Forecasting the future of design and architectural trends

Sustainability, technology and the latest creative innovations in surface design will be at the forefront of the sixth annual Surface Design Show (Business Design Centre, London, 10-12 February 2009). With a larger international presence than ever before, the UK’s only event to focus exclusively on surface solutions in building design promises to once again provide a vibrant showcase of new and exciting products from around the world.

New to the Surface Design Show in 2009 will be the ‘Green Surfaces’ and ‘Surface Innovation’ zones which will be showcasing some of the most up-to-the minute innovative and sustainable products the market has to offer. These new zones will sit alongside a number of seminars by key industry leaders exploring the increasing importance of sustainability in design.

The 2009 Surface Design Show will also feature an exciting mix of new exhibitors as well as many of the favourites from previous shows who will be displaying their latest creative designs. Exterior facades will be on show through a number of companies including the Expanded Metal Company, who are appearing for the third year in a row, and first time exhibitor Twentinox, the Dutch architectural metal mesh specialist. Also making their debut at the show are the innovative Finnish company Durat, who specialise in uniting design and recycling, as well as Glass Inspiration, the Austrian developers of laminated glass that can be manufactured for use in a wide range of interior applications. A number of visitor favourites will be returning to the Business Design Centre including the Italian tile specialists Graniti Fiandre, wall covering specialists Tektura and Muraspec, as well as Scottish interior specialists Grant Westfield.

As the show’s influence continues to rise, the number of international exhibitors is increasing. The 2009 Surface Design Show will feature dedicated pavilions for French and Italian manufacturers and designers as well as exhibitors from The Netherlands, Belgium, Slovakia, Germany and the United States, to name just a few.

The introduction of ‘Green Surfaces’ is a direct result of almost two-thirds of visitors looking to see more eco friendly products. This new section will be dedicated to featuring the most inspiring and innovative uses of recycled, sustainable and renewable materials and will showcase the most environmentally responsible and visually inspiring surfaces available for contemporary design.

Meanwhile, ‘Surface Innovations’ will focus on the latest stimulating materials and technologies emerging from the design industry today. This exciting new area promises to present revolutionary products for both internal and external surfaces.

Following the success of its debut at the 2008 show, ‘Illuminating Surfaces’ will once again celebrate the important relationship between light and materials in building design. This section will showcase an inspiring selection of the latest and finest architectural, decorative and contemporary lighting as well as materials that either alter their composition with light or alter their luminosity, translucency and colour.

In keeping with the traditions of the Surface Design Show, the renowned Preview Evening (10th February) and the VIP Gala Event (11th February) should once again prove to be extremely popular. Previous evening events at the Surface Design Show have featured some of the design industry’s leading practitioners including Will Alsop, Peter Cook, Peter Murray and Sir Richard MacCormac.

The show has repeatedly proved to be an invaluable resource for the industry’s leading professionals searching for innovative surface solutions with representatives attending the show from many of the top design practices in the UK including Gensler, Zaha Hadid Architects, Foster and Partners, HOK International, Nightingale Associates and Conran & Partners.

The Surface Design Show’s Event Manager, Anita Gorny, commented: “We are delighted with the progress and response for the forthcoming Surface Design Show. Since its debut in 2004, the show has grown in size and influence every year, with the 2008 show surpassing 5,000 visitors for the first time. As a result of this growth, we are able to offer visitors the greatest variety of features and exhibitors to date. There is a larger and more focused international presence than in previous years, new features including Green Surfaces and Surface Innovations, as well as a number of the leading surface designers and manufacturers introducing their newest products.”

Email: anita.gorny@eme-uk.com