BIID Asks, 'Who Do We Think We Are?' At 2015 Annual Conference

As the British Institute of Interior Design (BIID) marks its 50th anniversary this year, the BIID Annual Conference (Thursday 18th June 2015, RIBA's London HQ, Portland Place, London) will explore the theme of 'Who Do We Think We Are?' with the help of practitioners, expert commentators, leaders and innovators from across the design spectrum.

The conference's packed one day programme, hosted and presented by distinguished design curator and commentator, Aidan Walker, is set to spark lively discussion and prompt debate across the profession. It will feature contributions from pioneering furniture designer and retailer, Zeev Aram; Elle Decoration's Editor-in-Chief, Michelle Ogundehin; critic and TV presenter, Tom Dyckhoff; Finchatton's Jenny Naylor; the producer behind TV's Changing Rooms, Ann Booth-Clibborn; acclaimed international designer, Tomoko Azumi; design academic, Professor Anne Massey; and the former editor of Dezeen, now at Clippings.com, Rose Etherington. The full conference programme can be viewed at the BIID's website here.

"50 years is a very significant milestone for the interior design sector's professional body," says Dan Hopwood, President of the BIID. "This is the perfect time to reflect not just on where we've come from but to ask, where we are heading as a profession and how can we all prosper in a world of rapid social and cultural change, buying behaviours and marketing, technology and business evolution? The BIID is delighted to assemble a prestigious line-up of influential speakers to help our audience understand our heritage and appreciate how we need to adapt to the modern era."

Highlight sessions for the day include:

• In Conversation with... Zeev Aram: Zeev will draw on his vast experience to share his thoughts on how the business of design has changed over the past 50 years and how it will transform again in the future.
  
• The Pop Culture Effect: Did "Changing Rooms" Change Our Profession?: Michelle Ogundehin, Tom Dyckhoff and Ann Booth-Clibborn will debate whether the result of public exposure to "pop culture" television programmes, such as, Changing Rooms, 60 Second Makeover, Grand Designs and the Great Interior Design Challenge has been positive or negative for the reputation of interior designers.

• The Rise of the Developer-Designer: Jenny Naylor, Finchatton's Marketing Director, will talk about the rise of the "branded" property, the vertical integration of property development and interior design and the role of the interior designer as a strategic business asset in Finchatton's brand strategy

• The Multi-Disciplinary Designer: Should interior designers spread their wings to cover as much ground as possible, or remain focused on their core skill? Trained architect, furniture and interior designer, Tomoko Azumi, will speak on the implications of the move towards multi-disciplinary design.

• Who Were We? The Historical Context: Professor Anne Massey will trace the rise of the interior designer in the post war era, examining the spaces between interior decorator and architect as the new profession of interior design emerged at a time of economic recovery and social mobility.

• The New Design Democracy: Rose Etherington, interior designer, Anna Burles and Gemma Smith of Houzz.co.uk, the world's largest online home design community, will explore how the explosion of the internet over the last 20 years has caused a sea-change in interior design and suggest how today's interior designer take advantage of this new age.

The 2015 Annual Conference will also provide the opportunity for the Institute to present its Honorary Fellowships which recognise those who have had a profound impact on the development and success of the interior design profession. Zeev Aram, Christine Losecaat, Dids Macdonald, Kevin McCloud and Martin Roth will all be honoured this year.

Last year's conference attracted an audience of more than 250 people, including many of the UK's foremost interior designers, influencers, educators and commentators from the media. The event is sponsored by FRONT London, the bespoke designer rug showroom; Heal's, the home of modern and contemporary designer furniture and Roca, the leading bathroom specialist with a special 50 years of the BIID installation, sponsored by The Urban Electric Company.

For ticket information, details about the day and information on the BIID Honorary Fellowships, please visitwww.biid.org.uk/whodowethinkweare.

About the British Institute of Interior Design (BIID)

Established in 1965, the BIID is the pre-eminent professional organisation for interior designers in the UK. The Institute sets national professional standards, promotes learning and debate, and champions the value of interior design on the national and international stage.

The BIID's growing membership represents both the commercial and residential sectors, from heritage to cutting edge. In addition to rigorous entry requirements which assess training, experience and professionalism, the Institute requires members to continue their professional development throughout their career, ensuring their continued expertise in design process, practice and regulatory matters.

It is the only professional organisation for interior designers to have been granted the prestigious accolade of Institute status by the Secretary of State. In the UK, the BIID is a full member of the Construction Industry Council and, as such, is part of Government consultations to advise on new policy and legislation. Internationally, the BIID is represented on the board of the International Federation of Interior Architects and Designers. For more information, visitwww.biid.org.uk.

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