News

The 'a-lounge' at ZOW 2009 continues to grow:
An extensive specialist programme for architects and designers

There has been a real boost in the number of architects and designers visiting ZOW in Bad Salzuflen over the past three years. The organiser, Survey Marketing + Consulting is continuously increasing the attractiveness of ZOW for this target group through the numerous activities included in the social programme. At the next ZOW, the architectural lounge (“a-lounge”) in Hall 22.2 will be bigger and more informative than ever before. With new special exhibitions and an extended specialist programme, it is THE attraction at ZOW for all interior designers and anyone else interested in design.

ZOW is the recognised platform for showcasing modern design ideas in the furniture and interiors industry, trade fair construction and shop-fitting, architecture and design and lightweight construction and new materials. Since the exhibition began offering an extensive specialist programme for architects, interior designers and designers, a visit to ZOW has had a fixed place on the annual exhibition calendar of this target group. Last year alone, the attractions in the “a-lounge” drew more than 1000 visitors from the architecture and design industry to ZOW. This remarkable popularity not only shows that the “a-lounge” has successfully established itself as an institution at the exhibition, but it is also evidence of the convincing design competence and innovative force of the ZOW exhibitors and the high quality of their presentations.

“a-lounge”: the starting point for architecture in Hall 22.2

In 2009, the “a-lounge” will once again serve as the central meeting place for all visitors interested in architecture. Guided themed tours around the exhibition will start here, product highlights for special topics will be presented here, the Hochschule Ostwestfalen-Lippe will present itself in its “Materialscouts” show with creative lightweight construction ideas and every day exciting special talks and factory reports will be on offer. Catering and relaxing is also provided for. The “a-lounge” is the perfect place to pick up ideas and exchange impressions in an exciting atmosphere. The official 2009 lounge partners are the Bund Deutscher Innenarchitekten (BDIA) (Association of German Interior Designers), the architecture trade magazine Detail, the International Forum Design (iF) and Material Connexion Cologne.

a-select: presentation on Universal Design

One of ZOW’s trademarks is how it adopts topics for the future early on and presents them in an exclusive way. Universal Design is a hot topic for the product development of tomorrow which is set to have a considerable impact on design. Universal Design means that products can be used by as many people as possible regardless of age. They aren’t designed for one particular age group like “50 plus”. The concept takes into account the changes that people experience during their lives and is oriented towards both young and old, big and small, handicapped and able-bodied. Universal Design will be the focus of the main exhibition in the “a-lounge” in 2009. Products and concepts currently being developed by ZOW exhibitors will be on show. Frido Jacobs will be preselecting and supervising the presentation during the four days of the ZOW exhibition. Jacobs, the former head of design at Miele is one of the leading pioneers of Universal Design in Germany.

a-decor: inspiring decors

“The country needs new decors” is the motto for showcasing products; architects want to show visitors just how diverse the world of decors really is. The “a-lounge” presents creative decor solutions which lend their weight to the current language of architecture, both in colour and in graphics.

a-net: special talks every day

What can architects offer industry and vice versa? Intensive dialogue between architects and industry is key to satisfying the more stringent requirements made of our built environment due to the need to deliver sustainability, energy efficiency, functionality and design quality. ZOW has committed itself to this. As part of “a-net”, every day architects and exhibitors will be giving talks and factory reports about their projects and joint ventures. The events are free for visitors and there is no need to register in advance.

a-way: compact themed tours around ZOW

Every day, the “a-lounge” team is conducting compact information tours around the exhibition for architects and visitors interested in architecture. The tours will focus on three topics – "New materials in architecture", “Lightweight construction” and “Sustainable construction” – and will visit selected exhibitor stands, where short presentations will be given on materials and products. The three morning tours are repeated again in the afternoon. The tour is free for all visitors, and there is no need to register in advance. The tours start from the information stand in the a-lounge.

a-day: tour of the Philip Johnson sculpture park, Bielefeld

You are warmly invited by the organiser to a special "architecture day" as part of ZOW on Wednesday 11 February 2009. The day starts in Bielefeld (www.kunsthalle-bielefeld.de) with a tour of the recently opened “Philip Johnson Sculpture Park” at the Kunsthalle Bielefeld. When the tour is over, participants will be taken by shuttle bus to the ZOW exhibition. After a sparkling wine reception, there will be a tour of the exhibition focussing on “Sustainable construction”. Following lunch, visitors can wander round the exhibition at their leisure. At 4.30pm there will be a presentation on “Lightweight construction” by the famous Berlin architect Oliver Kühn, from GKK + Architekten, which will be rounded off with wine, jazz music and nibbles in the “a-lounge”. Participants will of course be taken back to the Kunsthalle at 6pm by shuttle bus. The event and the visit to the ZOW exhibition are free. Places are limited to 30 people. Places are allocated on a first come, first served basis. Registration in advance is compulsory. Contact: Andrea Boysen, info@boysenconSALZ.de. Please register by 28 January 2009.

ZOW also has attractive events and special topics on offer for architects, interior designers and designers outside the architecture lounge.

igeL: new products in lightweight construction

Lightweight construction is set to revolutionise the furniture and fittings world in the coming years. Both new and renowned companies from the international supplier industry will be presenting their latest lightweight construction concepts and solutions in an exhibition area of around 500 m², right next to the “a-lounge” in Hall 22.2. As well as simple handling, it’s primarily the lower transport, energy and packaging costs which make lightweight construction so interesting for the furniture and interiors industry, trade fair construction and shop-fitting. Interessengemeinschaft Leichtbau e.V. (igeL) forms the focal point of the exhibition. This network already includes many companies involved in lightweight construction (www.igel-ev.net).

E3S: platform for solid surfaces and engineered stone

Thanks to their diverse areas of application in furniture construction and interior design, solid surfaces and engineered stone have continuously increased their market shares. As an international specialist forum, the special show “E3S” in Hall 22.2 presents the wide range of solid surfaces and engineered stone with the latest technical developments and applications.

“materialZ” – creative material ideas at ZOW

At ZOW 2009 for the first time ever, visitors will have the chance to attend a material exhibition as a “show in show”. The special presentation “materialZ” in Hall 23.2 will be curated by Material Connexion Cologne, the German subsidiary of the world famous New York material library. European material producers will present the highlights from the international material scene – creative material ideas which invite visitors to take a look, marvel and plan as well as picking up on the top trends on the scene. “materialZ“ offers architects and designers, interior designers, exhibition constructors and shop fitters a new information forum for individual design ideas.

The “a-lounge” programme and information on the other special topics are available in brief at www.zow.de.

ZOW in Bad Salzuflen
9-12 February 2009
Open daily from 9am – 6pm
Free online registration for visitors at www.zow.de