Iron Trade Show Architecture, Interiors, and Exhibit Design · 2026
Reforma Trade Show Exhibit
by Nattakul Sevikul – Okrit Co., Ltd.
- A' Design Award 2026 Iron Winner in Trade Show Architecture, Interiors, and Exhibit Design
- Awarded April 15, 2026
- CLIENT: Kasikornbank Public Company Limited
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 7,415
- Verification code B34F9C1790 · Verify this award
About Reforma Trade Show Exhibit
The Reforma project presents an approach to sustainable event architecture through the use of Plasbricks, a modular system made from upcycled plastic. It explores the use of this alternative material in large-scale exhibition construction. The interlocking system allows efficient assembly and disassembly, reducing environmental impact and avoiding additional finishing. The result is a structure defined by material clarity and practical strategies for circular design in commercial applications.
Okrit's Reforma Trade Show Exhibit emerges from contemporary exhibition design practices that increasingly recognize the trade show pavilion as a sophisticated medium for spatial storytelling and brand identity communication, where architecture transcends mere functional shelter to become an immersive environmental narrative that positions commercial entities within cultural conversations around sustainability, innovation, and human-centered design philosophy. The compositional achievement of this installation resides primarily in its confident deployment of a singular bold chromatic gesture, the saturated emerald green framework that functions simultaneously across multiple registers as structural armature, visual brand anchor, spatial threshold, and symbolic carrier of environmental values, this verdant architectural portal elevated to monumental scale yet rendered approachable through the integration of living botanical elements that soften industrial precision with organic irregularity and introduce the multisensory richness of actual plant life into the typically sterile convention center environment. Technical facility manifests throughout the execution, from the precise joinery and finish quality of the painted metal framework to the thoughtful illumination design that orchestrates multiple light sources into a coherent atmospheric effect, with integrated linear fixtures providing functional ambient light while dramatic ceiling spotlights create visual punctuation and the vertical plant wall receives dedicated accent illumination that emphasizes textural depth and chromatic variation within the verdant palette, these lighting choices serving both practical requirements and aesthetic ambitions by transforming the pavilion into a luminous beacon within the darker surrounding exhibition hall. The spatial configuration demonstrates sophisticated understanding of exhibition visitor behavior and circulation patterns, with the open frontal café zone lowering threshold barriers to entry and creating informal seating that invites pause and engagement, while the elevated portal frame establishes a ceremonial gateway quality that dignifies the act of entry and frames interior program zones visible through transparent glazing, this layered spatial sequence from public seating area through threshold moment into semi-private interior spaces creating a narrative procession from initial attraction through graduated engagement. The integration of the living wall suggests meaningful engagement with biophilic design principles and their application to commercial environments, acknowledging research demonstrating that natural elements within built spaces reduce stress, enhance cognitive function, and improve subjective well-being, here the vertical garden functions beyond decorative accent to become a substantive material statement about values and priorities, its organic complexity providing visual and presumably olfactory relief from the manufactured environments typical of convention centers while signaling institutional commitment to sustainability and environmental consciousness. The material palette rewards close examination, with the deliberate contrast between the permanence and solidity of the green framework, the ephemeral living quality of the botanical installation, the contemporary industrial character of the white molded seating, the traditional craft associations of the wood furniture legs, and the transparent dematerialization of the glass partitions creating a rich vocabulary that speaks simultaneously to multiple design traditions and cultural references, this heterogeneity of materials unified through chromatic discipline and geometric clarity that prevents visual cacophony. One might observe how the composition negotiates the challenging scale relationships inherent in exhibition design, where pavilions must assert presence within vast convention halls while maintaining human-scale intimacy at close range, here achieved through the monumental vertical gesture of the portal frame that reads clearly from distance while the distributed furniture arrangement and accessible living wall create approachable encounter zones that invite individual engagement, the design successfully operating across multiple viewing distances and rates of approach. What possibilities might emerge when commercial exhibition environments embrace the material richness, spatial sophistication, and biophilic integration demonstrated here, expanding the cultural understanding of trade show pavilions from forgettable temporary structures toward memorable spatial experiences that contribute meaningfully to the broader discourse around sustainable design, brand authenticity, and the human need for aesthetic nourishment even within transactional commercial contexts?
