design awards |
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GOLD AWARD |
Category: Self Promotion
Exhibitor: Derse Inc.
Design/Fabrication: Derse Inc., Milwaukee, 414-257-2000,
www.derse.com
Show: EXHIBITOR2008
Budget: $170,000
Size: 20-by-40 feet
Cost/Square Foot: $213
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 culptor Auguste Rodin once said, “I invent nothing. I rediscover.” For EXHIBITOR2008 in Las Vegas, Derse Inc. followed in Rodin’s footprints and rediscovered an ingenious concept whose roots reach all the way back to ancient Greece.
Because EXHIBITOR Show is typically as noisy as Disney World, the exhibit-design company wanted to attract attendees by creating a retreat as restful as the public gathering spots in Athens, where people took time out from their turbulent day to relax and converse with one another. The challenge, of course, became finding a way to elicit that kind of ambiance on of the trade show floor.
Derse found its answer — and inspiration — in the famed Spanish Steps of Rome. Designed in the 18th century, the steps connect the Spanish embassy with the Holy See, as well as two public plazas where Romans can sit and pause while the rest of the city rushes around them. Derse took that “pause” concept, added open space and clean lines, and turned it into a truly contemporary recreation.
After entering the booth by stepping over risers that bordered the 20-by-40-foot space — or via an entry point at one end of the exhibit — visitors lazed on circular cushions scattered along the steps. Approximately every 20 minutes, the lights lowered to twilight levels, and four fog-white fabric screens, ranging from 12-by-20 feet to 12-by-40 feet, drifted down from a ceiling structure, transforming the booth into an enclosed haven. Then a two-minute, high-definition film about the bliss of taking a break played on screens that lined the interior walls.
The design’s ability to silence the cacophony of the show floor and immerse attendees in Derse’s calm, quiet key message was not lost on this year’s Exhibit Design Awards judges, one of whom remarked, “This is more than a trade show exhibit. It’s literally a world unto itself.”e
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Please Remain Calm
To draw attendees into its exhibit at EXHIBITOR2008, Derse Inc. provided a refuge from the sensory overload running rampant on the show floor. Using a neutral palette for virtually every surface, a lack of ornamentation, and open-air seating, Derse created a relaxing retreat that encouraged visitors to come in and chill out. As they relaxed, fabric walls descended from the overhead structure, enclosing the otherwise open exhibit. Then, high-definition video completed the experience, offering a "visual pause."
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23rd ANNUAL DESIGN AWARDS: THE WINNERS
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