Award-winning designer shares his views on flooring

Gino Pellegrini founded Inter-Global Exhibitions in 1994 and since its origination IGE Group has been committed to international exhibit design excellence. Gino was named EDPA’s Designer of Year in 2008. Following are his views on exhibit flooring.

IGE Group designs its award-winning exhibits from the ground-up, with flooring as the first design element.

Photo courtesey of IGE

ECN: What are some issues facing today’s exhibit designers when they consider flooring?
Gino Pellegrini: The weight of flooring is an issue. It is very expensive to ship and adds to the drayage budget. To design flooring correctly, it needs a system such as metal, modular framing and then the surface covers the system. These layers mean a lot of weight, which adds to the cost of shipping and drayage. Flooring is often compromised to meet budget.


ECN: Do you have an overall design approach or philosophy?
GP: Yes, I try to keep flooring in my exhibit designs very clean and simple. I avoid multiple layers or heights. I use carpet or inlays instead to highlight areas. But I use very few platforms, which can make the setup difficult, the booth appear smaller and create traffic difficulties in crowded exhibits.

ECN: At what point in the design process do you consider the flooring?
GP: I consider flooring right away. I think about the design similar to how it is setup on the tradeshow floor: First the floor and the ceiling, and then fill in the design.

ECN: What mistakes have you seen in flooring at recent shows?
GP: The mistakes I often see regarding flooring are in regards to quality issues. Either the flooring is not level or there are differences in the grooves. This often occurs because the designer skipped the framework under the flooring to save on budget.

ECN: How do you determine when it’s appropriate to use carpet inlays or other more elaborate flooring elements?
GP: Budget and setup dictate whether carpet or other elaborate flooring elements will be used. I often use carpet if the setup is very short and there is not enough time. If the budget is tight, flooring is often sacrificed over other items.
Flooring can create a mood. It can establish a change in micro-environments for various brands. I often change the flooring to distinguish a change in environment. For example, in a large booth, laminate flooring will guide the attendee around and then flooring may change to wenge wood in the VIP section.
Flooring can also be the road map. It defines where the traffic should move, especially in a large exhibit. Attendees will follow the flooring in an experience.

ECN: What are some flooring trends you’re seeing right now?
GP: I am seeing a lot of different colors as well as hard flooring surfaces integrating organic surfaces and carpets or even incorporating rugs.

ECN: What are some of the more intriguing new products out there when it comes to flooring?
GP: In Europe, I have seen padding under the hard surface modular flooring on top. And in Germany recently, I saw modular flooring with a seamless finish. I am eager to use these new flooring innovations in upcoming designs.

ECN: What does raised flooring at American shows mean to you in terms of design?
GP: Raised flooring allows a different look. It helps set apart an exhibitor on the show floor by creating a clean, sophisticated design to build upon.