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- Sustainable architecture-inspired booth introducing Plasbricks, a modular system for creating temporary structures from upcycled plastic blocks. Designed for Kasikornbank as a physicalization of ESG commitment, it exemplifies circular economy principles. The interlocking block system enables quick, low-impact construction and deconstruction, minimizing waste and carbon emissions. Fully managed by OKRIT Co., Ltd. from conception to execution, it sets a standard for eco-friendly brand environments
- Dimensions & Packaging
- The Reforma exhibition measures 25,000 mm (W) x 20,000 mm (D) x 5,000 mm (H). Its core structure is composed of Plasbricks-high-compression interlocking blocks made from recycled plastic-combined with a reusable steel frame to support branding elements and heavy loads. All components are modular, allowing for fast, clean assembly and repeated use at roadshow events.
- Tags
- Trade Show Exhibit, Sustainable Design, Modular Architecture, Upcycled Materials, Circular Economy, Eco-Friendly Booth, Green Building, Temporary Structure, Plastic Recycling, Exhibition Design
- Production Technology
- The initiative utilizes a prefabricated modular building system that employs Plasbricks-interlocking blocks created from recycled plastic. OKRIT Co., Ltd. managed the technical integration, which included acquiring finished modules, creating detailed fabrication plans, and overseeing the installation at the site. The dry-assembly technique guarantees structural accuracy, facilitates straightforward disassembly, and promotes long-term reusability, all while reducing labor, dust, and finishing waste at the location.
- Design Challenge
- The main challenge was how to create a large-scale, brand-consistient structure using an unconventional Plasbrick framework. Structural stability at five metres height; lights and screens worked into the modular grid - this was all difficult technically. Obtaining materials as well as planning for recycling complicated logistics matters. The major barrier was using recycled plastics to build a system capable of producing a premium, long-lasting and emotionally satisfying brand experience.
- Project Duration
- The Reforma initiative took its first steps in January 2025, in the vibrant city of Nonthaburi, Thailand. A focused preproduction phase lasted 14 days, paving the way for a 3-day on-site assembly at the renowned Impact Challenger venue. This innovative booth made its debut in May 2025 at the Money Expo, only to be carefully dismantled overnight after the event concluded. Crafted with versatility in mind, the structure has since found new life in various settings, embodying a commitment to sustainability and significantly reducing its environmental impact.
- Operation Flow
- Reforma’s modular design is a breeze to assemble and effortlessly transitions from one event to another. With a snap, it transforms any space into a captivating venue. Its inviting open-plan layout beckons visitors to explore, while interactive screens and cozy seating invite them to linger a little longer. The outcome? A welcoming hub that not only informs but also celebrates sustainability, creating a space that feels lived in and alive.
- Research
- The purpose of this design research is to explore the use of Plasbricks—upcycled plastic blocks—in temporary architecture. After analyzing the material and connection limits, we devised a structural and logistical plan. Prototyping and live testing, along with branding opportunities at a major trade show, yielded excellent results: the material met all structural demands. This process demonstrates a viable approach to incorporating sustainable materials into commercial design effectively.
- Inspiration
- This project was motivated by turning plastic waste into a usable design material. The designers sought harmony with the circular economy, water preservation, and reversing unsustainable habits of the oil age. This led to Plasbricks - a modular set made from upcycled plastic, selected for tensile strength and sustainable sourcing. This inspired a design enabling forward-looking brands like Kasikornbank to bring their net-zero aspirations to life in a physical space.
- Image Credits
- Image #1: Photographer Chaovarith Poonphol, ReForma, 2025.
Image #2: Photographer Chaovarith Poonphol, ReForma, 2025.
Image #3: Photographer Chaovarith Poonphol, ReForma, 2025.
Image #4: Photographer Chaovarith Poonphol, ReForma, 2025.
