Fair share: Stefan Diez on the changing face of trade fairs | News | Architonic

And yet.

We all know that the fair landscape is changing. Or has to change. Diez is quick to point out, perhaps somewhat diplomatically, that these large-scale trade exhibitions are ‘probably not the most sustainable thing’, and, indeed, that we all suffer from what he describes as ‘Messe blues’ (fair blues) – where exhaustion from a, at times, relentless fair calendar can question the rationale of it all. And question the validity of what’s on show. ‘I wouldn’t say every fair is worth exhibiting at, I mean we know that … Each year we question, “Was this really necessary?” But it’s like when you open a good magazine. Not every page is good.’