Taking the floor: Domotex 2019

Attended by more than 38,000 international visitors, Domotex is hugely influential in spreading the word about cutting-edge developments in flooring. Helping to articulate these is its extensive programme of talks and lectures held throughout the event. Industry experts, dynamic start-ups, pioneering product designers and respected academics will convene to address the multifarious strands underpinning the Create‘N’Connect megatrend, which encompasses technological advances, accompanying societal changes and powerful shared emotions.

Held on four consecutive days, the talks explore the most salient topics related to the fair’s keynote trend: ‘Connected by Technology’, ‘Connected to Social and Cultural Patterns’, ‘Connected through Emotions’ and ‘NuThinkers’. The latter will take the form of short-and-to-the-point speed presentations followed by moderated panel discussions.

Key speakers include Berlin-based architect Ester Bruzkus, whose clean-lined interiors are opulent, thanks to their use of strong colour. Her projects include Berlin’s Mani Hotel and restaurant L.A. Poke, a mecca for design buffs and foodies. Also contributing to the debate is Luis Schulz, of Turner Prize-winning collective Assemble, a multidisciplinary practice that epitomises contemporary connectivity for fusing art, architecture and design.

Others include Špela Videcnik, co-founder of Slovenia-based OFIS Arcitects and visiting professor at Harvard University, Maarten Gielen, co-founder of Belgian architecture collective ROTOR, architect Thomas Burlon, partner at Berlin practice Brandlhuber+ Emde, Tim Edler of Berlin-based media artists Realities, prolific German product designer Sebastian Herkner and multitalented half-German, half-Spanish Katrin Greiling, Berlin-based curator, exhibition designer, artistic director and photographer.

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