On 24 June 2016, Herman Miller’s design festival, REACH, will take over Nuo Hotel Beijing. This is the first time REACH touches down in Beijing – previously it occurred in Hong Kong in 2011 and Singapore in 2013 – and the first time the international furniture manufacturer takes a multi-city approach to the event.

“Each event location – Beijing, Manila, Bangalore, Tokyo and Melbourne – will have its uniqueness in terms of invited speakers, market focus and business drivers,” explains Georgina Zhou, Head of Marketing, Work Business, Herman Miller Asia Pacific. “This year, we will focus on business drivers and how we can help turn the workspace into a strategic tool for organisational prosperity.”

REACH is all about connecting the design community in each of the cities where it is happening. In Beijing, those attending will have the opportunity to test new products, including Herman Miller’s next-generation smart desking solution, T2; they will experience Living Office and Passport firsthand; and they can trial new products from POSH, a Herman Miller company, such as Activity and Optimis.

Herman Miller’s next-generation smart desk, T2

In addition, attendees will be able to interact with thought leaders and hear what they have to say about key industry issues and trends. Speaking in Beijing are Richard Stevens of Forpeople, Ray Yuen and Amanda Stanaway from Woods Bagot, Jun Xiao from ID Workplace + Strategy, among others. An invitation-only dinner on China Innovation will also feature talks by several speakers. Alexander van Kemenade from the Economist Intelligence Unit will speak about artificial intelligence and its impact on business, Samantha Giam, Director of Marketing and Living office, Herman Miller APAC will speak about logos and branding, and Shaun Rein of China Market Research Group will speak on the end of copying in China.

“REACH takes a holistic approach to design, not only in terms of products, but also by acting as a platform for exchanging insights and knowledge with the A&D community,” says Zhou. “REACH will look at how design affects and improves our environment, including working, living and healing.”

Visitors to REACH Beijing will have the opportunity to experience POSH’s Activity chair and Optimis desking solution, both pictured above

Under discussion at REACH will be trends Herman Miller and fellow industry leaders are seeing in the workplace. “The trend is shifting from separating work from life to combining work and life in the liveable office,” says Zhou. “In our recent Liveable Office Award competition, we were happy to see that a growing number of both global companies and local enterprises are aware of the importance of the workplace environment in driving productivity and retaining talent.”

REACH will run from 10am to 6pm on 24 June 2016 at Nuo Hotel Beijing. REACH will then head to Manila on 21 July, followed by Bangalore on 28 July, Tokyo on 4 August, and Melbourne on 15 September. Attendees at each event will be able to plug in to wi-fi-equipped Jumpspaces so they can work, play, connect and listen.

Herman Miller
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