Date: 1 April 2014
The fair featured about 300 market innovations, and 22 of them were awarded the prestigious MTP Gold Medal.Four other events closely related to the construction industry were held simultaneously: KOMINKI International Fireplace Fair, CBS - Sports Facilities, Amenity Areas, Wellness & Spa and GLASS Glass Industry Fair. The total exhibition area occupied almost the entire MTP fairgrounds: approximately 60,000 m2. The invitation was addressed to four visitor groups: architects, dealers, contractors and investors. During four days the fair was visited by almost 50,000 people.
Highlights of the fair
Traditionally, partners and organisers complemented the exhibition with practical knowledge, preparing an interesting program of events.
Architecture Forum – is a series of events dedicated to architects and implemented in collaboration with the Chamber of Architects of the Republic of Poland. For the third time the Forum featured a special project dedicated to architects: Strada di Architettura. A special "visiting path" covered stands presenting technologically advanced products, providing new opportunities to shape the surrounding architecture. These included windows for flat roofs, pivot garage doors, doors for passive houses, sectional garage doors, laminated beech structure wood with an extremely wide range of applications, active glass changing its transparency, wall cladding, or printed cork flooring, which was presented for the first time on the Polish market. This particular "path" also included an exhibition devoted to the bathroom: AQUA-SAN Inspiracje. Here, in a dedicated hall, interior designers familiarised themselves with the latest offers of the manufacturers of sanitary ceramics, tiles and finishing stone, fittings and bathroom furniture. The zone also featured some special, thematic product exhibitions.
The Architecture Forum is also a continuation of the debate between architects and investors, enriched this year by the presence of manufacturers. The issue of the tangible and intangible value of investment in the public space as a relation of dependence between the implementation of an architect's vision and the investor's economic capabilities was discussed.
As every year, the speeches of special guests invited by the Chamber of Architects attracted great interest. The vision of architectural shapes of the surrounding reality was presented by Finnish architect Prof. Rainer Mahlamäki, known in Poland mainly from the implementation of the design of the Museum of the History of Polish Jews in Warsaw. He delivered a lecture entitled „What internationality means in architecture?”. The famous and one of the narrowest houses in the world, the Keret House, was discussed by its designer: Jakub Szczęsny who "works on the edge of architecture, design and art".
The Test Zone – referred to as so far the biggest "testing ground for the capabilities of equipment and building materials" attracted thousands of visitors. A separate MTP hall was dedicated to demonstrations. Contractors under the supervision of manufacturers could check in practice the benefits of hundreds of products. Tthis year's Zone was dominated by dynamic demonstrations and presentations with "show" elements. The idea of this model of an "interactive exhibition" will certainly be continued, so today you can think about participation in the Test Zone next year.
Civil Engineering Days – during the first two days of the fair professionals discussed the current issues as part of the Civil Engineering Days organised by the Wielkopolska Regional Chamber of Civil Engineers. This year's edition of the BUDMA fair focused on issues such as changes in public procurement law, amendments to the applicable construction law or building construction in floodland.
Beautiful Steel - The potential of the Polish steel structures, steel bending technology and its use in steel structures or steel structures in high-rise buildings, bridges and viaducts were the topics of the conference entitled "Durable and Beautiful Steel Structures", organised in cooperation with the Polish Chamber of Steelworks.
Energy-Efficient and Passive Construction Forum – the BUDMA fair featured for the fifth time a forum addressing the currently very important issue of low-energy construction, also in the context of changes in construction regulations introduced by the European Union. The average Polish detached house consumes 100-150 kWh/m2 per annum, which is a very high rate taking into account other EU countries, in which the rate is about 50 percent lower (in a climate similar to Poland). Fees for energy are thus the main cost to the users of buildings. Therefore, the forum included a discussion on the development of energy efficient construction as a huge opportunity for our country, which ensures greater energy security and the possibility of building modern and comfortable facilities while reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving air quality, and for individual customers it will clearly reduce the costs the use of energy.
The CBS fair, organised jointly by "Sportowa Polska" Club and MTP, is a presentation of the latest trends and technologies in the construction of sports facilities, equipment for sports centres and spas. The exhibition was addressed mainly to the representatives of local governments and investors who are planning to build new or upgrade existing facilities. An important part of the presentation included machinery and equipment for planting and maintenance of green sports areas. The CBS fair offered a wide range of choices, from sports fields (soccer, basketball, volleyball), through swimming pools, saunas, outdoor gyms, bicycle lanes, or sports surfaces, to playgrounds. The theme of this year's CBS covered broadly-defined swimming pools, and the exhibition was complemented by the conference entitled "From idea to success – water recreation, wellness and spa facilities".
The GLASS fair presented a wide spectrum of application of the raw material, which thanks to its extraordinary versatility offers almost unlimited application options. In modern interiors, glass is an important element of interior design and architecture. Self-cleaning façades, reduced energy consumption, protection against burglary, or simply noise reduction are just a few examples – today's production and glass processing technologies provide many options. At present, only the designer's or architect's imagination limits the use of glass.
An interesting offer was presented by Saint-Gobain Glassolutions, which in the exhibition area covering more than 100 square meters intrigued and delighted visitors with the futuristic nature of its products. The exhibition, described as cosmic technologies for us here and now, was visited by numerous fair guests. An additional "attraction" of the GLASS fair was a visit of the designer of the famous UNDERWATER HOTEL – Glass Cube, architect Paweł Podwojewski.
We know the new Champions!
During the BUDMA fair we could also admire the competition of professionals at numerous tournaments and championships, in which new Polish and European Champions were selected! The Polish Champion of Young Parquet Layers is Michał Łuka, who will represent Poland at the European Championships of Young Parquet Layers in the Czech Republic. The honourable title was also granted to Wojciech Dąbek, who took the first place in the 1st Polish Championship in Sheet Flooring Installation. In the 1st European Tile Laying Championship new European Champions were determined: Janusz Milecki and Grzegorz Duk.
The two-day struggle of roofers who for the seventh time competed n the Polish Championship of Young Roofers organised by the Polish Association of Roofers (PSD) also caused great excitement. Here, in addition to the prestigious Champion title and prizes, the right to represent Poland in the World Championships in Romania was at stake. The Championship title in the "metal roofs" category was awarded to the team from the PSD Branch of Podlasie Province composed of: Artur Falkowski and Patryk Zukowski (mentor: Kamil Muszynski); the winners of the "steep roofs" category was the team from Mazovia composed of: Adam Jaworski and Marcin Chłystek (mentor: Emil Kubanski). The third category of the Championship, i.e. "flat roofs", was dominated by the representation of the PSD Branch in Kujawsko-Pomorskie Province: Artur Gorniak and Marcin Szafrański (mentor: Ryszard Piwowski). Congratulations and good luck at the World Championship of Young Roofers!
The fair was held under the honorary patronage of the Minister of Economy, Minister of Infrastructure and Development and the Chamber of Architects of the Republic of Poland. Media sponsors were the following magazines: Architektura & Biznes, Builder, Murator and Zawód: Architekt.
See you next year!
The next edition of the fair will be held under the slogan: BUDMA 2015. MATERIALS * SYSTEMS * TECHNOLOGIES, indicating a strong correlation between each element used in modern design and construction.
Simultaneously with BUDMA WINDOOR-TECH Fair of Machines and Components for Window, Door, Gate and Facade Production, GLASS Glass Industry Fair and CBS – Sports Facilities, Amenity Areas, Wellness & Spa will be held.
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