting for a whole-site modernization of Pacific Beach Elementary School, according to local news. The school first opened with one building in 1930 and added six more between 1938 and 1957.

  • DFW-Area District Opens New Replacement Middle School

    The Eagle Mountain-Saginaw Independent School District near Fort Worth, Texas, recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new replacement middle school campus, according to a news release. The new facility for Wayside Middle School, originally established in 1964, was built on the site of the former district administration building and funded through Bond Proposition A in 2023.

  • Children walking along bright school corridor with motion blur

    How Next-Gen Design Is Reshaping the Student Experience

    The environments where students learn play a crucial role in shaping their growth in and out of the classroom. By centering design on well-being, flexibility, and purpose, districts can ensure their facilities remain vibrant community assets for many years to come.

  • How a Portable Sink Helped an Art Classroom Run More Smoothly

    Classroom design decisions can have outsized effects on instructional time and safety at schools juggling mismatched infrastructure, strict budgets, and crowded schedules — particularly in the arts. Between spilled paint and dirty brushes, art classes run smoother with a sink in the studio. But many schools don’t have a sink in every art classroom.