Hard technology meets aesthetics
Sponsoring this contingent will be the Polish branch of Rigips, a subsidiary of the British Plasterboards Group (BPB), which is a supplier of rapid and lightweight construction systems. The range of products Rigips provides covers all the areas of modern lightweight construction which includes profile technology, plastering and insulating materials. Hard technology meets ethereal aesthetics in Italy next month, in other words. What might seem an incongruous match is in fact as natural as any in the world.
"One of our most important target groups is architects, of course," says Jacek Kuc, Rigips marketing manager in Poland. The firm's very close contact with building designers involves the sharing of its technical expertise to assist the latter's work. They go to architectural practices to give presentations of their systems' solutions and hold seminars to discuss topics such as fire protection and acoustics with them. "There is a big demand for new knowledge at the moment," says Kuc, "because the law is changing every day according to EU standards and architects have to be aware of this."
Rigips' involvement in the 'Metamorph' exhibition is a first for the company and came about when architects began contacting them for technical support "to build up the Polish contribution in Venice and naturally we lent them our assistance. Then in another few days someone called and approached us and asked us to become sponsors of the event and we agreed to do this," recalls Kuc.
The reasons why Rigips chose to get involved in the exhibition are not immediately obvious, particularly as the firm comes from a sector which hasn't had a great deal of cash to splash around of late. But the decision was based on time-honored motivations.
"The biggest advantage we'll gain from the sponsorship is that it will lend us prestige, not that it will directly influence our day-today business. But it's also a good way of checking the suitability of our technology for architects," explains Kuc.
Most building materials providers and construction companies would baulk at lending financial support to such an esoteric enterprise as the Venice exhibition, because immediate survival has been paramount in the very difficult times the industry has been experiencing of late.
"We have to be very careful when spending money on projects which only have very long term benefits," says Kuc. "But we recently decided to change our strategy in order to re-build our brand image and credibility and we are also sponsoring Polish football teams in the UEFA Cup." The very keen-eyed television viewer might have noticed Rigips' advertising boarding around Wisła Kraków's ground during the club's recent match against Real Madrid in the Champions' League preliminary round. That Rigips is revealing a catholic taste in culture can't easily be denied but to what extent it will continue to give financial backing to high art and popular sport depends on the fortunes of the construction industry.
"In my opinion, we'll have to wait another two years for the recovery of the building industry," says Kuc. "There are some small signs that things are improving but we can't get carried away with optimism just now. In the long term, however, yes, the situation will get better."
"One of our most important target groups is architects, of course," says Jacek Kuc, Rigips marketing manager in Poland. The firm's very close contact with building designers involves the sharing of its technical expertise to assist the latter's work. They go to architectural practices to give presentations of their systems' solutions and hold seminars to discuss topics such as fire protection and acoustics with them. "There is a big demand for new knowledge at the moment," says Kuc, "because the law is changing every day according to EU standards and architects have to be aware of this."
Rigips' involvement in the 'Metamorph' exhibition is a first for the company and came about when architects began contacting them for technical support "to build up the Polish contribution in Venice and naturally we lent them our assistance. Then in another few days someone called and approached us and asked us to become sponsors of the event and we agreed to do this," recalls Kuc.
The reasons why Rigips chose to get involved in the exhibition are not immediately obvious, particularly as the firm comes from a sector which hasn't had a great deal of cash to splash around of late. But the decision was based on time-honored motivations.
"The biggest advantage we'll gain from the sponsorship is that it will lend us prestige, not that it will directly influence our day-today business. But it's also a good way of checking the suitability of our technology for architects," explains Kuc.
Most building materials providers and construction companies would baulk at lending financial support to such an esoteric enterprise as the Venice exhibition, because immediate survival has been paramount in the very difficult times the industry has been experiencing of late.
"We have to be very careful when spending money on projects which only have very long term benefits," says Kuc. "But we recently decided to change our strategy in order to re-build our brand image and credibility and we are also sponsoring Polish football teams in the UEFA Cup." The very keen-eyed television viewer might have noticed Rigips' advertising boarding around Wisła Kraków's ground during the club's recent match against Real Madrid in the Champions' League preliminary round. That Rigips is revealing a catholic taste in culture can't easily be denied but to what extent it will continue to give financial backing to high art and popular sport depends on the fortunes of the construction industry.
"In my opinion, we'll have to wait another two years for the recovery of the building industry," says Kuc. "There are some small signs that things are improving but we can't get carried away with optimism just now. In the long term, however, yes, the situation will get better."
