Following the success of the last year conferences in the framework of the Moscow International Furniture Industry Congress (MIFIC) dedicated to the design issues, designer program of the MIFIC Congress in 2008 includes VIP-day “Design: the New Tools of Competitiveness in the Furniture Business” (November 24th, 2008) and the conference “Furniture: from Design to Space” (November 25th, 2008).

In Russia understanding of furniture design remains on the level of décor, item`s exterior view. At the same time international experience demonstrates much wider opportunities for modern design in furniture business. Thus, we are witnessing the formation of a new influential tendency when the world leaders of the furniture industry start to change their understanding of design: from esthetics and décor to the studies of how people interact with space in which the furniture functions at the level of processes. Here the profound understanding not only of the materials, textures and colors, form and style is needed, but what we also need is the complex approach to the furniture as a part of ambience, environment with a certain number of specific settings. This approach has already been applied in some major projects of the leading Western designers and architects in the sphere of commercial real estate, retail trade, education, health-care, hotel business, fitness industry. These issues become most topical when creating office furniture, when we need to take in account all the aspects of interactions inside the company, psychology of working procedure, knowledge acquisition, education and communication, possibility to integrate the latest information technologies into formation of working environment, altogether helping to create staff’s maximal ability to work.

For the first time in Russia MIFIC-2008 program represents complex approach to analysis of all the aspects needed to create unified solutions when designing furniture not as a separate object but as a part of structured environment with certain properties. This approach, as the international practice shows, is the key to successful development in conditions of severe competition.

VIP-day “Design: New Tools of Competitiveness in Furniture Business” as a round table is aimed at answering such a topical for modern Russian industry question as increasing of domestic goods competitiveness and role of design in this process.
- What shall customers, producers, sellers, architects do to meet the demands of the new economy?
- What are the prospects for furniture market? Is competition of domestic and Western producers in the premium segment possible? What are the obstacles?
- How to link design to production? How to let the design enter the lives of our manufacturers?
- What is the role of the state?
- What new initiatives (exhibitions, seminars, competitions) will be supported by professional furniture community?

These and other questions will be discussed by the state officials, top-managers of Russian leading furniture manufacturers, experts, representing business communities, which are the most important for the furniture industry (commercial real estate, hotel business, fitness & SPA industry, architect and design communities) and foreign participants.

The program of the conference “Furniture: from Design to Space” is divided in two theme parts:

1. Furniture – industrial design
2. Furniture – environmental design

World known experts will take part in the event: John Hughes, director of the world leading office furniture manufacturer Design – Research Centre will present examples of projects made for DeutscheBank, PricewaterhouseCoopers. Gabriella Logacono, professor of design management of Bocconi University, author of two books on furniture design will present business cases of Artemide, Kartell, Alessi. Jack Pringle, vice president of the world leading association of architects RIBA. Rune Fjord Yensen, the head of the Denmark leading design bureau Bosch & Fjord, the author of the special design of the Danish Parliament. Sergey Konnov, Chief editor of 100%Office magazine, and representative of the Russian leading edition on design “Interyer+Dizain”. Umberto Jiraudo, director of industrial design program of the British Design School in Moscow. Yekaterina Khramkova, design – research agency Lumiknows, CEO. Famous Russian architects.

Taking into consideration the modern level of development of furniture business in Russia when the majority of manufacturers face the “problems of growth”, the absence of knowledge adequate to the world level of furniture industry development is pregnant with the most serious problems. MIFIC-2008 is aimed at bridging the gaps in understanding of the new strategic role of design for business and also at intensifying the dialog of all business communities representatives interested in the development of furniture industry in Russia.

For more details on participation and registration please contact Yelena Balashova at RESTEC™ Exhibition Company. Tel.: +7 (812) 320-96-90. For more details on topics and content of discussions please contact Yekaterina Khramkova at Lumiknows e.khramkova@designresearch.ru.