After a year of virtual events, Surface Design Show is getting ready to host the design industry again enabling people to meet, be updated on the latest surface materials and designs, be enthused by its unique content and educated by a range of talented speakers who have come to tell their inspiring design stories.
When: 8-10 February, 2022
Where: Business Design Centre, London
With over 160 exhibitors signed up to participate, including over 35 New Talents, the UK’s leading event for architects and designers to explore the best in surface material innovation is getting ready to make up for lost time and is back with some much-loved areas as well as some new ones for visitors to discover.
Many of the exhibitors will bring to the show an abundance of new product launches, inspired by the theme ‘Sense of Place,’ with the goal of putting humanity and the planet’s wellbeing at the heart of all decision making.
In the realm of new product launches, Armourcoat, a decorative surface finishes specialist, has just announced the launch of its new natural clay lime plaster ‘Clime,’ adding to their ever-growing sustainable product range.
Surface Matter will also be displaying its sweet materials pop-up shop stand. The stand is inspired by Surface Matter’s material studio in London Fields which is described by architects and designers as a ‘sweet shop for materials.’ Visitors to the stand will find anything from LED lights sprinkled like 100s and 1000s, to chocolate bars made of compressed paper composite Richlite and circular Plasticiet lollipops.
There will be a comprehensive talks programme with over 50 speakers from diverse design backgrounds. New for this year are the ‘Legends Live’ sessions, taking place on the Main Stage and involving industry leaders interviewing someone in or connected to the industry who is their ‘Legend’.
Visitors will also be able to enjoy the Stone Gallery, which in partnership with Stone Federation GB, brings to Surface Design Show an exclusive preview of natural stone. The Stone Tapestry, curated by Squire & Partners, is a bespoke installation piece exploring innovative textures, light, colour and pattern to create a tapestry of inspiring materials from around the world.
Italy’s Confindustria Marmomacchine will, for the first time, be bringing a pavilion of 10 natural stone companies to exhibit in Stone Gallery.
One of the highly anticipated and unique parts of the show is the New Talent section. Supporting new talent is a key focus for Surface Design Show. This year over 35 participants, will display a range of sophisticated and innovative designs, from textile designs featuring augmented reality to 3D tiles of eco resin and waste materials. Many of the participants this year also show a recurring focus of using natural materials and dyes.
New Talent is curated by Trendease International and held in Partnership with Canon UK.
Each year visitors also look forward to Surface Spotlight Live, a focal point of inspiration for designers to touch and compare the very latest material prototypes. Sustainability is the key for SSL as developers look to bring to market an extraordinary range of materials.
Surface Spotlight Live will highlight the Show’s ‘Sense of Place’ theme and will be curated again by trend and colour expert Sally Angharad and held in Partnership with CD (UK).
About Surface Design Show Surface Design Show is the UK’s leading event for architects and designers to explore the best in surface material innovation. It is the place where people immerse themselves in the latest materials for the built environment, gain new insights and network with like-minded designers and specifiers. Revealing the latest innovations in surface design, over 175 UK and international suppliers will showcase their materials at the Show.
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Maison&Objet makes a return in March 2022! Following a theme of Inspiration, expect to see a heap of new luxurious furnishing and product designs.
For 25 years, Maison&Objet, organized by SAFI (a subsidiary of Ateliers d’Art de France and RX France), has been engaging with and bringing together the international design, home decor and lifestyle community. Its hallmark? Its unique ability to generate connections and accelerate business, both during tradeshows and via its digital platform, but also its unique talent to highlight trends that will make the heart of the home decor planet beat. Maison&Objet’s mission is to reveal talent, spark connections and provide inspiration, both on- and off-line, thereby helping businesses grow.
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Such is the direction in which the brazenly buoyant luxury sector is heading, exploring new paths that draw on haute-couture artisan craftsmanship and high technology on the one hand, and pop culture and the values of inclusivity on the other. This new phenomenon has served as inspiration for the upcoming edition of Maison&Objet, underpinned by the desire to showcase the very best of design. “When people come to Paris, it is to tap into an expertise and this one-of-a-kind lifestyle, which can be found nowhere else,“ explains Philippe Brocart, the trade fair’s General Manager. Vincent Grégoire, trend hunter at international style and innovation consultancy NellyRodi , offers his own insight into this increasingly strong craving for luxury: “in uncertain times, people feel the need for something different, the need for emotions and experiences, the need to push fantasy to its limits.”
