Consistent with the client’s focus on “integrated all-in-one solutions. In the network of the future” (corporate motto), a wide range of topics and products was necessary.

The first task was to group these into clusters, so visitors encountered the many topics of interest as a limited number of unique scenic areas, allowing for clear orientation.

The task was to develop a unifying concept that lends coherence to the whole stand, and if possible, manifest concretely in its structure and design. Targeting the notions of full service, full coverage, security, protection and responsibility, we arrived at the concept of the umbrella.

The fire department wouldn’t allow umbrellas.

So we had to arrange for conventional umbrellas to be customized with fire-retardant material. As a result, the design work, feasibility studies and test construction, all had to run largely in parallel, instead of one after the other as usual.

Already in the design phase critical logistical considerations demanded attention: how could we get 2,000 umbrellas plus all lighting safely mounted in the rigging in the limited set-up time?

To determine the number of umbrellas required and the optimal principle for arranging them, we ran 3D simulations with changeable parametric variables.

The umbrellas became the defining image for the whole of CeBIT 2014 in the media. A large number of articles and features in print, TV and in the Internet used the image subject as an opener. The design of the stand received rave reviews from visitors (market research). The average stand visit length increased by nearly three minutes from the previous year. The rate of visitors requesting consultations rose as well from 21% to 31%.