Skeptical German design scene
Qubique, Berlin’s new furniture fair showcased a selection of international furniture brands for the first time in Berlin’s decommissioned Tempelhof Airport
(Image credit: Orlando Lovell)

The ever skeptical German design scene wrinkled its collective nose just over a year ago when Offshow AG trumpeted the launch of a new ’Next Generation Tradeshow’ - Qubique Furniture Fair - in Berlin. There were the usual mutterings of ’why do we need another furniture fair?’ as well as doubts of its chances of survival, especially when the huge imm in Cologne seemed to be already struggling against the might of Milan, and Messe Frankfurt’s ill-fated Design Annual had also just bitten the dust after only a couple of seasons.
Unperturbed, the Offshow organisers were confident that, with Qubique, they could fill what co-founder Matthias Schmid perceives to be a ’gaping hole’ in the design-conscious 28-48 age group market between IKEA and ultra-high-end furniture with a curated selection of the ’best in international concepts in design and interiors’.
When they opened the doors of Qubique to the trade public on the 26 October in the spectacular setting of the former 1930s Tempelhof airport (which saw its last plane leave the tarmac in 2008), they had managed to fill some 35,000 sq m of floor space with a very respectable selection of brands from FoscariniThonet and Arper to VitraArtek and Established & Sons.

Qubique clearly sets out to offer the complete fair experience package with off-scene exhibits, restaurants and entertainment all together on site. As well as a prominent section of work by young and individual designers and groups curated by Margriet Vollenberg and Margo Konings who have brought us the highly enjoyable Milan off scene highlight Ventura Lambrate for the past three years, there was a ’Gallery Walk’ of eight interesting and upcoming international design galleries situated in the former departures hall, curated by local gallerist Martin Rinderknecht. These areas in particular satisfied the appetite of those in search of the latest thing, as well as intriguing design objects.
Gallery highlights included a new collection of Acciaio series pieces by Max Lipsey for New York’s Matter, a space divider prototype called Arabi by UAE designer Khalid Shafar, made of traditional egaal headbands and brass for the lovely Beirut gallery Carwan and a cabinet of recycled wood by Portuguese designer João Mouro for Portugal’s Show Me gallery. In the Ventura Berlin section we particularly admired the RoomService collective stand as well as Paul Heijnen’s wooden cabinet, Daniel Heer’s new Keil stool colours and llot Llov’s bead string lamps.

Although product premieres were thin on the ground in the brand section (compared to Milan) we still found quite a few treasures to admire, including, among others, Established & Sons’ stand in the airport’s former fire station, designed by Wallpaper* favourites Claesson Koivisto Rune, some stunning new additions to the already impressive range from Munich-based Schellmann Furniture and Sebastian Wrong’s launch of his new personal venture: The Wrong Shop with small series pieces from Konstantin GrcicJerszy Seymour and Richard Woods himself.
All in all, after four days of viewing, discussing and enjoying the catering served in vintage Art Deco tents by no less than three chef-led teams that was definitely superior to the usual fair fare, there was little sign of further wrinkled noses amongst visitors and exhibitors alike. In fact there seemed to be an air of cautious optimism that Berlin, the creative capital without capital that loves to party, may well at last be starting to crack the commerce side of design. We reckon we’ll be back next year to find out.

Restaurant image from above

The Gallery Walk section of the fair, housing eight upcoming independent design galleries

(Image credit: Orlando Lovell)

Looks like gas tank

One of Oeuffice’s ’Totems for Living’ for Carwan Gallery in the Departure lounge

(Image credit: Orlando Lovell)

Multiple drawers where we can keep things

’Móvel’ chest of drawers by João Mouro for the Portuguese gallery Show Me

(Image credit: Orlando Lovell)

Round furniture used as wall as well

’Arabi’ space divider prototype by Khalid Shafar for Carwan gallery, made from traditional Saudi silk headbands

(Image credit: Orlando Lovell)

A different type of chair

New piece from the ’Acciaio Series: Stage 2’ by US designer Max Lipsey for Matter Gallery

(Image credit: Orlando Lovell)

Triangle shaped look like an house

New pieces from the ’Acciaio Series: Stage 2’ by US designer Max Lipsey for Matter Gallery

(Image credit: Orlando Lovell)

