imm Cologne 2006 Opens New Exhibition Center

Furniture World Magazine

2006 is the year of future-orientated changes for imm cologne, because imm cologne will be the first fair to occupy the new Koelnmesse halls. Together with the seven former Eastern Halls, the new North central entrance section, the areal then forms a compact unit with clear structures for fast and easy orientation around the exhibition centre. As a central north–south axis, a lightflooded boulevard links the halls and thus providing access to the new central conference and press centre. The “Cologne Messe/Deutz” ICE terminal will in future offer direct connections to the German railways high speed network and thus very good connections to four international airports. With the launch of imm cologne on 16th January 2006, product designers and trend experts from all over the world will once again show which interior concepts will make inroads into the international hot-spots of the furniture trade. imm cologne provides an orientation aid for the coming furniture year and is thus of major worldwide significance for the furniture trade. Because at imm cologne trade visitors are provided with a view of the interior trends for the future as well as a complete overview of the world ranges of furniture, textiles, lighting, furnishings and accessories. The event thus very impressively underlines the fact that there is much more to the home than just furnishings. imm cologne makes use of the chances/opportunities offered by the new centre to provide an even clearer and more compact structuring which is based on a purposeful exhibitor stand layout reflecting the sales channels, furniture function and design. At imm cologne 2006 there will be a total of seven product sectors. In Hall 11 the title Pure not only stands for purity but also state-of-the-art furniture design, home furnishings accessories and textiles, lighting as well as complete home furnishings philosophies and concepts. Here it is predominantly the previous exhibitors from the Avantgarde Design Centre (ADC) and the Interior Lifestyle Centre who are concentrated to form one segment. In future Prime will be the name given to Hall 2, 3, 4.2 and 10.1 with items from the living room and bedroom furniture, natural and solid wood furniture sectors. In Hall 9 imm cologne will for the first time also consistently present the theme of mattresses and bed systems. Here with Sleep, visitors can expect to find a “dream world” covering all aspects for the theme of beds, mattresses and bed systems, water beds, bed products, bed linen and accessories. Smart is quite purposefully aimed at a young target group. In Halls 7 and 8 companies from the areas of self-assembly and flat-pack furniture will present their products and innovations. The name Sittable appropriately describes the range in Hall 4.1 covering tables, chairs and dining rooms. Entitled Support, Hall 4.1 will also be the new home to the IT, Service & Logistics sector. In Comfort too, a name has been purposefully chosen, which will be very familiar to many visitors. In the product segment in Halls 5, 6 and 10.2, upholstered furniture covering seating units, armchairs, couches, stand-alone sofas and functional sofas will be presented according to the clearly separated individual market segments. Last, but definitely not least, in Hall 1, in the section entitled Basic, the Asian and Eastern European exhibitors will focus on a very international range As a world leading fair for furniture and furnishings, at the beginning of 2006 imm cologne will once again be at the focus of the international design scene. And in this connection, ideal houses cologne – this exciting duel between possible home environment designs for the future and the other design activities which begin with the small “i” - will once again be presented at the forthcoming imm cologne. The “interior innovation award” – presented for the first time in 2003 – is awarded to exhibitors presenting innovative products. The prize presentation will once again be held on the opening evening. “inspired by cologne” is once again the venue where - as the name already implies - visitors should get their inspiration. This is where the "young wild ones" show their interpretation of design and innovative products. At the last event, the jury had to select the best 30 entries from 400 prototypes. And under the „informed by cologne“ motto the focus is on everything connected with the forthcoming trend themes of colours, materials, forms and patterns. International trend experts will present their forecasts/ predictions for the interior design of the future in lectures. However the most ambitious and trend-setting project at imm cologne are without doubt the two “ideal-houses” cologne, which in future in the new Hall 11, will blend in with the design of a changed trade fair arena in an unusual way. Here, in each case, various designers are developing new ideas, new philosophies and new concepts for the home of the future and contrasting them with each other. Under the motto “the challenge”, next year the up-and-coming designers will challenge the old master. In Joris Laarman, Stefan Diez and Astrid Krogh, three very promising young designers will come up against the legend of technical minimalism - Dieter Rams. As interior design/architecture highlights these very different interpretations will lead to a polarization process and thus ensure a controversial discussion/ debate. As far as the “informed by cologne” sector is concerned, the international members of the Trendboard have once again established the decisive worldwide trends and relevant developments in interior design. This year the members of the committee were: Tom Dixon, Marie O’Mahony, Chantal Hamaide, Eero Koviosto as well as Ilse Crawford and Reiko Miyamoto. In addition to a Trendbook which summarizes the results, visitors can then also experience these live/at first hand in the “informed by cologne” section. A new feature in this connection is the so-called “Informers”. In the sleep, comfort, smart and prime product sectors special presentation areas will be created/set up– the “Informers”. Here in each case “informed by cologne” will pick up a trend and show how it can have a specific effect on the respective product sectors. Exciting future visions you can reach out and touch. Starting/launching for the first time this January is [d³] design talents. Under the motto “[d³] design talents – one location, one spirit, three events”, at imm cologne 2006 for the first time three up and coming talent events will be presented under one roof: NRG (energy), the new forum for independent designers and design studios from the areas of Interior Design, fashion, graphic design and decorative elements, “future point”, the presentation platform for universities/colleges and design training/academies as well as the renowned “inspired by cologne” open to entrants worldwide. At imm cologne 2006 around 1,400 exhibitors from more than 50 countries will present their products. The largest foreign contingents/ participations come from Italy followed by Denmark, the Netherlands, France, Belgium, Switzerland and Poland. For the non-European sector these are: the USA, Indonesia, Turkey, China (incl. Hong Kong), Malaysia, Taiwan and India. The first five fair days open to trade visitors only imm cologne is open daily from Monday, 16th to Sunday, 22nd January 2006, daily from 9.00 to 18.00 hrs. From 16th to 20th January admission is to trade visitors only. These include people who are professionally involved with the production or sale/ marketing of furniture, lighting and furnishings. Other persons qualifying/classed as trade visitors are architects, interior architects and designers, who are involved in these specialist areas in concept/ design, planning and design. Proof of such an activity must be verified when purchasing the admission ticket. Public days on Saturday and Sunday: The general public days at imm cologne on Saturday, 21st and Sunday, 22nd January 2006 provide interested consumers with the opportunity to comprehensively inform themselves and in good time about the new furniture ranges. The visitors can – in direct contact with the manufacturers – get inspired /let themselves be inspired for later purchases/orders in the retail trade. There are no sales to end consumers. imm cologne on the Internet: www.imm-cologne.de Koelnmesse GmbH