Surface Design Show prepares for 15th edition

Posted in Events on 28 October, 2019

Bringing together the best in international surface material innovation, Surface Design Show returns to London’s Business Design Centre from 11-13th February, with a new focal point through this year’s theme, ‘Close to Home.’

Celebrating its fifteenth year in 2020, the show is a must-visit for architects, designers and specifiers looking for material inspiration from the UK and around the world. As well as over 150 exhibitors, visitors can also enjoy a packed programme of approximately 30 presentations from 50 speakers across the purpose-built stages: Light Talks, Stone/CPD Hub and Main Stage, plus the ever-popular Opening Night Debate and the lively PechaKucha evening, which will be hosted by Phil Coffey of Coffey Architects. The winners of the prestigious Surface Design Awards will also be revealed during the two and a half days.

Surface Design Show 2020’s exhibitors bring together inspiring internal and external surface materials and architectural lighting. Returning for 2020 is Waxman Ceramics, provider of solutions for projects that require high quality durable and reliable tiles, and Nordcell, supplier of a range of European timber panel products and natural decorative surfaces. New exhibitors include Morbern, North America’s leading designer and manufacturer of decorative vinyl upholstery.

The ‘Close to Home’ theme will look beyond aesthetics and into manufacturers’ impact on the environment, from the processes used in mining or manufacture, through to the carbon footprint sustained during sales and distribution. Designing with a conscience will also be examined, from reusing waste materials to looking at what happens at the end of a product’s life cycle.

Surface Spotlight Live, a section of the show curated by trend expert Sally Angharad and forecasters Colour Hive, will take a look at what the future holds for materials while the Stone Gallery also returns for 2020. Supported by the leading industry body Stone Federation GB, this section’s Stone Knowledge Hub will form a focal point for the event where architects and designers can interact with, and learn more about, specifying natural stone.

In addition to materials for indoor and outdoor use, Light School a is key component of the show, reflecting the fact that London is the world’s capital for lighting design specification. Here, leading manufacturers will demonstrate the relationship between light and surfaces, as well as showcasing the latest architectural lighting products and innovations in lighting technology. Light Talks, a series of sessions supported by the Institution of Lighting Professionals and collated by Rebecca Weir from Lightbout.IQ, will underpin this knowledge sharing.

As well as established brands, Surface Design Show is dedicated to promoting up-and-coming designers in the materials sector with its New Talent section appearing once again, curated by internationally acclaimed speaker and forward-thinking chief creative director at Trendease International, Jennifer Castoldi. Appearing for the first time is New Talent Plus, a section of the show that bridges the gap between emerging material talent and existing manufacturers. Exhibitors include Kristina Ringler Product Design, creator of modular freestanding and user-deployable screens designed for co-working spaces, and decorative wallpaper designer Olenka.

The Surface Design Awards, now in their sixth year, are an intrinsic part of the show, with this year’s edition, attracting 107 entries from over 21 countries. The esteemed judging panel is co-chaired by Paul Priestman, designer, co-founder and chairman of global design consultancy PriestmanGoode, and Amin Taha, chairman of Groupwork and director of Amin Taha Architects. The remaining judges are Nikki Barton, head of digital design at British Airways; Sean Griffiths, an artist, architect and academic practicing at Modern Architect; Charles Holland, principal at Charles Holland Architects; Glenn Johnson, director of design at the Advanced Design Group of Collins Aerospace; Daniel Mota Veiga, global head of product design for KEF / GP Acoustics; and Steve Webb, co-founder of Webb Yates Engineers.

For all things innovative in surfaces and materials, Surface Design Show provides the perfect platform for architects, designers and specifiers to explore.

Tickets are free to professional and trade visitors. Registration opens in November.