Fair interior spaces as a global communication platform and a research on international fairs

Today, fair interior spaces become rapidly growing global communication platforms along with being commercial marketing tool. Especially international trade fairs are places of communication which can be reached to the large masses. In this research, international activities, which have been encountered as an effective communication way in the global manner and brought the whole world together, came out with the search opinion of fair interior spaces as the tool of this communication. The aim of the study is to make research about how international fairs have been affected as a result of globalization in the ever-changing and developing world as well as general design principles of exhibited products and fair interior spaces, and present a current perspective about the subject. Within this study, it is discussed that the fair become a global communication platforms and also fair stands and fairs are analyzed with a critical approach within the intersection of globalization, consumption culture and interior design through samples. As a methodology, firstly literature research related to international fair activities, stand designs, globalization and consumption, and communication subjects was conducted. The sample and historical research on international fairs in Turkey and abroad were conducted. As the second stage, the one on one interviews were made with the design firms, which make stand design for international fairs and are selected within the scope of study in Turkey. As a case study, a detailed sample analysis has been carried out by making one on one interviews with the company executive and a suitable observation at the Salone del Mobile'2016 International Furniture Fair, which was held in Milan in April 2016 with the support of İTÜ Scientific Research Projects (BAP) unit as field work and ranks among the most important international furniture fairs today. In the first part of the study, the purpose of the research was expressed; scope and methods of the subject are explained. In the second part, the concepts of globalization, consumption and communication, and their processes are discussed. The relationship between brand, interior space and corporate identity has been handled within the context of these concepts. The spatial effects of globalization at different scales have been researched and discussed through examples. The identification of exhibitions and fair events, the examination of historical processes and types constitute the third part. In this context, the importance of stand design and design criteria were explored of international fairs and international fairs held in Turkey and in the world. The fairs and fair stands defined the situation, which is a mediator conveying the corporate identity and messages of the space to target receivers of place, and were evaluated as spatial communication tools. In this sense, it becomes important about that how the fair stand design and design criteria are shaped. In order to be able to make this discussion, face to face talks were held with two design companies which are designing stands for international fairs in Turkey in the scope of this study. In the fourth chapter, the field study, which aims to examine international fairs as global events, are included. In the scope of the field study, Milan International Furniture Fair 'Salone del Mobile', which became a famous event in the world in 2016, was visited and suitable examinations and observations were made. A survey was conducted with the participant companies in the fair, which was held during the Milan Design Week. According to survey study, the questions were asked about;  Evaluation of participation continiuty in Salone del Mobile Fair  Evaluation of common factors in terms of participant companies in shaping exhibition spaces  Questioning of the differences and similarities among participant companies on a global scale  Evaluation of the fair within the Milan Design Week  Review of participant company experiences In addition to this, a detailed analysis of the stand designs in the Salone del Mobile Fair, which was discussed in the scope of the study, was made and evaluated together with the data obtained by the survey study in relation to the concepts of globalization and communication. In this context, the interviews which the survey questions were directed to were conducted with both participant companies and design firms. As part of the interviews;  The participating reasons and expectations of participant companies to the international companies were reseached  In the international fairs, the effects of the themes on the product, hence the stand design was evaluated  In the international fairs held in different countries, it has been questioned about how the cultural or other factors affect the stand design  It has been examined about that how country identity and corporate identity are reflected to the exhibition space.  In the interviews made with the stand design companies, the similarities /differences have been discussed according to the fairs that the companies continuously worked together participated  The effects on the global dimension were analyzed by questioning the similarities / differences reflected to the stand design at national and international fairs. In the fifth section, a discussion, which evaluates the results of sample analyzes and field studies, was held. It has been argued that there are fair stands and a global communication platform of the fairs in the cross section of globalization, consumption culture and interior design together with all the data obtained. It is aimed to present a current perspective in the subject area through the sample which is examined in the context of globalization and communication with this research. Key Words : Globalization, Consumption, Communication, Brand, Identity, Fair, Stand.