Designscape, from the organisers of Decorex, designjunction, kbb Birmingham and Sleep & Eat, has announced its inaugural event will take place from 11-13 August. The platform brings together those at the forefront of the global residential, hospitality and retail industries, creating a much-needed opportunity for the design community to reconnect, do business, network and learn from anywhere in the world.

The three-day programme will look to the future of design, combining virtual symposiums, educational and topical seminars, global matchmaking and speed networking, and a comprehensive product directory. Each day will feature thought-provoking programming and conversations with real-time audience engagement from trailblazers in business and design to innovators in science and technology.

Venturing beyond forecasts, Designscape’s symposiums will dig deeper into how behavioural changes and outside influences are transforming the design landscape. Crafted to stimulate every corner of the industry; 11 August [retail] will examine physical spaces becoming experience-driven, the intersection of retail and digital, the progression of the everyday kitchen, and the shop window as the ultimate storyteller.

The following day, [Residential] will focus on new criteria governing the design of the home, the evolving notion of luxury, the emergence of modern primitive styles, and the current state of the residential market. Finally on 13 August, [Hospitality] will host a line-up of talks around the alignment of sustainability and safety, AI’s impact on customer experiences, and future-proofing expansion and investment plans.

At a time when physical networking and deal-making are unfeasible, Designscape will also offer matchmaking and speed networking platforms. This allows visitors to arrange individual video meetings with fellow attendees and suppliers from the product directory across the duration of the event.

“Designscape is a direct response to what the design industry has told us they need – an opportunity to meet with suppliers, source new products, network with existing and new business contacts as well as a place to be inspired and learn. All this on a global scale!” says Dana Teague, VP Design Group at Informa.

“We are committed to giving the industry something new, challenging them to think differently about design with our programme bringing together industry professionals alongside specialists looking at how behavioural change will affect every step in the design process across every sector.”