Echoing these emerging trends, at the January fair the premium selection will be concentrated in hall 7’s appropriately named “Signature” section, bringing together the industry’s most creative brands and designers. This zone, which will complement the ever lauded uniqueness of the Craft, métiers d’art sector in hall 5A, is set to host a number of exceptional events:
About Maison&Objet and more Through two yearly tradeshows reserved to professionals, Maison&Objet Paris – and Paris Design Week, a public event in September that gathers all the creative energies of designers and brands altogether in the City of Lights, Maison&Objet is the essential platform for companies and designers who want to thrive in the home decor industry.
Held under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) and member of Dubai Council, registrations are now open for Downtown Design, the region’s leading fair for high-end and quality design. The fair returns this November and will take place in its purpose-built venue on the waterfront terrace in Dubai Design District (d3).
David Ross, Director, Downtown Design, comments: “With the return to a live, in-person edition of the fair this November, coinciding with demand for interior design and architecture services at levels not seen across the region for many years, Downtown Design will provide a perfectly timed, exciting and purposeful platform to reconnect the industry and celebrate original and high-quality design.”
Downtown Design Dubai
When: 8-12 November 2021
Where: Dubai Design District (d3) waterfront, United Arab Emirates
SBID Members can access exclsuive brand activations & tours with the Trade Connect Programme. Email [email protected] to find out more.
Over the past decade, Dubai has established itself as the design capital of the region, with Downtown Design as a key meeting point bringing together the region’s interior designers and architects who this year are enjoying a post-pandemic boom, fuelled by some of Dubai’s highest property sales in 12 years.
The fair will showcase more than 150 international and regional exhibiting brands and designers, complemented by extensive collateral activities that include an interactive talks programme featuring global industry experts, conceptual exhibitions by leading designers and interactive installations.
A key feature of Dubai Design Week, the fair will host brands from over 20 countries as well as major national representations from European countries including Austria, France, Hungary, Italy and Spain. Downtown Editions, the fair’s boutique section dedicated to limited-edition and bespoke design, will once again uncover the latest in design by individual designers, studios and creative collaborations, with a spotlight on the region.
Downtown Design will showcase the latest global interior design trends, ideas and inspirations featuring over 150 leading international and regional brands, with highlights including furniture from LEMA, Minotti, Giorgetti and Vitra; textiles from Illulian, Kvadrat and Verdi; major kitchen and bathrooms brands including Grohe, Villeroy & Boch, Laboratorio Mattoni and RAK Ceramics as well as lighting brands including Lasvit from the Czech Republic, Baranska Design from Poland and Shakúff from the USA.
The Italian national presentation, ‘Luxury Interiors – The Art of Italian Design’ from ICE, will be the largest in the fair’s history, featuring over 40 Italian companies showcasing their latest work whilst the French presentation by Business France will bring fine examples of the ‘Art de Vivre’ – with over 15 companies that combine traditional savoir-faire with avant-garde innovation. Spain’s design sector will present a united installation from ICEX with eight leading brands curated by Dubai-based Spanish architect Juan Roldán; WKO, Austria Economic Chamber will showcase seven leading homegrown furniture, lighting and accessories manufacturers and the Hungarian Fashion & Design Agency will present the work of emerging national designers under their ‘Budapest Select’ umbrella brand.
Downtown Editions will present a boutique showcase of limited-edition and bespoke pieces from designers and brands including Aline Hazarian, The Line Concept, Nakkash Gallery and Zieta Studio alongside emerging regional creative talents. These individual exhibits will be complemented by a range of showcases uncovering the latest in design from the region, including The Beirut Concept Store, which will feature works by 50 established designers and emerging creatives based in Lebanon, while the UAE Designer Exhibition 2.0 is set to unveil works by 25 emerging and undiscovered creative talents based and producing locally. The works of four designers selected by Tashkeel for the 2021 Tanween Programme will also be unveiled at the showcase.
The Forum at Downtown Design will host a series of compelling live interviews and discussions between leading regional and international architects, interior and product designers on each afternoon of the fair.
Staged in a dynamic amphitheatre specially designed by ema to promote interaction and engagement, The Forum is a space where professionals can engage in energising and candid design dialogue, with topics ranging from changing industry dynamics, behaviours and opportunities to how architecture and design can truly embody authenticity and place, and from implementing sustainability in the real world with real clients to placemaking and the future development of Middle Eastern cities.
International speakers contributing to the Forum include design studio founders Sebastian Herkner, Elliott Barnes, Gregory Gatserelia, Massimo Iosa Ghini and Adrien Gardère. In addition, Micael Calatrava, CEO of Calatrava International LLC, will discuss the current flow of their global projects with particular emphasis on their creation of the UAE Pavilion and the Qatar Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai.
