The stand designs that stopped us in our tracks at Orgatec

Stand design really brings brand vision and product propositions to life. At this year’s Orgatec fair in Cologne, Germany, there were a number of brands that framed their product portfolios with experiential stands that either plunged the visitor into immersive and colourful vignettes, or transported them out of the busy trade halls and into an ethereal wonderland of design. Perhaps most exciting is that, no matter which end of the spectrum, it is all relevant and very current for modern workplace environments.

Here are three brands and their stands that brought us both delight and learnings.

Forever youthful with plenty of edge – Muuto

Muuto isn’t afraid to play with colour, and its palette choices never cease to please – we couldn’t get enough of the stand at Orgatec. But really, its Muuto’s covetable products that keeping drawing us back. They represent a new movement in Scandinavian design, effortlessly achieving that tough balance of always feeling fresh while also timeless.

While on stand, we caught up with Danish designer Thomas Bentzen, who introduced us to his Linear system, which finds itself at home equally in spaces of work, education and even airports. Whether using it as a quick touch-down point or pulling up a chair for a lengthier period of work, the system speaks to Bentzen’s nostalgia for his childhood desk. You almost feel as if you’re back sitting in your cosy teenage nook with this table. Muuto is available in Australia through Living Edge.

Ethereal sculpture-scape at molo

On the molo stand visitors were transported, almost as if stepping into a vacuum of pure calm, surrounded by the ethereal structures of molo’s sinuously curving acoustic room dividers, lighting and furniture.

This is a brand that has grown, from the ground up, into global renown. And its products feel more relevant than ever, with their mouldable concertina-like forms which can quickly and beautifully shape space with space. Among those newer products on show were suspended space dividers hanging like an elegant, sculptural fringe, as well as wooden space dividers. Molo is available in Australia through Seeho Su.

“Iconic design in a dreamcoat of colours” – Montana

In prime position in hall 10.2, the Montana stand was like a graphic, pop-art inspired party of colour and fun. Very Maximum Memphis, as Montana calls it. The Danish brand is 40 years young, and designs and manufactures its pieces in Denmark.

Sustainability and eco-conscious designs were a strong theme among every exhibitor we visited and Montana was no exception. Many of its office furniture pieces have been awarded an EU Ecolabel. This guarantees their products use a high percentage of wood from legal sustainably managed forests; that wood has low emissions of formaldehyde; and they adhere to tough restrictions on the use of environmentally hazardous and toxic substances. Montana also offers a 10-year product guarantee which exceeds EU Ecolabel requirements. Montana is available in Australia through Cult.