From 17-26th October, the unique 24th Biennale Interieur became the global meeting place for professionals of contemporary design. Visitors from 46 different countries came to enjoy the wide-ranging experiences on offer at the Kortrijk Xpo venue as well as in the centre of town.
“This 24th edition confirms the unique status of the Biennale Interieur as a matchless event in the international design world,” says Lowie Vermeersch, president of the not-for-profit Biennale Interieur organisation.
“The process of dialogue between commercial reality and cultural reflection, an essential component of successful design, was stronger than ever at this Biennale. Kortrijk Xpo featured a distinctive selection of design brands including some one hundred first-timers. Through product launches, international market presentations, idiosyncratic stands and imaginative ways of cooperating, exhibitors demonstrated how creative courage and innovation are effective answers to the vagaries of commercial reality. The choice of Joseph Grima as curator of this content-driven Biennale confronted this commercial aspect with a rather philosophical investigation into the meaning of the home in a fast-changing society. I sincerely hope that this dialogue was able to stimulate participants and visitors alike, and that it has contributed a content-rich stimulus to their sensory experience of the Biennale."
In a challenging economic climate, the unique approach of the Biennale Interieur brought more than 76,000 targeted visitors to the venue, including a record number of international attendants. One third of visitors also enjoyed the Interieur satellite events in the centre of Kortrijk. Together with more than 600 international journalists – from Russia and South Africa to New Zealand and Japan – they discovered the wide-ranging activities on offer at the 24th Biennale, including the Interieur awards which provided a voice and platform for a new generation of designers. The Interieur Bars and the Interieur Bistro also contributed to a full-on interiors experience involving all the senses. Alongside the commercial exhibitors in the venue, among the most appreciated items were the Broelschool experience, the presence of so many young designers in Budafabriek and the De/Reconstruction performance by local band GOOSE.
Research conducted during Interieur by Ghent-based trends agency Trendwolves found general positive feedback among the more than 270 exhibiting companies: “The Biennale Interieur brought a large number of visitors and exhibitors together in an inspiring exhibition concept featuring a strict selection of brands that define the contemporary design landscape.”
