Biënnale Interieur 2012 [ 6 ] - Decostyle

p r o f e s s i o n a l m a g a z i n e f o r i n t e r i o r c o n c e p t s
editorial
Information transformed into experience
When you read this, you are probably counting the days till the start of your holidays. Or maybe you have
already made it to the finish-line and are now thinking of nothing but ‘dolce far niente’. Right you are, but
don’t forget to load your batteries to the full, as a sparkling autumn is waiting for you.
As you will notice in this issue of Decostyle, our mind is already focused on those crazy months lying ahead.
They already take a start at the end of August with Tendence. Is it a coincidence we devote more attention to
the ‘Biënnale Interieur’, which takes place at the end of October in Kortrijk Xpo, Belgium, than to any other
initiative? Of course not, this biennial culminating point of home experience is and remains the climax for
both professional and private lovers of high-end design.
There is also another reason for wanting to devote extra attention to this year’s edition of the Biennale. For
the first time, we notice how the trendsetter in the world of interior design has made major changes to the
way it goes about things and herewith confirms a trend. The fair for the first time in its long history (the first
edition already took place in 1968!) breaks through the walls of the expo halls and as such follows in the
tracks of other events like the furniture fair of Milan. The city becomes a playground as well, and in doing
this the organization admits that a broader perspective is needed. Information is everywhere nowadays,
thus it is the experience factor which needs to get full attention now.
The Biennale, which also for the first time abandons the idea of one single ‘guest of honour’, is not the first
in reworking its format. Think for example of an initiative such as Architect@Work, which in 2005 already dared
to launch a revolutionary new concept on the market and is now reaping the rewards. On no less than 12
international locations, (interior) architects can now visit this event, which puts the emphasis on innovation
and uniformity in its booths. Content and form go hand in hand, in perfect synergy...
In other sectors in Belgium we witness a similar phenomenon. The second edition of ContRact, for example,
in Brussels in the middle of June is a good illustration of this. Daring to choose a smaller scale and more
openness, laying the emphasis on being selective in what you have to offer and all of this in a more limited
amount of time… that is what it is all about, in the world of contract as well. Or look at DECOoh!, which also
takes place in Brussels. Here the organization for the first time abandons the traditional formula and opts
for B-DECOoh! Open Door Days. In one single hall and a patio…
We wish you a lot of pleasure with what you are about to discover, especially as from September onwards. In the
meantime, accept our simple wish: enjoy your holidays! You can probably use that moment of rest very well.
Jan Hoffman
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