INSIDE World Festival of Interiors, the leading global interior design and architecture festival programme, has today announced its seminar programme centred around the theme of ‘Performance’. The event will take place at Arena Berlin, Germany, from 15 – 17 November.

Conference sessions will explore how the individual relates to interior space and how material, colour, light and sound contribute to creating high performing interiors for users and sometimes audiences. The international roster of speakers will explore a range of topics, including the role of technology and innovative materials in transforming how we engage and interact with interior spaces. Shanwei Weng of AN Design, winner of the 2016 World Interior of the Year award for their Black Cant System, a contemporary Chinese fashion concept store, commented: ‘Performance in its varied forms is constantly changing, adapting, connecting and blurring boundaries. New forms of performance continue to shape and define the urban landscape.’

Speakers will include Annabel Karim Kassar, founder of AKK Architects; Virginia Lung, Co-Founder, One Plus Partnership; Shanwei Weng, AN Design; Jaime Oliver, Director, OHLAB/Oliver Hernaiz Architecture Lab; Rossana Hu, Co-Founder, Neri & Hu; Eisuke Tachikawa, Director, Nosigner and Fabio Novembre, Fabio Novembre Studio. INSIDE is chaired by Nigel Coates, the Creative Director of INSIDE World Festival of Interiors 201,7 who opens the festival with his talk ‘Interiors and Performance’ on Wednesday 15 November.

Italian architect and designer Fabio Novembre will close the seminar programme on Friday 17 November with his keynote speech ‘Design as spectacle’. Novembre’s eclectic portfolio ranges from the interior design of football club AC Milan’s HQ to retail design for high-end fashion brands including the Stuart Weitzman store in Rome. At 2017’s edition of INSIDE World Festival of Interiors, Novembre will discuss the fluidity between art, architecture, design and fashion in his work.

Session highlights on this year’s seminar programme include:A sense of theatre (Wednesday 15 November 2017 15.00 – 15.40)

Speaker: Virginia Lung, Co-Founder, One Plus Partnership

In this session Virginia Lung, Co-Founder of Hong Kong-based One Plus Partnership, will explore how design creates a complete movie-viewing experience in relation to One Plus Partnership’s Exploded Cinema in China, which won the Civic, Culture and Transport category at Inside Festival 2015. Lung will discuss the coexistence of aesthetics and functionality in interior design as well as the role of design in reviving the cinema industry.

Shop till you drop (Wednesday 15 November 2017 16.00 – 16.40)

Speaker: Shanwei Weng, Founder AN Design

Shanwei Weng of AN Design, Winner of World Interior of the Year 2016, will discuss performance in retail design. This talk will assess the role of technology and sensory design in disrupting traditional modes of shopping.

Performance and audiences (Thursday 16 November 2017 15.00 – 15.40)

Speakers: Jaime Oliver, Director, OHLAB/Oliver Hernaiz Architecture Lab and
Rossana Hu, Co-Founder, Neri & Hu

Jaime Oliver and Rossana Hu discuss designing for collective experience across a range of projects. Rosanna Hu will examine Neri & Hu’s approach to creating ethereal spaces at the recently completed Suzhou Chapel in China. Jaime Oliver will explore the process of designing OHLAB’s Concept Store in Downtown Miami, which is shortlisted in the Retail category at INSIDE World Festival of Interiors 2017.

As well as the seminar programme for this year’s event, delegates will also have access to live presentations to judges of designs shortlisted for this year’s INSIDE awards.. The overall winner of the World Interior of the Year will be announced at an exclusive gala dinner on 17 November.

Shortlisted designers reflect the global reach of the awards and include Eight (USA), Tomoro Aida and Aida Atelier (Japan), Francis-Jones Morehen Thorp (Australia) Carlo Berarducci Architecture (Italy), 3deluxe architecture (Germany), Arquitiectura en Movimiento Workshop (Mexico) and KSM Architecture (India). Australian practice SJB celebrates being the practice
with the most shortlisted projects, four in total, while fellow Australian practice BVN and Chinese practice Neri&Hu Design and Research Office achieve three shortlisted projects apiece.

For more information please visit: www.insidefestival.com 

Ends.

Notes to Editors

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