It's no secret that trade show displays often yield high carbon footprint materials and waste. It's common practice in the meeting and event industry to talk about sustainability for coffee breaks, lunches, etc. but what about bringing sustainability to the trade show display? Sustainable or "green" products offer environmental, social and economic benefits while protecting public health and the environment.
A recent client of ours sought to do just this. Our client, a leading information technology company, needed to "wow" and drive brand awareness with their trade show display while staying green. They wanted a design that would inspire conversation and share best practices, while promoting their new brand campaign of ambition.
Susannah Maurer, Head of Creative at MGME, proposed an inspirational design which celebrated the event's host city of Barcelona. The concept borrowed from the style of world-renowned Catalan architect, Antoni Gaudi. Artist, innovator and engineer, Gaudi's unique organic style was inspired by natural, curving forms. His historical significance is a true testament to his talent and ambition.
The exhibit design was a true collaboration; the original concept was developed by MGME, and Marble LDN, London based award-winning live experience agency, built on the concept to bring it to life. Why was Marble the best partner you might ask? Because sustainability is at the root of everything they do. The agency holds two ISO Certifications and provides full sustainability reports on all of their projects. Robbie Parry, Chief Technical Officer of Marble, led the project with his incredible team of designers and 3D renderers.
Marble built the tradeshow walls using falcon board, a 100% recyclable rigid board made from fully recycled materials, which Parry referred to as, "cardboard on steroids." Unlike many other cardboards, there is no glue used in falcon board. The lightweight nature of falcon board and honeycomb structure cut the weight of the display in half. Altogether, there were 400 "ribs" within the design constructed of 310 boards.
The frame behind the display was also a reusable scaffolding frame. It doesn't stop there - everything from the display would be reused thanks to Marble's partner Event Cycle, a corporation that gives event waste a second life. Attention was placed on technology instead of paper, using interactive touch screen café tables to feature custom messaging, videos, interactivity and even texting between tables.
Crafted with lightweight, eco-friendly materials, this "wow" display not only captured elements of Gaudi architecture, but created a powerful setting for leadership, engineering and ambition. With lines of light running up through its ribs, this display created a natural, open footprint that features areas for coffee, conversation, product demos and interaction. The curved, patterned transparent wall created a separate meeting area with a view into the connections taking place. This project is a true testament that sustainability does not mean compromising brand style. If anything, sustainability elevates design and attendee experience.