![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjkeK5ReJ53NLgWAzC26_7gT8rKW73npGazM2TkIgaAiRRWO78RW9ZZCcDIDizntiFcj71K0hsJ5vOeh2hKwwg2ghqZh8lpGwFFQ52CHN1ljz7hinb8ofzIDhcK4npI_POWRv8VySY22Nn/s320/07_cologne_jt250111.jpg)
One thing I especially like about European trade shows is that they engage the imagination more than their US counterparts, which tend to emphasize sheer, in-your-face, spectacle. Exhibit A: This installation at LivingKitchen, which was a collaboration between architect Matteo Thun, cabinet company Riva 1920 and the American Hardwood Export Council. 'La Cucina' is built from recycled red oak and walnut; like any typical kitchen, it includes a 'water place' [the wooden sink in the foreground, filled with apples], a 'fire place' [the tipi/cauldron construction] and a 'food place' [the prep and storage elements in the background]. It provided food for thought as much as for the body.