Image #5: Photographer Chaovarith Poonphol, ReForma, 2025. - Patents
- Copyright © 2025 OKRIT Co., Ltd. All rights reserved.
“Plasbricks” is a patented modular material system. All patent rights belong to its original holder. OKRIT Co., Ltd. has applied the material within the ReForma project as part of its architectural integration and design innovation.
Colors of Reforma Trade Show Exhibit
Design Interview about Reforma Trade Show Exhibit
The Reforma Trade Show Exhibit was built on a single, non-negotiable principle: function over performance. The core inspiration came from a challenge — how do you design a trade show exhibit that communicates a brand's full identity within a temporary structure, without relying on decoration or spectacle? The answer was material honesty. We introduced a specific material — interior film — into full-scale trade show application in a way that had not been done before at this scale. No greenwashing, no surface-level aesthetics. The exhibit was designed to work: to hold up under real-world conditions, to serve the brand's communication goals, and to do so efficiently. The idea behind Reforma was to prove that considered, honest design — where every choice has a reason — is more powerful than any amount of visual noise.
The main focus was to create an exhibit that was genuinely functional — not just visually compelling. We wanted to achieve a design where the client's brand had a place to stand, a reason to be chosen, and a space that guided visitors through an experience rather than simply presenting them with a display. We were especially focused on material application: introducing interior film as the primary surface treatment in a way that demonstrated its full range of possibilities — texture, color, finish — without the weight, cost, or waste of conventional materials. The goal was to show that a temporary structure could communicate permanence, quality, and intention. We succeeded when the exhibit no longer looked temporary at all.
The Reforma Trade Show Exhibit serves as a proof of concept — and that concept continues to evolve. Our future plans center on expanding the application of the material systems developed for this project into new contexts: larger-scale brand environments, permanent retail spaces, and multi-city activations. We also intend to develop the structural approach further, refining the reuse system so that the same core framework can be reimagined across multiple campaigns with minimal waste and maximum impact. The exhibit was a beginning, not a conclusion. The next iteration will go further — both in scale and in the precision of the material application.
From first brief to final installation, the design process ran under intense time pressure — as it always does in the trade show industry. The conceptual development took approximately two weeks, during which we moved through the full cycle: briefing, team brainstorm, concept refinement, and client presentation. From approved concept to physical installation, the timeline compressed further still. What this process demonstrated — and what we consider one of the project's most important lessons — is that constraint is not the enemy of quality. Under the right kind of pressure, with the right team and a clear idea, two weeks is enough to produce work that earns international recognition.
This design was commissioned. The client — Reforma — came to us with a clear need: a trade show exhibit that would represent their brand with credibility and presence at a major event. What made this project different was the brief behind the brief. Beyond simply delivering a booth, we saw an opportunity to solve a larger problem: how to apply a specific material — interior film — to trade show architecture in a way that had not been done before at this scale. The commission gave us the context; the conviction gave us the direction. We pursued both simultaneously, and the result was a design that answered the client's immediate need while also advancing the field of material application in spatial design.
The Reforma Trade Show Exhibit was produced and installed by OKRIT Co., Ltd. as a full-service design and production agency. We handled everything from concept to construction — no outsourced design, no third-party production. The exhibit was created specifically for the client's activation and was not sold or leased to any other party. However, the material systems and structural approaches developed for this project have become part of our ongoing methodology, applied to subsequent projects in refined and evolved forms. The intellectual property of the design — the concept, the material application logic, the spatial system — remains with OKRIT Co., Ltd.
Trade show and experiential design is the most complete design challenge we know. It combines spatial thinking, brand communication, material selection, structural engineering, and the reality of physical construction — all within a compressed timeline, all in service of a living, breathing environment that people walk through. We are drawn to this type of work because it demands everything at once, and because the result is accountable in the most direct way possible: people either engage with the space or they don't, the brand either lands or it doesn't. There is nowhere to hide. That accountability is precisely what makes this kind of work worth doing.
