23 September 2008

Brisbane Indesign a Hit

Brisbane Indesign 2008 went off with a bang on Saturday 20 September.

Sunny skies and 30 degree heat were the perfect backdrop to the Brisbane Indesign festivities, and once again the hubs of Fortitude Valley, Newstead, Woolloongabba and Bowen Hills belonged to the design community.

Friday was a smooth introduction to the event. Bisazza hosted a sit-down dinner in their showroom, which was transformed into a red and white Italian palace, using 24-carat white and yellow gold mosaics. Parterre also launched the new Gandia Blasco range by leading Spanish designer José Gandia, giving their showroom a white facelift to showcase the stunning range of outdoor furniture.

Plenty was happening around town on Saturday. Exhibitions were a recurring theme, with Tal R’s 50 Egg Chair designs at HASSELL’s Brisbane studio a hotspot. As well, the pooches at ECC designed by seven of the best design groups in Queensland (including a local school), were a hit with the crowds, who voted for their favourite design.

Another crowded exhibition location was Lightspace curated venue, sponsored by The Laminex Group, that housed four companies (Thonet, Small Australian Projects, Uplifting Solutions and Todd Office Furniture) in the downstairs space. Upstairs, the QUT Student Blok exhibition was a space for students to show off group projects, which were voted on by the public; the winning product will eventually be put into production by Blok Furniture.

In some design locations, the atmosphere was more like a sporting arena than a design event. Living Edge brought the new game of Aeron Hockey to their Brisbane showroom. Originally launched in the US, it has now become a league of its own, and if its success at SiD and BiD is anything to go by, start practising!

And UCI had their own take on the theme, introducing Segway Slalom to Brisbane Indesign attendees (pictured). People piled on the Segways and took off around the showroom, with some cheeky guests trying to take off out the showroom door.

This year there were some new additions to the BiD line-up, including the very cool 5thCorner Tech Republik. They showed off a great range of the latest technology for lighting, sound and automation, including a fantastic light projection on the floor, which rippled when walked on. The dark and funky atmosphere was also a much-appreciated break from the Brisbane sunshine.

At Innerspace’s showroom, BiD-ders were treated to some live music by Dan Parsons and The Boat People, and there were plenty of tunes around the showrooms, which added to the relaxed atmosphere that defined the day.

Cox Rayner Architects were the winners of the day, taking out both the People’s Choice award at ECC for their Shaggy Dog design, as well as the Aeron Chair Hockey.

Check out our image gallery for all the action!

Stay tuned for more on the day…

Were you there? Send us an email and let us know what you thought and your comments could appear here! editor@indesignlive.com

If you took any happy snaps at BiD make sure you email them to info@brisbaneindesign.com.au. There will be a prize for the best photo, chosen by the Indesign team. We want to see what you found inspiring, and which showrooms and products caught your eye.