Pharmaceutical congress stand design

The brief was to translate an existing, proven concept into a new space without losing its integrity. The pharmaceutical congress stand design needed to maintain a clear division between Commercial and Medical Affairs areas, balancing the regulatory and operational requirements of pharmaceutical exhibitions with an open, connected and easy-to-navigate visitor experience.

At the same time, learnings from the previous event provided opportunities to further refine visitor interaction and engagement.

We reconfigured the overall design to suit the orientation of the plot, ensuring the space remained as open and accessible as possible. Despite its modest footprint, the pharmaceutical congress stand design continues to support two distinct yet visually connected zones, allowing for both promotional activity and more in-depth scientific exchange in the Medical Affairs area.

A curved overhead soffit, echoed by a floor graphic, guides visitors naturally through the space. This visual continuity softens the required physical division between the two areas and helps the stand feel cohesive from every angle, particularly important given its prominent position near the entrance.

We integrated a discreet storage area into the design, providing practical space for staff belongings without compromising the openness of the stand.

While a touchscreen had performed well the previous year in Jerusalem, feedback from the event showed that some visitors did not immediately recognise it as an interactive feature. For Porto, we addressed this by repositioning the screen onto an angled kiosk at the front of the stand. The new format more clearly signals that the screen is intended for interaction, making it easier for visitors to discover and engage with the content as they pass by.

The barista coffee station, a popular feature at the previous event, was brought back as a focal point for visitor engagement. Positioned to draw visitors in, it creates a natural point of interaction and increases dwell time.

Content displayed on a screen behind the barista ensures that messaging remains visible and engaging, even while visitors are queuing. As with all elements of the stand, this was carefully considered in line with local healthcare exhibitions regulations.

Multiple meeting areas are integrated throughout the pharmaceutical congress stand design, allowing for meaningful interactions while maintaining an open and welcoming environment.

Printed collateral was also available to support conversations and provide visitors with information they could take away after the event.

To maintain a cohesive stand while clearly differentiating the two areas, we used colour as a key design tool. The Commercial area was designed with bold, recognisable colours from the featured drug brand palette to maximise visibility and attract attention from across the exhibition floor.

In contrast, we used a softer, more restrained colour palette drawn from the PTC Therapeutics corporate brand palette for the Medical Affairs area, helping create a calm, lounge-like environment, better suited to scientific exchange.

The DNA-inspired helix returns as a familiar visual feature from the drug brand campaign, subtly refined to suit the evolved design. As well as acting as a visual anchor, it plays a structural role, supporting the corner of the soffit while reinforcing the scientific narrative at the heart of the brand.

The Porto stand reflects a process of ongoing refinement. Each decision – from layout adjustments to interaction points – was informed by direct feedback and observation from the previous event.

The result is not a redesign, but an evolution: a stand that demonstrates how consistency and adaptability can work together to refine and strengthen an already successful approach that can be adapted and scaled across future international events.