Stand design
How the number of open sides changes the design
Lokman Türkoğlu · Founder & Head of Design · 2 min read · Last updated:
Short answer
How does the number of open sides affect design?
The number of open sides decides both the graphic surface and the storage solution. On a single-sided in-line stand the back wall is the one large brand surface and the place the store hides. On a two-sided corner stand the corner becomes the entrance and the graphics split across two faces. On three-sided peninsula and four-sided island stands there is no closed face left, so storage and graphics are solved by a mass in the centre.
- Back wall, corner, central mass
- what carries the graphics at one, two and four open sides
One open side: the back wall does the work
On an in-line stand everything loads onto one wall. The company name, product groups, lighting supports, the screen and the store door all share the same surface. In-line design is therefore a problem of organising a single face.
The side walls are shared with neighbours and usually have to be finished. Venues require the face looking at the neighbour to be properly completed; you never see that surface from your own stand, but it is covered by the regulations.
To create depth, avoid leaving the back wall flat. A niche, a change of level or a recessed section makes the same floor area feel larger. In-line stands are covered further on the stand types page.
Two and three sides: keep the corner open
The most valuable point on a corner stand is the corner itself. Put a showcase, a counter or anything tall there and you have closed the busiest point where two aisles meet. Leaving it open lets people enter from both directions.
Splitting graphics across two faces raises the question of repetition. The same message does not need to appear twice; one face can carry the name and the other what you do, as long as both sit high enough.
On a three-sided peninsula only one closed face remains, and it faces the neighbour. Storage, the board and catering have to fit into that single wall. When they will not fit, a closed core goes in the middle of the stand and visitors circulate around it.
Four sides: the central mass
An island stand has no closed face, so graphics and storage become two sides of the same problem. The standard answer is a central mass: a volume holding the store, the board and the catering point, carrying graphics on all four faces.
The top of that mass usually becomes a tall brand element. The name that has to be seen from across the hall goes up there, and the height rules are checked with the organiser in advance.
The second issue on an island is flow. Visitors arriving from four directions can pass straight through, which is not an advantage but an escape route. To slow them down, a stopping point goes in one corner and the meeting area in another, setting up a route through the stand.
Is a corner stand always better?
Usually more visible, but it costs more to rent and leaves less graphic surface. On a small footprint, two open sides can make storage awkward.
What is the minimum area for an island stand?
Enough for a central mass, circulation around it and a meeting area. If those three do not fit, a peninsula or corner works better on the same area.
Sources
- German trade fair industry association — AUMA
- Fair and Congress Center — Tüyap
- Venue information — Messe Düsseldorf