The DDS exhibition is a collective showcase that shapes design trends in the furniture industry, featuring 23 exhibitors in 2018. Each exhibition space aims to provoke deep reflection on the entire sector through innovative design. At the same time, the layout must ensure a fair visual presentation for every exhibitor, balancing the overall exhibition theme with the unique identities of the 23 participants. If the main theme is too dominant, the atmosphere may lack creativity and excitement; conversely, if an individual exhibitor’s presence is too strong, the exhibition risks becoming visually chaotic and thematically fragmented.
Since furniture is an essential part of daily human life, its creation and use are closely intertwined with the natural environment’s material cycle. Therefore, the exhibition focuses on the furniture itself, extending the artificial landscapes created by furniture through various transformations and combinations—such as steep walls, forests, and hills. This approach encourages visitors to consider the relationship between the furniture industry chain and the broader environment.
▲ Conceptual Derivation
▲ Functional Block Analysis
The three zones each adopt distinct visual and spatial forms aligned with the theme, providing visitors with a diverse and engaging experience.
The entrance area is designed to showcase the products of different exhibitors equally while creating a visually captivating effect that draws visitors’ attention amidst the vibrant exhibition atmosphere. To achieve this, TOWODesign constructed an arc-shaped “steep wall” made entirely from furniture pieces that exhibitors might encounter. These wall elements consist of repaired, white-painted discarded furniture. Enhanced by projection 3D mapping technology, this waste-furniture wall transforms into an impressive multimedia display. Exhibitor logos are continuously projected on a central pillar housing the projector, serving as a clear point of reference for visitors.
▲ Entrance Concept
▲ Entrance – Steep Wall
▲ Entrance – Passage
The second zone, Milin, features a circular plaza designed to resolve the tension between the exhibition’s thematic image and the individual personalities of the exhibitors. TOWODesign combined various furniture frames along the plaza’s edge with vertical wooden slats to create a semi-transparent forest-like space. Visitors can explore the exhibition areas beyond through the gaps in this forest (designed with BIM technology). This transitional gray space effectively balances the contrasting visual elements.
▲ Forest Area Concept
▲ Forest
▲ Small Path in the Forest
▲ Forest of Home Furnishings
At the center of this circular plaza stands a thematic sculpture made from discarded furniture production boards. This piece embodies the sustainability concept, communicating its message directly through the design itself.
The third zone is a rectangular plaza designed to serve as a social and negotiation space for the surrounding booths, as well as a venue for various exhibition activities. TOWODesign chose the simple stool as a foundational form, evolving it into benches, square stools, tree surrounds, and screens. A hill was constructed at the plaza’s center, with stairs designed in height and shape to accommodate these functions seamlessly. This artificial landscape, crafted from furniture, adds emotion and enjoyment to the entire space.
▲ Chair Mound Function Analysis
▲ Chair Hill
▲ Chair Hill and Arch
The third plaza also faces the challenge of balancing the individual identities of multiple exhibitors with the overall atmosphere and style of the exhibition space. To address this, TOWODesign introduced a 1.5-meter-deep archway between the chair hill and exhibitor booths. This arch creates a deliberate contrast between the structured hill and the more freeform arrangement of booths. More importantly, its depth effectively controls how many exhibitors visitors can see simultaneously. Visitors must stand directly in front of each exhibitor’s arch to fully experience that exhibitor’s spatial design; adjacent booths are partially obscured, while distant booths are visible only by their neat arches and protruding brand logos. This design establishes a clearer and more orderly flow of information, harmonizing the tension between uniformity and individuality.
View Control Analysis in the Third Plaza
▲ Activity Area
▲ Chair Hill and Activity Area
▲ (BIM Work) Chair Hill and Screen
▲ Chair Mound and Screen Details
▲ Exit
▲ Secondary Entrance
▲ Plan View
Project Information:
Project Name: Exhibition Space Design for the 2018 DDS Contemporary Home Trend Concept Exhibition
Location: Hall H3, Shanghai National Convention and Exhibition Center
Project Type: Exhibition Hall
Area: 2000 square meters
Design Company: Towodesign (www.towodesign.com)
Lead Designer: He Mu
Design Team: Zhang Qian, Ren Wei, Sun Meng
Project Duration: May 2018 to September 2018
Main Materials: Multi-layer plywood, white latex paint, discarded boards, old furniture
Photography: TOWODesign Meeting Design
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