Organisers of the Surface Design Show 2023, which took place at the Business Design Centre 7th - 9th February 2023, say there has been an overwhelming response from both visitors and exhibitors, who have told them: ‘It’s never been better!’. 175 exhibitors showcased the best in surface design, with over half of them being new to the show. Nearly 6,000 architects, designers and specifiers visited over the 2½ days to be inspired by the innovative materials on display and the excellent speaker’s programme.
The overriding theme of the show was ‘Shaping Communities’, which explored an open dialogue amongst industries and brands, with the common goal of building stronger relationships between people and places. Located right in the centre of the Show, Surface Spotlight Live (SSL) featured ground-breaking materials for visitors to touch and feel, giving a truly ‘hands-on’ experience for architects and designers to enjoy and learn from. Curated by trend expert Sally Angharad and sponsored by CDUK, SSL presented a selection of surfaces, finishes and materials that celebrated the power of creative thinking, demonstrating how ethical innovation is providing positive design solutions.
The show had a speaker’s programme, kicking off with the Opening Night Debate held in partnership with RIBA, entitled ‘Climate Change and Future Proofing’, which featured a line-up of industry experts. The session, hosted by Simon Sturgis, founder of Targeting Zero, brought together a younger generation of architects, designers and clients. They not only explored the issues around the future durability and adaptability of current projects, but also how to ensure that the commercial value of projects can be future proofed against climate change.
Winners of the 2023 Surface Design Awards were announced at a breakfast ceremony on the last day of the Show. This year the judges were said to be 'blown away' by the quality of this year’s entries, which led to a Surface Design Show first with the decision to crown two entries as the Supreme Winners: Glade of Light by BCA Landscape, won the Landscape & Public Realm category and the Winner of the Commercial Building Exterior category was MONC by Nina + Co with Smile Plastics.
Surface Design Show 2024 will return to the Business Design Centre 8th - 10th February 2024.