More than a dozen areas of key importance to the broad spectrum of visitors to Downtown Design will be addressed in panel discussions, with contributions from leading lights of the regional architecture and interior design community including Jonathan Ashmore, Founder & Principal Architect, ANARCHITECT; Laura Bielecki, Group Design Director, Ellington; Pallavi Dean, Founder & Creative Director, Roar; Andy Shaw, Managing Partner, AMA and Chair, RIBA Gulf Chapter; Diane Thorsen, Design Director, Gensler and Isabel Pintado, SVP Design & Innovation, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts.
Visitors will be immersed in an interactive installation at the entrance to the upcoming fair, which will bring together contemporary design and technology in a unique multisensory experience. Designed by award-winning Dubai-based studio NIU, the highlight of this year’s entrance will be an oversized mosaic clad caricature by artist Antonello Blandi, which will be decorated by Fantini Mosaici, one of Italy’s leading brands of hand-cut mosaics found in luxury boutiques, homes, hotels, and palaces. The installation will also be strategically illuminated with sustainable, innovative lighting from Artemide.
Dubai-based Broadway Interiors has designed The Lounge Bar for Downtown Design 2021, creating an eclectic, stimulating environment inspired by the Dubai landscape and vista. Situated in the main exhibition area, The Lounge Bar will provide another important yet informal meeting space for brands and buyers to connect, and comprises two distinct sections including an outdoor water-facing terrace.
Downtown Design will also give visitors the opportunity to comfortably network and foster contacts in The Lighthouse Café created by prominent Dubai-based practice Lulie Fisher Design Studio and inspired by Virginia Woolf and her Bloomsbury Set contemporaries. Featuring a large, boldly patterned and richly coloured mosaic feature wall by Trend Middle East, the café will include a custom-built bar counter clad in matching mosaics and topped by a timber canopy that will sit beneath the tented exhibition roof.
About Downtown Design
Downtown Design is the leading platform in the Middle East for the region’s trade professionals to discover original, high-quality design and the commercial centrepiece of Dubai Design Week. Alongside brand debuts, product launches and the latest collections from contemporary international and regional design brands, Downtown Editions, the fair’s boutique showcase for limited-edition design presents established and emerging designers, collectives and individual studios from around the world, with a spotlight on the Middle East. Offering visitors a dynamic design experience, Downtown Design’s curatorial approach encompasses large-scale installations and specially commissioned projects by leading designers. The fair’s programme of talks, The Forum, annually brings global design leaders, strategists and editors together to discuss the industry’s most pressing matters.
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Changes to the way we travel, work, rest and play post-Covid are forcing hotel designers to rethink the entire guest experience. Hotel Interiors Experience (HIX) 2021 explores how these social shifts have transformed the role of hotels, highlighting the opportunities for operators beyond these pressure points.
When: 18th – 19th November 2021 Where: Business Design Centre, London
Visitor registration is free! Click here to register now.
As Europe’s hotel and hospitality industry sets about rebuilding its recovery and in-person events make their return, the launch of HIX 2021 marks an important moment for the hotel community: a new event for the hotel sector dedicated to making inspirational and extraordinary design experiences.
HIX will showcase the most exciting established and emerging design-led brands in a boutique exhibition alongside a conference which will explore the story of social change over the past 18 months, setting the scene for 3,500 hotel industry professionals to share ideas that will transform the guest experience.
Joel Butler, co-founder of HIX, said: “All Together Now has been our mantra since the first UK lockdown. When a group as creative and energetic as the hotel design community are separated from one another for so long, this rallying cry seems like a pure and simple objective for HIX.” The hotel design community have endorsed HIX: Henry Reeve, director of interior design at the InterContinental Hotels Group, said the event represents “an exciting new opportunity for the Hotel design scene [as] disruption and new thinking are required now more than ever.”
The exhibition will offer a visual showcase of ‘100 design stories’ where cutting-edge suppliers including Chelsom, Morgan, Sanderson Design Group, Hansgrohe, Hypnos and Villeroy & Boch, from across the entire hotel and design supply chain including bathroom, fabrics, FF&E services, furniture, lighting, surfaces and technology. Each stand will tell its own unique story, providing designers, interior architects, developers, suppliers, and hotel operators with an opportunity to see first-hand exceptional design concepts and experiences. “Right now, HIX is exactly what the hotel design community need. We can’t wait to be back at an authentic community event”, said Ilker Hussein, global projects corporate director, Laufen.
