The Lichen Community Collection: Biophilic design at its finest
Published
Inspired by the regenerative role of lichen communities in our ecosystems, the Lichen Community collection proposes a new future for workplace flooring.
Lichens: curious little organisms which can grow on any type of undisturbed surface – from bark and wood to soil. Though many people assume Lichens are a type of fungi or algae, they are actually a combination of both. This makes lichens completely unique in our world, from their appearance through to their composition.
Inspired by the unique beauty of the lichen, GH Commercial presents the Lichen Community Collection by Mohawk Group, drawing on a number of lichen’s natural features to create a gorgeous, environment-focused new collection of biophilic flooring solutions. Like the lichen, this collection incorporates a range of colours, textures and patterns into its design. The multi-hue, multi-texture composition of lichens inspired the refined Micro Bloom and Macro Bloom palette, which includes warm and cool background textures with neutral and tonal accent colours. This collection harnesses the innate fascination that we humans hold for the mysteries of the natural world, reintroducing a sense of wildness and freedom to our built environments.
Lichen Community
This is the second Lichen collection from Mohawk Group released by GH Commercial. Where the previous collection focused heavily on a stone background, the new collection concentrates instead on mimicking the growth patterns of real lichens on tree bark. This has a warmer combination of subtle greys and earth tones, with soft and subtle highlights rather than the brighter, stark contrasts of the original Lichen collection.
Lichens exist only in symbiosis; a perfect harmony between fungi and algae. Likewise, Lichens live and grow in harmony with many other species of Lichen. This concept of community was central to the development of the latest Lichen Collection by the Mohawk group. Just as Lichens thrive among diversity, the Lichen Community Collection supports collaboration by defining communal spaces with stimulating colours and textures – allowing for greater connections to be forged among the spaces where we live, work and play.
One of the key features of this collection is a biophilic three-plank system which allows designers to create wayfinding or even incorporate cues for social distancing into the design of the floorspace, as well as allowing for the creation of communal touch down spots. An expanded colour palette takes us on a visual journey through the forest, from the floor into the trees with the new warm, bark-grey background. Yet another thing that the Lichen Community Collection and wild lichens have in common, this collection is regenerative by nature in that it is Australian-Made and Declare Red List Free.
“Just as lichens grow in communities with multiple varieties in the same biome, we humans thrive together in work or play. Lichen Community builds on this principles of symbiosis to help you define communal spaces through colour and texture.”
Mark Page, Mohawk Groups Senior Director of Creative Design and Development.
Pattern Perfect® is the precision tufting technology used to create the Lichen Community which ensures high definition and clarity in lines, textures and shapes. It is this technology which creates the flexibility in surface texture and pattern design that sets Mohawk products above the rest.
On a foundational level, the Lichen Community collection is a gleaming example of Biophilic design. Drawing from the natural world allows us to create spaces a little more connected to our roots, which can have a profound impact on the health and wellbeing of those spaces. These types of environments have been proven to reduce stress, improve cognitive performance and positively impact individual moods across the board.
As the Oceanic subsidiary of Mohawk Industries, the world’s largest flooring company, we belong to a global network of leading products, brands and world-class manufacturing and we know that our future depends on the work we do today. At GH Commercial, our commitment to our planet extends beyond just products and processes: it’s how we challenge ourselves to do and be better every day, how we make decisions, how we reinvest in our people and our planet, and how we define what matters most as we work to deliver value for generations to come.
GH Commercial have more than 150 years of manufacturing experience under their belt, allowing them to distribute market-leading brands that will (and have) changed the future of flooring forever. As the Oceanic subsidiary of Mowhawk Industries – the world’s largest flooring company – GH Commercial are tapped into a global network of cutting edge products, brands and manufacturing. They take this responsibility incredibly seriously, challenging themselves to improve every day with their ambitious “Believe in Better” sustainability framework. Find out more at the GH Commercial website below.
GH Commercial
We think you might like this story about On-trend carpets that blur the lines between the indoors and outdoors
Related Articles
Articles
Creating synergies of form, hue and space
When considered from the perspective of the human experience, a chair is not merely an object. It is a human vantage point within a space, it is the focal point for energies and activities, and it is a visual anchor that guides activities and emotions.
Articles
Injecting identity into adaptable workplaces: the brand harnessing the visual treasure trove of cross-sector design culture
The magnetic pull of certain spaces comes down to how seamlessly they work and, more importantly, how they feel. Recognising this, Kettal Workplace draws on the uplifting codes of other sectors to deliver contemporary workplace design.
Articles
What Nikari reveals about Finnish design and its love of wood
KFive Furniture and Finnish design brand, Nikari, invite us into a world of Finnish folklore and exquisite woodworking traditions. As we step through this moody, magical forest of culture and contemporary design, we discover what makes Finnish design distinct from its Scandinavian counterparts.
Articles
The brand spotlighting furnishings crafted with purpose and the skilled design minds behind them
A wander around a BACHLI showroom reveals a tapestry of captivating furniture designs, curated precisely and craft-led. Thanks to its longstanding partnerships with iconic designers, BACHLI has become a go-to for discovering the most exciting established and emerging Australian and international brands. Initially based in Melbourne, BACHLI have recently expanded into Sydney with their Surry Hills showroom, increasing their presence and opening their invitation to the design-savvy and curious nationwide.