January 11, 2012

Toronto IIDEX trade show to focus more on architecture, construction products

GREG MECKBACH

digital media editor

The Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC) will be a co-presenter of this year’s IIDEX/NeoCon Canada conference and expo, which has traditionally been a contract furniture show but will start placing a greater emphasis on construction products, architecture and technology, the event organizer announced Wednesday.

“Effective today, what used to be ‘IDC presents IIDEX/NeoCon Canada, Canada’s national design expo and conference,’ will be from here on in, known as ‘IDC and RAIC present IIDEX/Necon Canada, Canada’s national design and architectural exposition and conference’” said Donna Assaly, president of the Interior Designers of Canada. “It means that this year’s IIDEX and all future IIDEXs will expand to include a significant new section of the show focused on interior, architectural and technology products and services, with educational programs and networking events to match.”

She made her comments during a press conference at the Allstream Centre, formerly known as the Automotive Building, at the Canadian National Exhibition grounds in Toronto.

This year’s IIDEX/NeoCon Canada is scheduled in Sept. 20-21 at the Direct Energy Centre, formerly known as the national Trade Centre, also at the exhibition grounds.

IIDEX stated in a release that the collaboration between RAIC and IDC “promises to bring new exhibitors” from the construction sector, but it will be more product than service-oriented, said IIDEX vice-president Tracy Bowie.

“The show is more product-based, so it would be anything that goes into buildings -- ceilings, motorized blinds, windows, custom metal, doors, movable walls, flooring, shelving lighting, et cetera,” Bowie said in an interview with DCN after the conference.

She added IIDEX will also focus this year on technology such as building information modeling (BIM) and computer-aided design (CAD). Architecture Canada|RAIC’s involvement with this year’s show will include providing a representative to a committee that includes IIDEX staff and representatives from IDC, Bowie said.

Members of that team will do some research on possible education topics.

“We haven’t drilled down to keynotes and actual topics but typically we would do something sector-based so there could be something on sustainable design, on health care, that sort of thing,” Bowie said.

The collaboration between IDC and Architecture Canada|RAIC is a “natural fit” said David Craddock, president of Architecture Canada| RAIC.

“Interiors are a large part of our practice as is engineering,” he said during the conference. “Collaboration is the way we all work.”

A new section of this year’s show will be known as the Architecture Canada Expo. “IIDEX has been for many years a contract furniture show,” said Trevor Kruse, the IIDEX liaison for IDC. He added major manufacturers have been withdrawing from the show due to their showrooms, and to budgets.

“We have had a vision to change the show to a more sector-based show,” Kruse said.

Bowie said attendance in the past has been 15,000 over two days, and IIDEX aims to increase it this year by 10 per cent. While in the past, architects have comprised about 12 per cent of attendees, organizers aim to increase that proportion to 22 per cent.

“We have had a great relationship with the Toronto society of architects and the Ontario Association of Architects, and that will continue, as well as adding in some education that we will work in with the RAIC,” Bowie said.

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