The thoughtful and beautiful hardware collection was submitted jointly by pba and Aquafil, the makers of ECONYL® regenerated nylon. The TOCCO collection is featured in the Aquafil showroom at The MART.
The Best of NeoCon Awards presented a total of 126 awards for products in 50 categories for Gold, Silver, Sustainability, Innovation, and Business Impact. The winners were selected by a distinguished group of 53 architects, designers, specifiers, enterprise clients, facility managers, and top business media who judged the products on-site at THE MART.
pba goal is to offer designers a collection of inclusive and sustainable door hardware allowing them the option to choose color and texture to design the most inclusive space for all users. TOCCO Collection is a capsule hardware collection of levers and pulls made of ECONYL® regenerated nylon that are sustainable, interchangeable and sensory sensitive.
Committed to environmental preservation and inclusiveness, because sustainability can’t disregard the centrality of the individual, pba is promoting sustainable and inclusive practices within the design industry. The two talks at NeoCon provided an occasion to discuss pba's TOCCO Collection, showcasing the company's unwavering dedication to its founding values:
“When we design spaces, we must think about the way people perceive and interact with the environment. We must also think about how the things we create can impact the planet, from how materials are sourced, to where they end up at the end of their service life” says Erica Anesi, CEO of pba.
The grip of the TOCCO Collection is made of ECONYL® nylon, a soft material with a temperature similar to that of the environment, minimizing thermal stimulation. All TOCCO hardware is made with ECONYL® nylon and stainless steel and it is constructed for easy disassembly and recycling at end of life.
“We are very proud to partner with innovative companies like pba to create architectural solutions that make life better for people and the planet,” says Maria Giovanna, Chief Communications Officer for Aquafil. “The design community has truly embraced ECONYL® regenerated nylon to be part of their innovation strategy and it is exciting to see these solutions come to market and be recognized by the industry.”
pba collaborated with RainlightSTUDIO and Kay Sargent, Cognitive and Sensory Wellbeing Design Consultant, to offer designers a complete range of door hardware, levers and pulls, giving them the option to choose color and texture to design the most inclusive space for all users.
Sargent is a recognized expert on neurodiversity and workplace inclusion and an award-winning designer. She is a principal and the director of thought leadership in HOK’s Interiors group, leading project teams to solve clients’ business and organizational challenges related to real estate business process, strategic planning, workplace strategy and change management. Kay’s design expertise were leveraged by pba and RainlightSTUDIO to reimagine a complete range of door hardware, levers and pulls, providing choice of color and texture to design the most inclusive space.
Kay Sargent was also recognized by Interior Design with the 2024 HiP Designer Lifetime Of HiPness Award at the annual NeoCon event. The HiP Awards celebrate the most innovative people and products in the commercial design industry and in particular designers whose work has made a positive contribution to the societal and environmental well-being.
“To allow all employees to thrive, office designs need to remain fluid and adaptable. Employers can improve employee wellness and productivity by offering a wide range of choices, allowing people to continually select the best space for their individual needs. All we know about designing for inclusion should be applied to every element within the build environment… including the hardware. No detail is too small, as they all impact the experience we have and they add to the overall solution.” says Kay Sargent.
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