Visitors to the Orgatec stand in Cologne encountered an unexpected sanctuary: instead of the standard rows of furniture and neon logos, they found a space where leaves rustled in a synthetic breeze and light dappled the floor as if filtering through a forest canopy. The Polish studio Konarski and Bzowski Piotr Duraj secured a Gold A' Design Award in the Trade Show Architecture category for their Nowy Styl project—an accolade that recognized far more than just a decorative display.
The jury highlighted not only the project's visual power but also its bold departure from the exhibition industry's traditional focus on direct sales. Rather than merely showcasing products, the stand invited attendees to reconnect with nature within the confines of a highly structured commercial environment. According to the official press release, the designers drew inspiration from the metaphor of a tree, using physical structures to guide foot traffic, fans to generate a gentle airflow, and warm lighting to mimic sunlight dancing through leaves.
This project was conceived as an anthropological study into workplace well-being. The creative team—led by designers Artur Suchan and Piotr Duraj with support from managers Sebastian Duda, Daniel Konarski, and Jarosław Bzowski—took the unusual step of collaborating with employees from across various departments rather than just design specialists. This cross-functional approach challenged the industry status quo, which typically prioritizes rigid branding and immediate sales metrics above all else.
Nowy Styl's success mirrors a growing global trend: as urbanization deepens our disconnect from the natural world, corporations are seeking ways to restore emotional equilibrium in office and exhibition settings. Within this context, biophilic design serves as more than a passing aesthetic; it is a functional response to a genuine human need to reduce stress and boost creativity through tactile and visual engagement with the "living" world.
The Polish studio, which specializes in trade show architecture, managed to seamlessly integrate sustainable solutions without compromising the installation’s visual impact. They achieved a rare equilibrium in a field where projects often prioritize spectacle at the expense of ecological awareness, or vice versa, resulting in environmentally conscious designs that fail to engage the public.
This A' Design Award win will likely encourage Konarski and Bzowski Piotr Duraj to further refine this philosophy, where emotional resonance takes precedence over short-term commercial gain. Looking ahead, such projects have the potential to reshape the very purpose of industry exhibitions—moving away from product displays toward the creation of immersive environments that transform our relationship with both our work and the world around us.
