CONVIA
KVA’s MATx research unit was commissioned by Herman Miller, Inc. to collaborate with software engineers Applied Minds on the design, technology development and space programming concepts for a sustainable new product initiative called the Convia Smart Building Infrastructure. The team created a fully operative 8,000 SF Convia Environment test space in a warehouse in Los Angeles. The Convia Smart Building System is currently a LEED certified commercial product manufactured by Herman Miller, Inc. for renovation and new construction in the workplace, educational and commercial building sectors.

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The Convia system integrates a ceiling-hung intelligent infrastructure delivery system with a family of mass-customizable ceiling-hung products and soft partitions with solid state illumination, way finding and 12 volt DC power distribution. Pull-extruded steel ceiling-hung tracks deliver AC and DC electrical power, a communications package of CAT5, telecom and the wireless RF/ID Convia Communications Network. This proprietary network allows users to select and group electrical devices as “digital objects” and move them from one configuration to another like furniture. HVAC elements, computers, data projectors, web cameras, conventional lighting and solid state lighting can be re-configured digitally and assigned to any Convia activated switch. This provides building users with the ability to rapidly change the physical configuration of interior space without the material waste, expenses and costly disruptions associated with architectural demolition, renovation and electrical re-wiring

Date: 2005
Status: Completed
Client: Herman Miller, Inc
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Design Team:
Sheila Kennedy, FAIA; Managing Principal
Senan Choe, Joe Ho, Jason Klimoski, Bill Yen
Architect: Kennedy & Violich Architecture, Ltd
Engineering Consultant: Applied Minds, Inc
Lighting Consultant: Color Kinetics