The time has finally come: manufacturers, architects and interior designers will meet again soon at the eighth edition of ARCHITECT@WORK Milan, on 9 and 10 November at the Allianz MiCo.
And there is much to be excited about, because a jury of experts has once again selected hundreds of new and innovative products with critical spirit and focus on research and sustainability, inviting visitors on an inspiring journey of discovery. With the same high quality standards, democratic presentation and joyful atmosphere as ever, in the consistent and now recognisable style of ARCHITECT@WORK: the most effective and entertaining way to learn about current trends and to stay in touch with the architecture and design community.
This year's theme for the seminars and the materials exhibition is Air, Water, Earth, Fire, a way to investigate how architectural design can respond to the challenge of ecological transition through the conscious use of natural elements.
The event will be held at the Allianz MiCo: a new name but a familiar location (it is the former MiCo Milano Congressi), a wide-ranging structure in the heart of the city, easily and quickly reached by public and private transport.
"Product innovation and quality win at ARCHITECT@WORK", "The key ingredients are networking, sharing and the possibility of collaboration". "We come here with clear ideas and go home with precise technical information", "More often than not, the contact established during the two-day event turns into something operational". 'Democratic'. 'Space for concreteness'. 'Everything well organised'.
In the words of some of the participants in the 2021 edition, the strengths of the event are explained.
The booths available to exhibitors are all identical in size, calibrated to offer the best visibility for the company and to invite visitors to stop and talk. The route between the showcased products, a very diversified offer selected by a jury of experts, is fluid and dynamic: it does not constrain and, above all, does not overwhelm those who walk along it with excesses of scenography and information. One stops when something catches one's attention and easily makes contact with the staff on the booth.
The strength of the ARCHITECT@WORK exhibition layout lies in two aspects that, although they may seem contradictory, in fact produce operability and generate opportunities for discussion and dialogue: the professionalism that dresses the exhibition space in the round, aimed at giving maximum relevance to the product and to the moment of encounter between visitor and exhibitor, and the informality that characterises the days of the event, giving it a unique communicative effectiveness, immediately visible and usable.
Accompanying the format of ARCHITECT@WORK as a showcase for innovations and a salon for networking, many interesting seminars, led by experts and emerging figures on the Italian and international architecture scene, reinforce the educational value of the event. This year, in particular, a series of round tables (three per day) is scheduled, where designers will dialogue with other stakeholders in the construction industry and environmental protection. Among others, the AMDL Circle and Lombardini22 studios, as well as the CNAPPC and the One Ocean Foundation, the Milan Polytechnic and the Green Building Council.
Also dedicated to natural elements is the materials exhibition curated by Baolab, entitled Good materials - The life force of matter. "We like to think... that the time is ripe for natural elements and human knowledge to come together to design good materials... capable of taking care of the biosphere, regenerating its resources... elements necessary for the rebirth of life," reads the exhibition description.
Visiting ARCHITECT@WORK therefore translates into a highly educational experience, a not-to-be-missed professional development opportunity in the fields of architecture, construction, interior design and design.