There are plenty of attractive booths in the halls of any given trade show. But for an exhibit's design to truly resonate with showgoers, it must reflect not only the brand's aesthetics, but also attendees' desires. According to Exhibit Design Awards judges, this is a feat Schattdecor AG, maker of decorative surfacing materials, achieved with mastery at Interzum 2015, where the company's brooding façade and perceptive core worked in perfect harmony to create a space that judges called "delightful."

Design firm Kohlhaas Messebau GmbH & Co. KG built a series of product-display rooms that flowed from one to the next – each bearing a distinct theme and decorated using the company's surfacing products. "By aligning product areas with consumer ideologies, Schattdecor's exhibit designers made visitors feel understood," said Kohlhaas designer Frauke Herritsch. "In a way, the exhibit offered them tools and ideas to explore the self-expression they crave."

The booth's exterior was cloaked in matte black and wood-grained laminate. A room showing off the company's digital printing capabilities and a massive hospitality lounge rounded out the display, which was pieced together inside and out like a geometric sequence without a square wall, divider, or opening in sight. Judges admired the Cubist design influences evident in the booth, as well as the overall concept and remarkably successful execution. "Around every corner there seemed to be a unique view, interesting angle, or fresh perspective," one judge said.

Together, the angles and dark hues, along with strategically placed lighting, lent an air of drama to the space and made the comparatively bright product areas seem to glow, creating a tractor-beam effect on passersby. By stepping out of the box, literally, Schattdecor earned not only a place in the hearts of attendees yearning for something unique, but also a spot in their shopping carts.