Running parallel to the exhibition will be the HIX talks, featuring six seminars, each exploring one of the seismic social shifts to have occurred since the start of the pandemic. Starting in a challenging place of anxiety and the need for hotels to carve a new value proposition, moving towards community and togetherness, trust, compassion and new opportunities for hotels as workplace. Among the speakers confirmed are Robbyn Carter, founder of Brooklyn’s new Studio Carter; Vince Stroop, founding partner of stroop; German design visionary and owner of sieger design & SIEGER, Christian Sieger; and, globally renowned London-based studio, Tina Norden, partner at Conran and Partners; Jason Steere, managing director of brand & experience at The Student Hotel; and Technology and communication leader Dex Hunter-Torricke, formerly of Google, Facebook who will share insights in building trust and meaningful loyalty with communities, specifically tomorrow’s Generation Z travellers.
About HIX Hotel Design Interiors (HIX) 2021 is an annual exhibition for the hotel and hospitality supply chain, taking place over two days 18-19 November 2021 at London’s Business Design Centre. The event will bring together the entire design and interiors supply chain, including bathroom, fabrics, FF&E services, furniture, landscaping, lighting, objects, outdoor, spa & wellness, surfaces, technology plus many more, with the designers, interior architects, specifiers, project management, hotel operators, procurement, consultants and developers involved in bringing the guest experience to life.
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Launched in January this year, Workspace Design Show is an exciting addition to the global design events calendar, with the inaugural edition taking place from 4-5 November 2021 at London’s Business Design Centre, at the heart of the UK’s commercial interiors community.
After all the recent disruption to the Workspace industry, there is huge change underway in how we are designing our office interiors to improve the employee experience. The Workspace Design Show will be a great chance to listen to the latest thought leadership, check out the newest and most innovative interiors products, and network with your industry peers again.
Workspace Design Show
When: 4-5 November 2021
The Workspace Design Talks will feature top level A&D speakers from Gensler, Grimshaw, Perkins&Will, AECOM, Arup, Areen, MCM, tp bennett, MF Design Studio, BDP Architecture, and end-user clients such as HMRC, PwC, BBC, McCann, Aviva, The Office Group, Co-space, DLA Piper and more. Panel discussions will open up challenging debates to uncover the latest thinking in how design can influence employee wellbeing, engagement, creativity & productivity, as well as the latest workspace design trends in sustainability, flexibility and inclusivity.
The attendee list includes delegates confirmed from Government Property Agency, Oktra, Unispace, Vodafone, Barclays Bank, NHS Property Services, Crown Commercial Service, Faith and Gould, We Work, CBRE, British Land, Morgan Lovell.
Your complimentary guest pass will give you access to the exhibition as well as all the talks featuring the above speakers, the Leisure Area to use as a co-working space or a meeting space or just a place to relax/ work from during the 2 days as well as free coffee, tea, hot chocolate throughout the 2 days at 3 dedicated coffee stations sponsored by Liquidline.
The Show floor will also feature re-creations of commercial interiors such as the Design Talks Lounge designed and curated by The Furniture Practice, The VIP Lounge designed by Rainlight Studio, built by AASK US and curated by Obolife, and the exhibition area including leading brands such as Humanscale, Spacestor, Tarkett, Interface, Actiu, Zumtobel, Andreu World, Benchmark Furniture, Buzzispace, and many more.
About Workspace Design Show Workspace Design Show is the UK’s only exhibition focused purely on Workspace Design, including the latest thought leadership from the country’s top architects, designers & corporates. It brings together the entire commercial interiors community to discover and discuss tomorrow’s workspaces.
As we return to the office, many organisations are looking for inspiration on how to best prepare and adapt to the post-COVID hybrid working model. In May 2021, KI had the pleasure of hosting ‘Designing for a neurodiverse workspace’ with networking group Women in Office Design. The hybrid event brought together a small group of people from across the workspace sector both at the KI Showroom and via Zoom.
During this interactive session, Julie Lecoq of HoK was joined by Sarah Miles from Arcadis, to discuss the growing importance of worker wellbeing, and how companies can optimise their workplaces from very early on in the design phase. There was a strong consensus that there is a business case for diversity, equity and inclusion – and designers are in an important position to help their clients understand early on that it is affordable, achievable, and essential.
Julie did a fantastic job of laying out the research and examples of neurodiversity and its importance in the workplace; whilst Sarah presented a great case study that resulted in a completely new workplace concept developed in collaboration with KI’s ‘Infinity’ design team – Colonnade.
Neurodiversity is an umbrella term that covers a range of conditions such as dyslexia, autism spectrum disorder, ADHD and others. It is estimated that 1 in 8 people fall under this umbrella, and whilst awareness is improving, only half of those affected will know it. The complexity and severity in which these conditions affect different individuals are also highly variable. So, unlike many other considerations when creating more inclusive spaces, neurodiversity factors might often be unknown or unseen.
