CALHOUN, GA. February 2, 2015 — Mohawk Group, the world’s leading producer and distributor of quality, cutting-edge and sustainable commercial flooring, announced today that 13&9 Design, Innocad Architektur’s product design studio, will be joining the company’s list of growing collaborative partners. Innocad, an award-winning design firm based in Austria, is best known for design in housing, office, healthcare, retail and product design. Introductory patterns and styles will be launched in June at NeoCon, North America’s largest design exposition and conference for commercial interiors. Last month, Contract Design named Innocad and 13&9’s Martin Lesjak its 2015’s Designer of the Year, one of the interior design industry’s most prestigious awards.

“Our collaborative design partnerships are inspiring and engaging for our design studio, driving our team to really push the limits when it comes to designing for the floor,” said Jackie Dettmar, vice president of product development for Mohawk Group. “Partnering with an international architecture and design firm such as Innocad’s 13&9 Design enhances our global perspective on design, and to be collaborating with Contract Design’s Designer of the Year makes it that much more thrilling.”

Innocad’s 13&9’s vision is to collaborate with Mohawk in creating a carpet collection that functions as design tool – or a system - that will empower designers to react on the many different requirements and atmospheres that a space can experience. This innovative system will consist of several different designs that will create a personalized solution that serves the individual moods and needs. Innocad’s 13&9 approach to design is a unique dialogue between the individual and the environment with a focus on concepts of modularity, compatibility, flexibility and transformation.

“Embarking on this creative partnership with Mohawk Group is very exciting and will be thought-provoking,” said Martin Lesjak CEO and creative director of 13&9. “Our design philosophy and approach is something that the Mohawk design team is very open to and, together, we know we can produce and present innovative and amazing ideas for the floor to the design industry.”

Over the years, Mohawk Group has created a successful collaborative partnership program with interior designers, architects and product designers throughout the industry - domestically and internationally. The collaborative series has resulted in award-winning collections such as Breaking Form, designed by Mac Stopa of Design by Mac Stopa and Simply Tailored, designed by Lauren Rottet of Rottet Studio. The partnership program focuses on product, as well as, making accessible high-level design strategies and ideas to every customer. The company’s latest partnership with 13&9 expects to explore interdisciplinary throught and creativity in new ways, adding to Mohawk’s diverse product offering.

Innocad Architektur projects include the Microsoft Vienna Headquarters and lighting manufacturer XAL where Innocad transformed a 1950’s toy factory in a 20,000 square foot workplace; a neurological out-patient facility at LKH Feldbach and multi-use residential and office building’s such as Rose am Lend, which was nominated for the Styrian Provincial Construction Prize. In addition to architecture and design projects, the Innocad team has also taught at Graz University of Technology, contributed to the World Congress of Architecture in Berlin (2002) and the Architectural Biennial in London (2006) among others. Led by unconventional concepts, Innocad has a pragmatic approach to design that often seem simple.

About Mohawk Group
Mohawk Group, the world’s leading producer and distributor of quality commercial flooring, delivers industry-leading style, cutting-edge innovation, unmatched service and superior sustainability. As the commercial division of Mohawk Industries, Mohawk Group has a heritage of craftsmanship that spans more than 130 years. The company’s enduring family of carpet brands—Karastan, Lees, Bigelow and Durkan—are widely regarded as the most trusted names in the commercial flooring business. Together, these brands function beautifully, delivering the perfect flooring solution for all markets and price points. Rounding out its esteemed product offering, the Mohawk Group also offers a full spectrum of hard surface flooring products and installation accessories that exceed the most rigorous performance standards. For additional information about its proven design solutions, and to learn more about what is next from Mohawk, visit www.mohawkgroup.com or call (800) 554-6637. Connect with Mohawk Group on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest.

About Innocad and 13&9
Founded in 1999 by Martin Lesjak, Innocad is an award-winning architecture and design firm based in Graz, Austria. The company has designed numerous projects in a variety of market segments including housing, office, healthcare and retail. The company has an interdisciplinary design collection, 13&9 Design, which brings together the unique talents of INNOCAD and product and fashion designer Anastasija Sugic. Redesign of Cannon Hall at the Graz Armory, the company’s first collaboration, gained the partnership immediate international acclaim early on. Other awards include Overall Winner at the 2013 Leading European Architects Forum (LEAF) Interior De- sign Awards and a 2014 Interiors Award from Contract Magazine. Visit 13&9 at http://www.13and9design.com/.

For more information visit http://innocad.at/