by Julian
26. February 2010 14:58
|
The National Self Build and Renovation show which is at the Self Build and Renovation (Buildstore) centre in Swindon this weekend Feb 26-28th sees the launch of the NEW Oakwrights show stand.
|
|
The old stand was indeed old, and by our own admission, very dated and didn’t represent the company we have grown into over the last 10 years. As a permanent installation at Buildstore, a new stand was the opportunity to do something a bit special and different from the rest.
|
|
Calling on my experience designing and building interactive exhibitions I was tasked with the role of delivering the project in 4 weeks in time for the show.
|
| To provide the information that we need to get across, plans, pictures and who we are. |
| To pull people in, and stand out from the rest. |
|
To feature an oak frame – ‘because that’s what we do’ whilst maintaining the graphic space required.
|
|
And above all capture the imagination.
|
|
|
|
The tall and narrow dimensions of the stand proved surprisingly tricky to include all that we wished to show case in the area.
|
| But as the 3D modelling progressed, more and more I wished to try and canopy over the area but without boxing in the floor space, and keep the stand open and inviting to visitors. |
| It called for some ‘thinking outside of the box.’ |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| With the aid of Oakwrights Engineer, Sam (and his calculator) it became more and more plausible to be able to cantilever a frame out from the back walls over the floor space, using stainless steel cabling to provide the support required. |
| The comments came…Will it stand? Does it look odd? Could I hang off it? It won’t work! |
|
|
Well you’ve got to stand by your ideas, and in Sam’s case, his calculations, there’s only one way to test things…..
|
|
Admittedly, there was some hefty counter balance on the opposite corner for good measure and the straps on the crane loosely wrapped ‘just in case’, but it was a good moment when we proved it worked!
|
|
| I have always liked the look of stainless steel when used for function within an oak frame structure. There is just something pleasing about the way the polished metal sits against the grain and tones of the oak that just works. |
| Stainless fixings are used throughout the stand as a method of supporting the graphics within the frame, a tried and tested method that we have adopted on our larger show stand, that we exhibit nationwide, throughout the year. |
|
|
|
|
It’s all done and ready for your enjoyment – and I think I’d be right to say ‘you can’t miss it!!
|