The Reforma Trade Show Exhibit was shaped by a broader conversation within the field of spatial and experiential design — particularly by the work of designers and studios who have challenged the assumption that trade show architecture must be disposable. The principle of honest material use — putting the right material in the right place for the right reason — has roots in modernist design thinking, but its application in trade show environments is still relatively rare. The influence in this case was not a single designer or design, but an accumulated understanding: that the industry's relationship with waste, with surface, and with spectacle needed to be questioned. Reforma was our answer to that question.
The target audience for the Reforma Trade Show Exhibit was two-fold. Primarily, it was designed for the visitors of the trade event — professionals, potential clients, and decision-makers who needed to understand the Reforma brand quickly, clearly, and memorably within the competitive environment of a trade show floor. Secondarily, and equally important, the design spoke to a broader audience of designers, brand managers, and industry observers interested in how trade show architecture can be done with integrity — using materials responsibly, communicating honestly, and delivering results without waste or excess.
Three things set the Reforma Trade Show Exhibit apart. First, the material: interior film was introduced into full-scale trade show application in a way that had not been done before — not as a decorative layer, but as a primary surface treatment that drove the entire visual and tactile experience of the space. Second, the honesty: there was no decorative excess, no spectacle for its own sake. Every element served a function. Third, the reusability: the system was designed so that its core components could be reimagined across future activations without appearing recycled. Most trade show exhibits are built to be seen once and discarded. Reforma was built to keep working.
The name Reforma belongs to the client — it is their brand. As a design team, we do not impose names on client projects; we design around the identity that already exists and amplify what is already there. What the name Reforma suggested to us, however, was reform — the act of improving, of doing things better, of questioning what has come before and finding a more honest answer. That spirit became the quiet backbone of the design process. We did not advertise it, but it was present in every decision: the material choice, the structural logic, the spatial sequence, the commitment to function over performance.
The design process drew on both digital and physical tools. In the early conceptual phase, hand sketching and physical material samples were central — understanding how the interior film would behave under different lighting conditions, how it would read at different scales, and how it would respond to the structural system being developed alongside it. Digital tools — 3D modeling and visualization software — were used to resolve the spatial logic, refine proportions, and communicate the concept to the client. On-site, the process relied on the team's accumulated craft knowledge: understanding how materials install, how structures behave under trade show conditions, and how to solve problems in real time. The toolbox was broad, but the thinking behind it was precise.
The most unique aspect of the Reforma Trade Show Exhibit is the material application. Interior film — a material widely used in interior renovation and vehicle wrapping — was introduced here as the primary surface treatment for a full-scale trade show exhibit. This had not been done at this scale, with this level of intentionality, in the Thai trade show market. The application was not decorative; it was structural in its logic. The material determined the form, the finish, and the spatial atmosphere of the entire exhibit. It also enabled a level of surface transformation — texture, color, depth — that would have been impossible with conventional trade show materials at the same budget and weight. That combination of innovation, economy, and honesty is what makes this design singular.
The Reforma Trade Show Exhibit was a full-team effort by OKRIT Co., Ltd. The design team included spatial designers, material specialists, and production engineers — all working in close collaboration from the first sketch to the final installation. On the technical side, we worked with experienced fabricators and installation crews who understood the specific demands of trade show construction: the speed required, the structural tolerances involved, and the precision needed to apply interior film at scale without imperfection. The collaboration between design thinking and construction expertise is what allowed the concept to survive contact with reality — which is the true test of any design.
Technology in the Reforma Trade Show Exhibit was defined in the most fundamental sense: as the act of replacement. Interior film is itself a technology — a material innovation that replaces paint, cladding, and conventional surface treatments with a lighter, more flexible, and more sustainable alternative. Its application to trade show architecture at this scale represents a technological first in its context. Beyond material technology, the design also employed digital fabrication techniques — precision cutting, template-based installation — to ensure that the film application was executed with the consistency that a high-quality brand environment demands. Technology, in this project, was never about display or novelty. It was about doing the job better.