Its an steel canister

’Blast Stool’ by Israeli designer Guy Mishaly for Paradigma Design Gallery, created by blowing up a steel canister with dynamite

(Image credit: Orlando Lovell)

Lamps that gives us light

’Desert Storm’ lamps made from sand by Nir Meiri for Paradigma Design Gallery, Israel

(Image credit: Orlando Lovell)

Masked structure

The Fornasetti stand

(Image credit: Orlando Lovell)

Inside Tempholf airport

The impressive 1930s industrial architecture at Berlin’s Tempelhof airport

(Image credit: Orlando Lovell)

Nothing inside this cupboard

Paul Heijnen’s new cabinet at Ventura Berlin

(Image credit: Orlando Lovell)

An old sofa

Hotel Bologna chair from Berlin’s Atelier Haussmann

(Image credit: Orlando Lovell)

A hanger clothes to be hanged

Atelier Hausmann coat stand with wood veneer textile by Elisa Strozyk for Roomservice Hauptstadtstudio, Berlin

(Image credit: Orlando Lovell)

Tables and decorative lights

Tables and ’Earl’ lights by Llot Llov for Established & Sons, at Ventura Berlin

(Image credit: Orlando Lovell)

A big box like stool

’Keil’ stool by Swiss designer Daniel Heer

(Image credit: Orlando Lovell)

Audience looking at the show

’Friends’ cabinet by Mark Bendow, Berlin

(Image credit: Orlando Lovell)

A colorful chair

’Studio Chair’ by Wrong Woods at the Wrong Shop launch auction

(Image credit: Orlando Lovell)

A different model chair and it is in yellow in color

’Scrap’ chair by Jerszy Seymour at the Wrong Shop launch auction

(Image credit: Orlando Lovell)

This tables leg is too long

’8 Pack’ by Konstantin Grcic at the Wrong Shop launch auction

(Image credit: Orlando Lovell)

Corner wooden table

’Niche’ table by Sebastian Wrong at the Wrong Shop launch auction

(Image credit: Orlando Lovell)

light is coming out of each hole

OLED light installation by Labme light design research lab

(Image credit: Orlando Lovell)

Wooden twin chairs

Occasional tables by Tobias Grau, who is better known for his light designs, for the Auerberg designer editions manufacturer

(Image credit: Orlando Lovell)

Rose color wooden chair

’Amateur Workshop’ chair by Jerszy Seymour, which became the icon for the Qubique inauguration

(Image credit: Orlando Lovell)

Blue color fiber wooden chair

’Amateur Masters’ chair by Jerszy Seymour for NgispeN

(Image credit: Orlando Lovell)

Wooden strong table

New bar stool from the ’Blå Station Straw Chair’ series by Osko & Deichmann

(Image credit: Orlando Lovell)

Colorful designer chairs plastic

New bar stool from the ’Blå Station Straw Chair’ series by Osko & Deichmann

(Image credit: Orlando Lovell)

Designer art lights hanged

Bubble lamps by George Nelson at Modernica

(Image credit: Orlando Lovell)

Contemporary long type table

A new tray table by Schellmann Furniture

(Image credit: Orlando Lovell)

Fiber italic sitting chair

’Pylon’ chair by Schellmann Furniture

(Image credit: Orlando Lovell)

A contemporary dining table

’Pylon’ table by Schellmann Furniture

(Image credit: Orlando Lovell)

A contemporary designer side lamp

’Light poles’ standard lamp, with a pair of daylight and warm flourescent strip lights, by Schellmann Furniture

(Image credit: Orlando Lovell)

New Five Boxes console

Schellmann Furniture’s new Five Boxes console

(Image credit: Orlando Lovell)

The Established & Sons stand in the former airport fire station

The Established & Sons stand in the former airport fire station, designed especially for the fair by Claesson Koivisto Rune architects

(Image credit: Orlando Lovell)

The Qubique Tent hospitality area

The Qubique Tent hospitality area

(Image credit: Orlando Lovell)

Inside The Qubique Tent hospitality area

Inside The Qubique Tent hospitality area

(Image credit: Orlando Lovell)

Fiat in their nippy 500s car

Qubique VIP guests were ferried around the city by Fiat in their nippy 500s

(Image credit: Orlando Lovell)