Arena DESIGN 2015 summary – press release
DESIGN is the answer
The seventh edition of arena DESIGN concludes with excellent reviews, a unique decor and an
attendance record.
This year's arena DESIGN began on a strong note. Edward Barber, representative of the Barber & Osgerby
from London, encapsulated the essence of his lecture within the first few words – Thinking and Making:
design today is a solution to our problems and an answer to our needs. The process of going from concept
to realization requires manual skills and performing a case study. He spoke of the challenges posed by the
orders that the duo received and how the word „typical” is by no means a fitting one to describe their
portfolio. He emphasized the importance of drawing, knowing the production process, making predictions
and the reliability that the end product must represent. An illustration to Barber's lecture was an exhibition
by the London studio organized in cooperation with VITRA and IPNOTIC CONCEPT STORE.
A crucial moment of arena DESIGN was the announcement of the results of two contests: TOP DESIGN
award promoting excellent design on a European level and the 1st edition of the PORTA BY ME contest for
an innovative solution for enclosing/separating space.
The TOP DESIGN award jury has awarded 10 products in 10 categories:
CATEGORY: KITCHEN
Franke myMenu CS my912 M XS DCT 60+ oven / Manufacturer: Franke Polska, Raszyn
Designer: Aesthetic designer - Carlo Colombo; the myMenu concept is patented by Laura Nicolini
CATEGORY: WELLNESS BATHROOM
Koncept 10° / Manufacturer: RAVAK POLSKA, Grodzisk Mazowiecki
Designer: Kryštof Nosál
CATEGORY: OFFICE
lightUP / Manufacturer: Profim, Turek
Designer: ITO DESIGN
CATEGORY: PUBLIC SPACE
NU / Manufacturer: Profim, Turek
Designer: Paul Brooks
CATEGORY: MEDIA AND ELECTRONICS
Motion Sensor / Manufacturer: Fibar Group, Poznań
Designer: Maciej Fiedler, Łukasz Gdyk
CATEGORY: AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY AND PUBLIC TRANSPORT
Solaris Urbino bus / Manufacturer: Solaris Bus & Coach, Owińska
Designer: Solaris Bus&Coach Research and Development Office
CATEGORY: SCIENCE, MEDICINE, INDUSTRY
3D Zortrax M200® printer / Manufacturer: Zortrax, Olsztyn
Designer: Rafał Tomasiak, Marcin Olchanowski
CATEGORY: SEMI-FINISHED PRODUCTS, COMPONENTS, MATERIALS
Columbia Nut/ Manufacturer: Schattdecor, Tarnowo Podgórne
Designer: Schattdecor AG design and pattern department
CATEGORY: INTERIOR EQUIPMENT
PRIZMA doors / Manufacturer: PORTA KMI POLAND, Bolszewo
Designer: Maciej Cylkowski
CATEGORY: FASHION AND ACCESSORIES
Renomed - The Black / The Grey / scissors Manufacturer: Renomed, Poznań
Designer: Donata Rucińska
The PORTA BY ME contest organized by Poznań International Trade Fair and PORTA KMI Poland brought 3
awards and 1 honorable mention
3rd place and a 1500 zł prize went to Filip Zieliński for his design Minimalizm w nowoczesnym wydaniu (A modern take
on minimalism). The jury appreciated an interesting upgrade to the sliding door system available on the market.
2nd place and a 3500 zł prize went to Mateusz Warzecha for the GATA design, which distinguished itself through
additional functionality and the ability of implementing the design as well as the best presentation.
The winner of the 1st PORTA BY ME contest and the new owner of a 10 000 zł check is Grzegorz Klimek with his design
MAGNEPORTA, which has been awarded for its innovative approach to dividing space.
The jury also decided to award a honorable mention to the HANGER WARM design by Ariela Wywrota – for including
an additional heating function.
Big European names on materials
New materials – New Habits – Products of the future – was the topic of a lecture by Ineke Hans, renowned
as a leading Dutch designer. She emphasized the role of materials, an innovative and ecological approach to
design as well as multi-functionality and usefulness of products. The EAT YOUR HEART OUT table with its
sixteen color variants and the ceramic multi-module kitchen installations were both striking in their wide
range of functions considering their simple form and the materials used in their production.
