Visitor Center - Visitor Center

Visitor center: Events - Conference

International conference: a forum for interdisciplinary discussions
On 22 November 2007 the Material Vision conference in the Forum at Messe Frankfurt (in the “Saal Agenda”) will provide a series of top-flight lectures. Tobias Adami, project director at the office of Hannes Wettstein, Zürich, will speak about the significance and responsibilities of a materials specialist within a design studio. Ville Kokkonen, R & D Manager with Artek, Helsinki, will speak about the artek-pavilion. The Finnish company Artek has constructed the pavilion in cooperation with the Japanese architect Shigeru Ban and the Finnish company UPM. The designer Damian O’Sullivan will present his solar lampion, one of the most interesting and innovative products to have emerged in the last two years as far as miniaturisation and sandwich materials are concerned. Further contributions in the conference programme will focus on developmental processes in product development, where the use of new materials and technologies are of particular importance.

Download: Conferenzprogramm Material Vision (PDF, 21 KB)

Registration Material Vision Conference

Online registration for this event was terminated already. For registration on site, please address the registration counter in the Forum, level 0.

PDF documents Material Vision Conference

Here you can find more information about the conference programm and the speakers:

Chris Lefteri, author, designer, educator, England

Renowned British designer and materials expert Chris Lefteri will chair the conference. Lefteri is an author, designer, lecturer and internationally recognised authority on materials and their use in design. He has his own design studio and has written several books on the subject of 'Materials for Inspirational Design'. His current book is entitled 'Making It. Manufacturing Techniques for Product Design'.

You can find further information about Chris Lefteri on the internet at: www.chrislefteri.com.

Tobias Adami, Project Manager of Hannes Wettstein, Zurich, will discuss the significance and tasks of a materials specialist in a design studio. He will talk about the importance and responsibilities of a materials specialist within a design office. Besides this, he will describe how his work and its results fit in with the other work in the office and how it is used in projects. He will also examine the question of the value that this expertise adds for the customer.

You will receive further information under the following link: www.zednetwork.com

Ville Kokkonen, R & D Manager of Artek, Helsinki, will address the subject of "Renewable materials in exhibition architecture: the Artek Pavilion by Shigeru Ban". The pavilion was a joint venture between the Finnish furniture designers, Japanese architect Shigeru Ban and the Finnish paper company UPM.
„I was in charge of the pavilion project of Shigeru Ban and I conduct material research and product development at Artek. I can speak on behalf of the UPM material and the stake that Artek has on it, the pavilion, collaboration with Mr. Ban, new generation products etc.“

You will receive further information under the following link: www.artek.fi

Damian O’Sullivan, Damian O'Sullivan Design, Rotterdam, is an independent designer in Rotterdam and teaches design at the Design Academy Eindhoven. From 1994 to 1998 he worked in the Philips Design Team in Eindhoven.
The designer will speak about "Old materials for new applications" with reference to a number of projects dealing with material experiments.

You will receive further information under the following link: www.damianosullivan.com

Leiff Huff Leif Huff is Head of the Consumer Experience Design Department of IDEO in Munich, the German office of the successful Californian innovation agency. Huff will discuss the subject of "New material – new product" and, inter alia, take a close look at the Heat Concept developed for BASF. The concept revolves around unconventional ideas for well-known household products produced using Ultrason®, a high-performance plastic.
You will receive further information under the following link: www.ideo.com

Nicola Stattmann, designer, author and lecturer for product design, Frankfurt am Main, will speak on biotechnology and renewable resources. She will concentrate particularly on the subject of ecology in materials develop¬ment and introduce exciting new materials including technical plastics made of renewable raw materials and living organisms, such as algae and bacteria that are a source of useable energy and raw materials.

You will receive further information under the following link: www.nicolastattmann.com

[Imprint][Privacy policy]
© 2008 Messe Frankfurt GmbH

Registration Material Vision Conference
Online registration for this event was terminated already. For registration on site, please address the registration counter in the Forum, level 0.

Here you can find more information about the conference programm and the speakers:

Chris Lefteri, author, designer, educator, England
Renowned British designer and materials expert Chris Lefteri will chair the conference. Lefteri is an author, designer, lecturer and internationally recognised authority on materials and their use in design. He has his own design studio and has written several books on the subject of 'Materials for Inspirational Design'. His current book is entitled 'Making It. Manufacturing Techniques for Product Design'. You can find further information about Chris Lefteri on the internet at: www.chrislefteri.com.


Tobias Adami, Project Manager of Hannes Wettstein, Zurich, will discuss the significance and tasks of a materials specialist in a design studio. He will talk about the importance and responsibilities of a materials specialist within a design office. Besides this, he will describe how his work and its results fit in with the other work in the office and how it is used in projects. He will also examine the question of the value that this expertise adds for the customer. You will receive further information under the following link: www.zednetwork.com


Ville Kokkonen, R & D Manager of Artek, Helsinki, will address the subject of "Renewable materials in exhibition architecture: the Artek Pavilion by Shigeru Ban". The pavilion was a joint venture between the Finnish furniture designers, Japanese architect Shigeru Ban and the Finnish paper company UPM. „I was in charge of the pavilion project of Shigeru Ban and I conduct material research and product development at Artek. I can speak on behalf of the UPM material and the stake that Artek has on it, the pavilion, collaboration with Mr. Ban, new generation products etc.“ You will receive further information under the following link: www.artek.fi


Damian O’Sullivan, Damian O'Sullivan Design, Rotterdam, is an independent designer in Rotterdam and teaches design at the Design Academy Eindhoven. From 1994 to 1998 he worked in the Philips Design Team in Eindhoven. The designer will speak about "Old materials for new applications" with reference to a number of projects dealing with material experiments. You will receive further information under the following link: www.damianosullivan.com


Leif Huff is Head of the Consumer Experience Design Department of IDEO in Munich, the German office of the successful Californian innovation agency. Huff will discuss the subject of "New material – new product" and, inter alia, take a close look at the Heat Concept developed for BASF. The concept revolves around unconventional ideas for well-known household products produced using Ultrason®, a high-performance plastic. You will receive further information under the following link: www.ideo.com


Nicola Stattmann, designer, author and lecturer for product design, Frankfurt am Main, will speak on biotechnology and renewable resources. She will concentrate particularly on the subject of ecology in materials develop¬ment and introduce exciting new materials including technical plastics made of renewable raw materials and living organisms, such as algae and bacteria that are a source of useable energy and raw materials. You will receive further information under the following link: www.nicolastattmann.com