2015 saw 5,586 professional and trade visitors, an unprecedented increase of 49% on the previous year. 80% of the audience came from architectural, interior design, lighting design or multi design practices with 5% of these visiting from abroad.
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.
In 2016 there will be over 150 exhibitors; already confirmed are RAK Ceramics, James Latham, Grestec Tiles and Concreate all of whom are returning from last year. New exhibitors for 2016 include Velstone, Soundtect, Lumiscopic, Green Interiors and Bokart.
Nicole Freiter from Grestec Tiles said of Surface Design Show 15
"We saw a great number of potential new clients attend our stand at the show and have set up many meetings and sample requests on the back of exhibiting. It was the perfect platform for us to interact and build relationships with the right industry contacts".
Surface Design Show 2016 will be full of new ideas and firm favourites, refreshed to provide our specifying audience with a unique visiting experience. The packed programme of events and entertainment will include the Preview Evening (sponsored by Pintark), the Live Debate (hosted by New London Architecture) and the ever popular PechaKucha Evening – an informal and fun presentation of inspirational slides.
Future Thinking is Surface Design Show’s annual look at the future of materials, highlighting colours, topics and surface trends for 2017, new for 2016 will be Surface Spotlight Live curated by Sally Angharad. The two sector spotlights highlighted will be Health + Wellbeing and Retail Design featuring materials that make a significant contribution to both areas.
New for 2016 is Stone Gallery which has been introduced to reflect the importance of the rapidly growing stone market in the UK. Hosted on the mezzanine level, the gallery will focus on natural stone from across the world.
First introduced to Surface Design Show in 2014 Light School has established itself as the UK’s main event for architectural lighting. Light School is presented by Light Collective and supported by the Institution of Lighting Professionals and consists of three parts: The School Room, Product School and the School Newspaper sponsored by Xicato. The School Room, sponsored by iGuzzini and with mondo*arc as its media partner will provide architects and designers with education and knowledge about lighting design and lighting products.
Since 2013 the Surface Design Awards have been recognising and celebrating outstanding examples of progressive design and the use of innovative surfaces in projects both in the UK and internationally. Thirty-two projects have been named as finalists for the Surface Design Awards 2016, with 13 awards to be given out to 7 different categories with most categories being divided into both interior and exterior sections. 40% of projects on the 2016 shortlist are from outside of the UK covering an extensive 12 countries. Among the 2016 finalists are internationally revered Foster + Partners and Heatherwick Studio as well as BuckleyGreyYeoman who have three shortlisted projects. The awards presentation will take place on Thursday 11th February during Surface Design Show.
As Health + Wellbeing is one of the focuses at Surface Design Show 2016, the organisers have adopted Maggie’s as this year’s chosen Charity Partner. Maggie’s provides free practical, emotional and social support to people with cancer and their family and friends. Surface Design Show will be helping to raise funds for the new Maggie’s Centre in Leeds designed by Heatherwick Studio.
Professionals can now register to attend for free via the Show website >> www.surfacedesignshow.com/designcurial