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Jennifer Busch, Hon IIDA

Jennifer Busch, Hon IIDA

Vice President, Business Development

Officeworks Inc.

Jennifer Busch, Hon. IIDA, is Vice President, Business Development for Officeworks Inc., a design, space planning, project management and furniture installation consultant dedicated to providing innovative interior solutions to commercial and institutional clients. Prior to Officeworks, Jennifer served as the Director of Client Partnerships for Eventscape, a sthe Vice President A&D at Teknion, and as the Vice President, A&D Market Development at Interface. In all of her roles she has been responsible for the development and maintenance of key business relationships with major architecture and interior design firms throughout North America.

Prior to joining Interface, she held various editorial positions at Contract magazine for 21 years, including serving as Editor in Chief from 1999-2011. At Contract, she routinely reported on the social, political, technological, economic, and business trends impacting the practice of commercial interior design, with a particular emphasis on design’s influence on business and society.

As an industry throught leader who promotes the value of design for organizations and institutions with real business goals, Jennifer is also a respected speaker and moderator at numerous industry events and conferences. She applies knowledge of current design and real estate trends and human and environmental sustainability to develop and promote content focused on the effectiveness and efficiency of commercial real estate and the positive impact of thoughtful design solutions.

In 2009 she was bestowed with Honorary IIDA status, the first design editor to have achieved such recognition. She currently serves on the CIDA Board of Directors as Chair Elect, and the FIT Interior Design Program Advisory Board. She has also served on the IIDA Foundation Board of Trustees, the Advisory Board for the FIT Sustainable Interior Environments Master’s Degree program and the Board for Interior Designers for Legislation in New York.

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  • Design for the Next Generation of Science
    Contains 1 Component(s), Includes Credits

    The life sciences sector that exploded during the pandemic has settled back down to earth as what Commercial Observer describes as "a more mature version of itself." Nevertheless, the prospects for future growth in this critical industry remain strong, and its unique real estate requirements have prompted the emergence of a new space typology. Existing at the convergence of academic and corporate methodologies, life sciences enterprises require real estate strategies that merge the infrastructure required to support technologically advanced research with high-performance interiors. When these strategies are most effective, these spaces will drive innovation and support a sense of purpose among their users, and ultimately set standards for efficiency and productivity. These standards will be critical for profit-driven business models in an intensely competitive industry sector. In moderated dialog a practitioner focused on design for life sciences and an end user from a life sciences R&D facility will discuss real estate strategies in the life sciences sector and the design trends taking shape to support the next generation of science. Panelists will explore best practices for life sciences facilities through the lenses of three current trends--wellness, sustainability and technology--that are increasingly informing the design of these technically complex building types.

  • Cultivating Emerging Designers: Education to Practice
    Contains 1 Component(s), Includes Credits

    As the premier developer of quality standards for interior design education at the college/university level, the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA) has a vested interest in design students moving on to thriving, impactful, and rewarding careers. As academic learning concludes, how can mentorship and collaboration--even including the larger design community of allied professionals--be used to support emerging professionals and strengthen professional development ? Does it take a village? Simultaneously, as the practice world undergoes tectonic shifts, how might reverse mentorship be used to harness the knowledge and ambitions of a new generation of designers and ultimately advance the profession at large? Our panel consisting of one interior design educator, one small firm practitioner/owner, and one large firm practitioner at the leadership level will engage in a moderated discussion to explore the connections and pathways between education and practice. The dialog will be focused in the context of several macro trends impacting the future of the design profession, including Environmental Sustainability, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and Advanced Technology. How young designers transition from academia to practice is an especially urgent question in a time when the economic and competitive pressures of practice divert attention from mentorship and post-COVID realities have disconnected individuals and teams from leaders and organizational culture.