Creating Memorable Trade Show Booth Design
Create a compelling environment. Unleash the memory capsule.
“Any designer who does not appreciate or know about good food is not a very good designer. The planning of a meal and its presentation – the texture, the color, the tastes, the hot and cold temperatures – are the same concerns that affect an environment.” – Robert Kime, Architectural Digest
Pattern, texture, color, and light are integral parts of design that aid to the memorability of a brand. Patterns come in various forms and colors. They may be abstract, anthemion, argyle or art deco, batik or basket-weave just to name a few. Patterns when combined with texture make the architectural design rich and beautiful. The space either achieves harmony or excellence. Textures and/or patterns are salient features that play an important role in defining the rhythm of a trade show exhibit design. Textures are recognized by touch and sight. As William Morris so elegantly puts it: “If there is a reason for keeping the wall very quiet, choose a pattern that works all over without pronounced lines…Put very succinctly, architectural effect depends upon a nice balance of horizontal, vertical and oblique. No rules can say how much of each; so nothing can really take the place of feeling and good judgement.”
“Light is the magical ingredient that makes or breaks a space.”
Add lighting to the mix and you construct the element of feeling. The space starts to communicate to you at a cellular level. Light, when diffused off textured surfaces, forms interesting patterns. Directional lighting amplifies a texture, producing variations in shadows. Soft, diffused lighting, on the contrary, minimizes contrast and shadows making textures difficult to read. A perfect example of the play of light, texture and color comes from Evonik Industries. PLEXIGLAS® Textured Sheet RADIANT creates colors that change according to the viewing angle, which is known as the Radiant Effect. There is a colorful play of hues that is set off to particular advantage by the surface textures.
Patterns and textures have been part of our life since the per-historic era. Evident everywhere from cave paintings to skin art they play an important role in everyday life and have cultural, religious, and philosophical significance. Our ancestors derived their inspiration from the organic world and everyday objects. Their art has not been forgotten. It dwells deep in our psyche. “Old patterns seem excitingly fresh when rejuvenated by a contemporary palette.”
One perennial design feature always to remember: Contrast is the magic key. The light and the dark the old and the new, the rough and the soft. The clash of it all is very sexy.”
By: Sarmistha Tarafder –
