Trade fair stand design

For Pascall+Watson, this edition of PTE World presented an opportunity to take the established stand concept further than ever before. Having steadily evolved the design over four consecutive events, our brief this time was not to reinvent the stand but to make more of the increased footprint while celebrating an important milestone in Pascall+Watson’s history.

The larger space allowed us to introduce new features and additional meeting environments while retaining the distinctive architectural language that has become synonymous with the practice’s exhibition presence. A four-metre-high wall featuring an illuminated Pascall+Watson logo and a prominent 70 Years graphic help frame the stand as both a meeting space and a celebration of the practice’s history.

Each PTE World project begins with a detailed review of the previous year’s event. Together with our client, we assess how visitors interacted with the stand, which features generated the most engagement and where adjustments could be made.

Many of the stand’s defining elements were retained and refined for this year’s PTE World. The imposing corner towers remain central to the design, helping maximise the available height while creating a strong presence from multiple angles. We complemented the understated black and white branding with warm timber finishes, slatted detailing and integrated lighting, creating an environment that feels professional, welcoming and unmistakably Pascall+Watson.

With a larger footprint available, the design could have accommodated significantly more display elements, but instead, we focused on creating greater impact through selective use of space.

While the original concept included a larger number of project models, we recommended concentrating attention on two carefully positioned centrepieces. Displayed on illuminated plinths towards the front of the stand, the models immediately attract attention while maintaining clear sightlines and an open flow through the space.

We integrated additional storage within the model displays themselves, helping maintain a clean and organised exhibition environment.

A key objective of the project was to create a variety of environments that would support different types of interaction.

The stand combines a new semi-private meeting area for longer discussions with a more informal lean-on space that can be used for presentations, quick meetings or spontaneous conversations. A large screen integrated within the timber feature wall displays project content throughout the event, creating an engaging backdrop while helping communicate the scale of the practice’s work.

Hospitality also plays an important role – an integrated coffee station encourages visitors to pause and engage with the team, helping create a welcoming atmosphere throughout the event.

Alongside the stand’s architectural language, a series of smaller details help communicate the Pascall+Watson story.

A bespoke shelving feature displays the firm’s 70th anniversary book alongside architectural models and carefully selected accessories. Photography, renders and project imagery provide further insight into the practice’s work, while graphics illustrating its international reach reinforce the scale of Pascall+Watson’s experience across the aviation sector.

We built practical requirements directly into the exhibition stand design, concealing a cupboard, minibar and additional storage within the structure itself. This approach keeps the space uncluttered while allowing the architectural design to remain the focus. Integrated lighting emphasises the architectural forms and adds depth throughout the stand.

The completed trade fair stand design demonstrates the value of a long-term collaborative approach. Rather than developing a completely new concept each year, we have evolved the stand through a process of refinement, building on successful ideas, and introducing new features where they can make the greatest impact.

The result is Pascall+Watson’s largest and most ambitious PTE World stand to date, successfully balancing visibility, hospitality, project presentation and meeting space within a cohesive exhibition environment. The success of the project has already led to plans for the next evolution of the concept, with the practice set to return to PTE World in Amsterdam next year.