The design was informed by research into material behavior, trade show audience psychology, and brand communication effectiveness. We studied how visitors move through trade show environments — where they slow down, what draws their attention, what makes them stop and engage. We researched the specific properties of interior film under trade show lighting conditions: how different finishes read at distance versus close proximity, how texture affects perceived quality, how color behaves across a large surface. We also examined existing trade show design within the category to identify where the standard approaches were falling short — and where an honest, material-driven design could create a meaningful contrast. That research, combined with our accumulated experience in the field, gave us the confidence to pursue an approach that had not been done before.
The primary challenge was material application at scale. Interior film is a familiar material in renovation contexts — but applying it across the full surface area of a trade show exhibit, with the precision required for a brand environment, introduced technical difficulties that had no established precedent in our market. Temperature changes, surface preparation, and the pressure of a trade show installation timeline all pushed against the perfection the concept demanded. A second challenge was conceptual: convincing the client that restraint was strength. In a trade show environment where every other exhibitor is competing for attention through volume and spectacle, proposing a design built on honesty and considered material use requires a level of trust that must be earned. We earned it by presenting the concept with conviction, and the result justified the approach.
The decision to submit to the A' Design Award came from a simple recognition: the work deserved an audience beyond the trade show floor. A trade show exhibit lives for a few days, in a specific location, seen by a specific crowd. But the thinking behind it — the material innovation, the design integrity, the commitment to function over spectacle — had value that extended beyond that moment. International design recognition offered a way to preserve that value, to document what was achieved, and to communicate it to the broader design and brand community. The A' Design Award, with its focus on excellence across design disciplines including trade show architecture, was the right platform.
The most important lesson from the Reforma Trade Show Exhibit was this: the constraint is the concept. Working within the specific limitations of a trade show environment — time, budget, portability, temporary installation — did not limit what was possible. It defined what was necessary. And what was necessary, pursued with conviction, became extraordinary. We also improved our understanding of interior film application at scale — developing techniques and processes that have since become standard in our practice. More than any technical skill, however, this project taught us to trust the idea. When a concept is honest and well-founded, it survives the pressure of realization. When it isn't, that pressure exposes every weakness. Reforma survived. That told us we had gotten something right.
The Reforma Trade Show Exhibit is, at its core, an argument: that trade show design does not need to be wasteful, decorative, or disposable to be powerful. The industry has long accepted a model where exhibits are built, used once, and discarded — consuming materials, generating waste, and delivering experiences that are forgotten before the venue has even been cleared. We believe there is a better way. A way where the material is chosen for a reason. Where the structure is designed to be reimagined, not replaced. Where the brand is communicated through honesty rather than spectacle. Reforma was our clearest statement of that belief to date. The recognition it has received confirms that the argument is worth making — and worth continuing.
Grand Interview about Reforma Trade Show Exhibit
The conviction came before the material did. We had already been thinking about how to build a large-scale exhibition structure that could be dismantled and reborn — something that carried genuine environmental weight rather than symbolic gesture. When we visited the Plasbricks factory directly, the click happened instantly. Standing inside the production space, seeing the blocks stacked floor to ceiling and understanding how the interlocking system worked at scale, we understood that this was not a novelty material but a serious construction proposition. The structural logic was already embedded in the product. What changed in that factory visit was not the idea — the idea was already there — but the confidence that the idea could be executed at five metres, at brand level, for a client like Kasikornbank. That confidence became the foundation of Reforma's entire design ambition.
The inherited assumption in trade show design is that temporary means disposable — that the economics of a short-run exhibition environment justify single-use materials, flat-pack systems designed for landfill, and surface finishes that simulate permanence without achieving it. Reforma challenges this at every level. By committing to Plasbricks as both the structural system and the visual language of the booth, we made the material's origin part of the brand story rather than something to be concealed. The conversations this generated were notably different from what we expected. Clients began asking not just whether it was possible to build this way, but whether they could afford not to. Event organizers started asking about certification, about carbon accounting, about how to communicate these numbers to visitors. Fellow designers responded to the replicability — the fact that Reforma is not a one-off experiment but a documented, deployable methodology that any design team could adapt.
