The conclusion one has to make after ARCHITECT@WORK Kortrijk on 21 and 22 October is crystal-clear: all expectations for this tenth anniversary edition were exceeded! The figures show that, certainly on the first day, even slightly more visitors showed up than at the previous, pre-corona edition (which already set a record) and that it was also particularly busy on Friday. It proves how much people were yearning for renewed face-to-face contact and how the prescriber needs much more than just online information.
During A@W, the same commentary came up again and again: rarely were there more innovations to discover. This was immediately followed by a striking appreciation for both the fringe events and the seminars. When you notice how, for example, a seminar with a world-famous designer like Tom Dixon attracted more than 170 participants, no further explanation is necessary.
"To be honest, it was quite a nervous wait to see what would happen after such a long period of inactivity. We had reckoned on a drop in visitor numbers, but the fear that some would stay away proved totally unfounded after barely two hours," says Director Nathalie Sandra. "The visitors kept flowing in and took their time to discover the many innovations and to enter into a dialogue with each other. Both halls were 'buzzing' from morning till night, which is the best illustration of a successful edition. We ended the event feeling particularly good and are pleased that we were able to satisfy the hunger for renewed face-to-face contact!”