Domotex 2008: contracworld & special events

Domotex Hannover 2008: contractworld: annual rendezvous for top international architects and interior designers To no small degree, the success of this year's DOMOTEX was also due to its rich and highly informative supporting program.

Knowledge-sharing and networking were at the top of the agenda for participants in contractworld in Hall 4 - a magnet for architects, interior decorators, designers and planners from the contract flooring sector. The event culminated in the presentation of the contractworld.awards. Prizes were awarded to contestants from France, Spain, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

The parallel contractworld.congress - Europe's largest annual architecture congress - was attended by big-name international architects and interior designers. One of the highlights was a lecture by New York architect Daniel Libeskind, whose place among the architectural elite was underscored by his designs for the Jewish Museum in Berlin and the redevelopment of the Ground Zero site.

Trendsetting lineup of special events and displays 
One event which underscored the show's trendsetting role was floorforum in Hall 3 - a special showcase masterminded by internationally renowned Amsterdam-based designer Ulf Moritz. At floorforum 2008, contemporary carpets and textile floor coverings of superb quality were featured in four deliberately 'over-the-top' room decors entitled 'Natural Beauty,' Exclusive Extravaganze,' 'Functional Coolness and 'Classic Comfort'.

The Carpet Design Awards met with increased interest for the third consecutive year. A total purse of 10,000 euros was awarded in recognition of creative and innovative design in the hand-made carpet and rug segment. 'CDA' once again proved to be a major crowd-puller, featuring an array of 10 categories and entries by 148 contestants from 15 different countries. In an additional category, visitors were asked to choose their favorite carpet/rug from among the finalists. This year's Visitors' Choice award went to the German carpet makers at Floor to Heaven for their entry 'Love nature: Beach'.

For trade visitors interested in hand-knotted carpets and rugs of classical/traditional or contemporary design, the Loom Lounge was the place to be, and once again drew in the crowds.

At this year's Domotex, a lot of emphasis was also placed on providing added benefit for skilled tradespeople. This included two 'firsts' at the event: The Initiative for Safer Working Practices was a big success right from the outset, giving practitioners a welcome opportunity to pick up some valuable tips and tricks on how to boost safety in their day-to-day work. The other premiere was the European Interior Decorators' Competition, where trade visitors watched the contestants design and furnish a standard room in their own unique style. Teams from Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Italy tested their wall-covering, window-dressing and upholstery skills, and also had to design and lay floor coverings. At the Skilled Trades Forum, presentations 'by practitioners for practitioners' provided valuable insights for sector specialists. In a special test of skill, the European Team Floorlaying Competition presented the best efforts by parquet and floorlaying teams from six countries. In the end it was the speed, precision and workmanship demonstrated by the Italian team that got the nod from the international jury in the disciplines of carpet-laying, tiling and installing linoleum and laminate flooring.