Client: Op Couture Brillen GmbH (Cazal Eyewear) Design/Fabrication: Atelier Damboeck Messebau GmbH, Neufinsing, Germany Size: 33-by-33 feet (1,089 square feet) Estimated Cost: $155,000 Estimated Cost/ Square Foot: $142

any exhibits feature a dash of whimsy to set them apart from traditional buttoned-up booths. But Atelier Damboeck Messebau GmbH applied far more than a dash of fanciful flair to the exhibit for Op Couture Brillen GmbH, aka Cazal Eyewear. In fact, the firm slathered on the whimsy like Nicki Minaj applies makeup. Only instead of being clownish, Cazal's booth at Opti 2012 in Munich was a fantasy land that captivated attendees via everything from teacup- and tulip-shaped stools to an upside-down tea party dangling overhead.

Born of Cazal's desire to highlight its creative eyewear and to draw attendees into its space like Alice down the rabbit hole, the design offered a Winnie the Pooh meets Paul Bunyan vibe. Although the exhibit delivered delightful details at every turn, attendees were drawn to the space by the 13-foot-tall faux mushrooms and colorful flowers. While the "shrooms" loomed over a toadstool-themed conversation area on the right, the left side of the space featured colossal fuschia-hued flowers that bowed their heads over another seating ensemble.

At the back of the exhibit two more conversation areas offered whimsical details of their own, such as table legs that resembled forks and benches that looked like stacks of books big enough for a literate yeti. Suspended, overhead elements included a roughly 6-by-10-foot open book and fixings for a traditional tea party — including a Persian rug, table and chairs, and full tea service affixed to the tabletop — all of which was suspended upside down. A rotating spiral staircase in the booth's center displayed Cazal eyewear, and beyond that, an information desk helped attendees connect with Cazal staff.

Although the exhibit's towering elements drew visitors to the space, it was the details that had them "ooing" and "ahing." So even though Dorothy and Toto never made an appearance, Cazal's magical world still turned out to be the land of "ahs."