imm cologne 2012

What would be more fitting than to show contemporary industrial design in former industrial buildings? Between factory halls, parking lots and graffiti the organizers of Passagen at the Cologne Furniture Fair put on a great show, with high-grade design and local oddities.

Trade fairs thrive on good products and interesting novelties. Only then will the trade fair be attractive in the long term. At the imm in Cologne in 2012 there was quite a lot waiting to be discovered. The Italian big-hitters were back, but the eye-catching designs were to be found at other booths.

What is "Pure Village" in Hall 3.2 at imm cologne? A new trade fair format with a strange name? A self-perpetuating village? However we interpret the "village of purists", it enables the trade fair to present both young companies and brands and established labels in one place.

Not only the imm cologne is on track for consolidation in 2012. An increasing number of important manufacturers in the furniture trade is remembering their traditional strengths. And these are not rarely based on an ability to fuse tradition and innovation.

Shortly before imm cologne opens its doors, the magazine A&W has elected its "Designer of the Year". A quite extraordinary designer has been chosen this year in the person of Patricia Urquiola who has changed the face of middle-class interiors to a greater extent than almost anyone else in the field.

As at the beginning of every year, imm cologne will soon be opening its doors – and this time you will again find a list of selected manufacturers at Stylepark.

Designers are continually designing and developing new chairs. So is it really necessary for architects to also try their hand at furniture design? And are the objects possibly merely miniatures of their architecture? “Von Aalto bis Zumthor: Architektenmöbel” (From Aalto to Zumthor: Furniture by architects) in the Cologne Museum of Applied Art is a show that proves this is definitely not the case.

It is January once again. You know what that means don't you? imm cologne, naturally in Cologne, on the River Rhine. I hope you are well prepared. If not, you might want to quickly brush up on your vocabulary.