Star Architects & Prominent Art Personalities At imm cologne

Furniture World Magazine

At the interface of architecture and culture, the organisers of imm cologne 2007 are presenting the architecture congress “Architecture Code Cologne”. The congress will be held from 16th to 18th January 2007 in Koelnmesse’s Hall 1, which will be transformed into an arena for architecture and culture. On each day, a major architect and a prominent personality from the world of art and culture will meet for the “Afternoons for new ideas”, which will be attended by a diverse audience of designers, architects, artists and performers. Inspired by the ambience, with its strong focus on design, the participants in these philosophical discussions will be using interdisciplinary approaches to discover new perspectives and generate fresh creativity. Afternoons for new ideas: Architecture’s interplay with theatre, film and music The dialogue will get under way on 16th January, with architect Wolf D. Prix of Vienna’s Coop Himmelb(l)au and Luc Bondy, manager of the Vienna Festival Week, discussing the theme. Architecture and Theatre. The experts will address the questions: What is the role of space and architecture in theatres? What is the role of stage scenery, which serves as architecture in architecture, as a transmutable and ephemeral setting? The discussion will turn to the relationships between Architecture and Film on 17th January, when the prominent architect Will Alsop of London (Alsop Architects) and another personality will focus on the importance of film for the realm of architecture, how film uses architecture, how film conveys the stone, woods and metals used in architecture, and how film can depict architecture in a lively manner. The theme on 18th January will be Architecture and Music. Lars Spuybroek of NOX Architects, Rotterdam, and Tateo Nakajima, director and partner of ARTEC, New York, will be looking in-depth at these two creative arts. Both disciplines are mathematical in nature, expressing forms in a precisely calculable manner. Music is performed in architectural surroundings, which is also created expressly to serve its needs. How do the world of resonating sounds and concrete shapes influence one another? How are they linked, and what distinguishes the one from the other? On all three days, the discussions will be hosted by author and architecture journalist Dirk Meyhöfer. The programme begins each day at 3:30 p.m. in Hall 1. Following each day’s discussions, at about 5:00 p.m., all participants are invited to attend a get-together to discuss in greater depth the new impressions gained. Lunch for architects Also taking place each day, before the “Afternoons for new ideas” the day’s prominent architect and creative professional will join the renowned chef Susanne Vössling to invite participants to an exclusive Lunch for architects. A select, invitation-only group from the worlds of design, architecture and culture will then gather at the big table to inspire not only their palates but also their sensibilities. Choreographer and media artist Stephanie Thiersch will entertain the lunch guests with her video dance presentation. In other words, during this pause from the hustle and bustle of the fair, this dining experience will be a kind of architecture to delight all the senses. For imm cologne visitors, Architecture Code Cologne will be a unique meeting place and inspiring setting that provides a fascinating dialogue full of new insights into design and architecture. With this three-day architecture congress, imm cologne is also forging a link to an increasingly important sales market — contract business. A special contract guide also will be published to supplement the congress. The guide is to contain a list of all manufacturers and companies in the interior design sector that provide furnishings and design for large projects. Tickets for the “Afternoons for new ideas” are available online at http://www.architecturecode.de. They also can be purchased at the online shop at the imm cologne website for €20. In addition, Architecture Code Cologne participants are entitled to special discount air fares for Lufthansa flights. The “Lunch for architects” is an invitation-only event.