Nov 3, 2009
President of the Republic opened the jubilee 20th Ljubljana Furniture Fair
Today at 11 a.m. the 20th Ljubljana Furniture Fair officially opened its doors. The largest event of its kind in Slovenia, this year hosting 326 companies from 23 countries, was formally opened by dr. Danilo Türk, President of the Republic of Slovenia. He also presented the prize for the best product among the Top Ten, which is awarded by the Ljubljana Exhibition and Convention Centre based on the selection of a special international jury. The prize was awarded to company POBLES d.o.o, for its kitchen Partes, designer Mateja Cukala. At the opening, the Golden Link award was also presented and the new name of the event announced to the public: Ambient Ljubljana – Furniture Fair.
In his opening speech, Mr. President emphasised the importance of the deeper truth, which the Fair communicates; i.e. the relationship between form and function, related to the aesthetics and use, which has changed through time. Mr. President asked himself what is the essence of development, not only of the furniture industry, but also of Slovenia as a country. The essence is in the cultivation of our living and the environment. That is the way to greater success. The results of success may also be found in the past, emphasised the President of the Republic, and reminded those present of the rex chair by Prof. Niko Kralj, who originally combined aesthetics and function in his product and gained worldwide recognition. In Slovenia, the furniture industry is also connected with wood as the most comfortable raw material of interior design. However, it is questionable if our society sufficiently understands the importance of wood, knows to sufficiently cultivate its riches. Unfortunately, we cannot be proud of the level of wood industry in Slovenia, dr. Danilo Türk added, we have too many bad practices. Timber still represents an important export activity in Slovenia. Sadly, we are still not able to successfully connect the natural givens of wood with the fields related to cultivation of living. Visiting the Ljubljana Furniture Fair provides one with an impression of what our economic opportunities are. We wish there were more fairs like this, concluded the President of the Republic.
Top Ten prize recipients were selected by an international jury on the basis of criteria that a prize is awarded to a product or system solution which best combines an innovative approach, functionality, and technological or artistic quality. The jury, consisting of Steve Diskin, USA, Isabel Herault, France, Špela Hudnik, Slovenia, Thomas Machhörndl, Austria, Vladimir Pezdirc, Chairman, Slovenia, and Janez Koželj, Honorary Chairman, Slovenia, selected the following prize recipients:
- Company ETIS d.o.o. Ljubljana, for kitchen extractor hood ELICA OM SPECIAL EDITION, designer Elica team design
- Company IKONA ARHITEKTURA d.o.o. and company POHIŠTVO APAČE d.o.o. for youth and children’s room Flex, designer Barbara Selinšek
- Company KOLPA d.d., METLIKA, for table Simple, designer Gordana Marinko Vinski
- Company LIP RADOMLJE d.d., for table and bench East Village XXX, designer X PAND, Austria
- Company MAREMICO d.o.o., for patented modular bed Leticia, designers Tine and Emil Marinšek
- Company ODEJA d.o.o., for Nostalgia collection, designer Maja Tomažič
- Company OSM POHIŠTVO d.o.o., for children’s furniture Lively animals- Elephant, manufacturers BOLETTE BLÆDEL AND LOUISE BLÆDEL
- Company PARON d.o.o., for studio chair Waati Orpheus, designer Vasja Grabner
- Company POBLES d.o.o, for kitchen Partes, designer Mateja Cukala
- Company SVEA LESNA INDUSTRIJA, d.d., for kitchen Tulipana 3, designer Darko Šurina
In its explanation why the Top of the Top prize was awarded to company POBLES d.o.o, for kitchen Partes, designer Mateja Cukala, the jury of the Top Ten wrote: “… Kitchen Partes is functionally perfect. The quality of execution of individual details and surfaces exceeds the usual achievements in the field. The use of playful natural structure of wood on visible surfaces contributes permanent freshness and creates a pleasant natural environment in the living space.”
The prize
Golden Link (Zlata vez), awarded by the Ljubljana Exhibition and Convention Centre and the Furniture and Wood Processing Association of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia, to a new, not yet publically presented product, for design originality, marketing penetration and integral concept, was presented this year to the company Alples, d.d., for bedroom »Samba« by designer Marjana Rejc. The recipient of the 2nd prize is the kitchen programme “Tulipana” by designer Darko Šurina from company Svea lesna industrija, d.d. Third prize was awarded to Mizarstvo Erjavec Andrej s.p., for kitchen Multi-Line, author Ajda Kranjc.
Tonight, at the evening reception for the exhibitors, the remaining prizes and awards of the 20th Ljubljana Furniture Fair will be presented. Recipients of the
Prize for the best exhibition space, awarded by the Ljubljana Exhibition and Convention Centre for the best exhibition space based on criteria of originality, artistic perfection and aesthetic point of view, are:
- company Donar d.o.o. for an aesthetically designed, graphically perfected exhibition space, distinguished by its rich contents.
- company Kolpa d.d., Metlika for technically perfected, also artistically appealing space, which, considering the fact that the specimens are complex, presents these clearly and expressively.
- Villa Bravum Group, for successfully joining 17 manufacturers in an ambitious and complex project, which presents to the visitors interior and exterior environments in an expressive manner.
The recipient of
the Plaque of Naš Dom magazine for furniture of a domestic manufacturer, with whose products it is possible to best and most efficiently furnish either an entire dwelling or a part of it, is kitchen Alba by Pobles d.o.o., designer Mateja Cukala. Pobles Alba is a simple, minimalist and open kitchen, which captivates with great functionality on a small plan.
The expert jury of the society awarded
the Prize for achievements in design of the Designers Society of Slovenia to Igor Seljak, Assistant Professor, BSc (Architecture), for mentorship and management of the summer designer workshop “Chair for short-term sitting” under the auspices of the Faculty of Architecture.
The prizes of the Wood Processing Association for Honourable member and Emeritus member are awarded to Majda Kanop, MSc, who through her work significantly contributed to the professionalism and popularisation of wood processing, and Mirko Geršak, who through his work significantly contributed to the organisational and professional development of the Wood Processing Association of Slovenia and to strengthening of general perception of the profession.
This year’s Fair, with its joint motto of Refresh your home, offers numerous novelties such as the round table entitled How to obtain added value in the furniture industry, reading corners providing literature from the fields of design and interior design, presentations of projects by students of architecture and industrial design, continuation of last year’s Architectural dialogue, etc. The event is open every day from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., on Sunday its doors close at 6:00 p.m. Upon purchase of tickets, visitors receive a Fair Catalogue, which is a useful guide through the Fair with a list of exhibitors.
www.furniture-fair.si
