Fertile ground: DOMOTEX 2019

When Moses curiously approached the burning bush in the desert, God told him to remove his shoes because he was treading on holy ground. Shoes have a symbolic aspect, in that taking them off puts us in contact with the ground. We are in closer touch with our surroundings and see what is happening around us from a new perspective.

The main theme of DOMOTEX 2019, the world's largest trade fair for floor coverings, is CREATE'N'CONNECT. It aims to connect people and get them talking to one another. For a long time now DOMOTEX has been much more than just a showcase for products - it is also a forum for networking and dialogue. Flooring manufacturers can get together with architects, interior designers, furniture manufacturers and artists, and develop comprehensive concepts together with them. Visitors and exhibitors take off their shoes - at least mentally - in order to gain new perspectives and inspiration. The trend towards networking plays a major role in floor design in that the floor is a design element, inspires us, gives us orientation - and connects us with one another.

Exhibitors Jürgen Dahlmanns, founder of the Berlin carpet label Rug Star, dealer Christiane Millinger and carpet blogger Michael Christie (theruggist.com) met on the extremely fertile ground of DOMOTEX. Together they have produced an extensive photo series of carpets in the houses of friends - based on the Berlin model of "Intimacy Berlin". Synergies like these will be promoted to an even greater extent next year, with particularly innovative presentations being highlighted.

This will take place in particular in the "Framing Trends" section of Hall 9, a space for especially future-oriented and inspiring presentations on the subject of connectivity. The number of available places is limited, which is why the companies, universities and artists who will be presenting their productions on the main theme of "CREATE'N'CONNECT" have been selected by a panel of experts.

The expert jury was chaired once more by the internationally known architect Peter Ippolito from Stuttgart. "Because the world has become so boundless it is noticeable that in our society a search is going on for community and cohesion, for values and for boundaries." Ippolito states that the subject of connectivity is therefore particularly exciting when it is expressed in spatial terms.

The special exhibition area is divided into three sections: "Flooring Spaces" features creative product showcasing by flooring manufacturers. For example, the Total Tool Milano concept represents the life cycle of wood in seven stages - from the tree to the recycled product. "Wood is one of the oldest materials in the history of mankind. But time and again we are surprised by the new applications which are developed through technological innovations," says Giulio Cepp, Design Director and Curator at Total Tool Milano.

The second section, "Art & Interaction", shows CREATE'N'CONNECT from an artistic perspective. One of the highly impressive installations on show is the Red Dirt Rug by American artist Rena Detrixhe. Detrixhe lays out red earth from her home state of Oklahoma into a kind of temporary carpet. She decorates the even surface with parts of old shoe soles, which she uses like stamps in order to apply geometric patterns and ornaments to the fine material. The artist's work refers in an aesthetically striking form to the massive interventions in the natural fabric of her homeland resulting from the exploitation of mineral resources.

For the third area, that of the NuThinkers, the jury selected the project "A Match!" by Sarah Busching from the University of Wismar. Her concept reveals the topic of connectivity from a technological perspective. Two people, separated by a partition, have to try to swing in sync. Their rocking movements are transferred to a screen in the form of a wave-shaped graphic. The video transmission of the two persons only becomes visible if they swing in tandem, thus creating 'A Match!' The partners then meet and can share their results in an app and on social media channels.

What would a trade fair on the theme of connectivity be without a lecture programme, followed by a meet and greet? Internationally known speakers such as designer Sebastian Herkner and architect Ester Bruzkus will present short, concise talks on the topic of solidarity at the interface of architecture, interior architecture and design. Afterwards the experts will discuss their personal points of view with the audience in a moderated discussion round.

This edition of Domotex, to be held in Hanover from 11 to 14 January 2019, will once more be extremely inspiring - for visitors and exhibitors alike. So make a note in your diary to save the date right now - and of course don't forget to take off your shoes when you're at the fair!


© Architonic