the complete a
rticle as pdf (in German)
and the l
ink to the online publication
(excerpt):
Walls, but no walls
To invite customers to a discovery trip, to make them curious and to surprise them requires partitioned surfaces. Room dividers are very important in this context. The trend is for flexible, multifunctional solutions, which are often a design highlight in themself.
There were times when vastly straightforward space was considered the ultimate in store design. But if everything is visible at a glance, everything is revealed immediately. Nowadays it is less about the pure coverage of needs in trade which requires an overview. In the over-the-counter trade, the awakening of desire is more in the foreground. Inviting the customer to browse and discover new things is part of the development that leads to the creation of smaller units of space. Partition elements are closely linked to this trend.
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Light and Varied
With wood that bends flexibly, the Austrian company Franz Kolar received a lot of attention at the trade fair in Düsseldorf. The secret of flexibility is a patented incision process that makes the "Dukta" panels an eye-catcher at the same time. Four milling patterns are available. Matching mounting strips transform the panels into free-standing room dividers, which bring sound-absorbing properties. Thanks to their greatly enlarged surface, they also have a regulative effect on the indoor climate, according to the manufacturer. The base material is untreated spruce, three-layer, multiplex or MDF panels, the latter being offered in a wide range of colours - including a RAL finish if requested. Likewise, the panels can be individually printed via standard digital prints and backlit atmospherically.
