An exhibition of the work of Mario Ruiz, the ENAD (design associations) conference and the ‘Contract Future’ seminar are just some of the most stand-out events out of more than 100 that are scheduled for this upcoming edition of Feria Hábitat Valencia.
Feria Hábitat Valencia has confirmed the programme of events scheduled to take place during this next edition, which runs from 18th to 21st September at Feria Valencia and will be showcasing more than 400 companies and brands. With the highest number of visitors ever expected to attend, the fair’s organizers have devised an extensive programme of lectures, exhibitions, talks and discussions centred on design, interior design and the contract channel. The focal point of these activities is the Ágora nude forum and every day there will be a full programme of events for visitors to Hábitat to attend, delivered by Spain’s foremost and most influential design professionals.
Tuesday 18th: Mario Ruiz craftsmanship workshop
The programme takes off after Hábitat’s official opening, scheduled for midday on Tuesday 18th. First up is a guided tour of the exhibition of Alicante based designer Mario Ruiz’s work. Ruiz won the National Prize for Design in 2016 and will be leading the tour himself. In the afternoon a seminar titled “Contemporary Craftsmanship under the spotlight: collaboration between craftsmen and designers” will analyse the relationship between craftsmanship and design. Speakers include eminent professionals such as Enrique Loewe, manufacturers such as Lladró and leading schools of design.
Wednesday 19th: focus on the contract channel
The second day of Hábitat sees the focus shift almost entirely onto the world of contracts, one of the mainstays of the industry’s business, starting with a workshop titled ‘The Future of Contract, advances and the future of contracts” that takes place in the morning. Organized jointly with Grupo Vía, panellists include notable professionals such as Jordi Cuenca, of hotel design consultancy Verum Hotel Development; architect Héctor Ruiz-Velázquez; José Manuel Fernández, executive director of hotel development consultancy Cuarto Interior; Ignasi Llauradó, CEO and creative director at interior architecture practice Dear Design and renowned North American practice Rockwell Group, which has worked on commissions all over the world and in Spain has delivered unusual designs such as the Westin Hotel and the Teatro Real, both in Madrid.
Another interesting workshop takes place in the afternoon. Not entirely unrelated to the contract world, this session will be focusing on the more industrial facet of this sector. The symposium is being organized by Ecus Sleep and speakers include representatives of specialist firms such as BHome, Neoblockmodular, Abaton, Vivood Landscape Hotels, GAT and consultancy Hotel Mystery Guest. The workshop will finish with a presentation of digital sales platform compramuebles.com
Thursday 20th: the designer’s turn
On Thursday, Feria Valencia will for the second year running host the National Design Associations Congress (6ENAD), organized in conjunction with the Spanish Network of Design Associations (READ) and the Comunitat Valenciana Designers Association (ADCV), which is chairing the congress. This is the most important gathering in Spain dedicated to design and is supported by the industry’s most representative associations.
Also, and as part of Ágora nude, there will be lectures about Pedro Miralles by Pilar Mellado; a presentation of the 18/20 Review of Trends in Interiors; a fascinating talk on 3D printing by Carmen Baselga and Héctor Serrano; a presentation by Miguel Herranz , which is bound to be intriguing, and another by Pablo Rubio, designer at erretres. The session will end with a ‘workshop’ organized by Actiu, during which the company will hand out the ACTIU / nude prizes, and an ‘afterwork’ pepped up by Cervezas Turia.
Friday 21st: interior design, design and business
Being the last day of the fair is no excuse for a lighter programme of events. Quite the reverse: today it is the turn of design and its relationship with interior design and business to be under the spotlight. The day starts with what is bound to be a fascinating Round Table discussion organized by Castellón based association La Exprimidora, about the interaction between design and companies, with guests including representatives of Actiu itself, Sanycess and Capdell along with design studios Vitale, Clausell and Meridiana.
Following the Round Table, the #InnoDesign Forum, titled ‘Interior design as a value proposition’, will be paying tribute to interior designer Fernando Subirats. Professionals from all over Spain will be taking part in this session, as will CIDI president Juan Bernardo Dolores., of Mexico.
Parallel events
Rounding out the programme of events are those being organized by the various institutions and other bodies that will have a significant presence at Feria Hábitat Valencia. These include the Spanish National Association of Furniture Exporters – ANIEME – and lighting association FEDAI. There will also be an exhibition, “Guilloche, Jewels for the Home”, staged by Olivari, in Feria Valencia’s Central Mall. The exhibition will display a collection of door handles – jewels characterized by Guilloche incisions, an ancient technique used in jewellery – that Maestro Renzetti of Milan has been instrumental in assembling.
Last but not least, there will be a fresh edition of the highly successful Valencia Disseny Week, u compendium of a multitude of activities arranged by the ADCV that take place at different venues in the city of Valencia.
