It is only five minutes on foot from Badischer Bahnhof in Basle to the trade fair grounds, one of the many conveniences visitors should not underestimate. The shell of Herzog & de Meuron's extension to the fair, which is due to open in 2013, is already clearly visible. Needless to say, it will guarantee the very best in trade fair architecture.

Everything seems compact and easily manageable, and on balance Swissbau is an extensive fair boasting a scintillating array of products by around 1,300 exhibitors from 20 countries. The clear division into the sections "Shell and Building Sheath", "Interior Fittings", "Technology and the Building Site", and "Concept and Planning" make finding your way around easy; and even in the various sections themselves nothing is left to chance. By way of example, in addition to the familiar curated environment of "Bathrooms – a World of Trends", in which top manufacturers such as Dornbracht, Alape, Duravit, Axor Hansgrohe, Laufen et al present their highlights, "Interior Fittings" features two new focal points in the form of "Kitchens – a World of Trends" and the new section "OfficeSpace".

At Swissbau you really can get an overall idea of all the important sections of the building industry – of buildings or their interiors – on a single day. The expertise platform "Swissbau Focus" also provided an all-embracing discussion forum devoted to all aspects of "Sustainable Building and Renewal". In addition to lectures, workshops and theme-related guided tours of the fair it also has a newsroom, from where leading media from the building and real estate sectors report live on all five days of the fair. The conscious inclusion of visitors in the coverage sparks lively debates – for example on the topic, for example of "Building with no shortcomings: wish or reality?" and "Urban Potential – how fit for the future are our cities?", the latter debate led by futurologist Matthias Horx.

With an exciting overall project that is unique in the world of trade fairs, Swissbau has proved in a highly impressive manner that it is fit for the future.

The next edition will be held from January 21 to 25, 2014.

www.swissbau.ch