Expocasa: public boom, exhibitors enthusiastic
At the Oval Lingotto Fiere in Turin, Expocasa closes and the sums of a new triumph are drawn. Over 35,000 visitors, thanks to an immersive offer in furnishing, but not only: consultancy for planning and renovation, energy saving and design were the real poles of attraction.
A leading role was given to accessibility, in unprecedented terms: the practical ones that make environments accessible without being noticed, a real challenge and opportunity for architecture and furnishings, and the cultural ones that flatten the complicated and reset indifference. Appointment to 30 September 2023 for Expocasa’s 60th birthday, while preparations are underway for Restructura, at Lingotto Fiere from 17 to 19 November.
Expocasa: boom of visitors, enthusiastic exhibitors
Furniture and complements, design and renovation consulting, information on bonuses, energy saving solutions, technology, design by renowned names and young experimenters, accessibility. These are the main ingredients of the 59th edition of Expocasa, the GL events Italia event at the Oval Lingotto Fiere. Nine days made up of exhibitions, sales and information with many novelties, levers of a growing interest in the historical appointment with furnishing, confirmed by the number of visitors: overall exceeded the 35,000 expected, with a trend that in some days recorded a +40% compared to the same day last year. The appointment for the 60th anniversary of the exhibition is scheduled from 30 September to 8 October 2023. In the meantime on construction, renovation and restoration, Restructura is coming, in Hall 3 of Lingotto Fiere from 17 to 19 November.
Protagonists of this edition?
More than 100 companies representing at least 200 brands, about a hundred designers, including the very young Variety Lab students, recent graduates of the IAAD, but also the students of the Colombatto and Boselli institutes: 50 of them, from third and fourth grade, got involved to concretely apply the theoretical notions learnt in the classroom, in the event’s reception services – lounge bar, infopoint, exhibitions, visitor interviews. In addition, at least 2,000 people – fitters, porters, electricians, caterers, cleaners – worked before, during and after the event.
Who are the visitors of Expocasa?
Almost equally men (46%) and women (54%), 52.2% come with their partner, 24.5% with someone in the family. 33.5 per cent are mainly looking for furniture, 16.5 per cent want to renovate their homes, around 3,000 work in the sector. On the second weekend of the event, many are also attracted by the possibility of access to Idea Sposa, taking place at Lingotto Fiere. Their verdict on Expocasa? From the interviews conducted at the Oval Lingotto Fiere, the rating rises to 4 stars (out of five), up from 3 last year. An enthusiasm that also infects the exhibitors, who are satisfied with the deals closed and contacts made, so much so that they want to celebrate at the end of the days, all together, even with the competitor companies, and so much so that the sales managers of the big brands, agents and representatives, but also owners of famous companies, including the owner of Veneta Cucine, Carlo Giacomo Archiutti, converge on the show.
What was the added value this year?
First of all, accessibility, the one that is there but cannot be seen “because accessibility is made up of solutions that must be the norm, this is the great challenge and opportunity for the home sector,” says Lamberto Mancini, managing director of GL events Italia, “A challenge that we have taken up with enthusiasm and humility: we are learning how to best interpret accessibility at our exhibitions. GL events Italia has in fact adhered to the Disability Agenda – a model of inclusion built by Fondazione CRT and CDP, a commitment that has also translated into the involvement of exhibitors, who have been stimulated to bring solutions for people with permanent or temporary difficulties. In this direction, it also provided all exhibitors with a vademecum on how to relate to disabled people. In addition to architectural barriers, Expocasa therefore aims to break down cultural barriers in their broadest sense: relational and design in terms of building and furnishing.
Information and training were the catalysts for the public’s attention, who were able to learn about and appreciate Controlled Mechanical Ventilation (CMV) systems to ensure the continuous exchange and purification of air in a confined environment, without opening the windows wide, thus avoiding the dispersion of heat in winter and cool in summer. A solution for homes, offices and schools. Energy saving was a central theme. It was discussed at the ‘meet the expert’ consultancy desks, at the stands of those offering heat pumps and photovoltaic panels or those with energy-saving oriented products, such as taps that prevent the boiler from turning on except when you really want hot water. The topic was also the focus of numerous events on how to achieve energy independence, but also, more simply, on some tricks for saving gas in the kitchen with simple and tasty recipes. Moreover, at Expocasa, already during the set-up days, some companies used the spaces of the Oval Lingotto for training sessions for their sales network.
One of the most curious stands was Custom Regeneration, which brought to Expocasa proposals for furniture and accessories entirely designed and made by upcyling, i.e. the creative reuse of objects and materials that would otherwise end up in landfills. Merging aesthetics and sustainability, for example, chairs were created with recovered corks. Among his proposals are also Superga shoes: those that have remained unmatched come back to life at the feet of those who want to wear, for example, a white and a pink one.
Speaking of sustainability: Expocasa highlights how true sustainability passes through durability, through objects made of materials that do not deteriorate quickly, but resist use and time. This was explained by Gabriele Adriano, one of the Compasso d’Oro 2022 winning designers, who spoke at the opening conference.
