Workspace Design Show 2024 to return with an immersive roster of events and talks
Workspace Design Show, the leading workspace interiors exhibition in the United Kingdom, is scheduled to take place on February 27 and 28, 2024, at the Business Design Centre in London. Established in 2021, the event witnesses the attendance of various renowned architects, designers, developers, consultants, coworking companies, and fit-out companies. A space to platform innovations in the realm of workspaces, the design event witnesses the launch of various new products, as well as a series of engaging talks and immersive programmes.
The event also recently made its debut in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, in October 2023. The two days design exhibition in Amsterdam saw an attendance of over 3,000 visitors, more than 90 speakers, and showcases by brands such as VEPA, Interface, Interstuhl, Kettal, Tarkett, Girsberger, and Vitra.
The upcoming edition of the event, scheduled to take place in London, is titled Bloom: Exploring the thriving ecosystem of work life. The entrance to the event, designed by tp bennett (an architecture, interior design and workplace strategy practice), includes a series of columns that are decorated with floral insertions, hence referencing the essence of the overarching theme: Bloom. The tall columns, decorated in varying designs, represent the diversity of experiences and challenges one experiences through life. The intricately shaped features symbolise the growth and development of human beings, which is akin to the trees in a garden. Further, the assemblage of the columns mirrors the interconnectedness of various disparate aspects within a work environment. Made using recycled products and materials, the textured 3D printed surfaces offer an immersive experience while one moves through them, while also inspiring the usage of sustainable materials.
The design exhibition promises a wide array of features for the upcoming UK edition. From immersive forest-like showcases and interactive lighting installations to engaging talks that address an array of subjects about workspace design, the two-day event will witness a barrage of intuitive experiences.
For the talks schedule, the organisers promise to host 120 speakers across four thematic talk programmes. These include ‘Workspace Design Talks,’ ‘Sustainability Works,’ ‘Occupiers Forum,’ and ‘FIS Conference’ respectively. Scheduled to be held across both the days of the design fair, these talks are designed to address the latest trends in workplace design, sustainable initiatives and projects in this realm, contributions made by employers to create engaging workplace experiences, and discussions on the latest industry inclination towards finishes and interior styles.
Some of the speakers that are part of ‘Workspace Design Talks’ include Helen Berresford (Head of ID: SR, Sheppard Robson), Alan Bainbridge (Director of BBC Workplace), Naomi Sakamoto (Principal, Gensler), Matt Jackson (CEO, BDG architecture + design), Grant Kanik (Partner, Foster + Partners), Yasmin Al-Ani Spence (Director, WilkinsonEyre), and Nicola Gillen (EMEA Lead, Total Workplace, Cushman and Wakefield). The ‘Sustainability Works’ programme, on the other hand, will be curated by Mick Jordan (Editor of Works magazine) and will include talks by Golnaz Ighany (Sustainability Director, BDP), Gurvinder Khurana (Director, M Moser), Pernille Bonser (CEO, Resonate Interiors) and Mario Viera (Head of Sustainability, Scott Brownrigg). ‘Occupiers Forum,’ reserved for conversations centred around making the workspace more engaging, includes the speakers: Steve Wright (Director of Workplace Design & Change Management, GSK), Sarah Murdoch (Corporate Real Estate Director, Visa), Sue Glew (Programme Director, The Better Workplace Programme, BT), and Kate Smith (Executive Director, Occupier Consulting UK, CBRE).
Lastly, the ‘FIS Conference,’ an in-person gathering for the not-for-profit representative body of the finishes and interiors sector in the UK, will provide a platform for the latest industry thinking, supporting the organisation’s aims of improving safety, minimising risk, enhancing productivity, and driving innovation in the sector. This conference will include talks by Chris Webb (Head of Sustainability, tp bennett), Helen Gawor (Group Director of Strategy & Innovation, ISG), Vidhi Sharma (Creative Director, Modus Workspace), and Ana Rita Martins (Sustainability Lead, MCM).
The Design Talks Lounge, curated by architecture, design, and planning firm Gensler, delves into the theme of the design exhibition. Decorated with floral elements, the installation creates an engaging experience for visitors, which, at once, inspires a positive outlook towards work. Some of the collaborators behind the design are furniture consultants Hunters; office plant suppliers Exubia; textile brand Kvadrat; skilled seamstresses from; Waverley; sustainable flooring brand Material Hangout and Mogu; and furniture brand Andreu World. Together, their contributions have helped create an eye-capturing biophilic design, wherein live plants merge with various moss elements. Some other features include a 66-metre custom-printed fabric backdrop featuring a forest landscape and decorations made from biodegradable and compostable materials. Post the event, the elements used in the booth will be redistributed and reused. Within this booth, the ‘Workspace Design Talks’ programme will be held.
Another space, namely the Insights Lounge, curated by the UK-based architectural firm BDP, will host the sessions for ‘Sustainability Works’ and ‘Occupiers Forum.’ Designed exclusively by Lisa Pasi, graduate interior designer with BDP, this lounge space, too, addresses the overarching thematic of Bloom. Pasi’s concept focuses on the symbiotic relationship between man and nature. With the usage of natural materials such as wood and stone, Pasi promotes the culture of sustainability within workspace design, whilst also showcasing the positive influence of such materials in terms of their influence on mood and well-being. “Despite being constantly reminded of our connection to nature through our senses, this association tends to diminish when we find ourselves indoors, surrounded by artificial light and synthetic materials. Therefore, by adhering to biophilic design principles, including natural materials will establish a connection to nature, bolstering concentration, creativity, and job satisfaction,” Pasi shares.
An interactive installation within the fair, namely the Living Workplace lighting installation, designed by Jason Bruges Studio, comprises two lighting prototypes that derive inspiration from the theme of ‘Living Workplace.’ Each of the two prototypes is a 1:1 section of an existing artwork. While the prototype, titled Energy Dynamics, and developed for the Ukrainian energy company DTEK, utilises technology for storytelling; the second feature, called ‘The Experience Tunnel,’ was created for trading firm XTX Markets and introduces interaction to foster human connection and collaboration.
Lastly, the Recharge Lounge, crafted by M Moser Associates, features the Pebble Rubble modular seating range from Italian furniture manufacturer Moroso. The seating range embodies the essence of the forest and bears the potential of transporting visitors to the serene forestscape. This space, as the name suggests, seeks to offer an opportunity for visitors to rest and recharge themselves before reentering the fair for further exploration.
In addition to subsisting conversations and interactions in tandem with effective workspace design, the event also aims to promote the practice of ethically sourced and biodegradable materials within workplaces. This will not only help garner a sustainable environment but also contribute towards the wellness of individuals within that space.
Workspace Design Show 2024 will remain open to the public from February 27 to 28, 2024, at Business Design Centre, 52 Upper St, London N1 0QH, United Kingdom.
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