Stand types
Choosing stand height: 3.5 m or 5 m
Lokman Türkoğlu · Founder & Head of Design · 2 min read · Last updated:
Short answer
What decides the height of a stand?
The decision follows the lowest of three limits. First, the maximum height the organiser publishes, which is usually stepped by stand type and floor area. Second, the clear height of the hall and what is left beneath beams, lighting and ventilation. Third, the rule on faces towards neighbours: at most venues, any surface above a stated height must be left flat, white and free of graphics on the side facing the next stand. The tallest level that stays inside all three is the most efficient one for visibility.
Who sets the limit
The height decision starts with the technical manual. Organisers usually publish the maximum in steps: a lower limit on standard spaces and a higher one above a stated floor area. At some venues the limit is also tied to the distance from the neighbouring stand.
The hall itself is the second limit. Clear height is what remains under roof beams, light fittings, sprinkler runs and ventilation ducts. The figure printed in a catalogue may be measured above those obstructions; the usable level is always less.
The third limit is the neighbour rule, and it is the one most often missed. At most venues the face of a tall wall towards the next stand must be left flat and white, and that surface still has to be built, shipped and paid for. Our stand types page lists height limits by type.
What extra height buys
The one real gain from height is being seen from a distance. In a busy hall everything at eye level disappears, while an element above three metres reads from the end of the aisle. Putting the company name at that level points to where the stand is.
The second gain is the sense of interior. A space enclosed by five-metre walls feels noticeably more generous than the same plan at three and a half. Ceiling height affects how long visitors stay.
Height does not, however, add cost in a straight line; it adds it in steps. Above a certain level you need bracing, additional structural calculations, heavier profile and, at some venues, separate approval. Staying just under a threshold is usually more efficient than crossing just over it.
Solving it with a hanging element
Being seen does not always call for a tall wall. A ring, box or banner hung from the ceiling reaches a height no wall could carry, and announces the brand across the hall without enlarging the stand mass.
Hanging depends on permission and on the hall’s rigging points. Not every hall allows it, and where it does, the number of points, the load limit and the application date are all fixed. Get those three facts before putting a hanging element into the design.
On cost, a hanging element usually comes in below a tall wall, because the venue roof carries the load. Against that, rigging labour and point hire are invoiced separately, so ask for those two items on their own when getting a quote.
Why must the face towards a neighbour be white?
The rule exists so that your brand does not become the backdrop of the stand next door. A flat, painted, graphic-free surface is a clause in most venue manuals.
What happens if the height limit is exceeded?
The organiser intervenes during the build and requires the element to come down. That is the most expensive change you can make on build day, so check the level at drawing approval.
Sources
- Venue technical regulations — Messe Frankfurt
- Exhibitor information — Koelnmesse
- German trade fair industry association — AUMA