On the second day of arena DESIGN a discussion panel took place with esteemed guests from abroad,
including Thomas Krarup from the Cobe studio in Denmark and the Berlin architect Juergen Mayer. The
panel was the effect of co-operation with the Poznań branch of SARP (The Polish Architects Association)
and was aimed at professionals.
„Design and innovation in practice. The influence of building an image on market success in the furniture
industry” was the topic of a talk organized in co-operation with the PFLEIDERER company and the Polish
Furniture Manufacturers Chamber of Commerce (OIGPM) which tried to answer the question whether
Polish furniture manufacturers could achieve better financial results if their products had a more pleasing
design, were more technologically advanced and addressed to higher market segments, and how changing
the perception of a product and company translates into changing the position of the company on both
domestic and export markets. The discussion panel participants included: Andrzej Sadowski, economist
from the Adam Smith Center, Marek Hryniewiecki, editor-in-chief of Meble Biznes.pl and Tomasz
Wiktorski of B+R Studio, representatives of OIGPM
The Human Touch Group area attracted the attention of visitors. It is a common initiative of the VOX
Group, Concordia Design and School of Form, which have prepared workshops on using AUTODESK
software, discussion panels with designers and consultations. Among the guests invited by the Group are:
Oskar Zięta, Agnieszka Jacobson Cielecka and Anna Wróblewska. The Human Touch Group area designed by
the mode:lina architect studio also played the role of a restaurant and a place for meetings and
conversation.
The final element complementing the theme of this year's edition was a meeting with the WWAA studio:
Natalia Paszkowska and Marcin Mostafa. Borderlines, camouflage, information, emotion and function are
the starting points that led to the products of this versatile duo's work. Among the materials that they used
are wood in various forms, element of car bodies and polished metal sheets.
Exhibit premieres
The brightest part of the exposition at this year's edition was the VIVA LIGHT exhibition, which had its
debut during arena DESIGN. It was the result of an initiative by its curator, Małgorzata Ratajczak
(Emandes), aiming to focus and engage people within the lighting industry community and others. New
lighting items were showcased as part of the exhibition by companies from Poland and abroad known for
their innovative solutions and excellent design. The companies invited to take part include: Acrea, Carpyen,
Chors, Cini&Nils, Concreate, Designlab, DPS Group, Emandes, HB Surface, Kabo-Pydo, Martini Light, Miior,
Massive Design, NC.ART, Puff-Buff Design, Velt, Vibia.
On the third day of the event, arena DESIGN became for a few evening hours the backdrop for a jubilee
benefit performance as part of the Aleksander Kuczma: progenitura project, an exhibition of the works of
the master and his „spiritual offspring”. Professor Kuczma is a legend of Polish experimental design, the
only educator hailing from PWSSP in Poznań (currently the University of Arts in Poznań), whose person was
featured in the „Rzeczy niepospolite” („Uncommon wealth”) publication meant to celebrate the Polish
Presidency in the European Parliament. Devoting most of his time to his artistic activities, he has raised
more than one generation of designers working in the country and abroad.
During arena Design visitors could visit the jubilee „10 years of Noti” exhibition, curated by Piotr
Kuchciński. The exhibition included all of the designers working in co-operation with the brand, including:
Tomek Rygalik, Tomasz Augustyniak, Renata Kalarus, Jerzy Langier, Grzegorz Niwiński, Jerzy Porębski,
Dorota Koziara, Mikołaj Wierszyłłowski, Anna Hrecka, Małgorzata Bronikowska, students of the University
of Arts in Poznań, Krystian Kowalski and Piotr Kuchciński.
Appreciation for the arena
The arena DESIGN exposition and the concurrent Meble Polska and Home Decor trade fairs were visited by
20.000 visitors. Their admiration was evoked by a unique decor designed specially for the event by Maria
Jeglińska, a well-renowned designer in Europe. The materials to construct it were provided by the
PFLEIDERER company, a strategic partner of arena DESIGN 2015.
More info: www.arenadesign.pl