Leading design experts will converge in Dubai to discuss aesthetics, function and sustainability of modern workplaces at the upcoming Office Exhibition 2012, a premier trade event for commercial fit-out in the Middle East.

The exhibition, now in its 11th year, is a premium showcase for high-end products and services which combine to create outstanding working environments, said the organisers dmg :: events.

'The changing nature of organisations, work and workplaces will form the focus of professional debate and insight at this year's Office Exhibition, which runs from May 15 to 17 at the Dubai World Trade Centre, they stated.

Through a series of high-level addresses and interactive seminars, regional architects, designers and executives will gain access to sought-after industry opinion on the issues that matter most in modern workplace design, the organisers added.

The Office Exhibition is expected to attract thousands of top tier architectural and interior design firms and end-users from the Middle East and beyond.

The expo will also give an opportunity to trade professionals for participating in a series of complimentary workshops led by local and international design experts, said the organisers.
 
A design executive roundtable with business and design leaders from the Middle East will be hosted by the International Interior Design Association (IIDA) on the opening day.

Building on the success of last year, which explored the new global economy as a driver of sustainable design, this year’s session will discuss how the practice of commercial design must respond to the different way we now view the workplace.

On day two, delegates will join their peers for industry led discussions about sustainability in the workplace.
 
The ‘Green Day’ will be led by Summertown Interiors, the UAE’s first fit-out company to be accredited with Leed Gold certified interiors.

Together with international and regional representatives, they will discuss local perspectives on green design and project execution featuring presentations, panel discussions moderated by Emirates Green Council and case studies from the region.

Leading furniture manufacturer Okamura and top distributors humanspace and Loft will open up their design archives to show how furniture has responded to the changing way in which we work while remaining true to the design aesthetics for which these companies are renowned.

A special presentation by Loft, exclusive manufacturer of Robin Day OBE collections, will deliver an insight into Britain’s most revered and accomplished furniture designer of the 20th Century.

 A great pioneer of contemporary furniture in the 1950s, 60s and 70s, Robin Day received widespread international acclaim for his creations which are all licensed Great British Design Icons of the 20th Century.

While sustainable design and build will be the main topic at the table, the seminars and workshops will also address other pressing issues in commercial interior design including best practices in healthcare designs and reinventing the classroom – ‘How furniture and space design can change the way we collaborate.’

The key speakers at The Office Exhibition workshops and seminars include: Pringle Brandon’s managing director Steven Charlton; ISG’s Stephen Taylor; and Peter Di Sabatino, Dean of Architecture, Art and Design at American University Sharjah (AUS) besides Cheryl Durst, the CEO and executive vice president of IIDA.

Also speaking at the seminar will be the winner of the 2010 Interior Designer of the year award Pallavi Dean.

David Wilson, the event director said: “Market education has always been an important pillar in The Office Exhibition’s offering. We aim to strengthen the opportunities for knowledge transfer every year to help local architects and designers keep pace with global trends within a regional context.'

'At the 2012 show we have an excellent roster of international and regional speakers that will stimulate healthy debate and foster great professional learning,' he added.-TradeArabia News Service