DESIGN EXPERIENCES: Hi Design Berlin June 2018 Highlights
We were excited to attend this invitation-only trade event in Berlin, one of our favourite European cities for it’s laid back vibe, creative energy and fascinating history. The 3-day programme was thoughtfully curated to ensure both delegates and suppliers had plenty of fun while still managing to get down to business.
Exploring Berlin by bike
In groups of 10, we set out on a 3-hour guided bike ride to explore the inner-city neighbourhoods, riding alongside canals, through public gardens and across the Spree River to Museum Island, taking in architectural highlights along the way. Berlin has survived some extraordinary times over the past century and beyond, as told through its architecture.
It was a brilliant way to kick-off the event, giving us a real sense of Berlin’s incredible history and its more recent transformation since Reunification. It was also a fun way to get to know fellow participants, and we found our group to be an interesting mix of industry professionals just as excited as we were about discovering Berlin’s many-layered stories.
James Wallman - author, activist, futurist
An engaging and energising speaker, we were completely captivated by James’s keynote session. Famous for his book ‘Stuffocation’ which identified early on the move away from personal fulfilment through material consumption to the ‘Experience Economy’, he really got us thinking about how important the hospitality industry is to this ever-evolving social trend… and how interior design plays into this.
Our previous day’s guided bike ride is just one example of the kind of experiences hotels now offer guests. And it seems that both guests and the local community are seeking evermore immersive experiences as evidenced by the rising popularity of events like Secret Cinema and the variety of themed festival weekends – as well as those that push us out of our comfort zone, like Tough Mudder!
As interior designers, we find that guests aren’t necessarily seeking a crazy experience in hotel guestroom design, but more a reassuring sense of comfort and functionality. In saying that, there’s always scope for incorporating imaginative details and finishes that surprise and delight! Public spaces tend to allow for more creative design concepts, at which some hotels excel.
Discovering new brands & products
While it’s an important aspect of our job to keep up to date with new products, it’s often a challenge to find the time to meet with suppliers. In this respect the HI-Design format works extremely well in facilitating meetings between designers and suppliers. We had 25 meetings scheduled over the 3-day event, which may sound like a lot but they’re organised to ensure that discussions are focused and productive. We really valued this part of the event, talking to key suppliers about our project requirements and discovering new brands and products to inspire.
Connecting with our industry colleagues
We can’t overestimate the value of networking at an event such as this, where participants are carefully pre-selected so there’s plenty of commonality and as a result much shared insight and knowledge about our industry. The communal meals and networking activities were very sociable, during which we made some great new connections and enjoyed reconnecting with past colleagues and industry collaborators.