New: “ORGATEC Space” special exhibition: a joint project with interior designer Sylvia Leydecker and acoustician Dr. Christian Nocke.
From 21st to 25th October 2014, ORGATEC presents integrated solutions and overall concepts for everything connected with the office as a working and living space office. Leading national and international manufacturers of equipment, flooring, acoustics, lighting, media and conference technology are viewed by industry players from all over the world at the Koelnmesse exhibition grounds. From start-ups and dealers through decision-makers of medium-sized companies to buyers from DAX corporations, all shapes and sizes are represented at ORGATEC. The leading international trade fair for Office & Object showcases not just solutions for the traditional office, under the “ORGATEC Contract” theme, but also comprehensive furnishing solutions for public areas such as hotel lobbies, restaurants or theatres. With “Space”, ORGATEC 2014 also presents a new Competence Centre on the topic “Conceiving the Working Environment of Today” in Hall 11.2. The exhibition was developed in association with Cologne interior designer Sylvia Leydecker (100 % interior) and Dr. Christian Nocke (Akustikbüro Oldenburg) in cooperation with the auditory centre of Oldenburg (Hörzentrum Oldenburg).
Spaces are perceived and experienced as wholes – so they should be designed as wholes. The spatial experience for users and visitors derives from the totality of the individual factors. That means that the room’s flooring is just as important for the entire room’s acoustics as it is for the selection of the lighting. An appropriate combination of sound-proofing and lighting of workstations can have a positive effect on human well-being. “ORGATEC Space” takes this holistic view into account and brings lighting, flooring, wall, temperature and air quality and acoustics solutions together under the theme “Spaces 2014 – Connecting people”. The result is a comprehensive exhibition on spatial concepts that effectively draws the visitors’ interest to innovations in spatial concepts of the future.
The focus of the exhibition therefore, is not the individual pieces of furniture. Design is shifting toward holistic work environments that promote communication and collaboration, inspire the mind and foster general health. “ORGATEC Space” stages the interaction of the various segments. In one representation, visitors can experience innovative solutions live and can be transported to other worlds. In the relaxation area you are encouraged to unwind, to test chairs, stools and couches as well as other objects and to find out more about the different models.
Interaction within an integrated installation
The exhibition is divided into six “boxes”, intertwining different scenarios with each other. These boxes provide interesting facts and background information on products and solutions.
“This way, the visitors have the option of immersing themselves in different worlds,” says Sylvia Leydecker, who conceived of the exhibition. The individual boxes form a parcours which examines the various requirements of the office, with titles like “The Arctic”, “Concert”, “Marketplace” and “Break Time”. “No station is completely autonomous. They all play into each other and form a complete installation”, stresses Leydecker.
The exterior of the “Boxes” focuses on the theme of communication. Mutually reflecting dichroic and reflective surfaces interact with each other. The office is thematically addressed by the typography of different writing systems from around the world – from Latin characters to the Asian Kanji. “We represent scenarios that aim at the brain-scripts of our visitors,” Leydecker says, describing her goal. The boxes should be inspiring in the overall office context and stimulate the visitor with creative input and the impulse to consider and think.
The diverse nature of the exhibition becomes evident on closer inspection of the interior of the boxes. “The Arctic” with its soft, haptically pleasing, plain white surfaces, creates a peaceful atmosphere. “Here, concentration and tranquillity are in the foreground,” says Leydecker. As a counterpoint, “The Marketplace”, which represents both European and Asian market places, focuses on the different time zones and is to be understood as an international meeting room. “The Office” chicks and the golden eggs represent productivity in the workplace.
Acoustics – experienced live on set
The “ORGATEC Space” exhibition also explores the topic of hearing, acoustics and noise by employing acoustic installations and audio performances. Technical relationships and contexts are demonstrated through audio samples, which allow the listener/visitor to experience the effect of sounds, tones or noise in an immediate and intimate way.
Providing an environment that promotes focused, concentrated work is not only dependent on acoustic conditions. The light factor is also of central importance for the design of a motivational and inspiring work environment. But there are no simple standard solutions, says acoustician Dr. Christian Nocke. Optimal acoustic and lighting conditions must be developed individually for different premises, taking into consideration the individual activities carried out there, as a tailor-made combination of solutions for walls and ceilings, furniture and flooring. The ORGATEC exhibition provides differentiated solutions for surfaces such as textiles, flooring and floor coverings, panels, each integrated into the overall design of the room.
Sound insulation at the office
This year, the subject of spatial acoustics is particularly interesting, as Directive VDI 2569 “Sound insulation and acoustic design in the office” is expected to be revised in the summer. This will introduce a contemporary basis for evaluating acoustic conditions in offices. The basis of the new requirements are the indicators of the test specification DIN EN ISO 3382 introduced in May 2012, which measures spatial acoustic parameters in open-plan offices, takes into account the subjective understanding of language, audible volume as well as classical reverberation time. “In a regular office, only 30 to 40 percent of the noise disturbance can be attributed to technical and acoustic factors,” says Nocke. “The rest is influenced by other factors.”
For 90 years, Koelnmesse has been bringing people and markets together. The success story of Cologne trade fairs began in 1924 with the opening of the first event on the exhibition grounds in Cologne-Deutz. During the “economic miracle” of the post-World War II era, the “Rheinische Messe” became a global trading center. Today Koelnmesse has the world’s fifth-largest exhibition complex and organizes approximately 75 trade fairs in Cologne and all over the world. During its anniversary year of 2014, Koelnmesse is bringing its history to the public’s attention through numerous activities, publications, and exhibitions.
