The Office Exhibition this year presents its strongest offering yet for the entire commercial interiors and fit-out industry in its 12-year history.
“For the very first time, we are hosting The Office Exhibition along with The Index International Design Exhibition, Mena’s largest exhibit for residential interior design,” says Frederique Maurell, Exhibition Director, The Office Exhibition.
Maurell says key trends for this year in design and supply focus on economical and eco-friendly products that promote innovation and exclusivity. And visitors will see many of these trends showcased by exhibitors that include Angel Shack, where acclaimed German industrial designer Stefan Brodbeck is turning customer ideas into innovative products; C+P Moebelsysteme, which will debut its gesture recognition systems; metal furniture maker Dieffebi, which will add environmentally friendly creativity to design by using completely recyclable material, zero-emission coatings and non-toxic powders; and HNI International, which will launch its new designer range at the exhibition, including Allsteel’s Clarity Chair, which was designed in partnership with the BMW Design group.
With new exhibitors from Egypt, Singapore and Malaysia and the InRetail Exhibition becoming an integral part of the event, as well as an increased focus on interior and fit-out products for retail, education and health-care facilities, the exhibition has never held greater appeal for the architecture and design (A&D) community.
The organisers have seen a significant increase in companies coming from the US, with key brands such as OFS joining the show for the first time. European presence has grown at the exhibition with Spanish brands Inclass and JG Group exhibiting for the first time, and the Italian pavilion remaining a key feature, showcasing such brands as Dieffebi, Newline Office and Diemme.
The local market, however, remains the backbone of The Office Exhibition with Noa Office, Thani Murshid, Ottimo Office Furniture, Intermetal and Arabian Company all returning this year.
The exhibition also hosts various events that bring the region’s A&D community together, and this year two new features have been added. Design Talks, segmented into four topical areas of retail, office/commercial, health care and education, is a free series of seminars on design, fit-out and upgrade of commercial buildings. The Office Exhibition Trend Tour, now part of the Index Trend Tour, will take visitors across the exhibition floor.
“The diversity of products now available reflects the way the commercial furniture industry and A&D market have matured in this region,” says Maurell.
