Human-centered design. It’s what we do. It’s who we are. And, since we joined the WELL Portfolio Program last year, we’ve been intentional about creating equitable experiences in many of our spaces – including our Chicago Showroom, focused on enhancing the health and well-being of employees, clients and guests.

Take a look at a few of the refreshed spaces from the showroom.

The WELL Building Standard is designed to measure buildings based on the concepts of air, water, nourishment, light, movement, thermal comfort, sound, materials, mind, and community. Buildings can then pursue WELL certification by achieving features within these concepts.

In the midst of COVID-19, the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) introduced the WELL Health-Safety Rating, created to guide businesses as they prepared their spaces for re-entry, with health and safety standards at the forefront. The rating is evidence-based and backed by guidance on the spread of COVID-19 from the World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and other disease management agencies.

The team at the Chicago Showroom came together to execute on the necessary health and safety requirements outlined by the rating, ultimately earning the Chicago Showroom the WELL Health-Safety Rating seal.

“Achieving this rating is another crucial step in our journey to putting people first and committing to operations and policies that will evolve our spaces and maximize the health, safety, and well-being of those who work at and visit our facilities,” said Emily M. Dunn, Workplace Strategy Consultant at Herman Miller.

Cleaning and sanitization procedures, emergency preparedness plans, and providing employees with health and well-being resources are just some of the efforts the team at the showroom implemented to qualify for the rating.

“This could not have been possible without the assistance and support of our project and design teams,” said Dunn. “They truly worked together to pull all the different components into place and their success will pave the way for future projects to come.”

The rating comes amid preparations for the new showroom’s debut to visitors traveling to Chicago to attend NeoCon, one of the world’s largest exhibitions for the commercial design industry. The showroom, which opened in March 2021, is located in Chicago’s Fulton Market and will welcome customers, members of the Architecture and Design communities, and the public during the week of NeoCon, October 4-6, 2021.

Learn more about the WELL Health-Safety rating. View other organizations who've earned the seal.