The word "Qubique" brings to mind three things rolled into one: "unique", "cube" and "cubic". It has a nice ring to it, can be understood internationally, and had not previously been used by anyone. In future, the French-sounding word will stand for a new furniture fair in Berlin, which opens its doors for the first time this October. With the established furniture fairs Salone del Mobile, imm Cologne, Stockholm, Kortrijk, ICFF - everyone knows what to expect. That provides everyone concerned with a sense of security: company budgets can be planned years in advance, market and competition remain calculable. But is that what the furniture sector is about and everyone likes about it? Meanwhile, a lot of originality seems to have got lost, and to have been replaced by routine. As such it is high time to wipe the dust off of chairs, shelves and cabinets and to air the sports jackets of those managing design.

Thinking over the concept of a furniture fair, approaching a new project like designers and architects that is what the organizers of Qubique around Managing Director Matthias Schmid are tackling. The exhibitors are selected for the originality, quality and value of their products, and the impressive lounges of the former Berlin Tempelhof airport have been chosen to host the event. The whole thing will be complemented by an accompanying program with links to art, music and fashion anchored in Berlin's exotic cultural life. The concept behind Qubique is also convincing for pragmatic reasons: Tempelhof Airport is easily accessible and Berlin has hotel beds aplenty.

Luckily the people behind Qubique do not need a PowerPoint presentation to illustrate their ideas. Instead, they use a book-cum-furniture-cum-sculpture produced by artist duo Marian Neulant and Axel van Exel. When opened up it has the area of a projection screen. The most important points of the planned furniture fair are presented on 24 differently designed plywood pages. Glossy photos show different views of the airport, exhibition spaces are indicated on a map using LEDs, the logos of ideal exhibitors are expressively painted with felt pens, Small magnet cards invite you to engage in an experimental game with the services - and a miniature tent opens up representative of the planned events.

The organizers do not want boredom, they hate routine; they want rock 'n' roll - and that means: bringing a totally different furniture fair into being. Their manifesto is also a passionate declaration: "We are Qubique. We love design." We believe them, and already have tickets to Berlin for October!

Qubique - Next Generation Tradeshow
From October 26-9, 2011
Berlin Tempelhof
www.qubique.com