ORGATEC 2010: Meeting place for architects

Architects’ Breakfast – a get-together for planners and designers
Koelnmesse is the organizer of the Architects’ Breakfast scheduled for Friday, 29th October 2010, starting at 10:00 a.m. — an informal get-together exclusively for architects and interior designers to promote the sharing of experience among planners and designers from around the world. Keynote speaker Wolfram Putz, founding partner of the Graft architectural firm, will give the welcoming address and inspire the participants to engage in a lively discussion during this networking event.

Architects’ Lounge – where architects gather
The ORGATEC Boulevard is also devoted entirely to networking. Its architectural setting, summed up by the motto “Working time is living time”, will feature informal communication zones and lounge areas. One of these is the Architects’ Lounge — the ORGATEC meeting point exclusively for architects, a place where they can share ideas with colleagues, take a break from all the hustle and bustle and enjoy a tasty snack. The Architects’ Lounge is located on the ORGATEC Boulevard in front of Hall 10 (where the northern section of the Boulevard begins) and is open on each day of the trade fair from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The lounge is open only to participants who possess an ORGATEC “Architects’ Card”, which architects can request free of charge at orgatec@visitor.koelnmesse.de.

INSIGHT COLOGNE – ORGATEC Night of Corporate Architecture
A true highlight that is a source of inspiration for (not only) architects, is without doubt INSIGHT COLOGNE – ORGATEC Night of Corporate Architecture. On the evening of 29 October, participants will set off on a tour of discovery through selected Cologne offices and facility buildings. A network of shuttle buses will enable them to experience successful examples of cutting-edge spaces for work and communication. The event will present modern, holistic solutions for buildings and offices where current trends have already become part of day-to-day life and where fascinating, future-oriented solutions are implemented. The range of topics covers office and work concepts of the 21st century (e.g. Crane House 1 in the Rheinau harbour), “green building” and sustainability (e.g. Cologne Oval Offices) and the revitalization of buildings (e.g. maxCologne, the former Lufthansa building), right through to facility design and furnishing (e.g. Hotel InterContinental).

ULTIMA OFFICE Trend Forum – interdisciplinary sector discussions
Interdisciplinary knowledge exchange is the focus of the ULTIMA OFFICE Trend Forum, ORGATEC 2010’s main discussion platform, in Hall 6. Topics of current interest in the sector will be discussed here on each day of the trade fair. On Thursday, 28th October, for example, the block of topics “Real estate use and sustainability” will be on the programme. A representative of the architecture firm Behnisch Architekten and an expert for architectural communication, for example, will discuss office conversion possibilities from the architects’ point of view. And other topics that influence the work of planners and designers will also be discussed — from the planning of daylight and artificial lighting to sound and noise levels in offices to the question “How will we live and work in the future?”, which will be addressed by keynote speaker Jürgen Bruns-Berentelg, Managing Director of HafenCity Hamburg GmbH, in his opening address at the official presentation of the Best Office Award 2010.

This award is being jointly presented by Koelnmesse and the business publication WirtschaftsWoche for the fourth time in a row in recognition of outstanding existing office concepts from Germany and abroad. The honour is also very important as a further source of inspiration for all architects and interior designers. The ULTIMA OFFICE trend forum will be rounded out with the exhibition for the Best Office Award 2010 in the adjacent Trend Forum Café. Also at the café, on Thursday, 28th October, the Union of German Interior Architects/Designers (BDIA) will officially present this year’s “Deutscher Innenarchitektur-Juniorpreis” for talented young interior designers.