NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 13, 2026--
KI will make its debut at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair ( ICFF ) this year as sponsor of the WANTED Design Schools Workshop, a collaborative design program that brings together emerging designers from leading international schools during ICFF, May 17–19, 2026, at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260513971307/en/
The Design Schools Workshop culminates in final presentations and jury review on Tuesday, May 19, as student teams share their work on ICFF’s main stage. The program is part of WANTED at ICFF, the fair’s platform for emerging talent, experimentation, and cross-disciplinary exchange.
As sponsor, KI provided furniture to support a purpose-built workshop environment designed for hands-on collaboration. The space is organized around flexible group work areas, pin-up boards for ideation and critique, and tiered soft seating that supports focused collaboration and conversation. The setting reflects KI’s human-centered approach to environments that support how people learn, work, and connect.
“This workshop aligns closely with how we think about education and design at KI,” said Jason Lazarz, national architecture and design manager, who will serve on the 2026 jury. “It is about collaboration, experimentation, and giving ideas room to develop. Supporting that process, and doing so at ICFF for the first time, is meaningful for us.”
Participating schools in this year’s workshop include Centro de Diseño y Comunicación (Mexico City), Escuela Mónica Herrera, The Ohio State University, Pratt Institute, and School of Visual Arts, bringing together students from diverse cultural and disciplinary perspectives.
Furniture featured in the workshop includes Cogni seating, recipient of a 2026 Red Dot Design Award, along with Stout tables, a Tributaire lectern, and Clamber tiered seating, the latter recognized as a finalist for Interior Design’s Best of Year Awards. Together, these solutions support learning, presentation, and collaboration within an active studio setting.
KI’s participation in the Design Schools Workshop reinforces the company’s long-standing commitment to education while reflecting its broader focus on creating thoughtfully designed environments across workplace, healthcare, and learning spaces. Through research-driven, human-centered design, KI continues to support spaces that foster creativity, engagement, well-being, and connection.
Design professionals are invited to see the collaborative workspace imagined by KI for the Design Schools Workshop in Booth 1369.
ABOUT KI
KI manufactures innovative furniture for education, healthcare, government, and corporate markets. The employee-owned company is headquartered in Green Bay, Wisconsin, with sales and manufacturing facilities worldwide. KI tailors products and service solutions to the specific needs of each customer through its unique design and manufacturing philosophy. For more information, visit ki.com.
KI Makes ICFF Debut as Sponsor of ‘WANTED’ Design Schools Workshop
ST. LOUIS (AP) — St. Louis Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol believes in the “no shirt, no problem,” mantra.
His club was boosted to a win Friday night by a group of college ball players in the right-field seats who took off and waved their shirts as they sang, chanted and drew others into the fray.
Marmol loved it, so much so that he purchased tickets for shirtless revelers this weekend.
“Last night’s atmosphere was electric. Let’s run it back this weekend," Marmol said in a social media post. “I’ll buy tickets for fans who want to sit in the right field Loge and bring the energy.”
It all began when the Stephen F. Austin club baseball team called the Lumberjacks were in nearby Alton, Illinois, for the National Club Baseball Division II World Series. The Cardinals offered tickets to the team, and 17 players attended.
By the time Yohel Pozo drove in the game-winning run with a walk-off single in the 11th inning, the Lumberjacks had other fans — and even the mascot Fredbird — joining in on the ruckus.
“Whoever started that in right field, I’ll do whatever I need to do to make sure they come every game,” Marmol said Friday night. “Because that was awesome. Not only them, but everybody that showed up today. That was a fun environment.”
The “tarps off” trend — celebrating by taking your shirt off and waving it — is not new to sports, but it was to Busch Stadium.
Who knows, Friday night's fans may have accidentally created a new tradition.
The fans sang soccer chants and shouted players’ names. The stadium organist, Dwayne Hilton, played accompanying music and got everyone involved in the spirit.
The party had grown to multiple sections by the 11th inning.
“It creates an environment where, it’s not only filling this place up, it’s making it a tough place for other teams to come in and play,” Marmol said Friday. “That was pretty damn cool. I’ll sign up for that, any day.”
The Cardinals said Marmol purchased right-field tickets for both games this weekend, and all of them were snapped up by Saturday afternoon.
Game 2 of the three-game series against the Kansas City Royals began Saturday after about a 45-minute rain delay, and the Lumberjacks were back. They arrived to the ballpark in the fourth inning, following a win of their own, and immediately took their shirts off.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
St. Louis Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol looks up into the stands at fans as they cheer and wave their shirts above their heads during the fourth inning of a baseball game between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Kansas City Royals Saturday, May 16, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
Fans cheer and wave their shirts above their heads during the fourth inning of a baseball game between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Kansas City Royals Saturday, May 16, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
Fans cheer and wave their shirts above their heads during the fourth inning of a baseball game between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Kansas City Royals Saturday, May 16, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
St. Louis Cardinals' Yohel Pozo (63) is congratulated by teammate Masyn Winn (0) after hitting a walk-off single to defeat the Kansas City Royals during the 11th inning of a baseball game Friday, May 15, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
St. Louis Cardinals' Masyn Winn flies out during the first inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals Saturday, May 16, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
St. Louis Cardinals manger Oliver Marmol walks to the dugout after making a pitching change during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Athletics, Thursday, May 14, 2026, in West Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Scott Marshall)
