Stand construction / Design: Squaring the circle

Whether constructions in display form, virtually accessible objects, or the inverse of room dividers: some stand ideas stage the spaces themselves.

Holtmann and its subsidiary Mesomondo had two stands at Co-Reach 2016. (Photo: Holtmann)
Holtmann and its subsidiary Mesomondo had two stands at Co-Reach 2016. (Photo: Holtmann)

Premium Aerotec’s stand at the aviation exhibition ILA 2016 in June in Berlin made visitors feel as though they were entering an airplane. The aviation supplier is specialised in the development and manufacturing of large and complexly formed airplane parts made of aluminium, titanium, and carbon fibre composite materials. Round constructions arranged one behind the other in the entrance area thus recalled the tail and body components of airplanes. Curved banners in the ceiling area likewise symbolised a airplane tail, leading visitors directly to the theme of aviation. In the niches between these stylised frames visitors could examine several products from Premium Aerotec, such as aluminium connecting parts, CFK components, and 3D printed parts made of titanium. 

For more extended discussions visitors were conducted to meeting rooms in the stand’s centre that resembled the cabin or cockpit of an airplane. Here too round structures determined the shape. Just like a cockpit, windows provided a virtual view. “When an image was projected on the curved rear wall of the cabin, the visitor had the sensation of being in an airplane and seeing far off to the horizon,” emphasises Christian Flörs, Creative Director for three dimensional brand communication at Bruns Messebau in Munich. In addition, the entire exhibition stand was bathed in light recalling that of an airplane and therefore creating an emotional connection to the theme of aviation. The lighting’s colour shifted from blue to violet with a mixture of white components. Almost all of the stand’s parts were individually made for the exhibitor. Bruns Messe- und Ausstellungsgestaltung GmbH designed and produced the exhibition stand, which transported visitors on a trip to the world of aviation on over 100 sq. meters of stand space (www.bruns-messebau.de). 

Dibella plans to exhibit at fairs for the next four to five years with this design by MDS. (Photo: MDS)
Dibella plans to exhibit at fairs for the next four to five years with this design by MDS. (Photo: MDS)

From exhibition stand to a cross-media experience world: At Co-Reach in Nurnberg, likewise in June 2016, Holtmann demonstrated how added value can be extracted from exhibition presentations. The stand builder from Langenhagen and its subsidiary Mesomondo were represented at the exhibition for dialogue marketing by two stands. The cross-media reality world consisted principally of virtual reality glasses. They allowed visitors to walk through a turbine or to follow the course of cooling ducts in a hotel. They saw potential displays and those that cannot be exhibited in reality. Holtmann used the virtual reality technology not just for the exhibition, but also for customer service. When visitors to the stand wanted to have an idea of a future presentation, they could virtually visit three different exhibition stands. 

All the materials, colours, and angles were perceived as almost real. “We are constantly integrating new trends such as virtual reality into our consulting, providing clients with a completely new dimension of stand planning,” explains Claus Holtmann. “This makes us the ideal partners for exhibitors to make real the visions of design agencies,” says the Managing Director of Holtmann Messe und Event. In order to underline this, Holtmann also presented the OLED stele, new on the market, and an app that allows stand personnel to order drinks and giveaways from a nearby catering stand. All of the brochures featured QR codes. They allow updates to the brochures to be downloaded onto the cell phone. The stands were made by Mesomondo. Holtmann’s subsidiary proved its expertise with them. The clever construction with interior mirrors made the only 12 sq. meter large stands seemed up to ten times as large (www.holtmann.de).

Bruns Messe- und Ausstellungsgestaltung created and built Premium Aerotec’s ILA stand. (Photo: Bruns)
Bruns Messe- und Ausstellungsgestaltung created and built Premium Aerotec’s ILA stand. (Photo: Bruns)

Meeting rooms and areas are seldom a stand’s main attraction or eye-catcher. This was not so with Dibella’s stands at the Heimtextil 2016 and Texcare 2016 exhibitions in Frankfurt am Main. Dibella supplies industrial textiles to leasing laundries as well as to hotels, restaurants, and health care facilities. Their products include bedclothes, table linen, kitchen and washing textiles. In both of the approximately 100 sq. meter large stands the meeting areas took up considerable space and were featured as the highlight. They reflected the homey atmosphere that Dibella textiles lend rooms in hotels or restaurants. White upholstered designer armchairs were grouped around small tables on a bright parquet floor. A side wall displayed sample products such as pillows or blankets. 

On the other side a bar with white designer stools and a large-format water digital print on the rear wall invited one to relax. “The armchairs especially contributed to the chic atmosphere. They also turned out to be very comfortable. Good discussions were definitely held here,” stresses Vanessa Niemann. As project head at MDS Messebau in Buchholz in der Nordheide she is responsible for the design and construction of the stand. “It was important for the client to achieve a balancing act,” says Vanessa Niemann, “between creating a cosy atmosphere but also showing that Dibella supplies the industry.” The balancing act meant that the displayed beds should recall a hotel, while mannequins stood next to them. They presented the work clothes that the exhibitor has added as a new segment to its portfolio. Dibella is planning to present itself with this stand from MDS at exhibitions for the next four to five years (www.mdsmessebau.de).  

Author: Jens Kügler

This article was published in TFI issue 5/2016

 
 

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