Workplaces that support neurodiverse employees allow every individual to perform to the best of their abilities. This is an exciting opportunity for any organisation, ensuring that everyone in their team has the tools they need. Having a one-size-fits-all approach might deprive a company of hiring or retaining fantastic individuals who have so much to offer, simply because the working environment compromises their wellbeing so badly. For example, vast uninterrupted, busy open-plan spaces can be filled with noise and visual distractions during a workday. For some individuals, this would be overwhelming and overstimulating – so if they aren’t able to find a quieter space, they would not be able to cope and would have no choice but to seek an alternative place of work.
COVID has really disrupted traditional workplace strategies with new emphases on work-life balance, hybrid working models and heightened sensitivities around personal safety. But what’s most important to remember is that inclusivity measures will benefit neurotypical individuals as well as those who are neurodiverse.
Nurturing individual needs can be enhanced by offering greater user control within the workspace. Rather than expecting individuals to adapt to their environment, create an environment that can be adapted by the user to suit their requirements.
This has already been important for a number of years with growing emphasis on collaborative and creative working, rather than process-driven static work done at an individual workstation. But now, the remote working model has been thrust upon all kinds of organisations, pushing forward a hybrid working model. One of KI’s major clients faced these challenges pre-pandemic, working with Arcadis and our design team to create Colonnade to help meet the project requirements.
Sarah and her team worked with us to develop this brief which manifested in some really clever ideas that maximised user-controlled customisation. It was important for users to have full autonomy to reconfigure the space without having to call in support from facilities or IT. This makes it easier for those with varying physical abilities to be able to use the space. It also facilitates easy modification to help control noise and visual distractions.
HOK’s extensive research also looks at other factors that can be quickly and readily addressed such as:
A recording of the event is available via YouTube, below. If you’d like to discuss Colonnade, or anything else from this session, please get in touch with KI: [email protected]
About KI In 1941, KI introduced their first product – the folding chair. It answered the call for portable, stackable seating. Today, this chair symbolizes a legacy of listening to the customers. They’ve grown well beyond their origins, designing locally in response to their customers’ needs and providing contract furniture solutions that fit their environment, brilliantly.
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Following fifteen intense months of nothing but online activities, the real-world version of the Maison&Objet Paris trade fair is about to make its much-awaited return in September 2021.
For 25 years, Maison&Objet has led and brought together the international design, home decor and lifestyle community. The trademark of Maison&Objet? Its unique ability to generate connections, accelerate business both during tradeshows and on its digital platform, but also its unique talent to highlight trends that will make the heart of the home decor planet beat. Revealing talents, offering opportunities and inspiration online and offline, stimulating the development of companies, is the mission of Maison&Objet.
Complimentary tickets are available for SBID Members!
Get in touch with [email protected] to register your interest.
To plan for the September edition in the best way possible, Maison&Objet decided to conduct a survey amongst 1,152 industry professionals based both in France and overseas, including brands, buyers and retailers. The aim? Gauge its network’s mindset in the run-up to the event, but above all find out more about how the market has fared, the impact the pandemic has had, and what industry professionals are hoping to achieve when they finally get together once more.
At the start of the year, the trade fair community had already made it clear that they were keen to head back to the real-world event in order to discover or launch new collections and have the opportunity to actually touch, smell and get a feel for the products on show. Today, that desire is more tangible than ever, with the exhibitors surveyed stating that their physical presence at the trade fair not only serves as a celebration of all the hard work that goes into launching new collections, but is also crucial for making new connections, networking, seeing what the competition is up to and gleaning a clearer understanding of the market as a whole.
By exploring the “Desirable Development” theme, which will help shine a light on consumer appetite for all things ethical and brands’ new-found solutions, the September edition of Maison&Objet is set to highlight a fundamental shift rather than a fleeting trend – a shift that looks likely to last well beyond this season in homes across the globe.
Ever keen to provide industry professionals with increasingly focused support on a variety of issues, including managing online sales, embracing changing trends, sourcing and manufacturing, this September Maison&Objet will launch a brand-new service that allows its whole network to benefit from a dynamic range of training and education opportunities: The Maison&Objet Academy. This subscription channel will provide insight from a wide array of international experts, with monthly subscriptions starting at just €14.99 excl. VAT.
The special 2021 Salone del Mobile.Milano event, supersalone will open with the accent on safety, design transversality and an ambitious green commitment (avoiding 1.2 kilograms of CO2 being pumped into the atmosphere by recycling the installations). It will feature more than 423 brands and 50 independent designers, 170 projects from 48 international design schools, 20 of the most influential figures on the creative scene today, 110 Compasso d’Oro award-winning chairs, five great chefs, six films selected by the MDFF and 200 trees from Forestami.
