The 2015 Southface Campus refresh was driven by a holistic approach to sustainability in our built environment. It was rooted in evidence-based design around enhancing health and well-being. A survey of Southface employees inspired decisions regarding materials, color selection and needs for flexible workspaces. Validated by third-party research in environmental psychology and biophilic design, the campus refresh has created a built environment that is healthy and efficient, allows occupants to thrive and provides Southface a platform for demonstrating how industry is leading the way.
You can’t sew a silk purse from a sow’s ear but you can make carpet planks from discarded fishing nets, which is exactly what Interface has done with its new product line. This innovative sustainability-driven problem solving has kept Interface on the cutting edge of sustainability in manufacturing and business and has fostered a 20 year relationship with Southface. When it came time to replace the carpet in the Home Depot Foundation Training Center, we reached out to Interface for the latest beautiful solution to replace the product originally provided for the room.
The Net-Works program works with struggling fishing communities in the Philippines and Cameroon to buy back broken, discarded fishing nets. Interface repurposes the nets into nylon yarn – which makes up the bulk of the 80 percent recycled material of the carpet in the Home Depot Foundation Training Center. Not only does the program reduce environmental trash and hazards to marine life – but it also provides income for the local communities. Since the program began, collections have increased from 35 metric tons of waste in two years to 3.5 metric tons each month from the Philippines alone. The coastal communities have even inspired a whole line of Interface products. For example, the Net Effect One design draws inspiration from the moment when the ocean meets the sand.
The carpet chosen for the Home Depot Foundation Training Center comes from another line of beautifully designed carpets – the Human Nature Collection. Gretchen Wagner, Product Styling Associate at Interface, worked with Southface’s Bonnie Casamassima, Project Manager for the Commercial Sustainability Services team, to find the best fit for the space. Wagner says:
The Human Nature Collection takes its inspiration from nature’s textures and patterns. It seemed only natural to design with biophilia in mind for the Home Depot Foundation Training Center considering how well the natural light and outdoor courtyard complement the product’s very design. This product also represents Interface’s commitment to sustainability by using recycled fiber from the Net-Works program.
The design for the room starts out with a pebbled surface and then gradually transitions into a smoother texture – just as one would find in nature standing on a river’s edge. According to Casamassima, “the transitioning layout visually creates various zones in the Home Depot Foundation Training Center which was intentionally arranged to create a human scale within the large volume, multi-purpose space.” These zones add to the flexibility of the space when used for different events. It easily converts from serving as a formal meeting room, to facilitating a presentation or even hosting a wedding.
Interface continues to push the innovation of green technologies and policies for its products. Working with Gretchen was paramount to the success of the refresh for the Home Depot Foundation Training Center. Learn more about all of the great work and design from Interface here and email events@southface.org to schedule your next great event in the Home Depot Foundation Training Center.
