Surface Design Show is the only event in the UK that focuses solely on interior and exterior surfaces.With an 80 per cent increase in exhibitor uptake the breadth of new products to discover in 2015 will be astounding
Since its inception in 2005 the show has become the destination for industry people to see, touch and explore the latest materials for the built environment, gain new insights and network with like-minded designers, architects and suppliers.
This year’s event is already proving to be a huge success. All of the ground floor and mezzanine has been filled with key exhibitors leading the organisers to extend the show to the BDC’s balcony area to meet the demand for space. There will be over 120 exhibitors including Mundy Veneer, specialists within the veneer industry and the exclusive UK distributors of Tabu products, CD (UK) who for over 30 years have been the sole distributors of Corian in the UK. Knauf whom specialises in limestone, lime, chalk and cement related prod- ucts, and Spectral, a lighting company whose luminaires have received coveted international awards including iF and Reddot, will too be among the selection of top quality exhibitors.
Surface Design Show is also delighted to be welcoming new exhibitors to the show including RAK Ceramics, the world’s largest ceramics manufacturer, Hi Con, a leading European brand of high performance concrete whose properties are used to create super thin balconies and staircases, as well as Jotun, the world’s leading manufacturer of paints, coatings and powder coatings, which have been used for a number of prestigious international projects including the Eiffel Tower, the Petronas Twin Towers in Malaysia and the Burj Khalifa in Dubai.
Event Director Christopher Newton, said:
“This year we’ve seen an 82 per cent increase in sales which proves that Surface Design Show is getting bigger and better year on year. It’s great to see the enthusiasm of all those involved, the inspiration it provides and the creativity that comes out of the show.”
There will also be a packed programme of events and entertainment including the Preview Evening’s Live Debate hosted by RIBA Journal on 10 February. The ever popular PechaKucha Evening will take place on 11 February and will provide an informal and fun presentation of inspirational slides for the onlooking architects and designers.
BIM4FitOut, a special interest group to the government BIM Task Group, which represents the finishes and fit out sector, will again be organising an engaging workshop at the show. New event highlights to the show include Materials Speed Dating, the 2015 version of Future Thinking, hosted by Materials Council which is a fun and interactive way to be rapidly introduced to new surfaces and finishes, and in-turn meet your ‘perfect materials match’.
Light and surface are inseparable partners; the interplay between light and surface can change a building’s interior or exterior dramatically creating breathtaking results. Hosted within Surface Design Show and presented by Light Collective and the Institution of Lighting Professionals is Light School, an area dedicated to lighting. Light School consists of three parts: the School Room; Product School; and the School Newspaper, all of which are designed to educate and inspire visitors about the latest in lighting design and lighting products. Sponsored by iGuzzini, there will be more than two days of lessons in the School Room featuring hands on demos with top UK lighting designers who will be taking on the role of lecturers.
Global Color ResearchTM will also return to the show. Following the success of the 2013 and 2014 Trend Wall, the influential consultancy and creators of colour forecasting publication MIX Magazine will work with acclaimed surface designer Giles Miller to present Colour Collaborations. The exhibit, located in and outside the Business Design Centre, is designed to inspire and give insight, focusing on the vital colour and material trends for 2016 and their importance within design.
Part of the outstanding success of the show is the commitment to recognising excellence with the Surface Design Awards. The awards recognise examples of progressive design and the use of innovative surfaces in projects both in the UK and internationally. Categories cover projects in retail, commercial, housing, public building, light and surfaces and temporary structures. Launched in 2013, the awards have grown quickly both in stature and the number of entrants. This year, 181 projects were entered, a record number increasing by a staggering 62 per cent with a third of entries from overseas making it the UK’s leading award scheme to identify innovation in surface design. The awards presentation will take place on 12 February 2015 at the Business Design Centre in London on the last day of Surface Design Show.