When: 5th – 10th September from 10am to 7pm (Friday: 10am to 4pm) Where: Rho Milan Fairgrounds
The Salone’s digital platform will provide an opportunity to follow the events both in person and virtually, with work on the “supersalone” going full pelt, the event is helmed by the curator Stefano Boeri, the international team of co-designers – Andrea Caputo, Maria Cristina Didero, Anniina Koivu, Lukas Wegwerth, Marco Ferrari and Elisa Pasqual of Studio Folder, along with Giorgio Donà, co-founder and director of Stefano Boeri Interiors – and the entire staff of the Salone del Mobile.Milano with huge commitment, courage and, above all, a great sense of responsibility.
Maria Porro, President of the Salone del Mobile.Milano, had this to say: “We are pouring our hearts into organising this “supersalone” because we believe it’s crucial to go back to meeting each other, conduct relationships and see for ourselves the products that our companies have carried on creating. In 2020 we felt the lack of being able to have a collective vision on the direction of the entire sector even more keenly, and this event will allow us to find out the latest products and the prospects for the future. We took on a tough challenge with a great sense of responsibility. The issue of safety is key, and so we are working with all the regional institutions and bodies involved to ensure a totally safe experience for our exhibitors and visitors, starting with the green pass. The new Salone del Mobile.Milano platform with its palimpsest of events, live streamings and dedicated content will ensure that we can also fully involve that part of the design community that has been prevented from travelling due to the restrictions in force.”
423 brands in all goods categories will set out their wares in four pavilions, in a committed response to the call Stefano Boeri, and the firm belief that the “supersalone” will become a symbol of a new Renaissance. The stars of the show will be increasingly innovative products, capable of fully responding to the changes inherent in the contemporary social structure, and their knock-on effects on a rapidly changing furnishing market and the individual needs of each client. Recognising the importance and the symbolic value of this “supersalone” will also be confirmed by the presence of high-ranking government and institutional authorities – first and foremost the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, on the day of the launch – testament, as always, to the fact that the Salone is one of the drivers of the Italian economy, thanks to the fertile relationship that it manages to set up between businesses, cities and regions.
“The “supersalone” will be the first great Italian fair since the pandemic erupted. Super because it’s unmissable. Unmissable because it will see the great design brands, the young makers, the international schools, the great icons of design, the most renowned Italian chefs and many stars of the art and architecture scene gathered together for the first time. Unmissable because everybody will have a chance to see the top products from the top companies – live – and purchase or reserve them on the Salone del Mobile web platform. Unmissable because all the display components have been designed to be reused or recycled. Unmissable because at such a difficult time in our history we’ve mustered the courage, the passion and the generosity of the best of Italian business and creativity. “supersalone” is a cheerful response from a SuperItaly after the long night of the pandemic,” said the architect Stefano Boeri, curator of the event.
Innovation, attention to environmental impact, creativity tout court, cultural exchange, and digital experiences are the “supersalone” buzzwords. It will be an event that will draw on the power of design creativity to become a hub of experimentation and cross-pollination, a meeting place and a forger of new opportunities for reflection on the world of design and for acquainting ourselves with its protagonists – from the furnishing manufacturing system to the schools turning out the new cohorts of designers, from the independent makers to the most influential current figures in every field of design, from filmmakers who iconise the ability of design to shape worlds and tell stories to those who support and promote creativity.
With circularity and sustainability uppermost, all the materials and components used in the installation designed by Andrea Caputo – long parallel sets, designed for the specific goods categories, and the communal areas such as the Food Courts, arenas and lounges designed by Stefano Boeri Interiors – have been devised in collaboration with Lukas Wegwerth to be dismantled and reused. With the onus on circularity, the installation systems, which involve no loose components and reduced amounts of material, will be completely recycled. All the chipboard panels made from 100% recycled timber will go back into the production cycle. The overall benefit from avoiding emissions of CO2 deriving from the use of post-consumer reclaimed material is a lower emissions figure of 1.125.000kg CO2eq. The same goes for the bricks used in The Lost Graduation Show installation, which are all reusable; all the arenas, benches and seating will be “dry” mounted and can therefore be disassembled and used again at different times and in different contexts.
The trees supplied by Forestami will underscore the green credentials of “supersalone” with an ad hoc project that provides for a “forest” of around 100 trees through which the turnstiles at the East Gate entrance can be accessed. Another 100 tall trees will lead visitors into the various exhibition areas and living areas dedicated to relaxation. The selected trees – lime, ash, oak, flowering plum trees – will subsequently be planted in Milan’s metropolitan area.
