Exhibition and display design is a complex, comprehensive discipline covering architecture, materials, lighting, technology and aesthetics. It begins most fundamentally with aesthetics — that is, the design itself. When the design is done well, the subsequent work becomes straightforward, and the exhibition and display effect can be presented to the public.
Introduction
The style and form of exhibition and display design are crucial to the entire showroom, as they fundamentally shape the overall condition of the space.
Exhibition and display design can be divided into three major categories:
1. Temporary display
Temporary display includes exhibition stand design, stage design and event planning. All of these require designers from an exhibition design company to integrate aesthetics into the work, helping the client achieve the effect of promoting and showcasing corporate culture and products. The design proposal is best provided in printed or electronic form.
2. Permanent display
Permanent display includes showroom design, exhibition hall design, specialty store design and shopping mall design. As with temporary display, the proposal is completed by a professional exhibition design company. The difference is that permanent display exists for a longer period and is not dismantled in the short term.
3. Multimedia exhibition and display
Multimedia exhibition and display is an emerging display technique that gained popularity after the Shanghai World Expo. It uses traditional decorative design as a carrier and combines it with multimedia technology to bring the exhibition hall design to life, enabling human-machine interaction and a highly engaging experience. It is suitable for all kinds of showrooms, museums, planning halls and science and technology museums — any type of exhibition space that benefits from an interactive, engaging character.
Classification
Exhibitions are classified differently depending on the perspective from which they are viewed.
1. By nature, exhibitions fall into two types: trade and consumer. A trade show is an exhibition organized for an industry, with the main purpose of exchanging information and negotiating business. A consumer show is aimed at direct sales. Exhibitions open to industry and commerce are trade-type exhibitions, while those open to the general public are consumer-type exhibitions. Exhibitions combining both natures are called comprehensive exhibitions.
2. By content, exhibitions are divided into comprehensive exhibitions and professional exhibitions. A comprehensive exhibition covers an entire industry or several industries, and is also known as a horizontal exhibition — for example, the China International Industry Fair. A professional exhibition showcases a particular industry or even a single product category — for example, an international auto show. One prominent feature of professional exhibitions is that they often hold seminars and reports at the same time to introduce new products and new technologies.
3. By scale, trade shows include international, national, regional and local shows, as well as exclusive shows held by a single company.
4. By time, exhibitions are either scheduled or unscheduled. Scheduled shows may be held four times a year, twice a year, once a year, once every two years, and so on. In developed countries, professional exhibitions generally last three days. In the United Kingdom, annual exhibitions account for three quarters of the total number of exhibitions. Exhibition dates are influenced by financial budgets, orders and holidays, and there are peak and off seasons. According to a survey by the UK Exhibition Industry Association, March to June and September to October are the peak seasons for holding exhibitions, while December to January and July to August are the off seasons.
5. By venue location, exhibitions are divided into indoor shows and outdoor shows. Indoor shows are mostly used for exhibition and display events featuring conventional exhibits, such as textile shows and electronics shows. Outdoor shows are mostly used for exhibitions featuring conventional exhibits as well as oversized and overweight exhibits, such as aviation shows and mining equipment shows. Exhibitions held in rotation across several locations are called touring shows.
Features
I. The design of an exhibition stand must reflect the spirit, corporate culture and characteristics of the company being designed for.
II. Decorative forms can be varied freely, and materials are highly recyclable.
III. The overall cost is much lower compared with permanent display projects.
IV. The work cycle is short. After fabrication and processing are completed at the factory, the stand is assembled on site, with the assembly time generally controlled within 1–3 days.
Process
Exhibition design process
I. Project liaison: obtain exhibitor client information, gather the client's exhibition-related materials, and clarify the delivery date for the design drawings.
II. Design: communicate with the designer and promptly exchange design feedback with the client; deliver the initial design draft, design description and engineering quotation to the client; study the client's feedback and revise the design again; then deliver the final design and engineering quotation.
III. Contract signing: confirm the engineering price with the client, clarify the mutual cooperation requirements with the client, and sign the contract.
IV. Fabrication: complete production and preparation work, and complete all procedures with the organizer, general contractor and exhibition venue.
V. On-site construction: build the exhibition stand on site, handle on-site additions and changes, coordinate the entry of the client's exhibits, and complete client acceptance.
VI. Exhibition-period services: on-site maintenance during the exhibition. Arrange on-site emergency services and value-added services during the show, coordinate the removal of the client's exhibits, and carry out on-site dismantling.
VII. Follow-up tracking