Tips, trends and innovations

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• Outstanding supporting program makes this show the No.1 event of the year for the industry
• At contractworld architects, interior designers and planners meet to talk and share ideas
• At the European Team Floorlaying Competition it's all about speed and skill
• floorforum and Carpet Design Awards highlight top trends

High-concept presentations such as the trend show floorforum, competitions such as the internationally respected architecture prize contractworld.award, the presentation of the Carpet Design Awards and live presentations packed with practical tips, such as the DOMOTEX Workshop: these are the special events that make DOMOTEX HANNOVER an absolute "must" for the industry each January. A whole series of interesting events awaits the visitor, enhancing the product displays with a vibrant mix of information, inspiration and entertainment.{mospagebreak}

contractworld 2007 - Visions for Offices, Hotels and Shops (Hall 4)

At contractworld in Hall 4 architects, interior designers and planners meet to talk and share ideas. One of the high points is the presentation of the annual contractworld.award on the first day of the show (Saturday, 13 January 2007, beginning at 5.30 p.m.). Europe's most prestigious architectural prize for interior design work continues to generate unprecedented levels of interest. The competition for the 2007 contractworld.award has attracted a total of 481 entries, more than double the number received last year (contractworld.award 2006: 237 entries). Nor has quality been sacrificed to quantity. At its July meeting in Hannover the jury praised the high standard of the projects submitted. With a total of 50,000 euros awarded in prize money, the contractworld.award is also Europe's most valuable prize for innovative interior design concepts. The growing level of international participation in the competition demonstrates the significance accorded to contractworld.award far beyond Germany's borders. More than half of those taking part come from outside Germany (244 entries), from a total of 33 countries (compared with 13 in 2006).

The contractworld.congress is an equally international affair, where the visitors of the coming contractworld will be able to appreciate the work of renowned designers such as Kengo Kuma (Tokio), Almut Ernst (Berlin), Prof. Herman Hertzberger (Amsterdam) and Antonio Ortiz (Sevilla). Here a lineup of distinguished speakers will present the latest developments in the design of offices, hotels and shops to an audience of visiting professionals. The architectural community uses this platform to compare notes and exchange ideas. Now attracting around 2400 delegates, this is the largest annual architectural convention of its kind in Europe. Likewise located in Hall 4 is the contractworld.expo exhibition area, where manufacturers present their product ranges aimed specifically at the contract furnishing sector.{mospagebreak}

floorforum (Hall 3)

The internationally renowned designer Ulf Moritz from Amsterdam will be assembling a series of imaginative room settings at floorforum in Hall 3, showing how modern area rugs and textile floor coverings can be used to exciting creative effect. In the centre of the display he will be highlighting the trends of tomorrow under the categories "poetic TRADITION", "natural ROMANTIC", "chic Frivolity" and "cosmic LOUNGING". Arranged all around this central presentation are displays by a group of 27 exhibitors from Germany and beyond who have joined forces to demonstrate the role of floor coverings - whether textile floor coverings or rugs - in various interior settings.

Carpet Design Awards (Hall 15)

Following this year's successful premiere in January, the Carpet Design Awards (CDA) will be presented for the second time at DOMOTEX HANNOVER 2007. Worth a total of 10,000 euros in prize money, these awards are given for creative and innovative design in the hand-made carpet segment. CDA 2007 boasts more entries (140 compared with 58 last year) and more international flair (15 competing countries compared with 7 last year) than ever before. The entries will be judged in ten categories by a jury of respected professionals, who will rate them in terms of material, design, color and workmanship. The three best entries in each category will be on show throughout DOMOTEX HANNOVER 2007 in a special CDA display in Hall 15. This gives the finalists an opportunity to present their products in a dynamic, up-market setting. At the same time the competition provides a valuable forum for carpet industry professionals to meet and talk shop. The visiting public will once again be invited to choose its own favorite among the short-listed designs, which will be distinguished by a "Visitors' Prize". This proved so successful that the exercise is being repeated for DOMOTEX HANNOVER 2007 - with the added inducement of a chance to win a trip to DOMOTEX Middle East in Dubai (11 to 13 June 2007). The Carpet Design Awards will be ceremoniously presented on Sunday 14 January 2007 in Hall 15, beginning at 5.00 p.m. CET.{mospagebreak}

Business Training offers practical tips for sales staff (Hall 15)

Taking place right next door to the CDA display area is the new Business Training event. This wide-ranging program of lectures is aimed primarily at showroom salespeople. For three whole days a team of experts will be on hand to offer useful and practical tips and answer questions from visiting sales professionals. Amongst other things they will be advising on the design and layout of showrooms, offering pointers for successful sales talks and addressing the very latest trends.

Loom Lounge (Hall 17)

For the fourth time, leading exhibitors of hand-made carpets have joined forces in a group initiative under the title "Loom Lounge" in Hall 17. The focus of the presentation is on hand-knotted carpets and rugs, and features both classical/traditional and modern designs. The centerpiece of the "Loom Lounge" is a stylish Italian café, which provides an informal and relaxing setting for exhibitors and potential customers to talk serious business over a cup of coffee.

DOMOTEX Workshop (Hall 9)

The proportion of visitors from the skilled trades has risen steadily in recent years, and in 2006 alone the numbers leapt by 22 per cent to a total of 12,200. The DOMOTEX Workshop has long been a favorite meeting place for floorlaying professionals, interior furnishers and decorators. Here experienced professionals will provide advice in an informative and entertaining way, give live demonstrations of the latest floorlaying techniques and tools - and of course answer questions from the audience. Visitors can also try out the products for themselves on one of the two demonstration stages in Hall 9.

Skilled Trades Forum (Hall 8)

The Skilled Trades Forum offers valuable practical tips for visiting flooring professionals - and valuable in more senses than one: The information on offer here can help tradesmen to save money by showing them how to avoid the pitfalls that often result in costly repairs at a later date. Leading experts will be giving talks about typical problem situations, drawing on their own experience and presenting the latest problem-solving techniques. Topics addressed at the Skilled Trades Forum include "Why pressure marks occur in bonded resilient floor coverings and how to avoid them"; "The fumed oak challenge: how innovative on-site analysis can help you avoid costly damage and repairs" and "Screen dampness gauging methods ­ a comparative look at European methods".{mospagebreak}

European Team Floorlaying Competition (Hall 9)

Speed and skill are the most prized commodities at the European Team Floorlaying Competition. And there's plenty for the visitor to see when the competing teams go head to head in five disciplines. The allotted tasks are as follows: laying and stretching carpet; laying vinyl floor tiles to a prescribed design; laying carpet tiles; laying and welding linoleum; and laying click-fit laminate flooring. The competition has become one of the most popular of the special events accompanying the DOMOTEX trade fair. Teams from Austria, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, the Netherlands and Switzerland will be vying for supremacy at DOMOTEX 2007. This sporting contest between skilled tradesmen from across Europe gets under way at 2.00 p.m. CET on the first day of DOMOTEX (Saturday, 13 January 2007), when the competing teams will be introduced. The winner will be announced in a ceremony beginning at 10.30 a.m. CET on Tuesday, 16 January.

Further information about the special events at DOMOTEX can be found at www.domotex.de/events.

News - Exhibitions