One of the special “supersalone” exhibitions will be The Lost Graduation Show, curated by Anniina Koivu, showcasing 170 projects from students who graduated between 2020 and 2021, hailing from 48 design schools in 22 different countries in all five continents. A first in the history of the Salone that will involve every sector of furniture design and more besides. Incursions into the world of mobility, inclusive, medical and sports design, research into materials and design sustainability will map out the status quo of the entire sector. An example of how the Salone del Mobile.Milano works to support design schools, promoting the latest generation of designers, narrating their enthusiasm, courage and efforts at a time when the profession is undergoing swingeing change.
The exhibition Take Your Seat / Prendi Posizione – Solitude and Conviviality of the Chair / Solitudine e Convivialità della Sedia, curated by Nina Bassoli in partnership with ADI / Compasso d’Oro Award, will be another major highlight. Featuring 30 Compasso d’Oro award-winning chairs and more than 80 chairs that have gained honourable mentions ranged around the four “supersalone” pavilions, the exhibition will tell the story of the most iconic of all design objects, the chair, more capable of synthesising the value of good design than any other artefact. Split into four themed sections, with the addition of an “extra” section at the ADI Design Museum – the ideal end or start point to the visit – it will illustrate just how design has harnessed languages and content throughout the great changes in society and how it has managed to respond to new cultural paradigms with new inventions.
Devised by Maria Cristina Didero, the “supersalone” programme will be packed with conversations, talks and lectures by designers, architects, artists, scholars and managers from all over the world. The protagonists will endeavour to respond to a variety of questions on design, art, architecture, education, the circular economy, environmental impact, the relationship between project and curation and much more besides, in a series of dialogues and one man shows. There are many famous names among them: from Humberto Campana to Bjarke Ingels, Carsten Höller, Paola Pivi, Beatriz Colomina, Cecilia Alemani, Formafantasma and Philippe Malouin. There will be three fixed appointments every day: round tables at 12pm, talks at 3pm and lectures at 5pm. In addition to these events and in collaboration with the Milano Design Film Festival, every day at 4pm studies, biopics and docufilms will allow for crosscutting insight into design, architecture and the current social and sustainable implications. The programme includes Newmuseum(s). Stories of Company Archives and Museums by Francesca Molteni; Tokyo Ride by Ila Bêka and Louise Lemoine; Paradigma Olivetti by Davide Maffei; Precise Poetry. Lina Bo Bardi’s Architecture by Belinda Rukschcio and Honeyland by Tamara Kotevska and Ljubomir Stefanov.
“supersalone” is also and especially open to cross-pollination between different spheres and languages, featuring Identità Golose Milano – International Gastronomic Hub in the event, because food is a product on the same level as any other, and has always evolved on the basis of human creativity and need. It calls for careful planning and the study of craft and industrial processes, both traditional and otherwise. It also requires a good pinch of curiosity and openness. The Identità Golose Food Court is a new bespoke concept tailormade for “supersalone,” conceived as an integral part of the visitor experience and an opportunity to savour the original recipes of some of the greatest Italian chefs and artisans, including Carlo Cracco with pastry chef Marco Pedron, Massimo Bottura with the workshop Il Tortellante, Michelin star chefs Cristina Bowerman and Matias Perdomo, Eugenio Boer, the Italo-Dutch chef renowned for the international influences that he weaves into his cuisine, as well as Renato Bosco, considered one of the greatest master of pizza, the great ice-cream maker Paolo Brunelli and Andrea Besuschio, who has been ranked among the top 10 best pastry chefs in Italy for years. Each of them will come up with an iconic dish – either sweet or savoury – that the public will be able to purchase, putting together their own ideal menus to enjoy in an informal and inclusive environment.
As per another well-established tradition being revived at this special September event, the Salone del Mobile will venture beyond the confines of the Rho Fairgrounds to underscore and valorise its deep ties with Milan and, in the spirit of increasing openness to the exchange and circulation of ideas, culture and creativity, will reinforce its dialogue with Triennale Milano, the city hub of “supersalone.” Triennale will be marking the occasion with Il Salone / La Città (The Salone / The City), an exhibition conceived by the Triennale Museum of Italian Design for the Salone del Mobile.Milano and curated by Mario Piazza. The exhibition will narrate the cultural events held in the city by the Salone that, over the years, have communicated design to its fans. A spectacular show that will draw on the archives of Triennale Milano and the Salone del Mobile.Milano.
The mix of digital and in-person presence will make for a thoroughly engaging experience and allow those unable to be physically present to observe the products on exhibit, visit the exhibitions virtually and attend the talks and lectures. The Salone del Mobile.Milano platform has been designed to promote the design on exhibit with original content and medium-specific language, and to put the user at the centre of the event before, during and after their visit. The exhibition spaces and themed itineraries will dialogue with the platform in a wholly original manner, allowing the products to be observed and reserved for purchase. These are the digital crossroads that will create new forms of integration and interconnection between different worlds, users and markets.
