SHIFTING THE SHOWROOM EXPERIENCE THROUGH COLLABORATION
Published
The Project is that moment when you enter a showroom and find yourself overwhelmed with surprise, excitement, joy and the urge to Instagram – right away! This year, at Melbourne Indesign we saw exhibitors approach The Project from all angles – the common element among all being collaborative engagement.
Above: Zuster with Eades&Bergman and Nexus Designs
The role of the exhibition stand and showroom space is no longer purely focused around showcasing product for sale. In a day and age where we can browse, shop and specify online, showrooms offer up the perfect opportunity for staging inspiring, collaborative activities such as The Project.
Business Interiors by Staples with ZWEI
Smeg with SJB Architects
Interstudio with Zunica Design
From pop-up installations that were all about texture, colour, look and feel, right through to experimental product investigations, The Project teased out ideas and talking points around the 2014 Project theme, Inception.
Stylecraft with Super Tectonics
Reece Bathrooms with 6 Hats
Interface with Loop Creative
Coco Republic with Greg Natale and Sony DADC
Café Culture + Insitu with DKO Architecture and Hot Black
It was with pure excitement that visitors walked through, around, under and into Project installations which at times took over an entire space. Many brands revealed the more textural and detailed side of their products through interactive activities that invited customers to get up close and playful with materials, forms, shapes and more.
Signature Floorconcepts with Geyer
Monier Roofing with MAKE Architecture
Eastern Commercial Furniture with Baldasso Cortese
Cosentino Australia with The Writers Bench
Arthur G and The Selvedge Group with Bruce Henderson Architects
Artedomus with Studio You Me and Thomas Coward
Archilux with Cezary Stulgis
Apato with Group GSA
Which was your favourite Project collaboration? You can vote in the People’s Choice Award here.
Jog your memory via Instagram, search hashtags #MID14 #theproject and relive some of the best moments at Melbourne Indesign 2014!
Photography by: Fiona Susanto Photography
fionasusanto.com
Take a look at more coverage of Melbourne Indesign.
Words by Rajesh Nandan
Related Articles
Events
A rollicking good story with Richards Stanisich and Royal Oak Floors
Jonathan Richards and Kirsten Stanisich discussed practice, design process and the business of running a studio at a live audience event hosted by Royal Oak Floors in Sydney.
Events
Indesign x Wilkhahn: Melbourne, where are you working?
Our latest collaboration saw a range of designers come together at Wilkhahn’s Melbourne showroom for a discussion on the workplace dynamics specific to the Victorian capital.
Events
“A journey into a whole new material world”: Plant Life at the NGV
Curator Ewan McEoin tells us about the NGV’s new exhibition on plant-based materials as alternatives to plastics, synthetic materials and other non-renewable resources.
Ideas
Beyond the panel: What makes a design event worth attending?
Ahead of Saturday Indesign, architects reflect on why smaller gatherings, unexpected voices, candid discussion and meaningful follow-up can make meeting in person genuinely worthwhile.