Scottish Designer to Create U.K. Partner Country Presentation at Ambiente

The Frankfurt Fair and Exhibition Centre will be transformed into a trend barometer and design platform revolving around tableware, kitchenware, household goods, wining and dining, as well as the home, furnishing and giving during Ambiente 2017. And the products of U.K. exhibitors will be shown in an extensive partner country presentation curated and designed by Scottish designer Janice Kirkpatrick, one of the United Kingdom’s leading graphic and product designers. 

Ambiente, the global consumer goods platform, named the United Kingdom as the partner country for the world’s leading consumer goods fair Feb. 10 to 14, 2017.

 “I am delighted that the United Kingdom, one of the world’s most important political and business players and a partner of major significance for Germany, has agreed to be our partner country,” said Detlef Braun, member of the board of management of Messe Frankfurt. “But that’s not all: the United Kingdom is a country of great diversity, which results in an incomparable spectrum of outstanding design. And this is exactly what we aim to show the audience of visitors and exhibitors from all over the world at the next Ambiente.”

In 1986, Kirkpatrick joined forces with architect Ross Hunter to found Graven, a design studio that helps build some of the world’s biggest brands. The agency’s projects include the worldwide roll-out of the new British Airways Galleries Lounges brand concept, which has already been implemented in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Singapore and Washington, as well as the interior design of the Radission Blu Warwick Hotel in Philadelphia, the restoration and refurbishment of the Royal Bank of Scotland in Edinburgh and the interior design of the BBC Scotland Headquarters in Glasgow.
 
Kirkpatrick is also a professor for design at the Glasgow School of Art. Additionally, she not only works for radio and television but also writes and edits books on a variety of cultural and economic topics. Her new book “Brands for Boards” is due to appear this year. 

Ambiente is by no means an unknown quantity for the renowned designer – in the late ‘90s she designed the “self-service” special exhibition. “I am excited to design the Ambiente U.K. partner exhibition, after designing ‘self-service’ in 1998”, said Kirkpatrick. Asked about her concept for the partner country presentation, she said, “Glasgow in Scotland, in the U.K. and Europe—in all its dimensions—is the perspective through which I work. Globalization makes ‘local’ valuable because it is unique. I will search for exceptional micro-local and national products and ingredients to create the 2017 U.K. partner exhibition.”
 
In addition to the partner country presentation, there will once again be a café in the style of the partner country and, on the Monday of the fair, the traditional partner country theme day. The “Great Britain Day” is being organized by U.K. exhibitors who will invite Ambiente visitors to a variety of events and presentations. The day will be rounded off in style by the partner country reception, during which the next Ambiente partner country will be officially announced.
 
Apart from the partner country program, Ambiente will once again be the venue for numerous trend and product presentations, awards ceremonies, promotional areas for young people and many other events.