“supersalone” will be all this and much more – a special project through which the Salone del Mobile.Milano intends to serve as a promoter of and catalyst for activities, thoughts and feelings that will allow the entire sector and the supply chain as a whole to breathe life into a new Renaissance.
About Salone del Mobile Launched in Milan in 1961 as a vehicle for promoting Italian exports of furnishing and accessories, the Salone Internazionale del Mobile is the global benchmark event for the furnishing and design sector.
Coming together to celebrate the cruise community, registration is now open for Cruise Ship Interiors Expo America (CSI) and Cruise Ship Interiors Expo Europe (CSIE). CSI will take place in Miami, Florida, the heart of the cruise world from 10th – 11th November, while CSIE is located at the ExCeL in London – one of the design capitals of the world from 1st – 2nd December.
The cruise interiors community is galvanised by the thought of reuniting after nearly two years since they last met in person. These exciting live events will host the industry leaders across cruise lines, architects, designers, outfitters and suppliers, all ready for the return to face-to-face business. Visitors can expect vibrant show floors featuring YSA Design, SMC Design, Trimline, AROS Marine, Bolidt and more, with exhibitors ranging from the lifeblood of cruise interior design to land-to sea newcomers.
After sampling the new products and innovation of our exhibitors – including textiles & materials, furnishings, outfitting, retail and outdoor attractions – attendees can visit the live Cruise Conversations Conference. Industry leaders from cruise lines, shipyards and design firms will be speaking on the most relevant and urgent topics of today, including the role that interior design will play in the reinvigoration of the cruise industry.
CSI and CSIE will both kick off in style with their Big Cruise Reunion Party – and the networking only starts there. Targeted and curated networking events – including sought-after opportunities available only to CSI Plus members – will take place across both shows, restarting the conversations critical to the cruise interiors supply chain. Networking on the show floor will include the industry favourite Happy Hour and be open to everyone who attends CSI and CSIE.
Anne Mari Gullikstad, Senior Interior Architect YSA Design, founding partners of CSI and CSIE, said, “Being dedicated to cruise ship interiors, the event attracts many different actors from the industry, under one roof. Further, we see the effort the exhibitors go to, with amazing stands to showcase what they do, and this makes us proud to be part of the scene. We look forward to the return of these live events immensely.”
After a challenging year it is crucial that we celebrate the achievements of the cruise interiors community. The second Cruise Ship Interiors Awards launches at CSI, where voting will take place on the show floor. Celebrate the people, projects and teams that make our industry great.
Register today to attend CSI and CSIE
About Cruise Ship Interiors Expo Cruise Ship Interiors Expo America and Europe return to reunite the cruise industry! For more information on CSI, CSIE, or for the Cruise Ship Interiors Awards, please contact marketing director Ivan Rahal at: [email protected] or call on +441273 086 330
With a new virtual event and rug resource for design professionals, COVER magazine will host COVER Connect on 12–15 January 2021. The event will benefit, celebrate and support the handmade rug industry at a time usually occupied by start-of-the-year trade and design fairs. A dedicated place for our diverse professional community to do business remotely, COVER Connect will play host to a global audience of buyers, designers and industry professionals.
TRADE
Trade is the virtual fair at the core of COVER Connect, featuring more than thirty-five of the most most well-respected rug companies in the world, showcasing their latest designs and new collections. COVER Connect will provide an engaging buying experience for exhibitors and clients, and recreate the atmosphere of a fair by offering numerous encounters with outstanding design, quality rugs and the companies who create them. The virtual booths will act as an easily accessible overview of each company’s rugs representing their style and ethos. Live chat and pre-bookable online meetings will be available directly from these booths.
TALKS
The Talks programme at COVER Connect will focus on the themes of Sustainability, Collaboration and Interior Design.
In one of the seven panel discussions, Vanessa Brady OBE, founder of the Society of British and International Design (SBID) will speak to three renowned interior designers about their approaches to successfully incorporating rugs into their projects: Erinn Valencich, Founder of the L.A.-based Erinn V. Design Group; London-based Shalini Misra; and Kar Hwa-Ho, Head of Interior Architects at Zaha Hadid.
EVENTS
Featuring a series of virtual projects presented by Trade exhibitors including interviews, live sales and documentary films.
REGISTRATION
There are two types of attendee registration: one requires accreditation, the other is open to all. Both are free and open now. The Trade and Events sections are open exclusively to accredited buyers, interior designers and architects verified by COVER. Registration to attend Talks and view Features is not subject to verification.
Apply for full access
Register for Talks only
Visit thecoverconnect.com to find out more.
Join SBID
Find out more about our flexible membership structure.
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