The most significant discovery during prototyping was understanding the design constraint that comes with a modular interlocking block system. Plasbricks' geometry is fixed — the block is what it is — and unlike poured concrete or sheet metal or timber, you cannot ask it to curve, to taper, or to produce the kind of visual variation that exhibition designers typically rely on to create dynamism. This constraint forced a fundamental rethinking of how spatial interest would be achieved. Instead of surface articulation, we pursued compositional logic — how blocks are grouped, how voids are created, how lighting interacts with the grid. The limitation became generative. It pushed us toward a cleaner, more architecturally honest language that ultimately felt more appropriate for a financial institution's brand environment than any ornamental approach would have been.
Kasikornbank operates at the highest level of Thai financial branding. The expectation for their exhibition presence is authority, trust, and emotional warmth — qualities that are not automatically associated with recycled plastic blocks. The design challenge was to demonstrate that material honesty and premium experience are not opposites. We approached this by controlling every element that the material could not control: the lighting temperature, the spatial sequence, the proportions of the open-plan visitor flow, the integration of digital screens within the grid. Plasbricks provided the structure and the story; the design team provided the atmosphere. The result is a booth that reads as intentional and confident rather than constrained — and that confidence is precisely what made KBank comfortable committing to this approach not just for one event but across multiple fairs throughout 2025 and into 2026.
The hardest problem was not structural — it was creative. A modular interlocking block system imposes a design vocabulary that is fundamentally different from what exhibition designers are trained to produce. The constraint is not a flaw in the material; it is the nature of the system. Learning to work within it rather than against it required the team to abandon a significant number of initial concepts that were simply not achievable within the block geometry. The designs that survived this process were cleaner, more resolved, and ultimately more powerful than what we had originally imagined. This experience has permanently changed how OKRIT approaches unconventional material briefs — we now treat material constraints as the first creative brief, not an obstacle to it.
The earliest conversation was not about Plasbricks specifically — it was about the gap between what the events industry claims about sustainability and what it actually does. The industry talks about circular economy while routinely producing hundreds of tonnes of single-use exhibition structures every year. We wanted to build something that closed that gap visibly, at scale, for a client whose own net-zero commitments made the alignment genuine rather than cosmetic. The visit to the Plasbricks factory was where concept met material reality. The open-plan spatial language emerged from the block system itself — because the material cannot easily create enclosed rooms, we embraced openness as a design principle, which ultimately served visitor flow better than any partitioned layout would have. The material clarity followed from the same logic: if the blocks are the argument, they should be legible.
Reforma has already demonstrated its reusability in the most direct way possible: the same structure traveled to Money Expo events across Bangkok, Hat Yai, Korat, and Chiang Mai in 2025, and the core system continues into 2026. This is not incidental to the design — it is the design. The ambition for what follows is to push the methodology into contexts beyond financial sector trade shows: retail activations, cultural exhibitions, permanent public installations. The modular logic of Plasbricks makes this transfer viable in ways that conventional exhibition materials cannot match. For the broader landscape, we believe the most important contribution Reforma makes is demonstrating that circular design in commercial environments does not require a reduction in ambition — it requires a different kind of ambition.
The contribution that deserves more attention than it has received is the redeployment record. A design that travels to five cities in a single exhibition season and continues operating in the following year has eliminated a proportional volume of single-use construction from the events industry supply chain. The 49 tonnes of CO₂ offset figure and the Carbon Neutral certification are important, but they represent a point-in-time measurement. The ongoing reuse multiplies that impact with every additional deployment. What Reforma demonstrates is that the economics of sustainable exhibition design can work in the exhibitor's favour — not as a premium paid for ethical positioning, but as a structural cost advantage over the lifetime of the system.
The decision not to disguise the Plasbricks blocks was made very early and was never seriously questioned internally. Concealing the material would have defeated the purpose of choosing it. If the argument is that recycled plastic can perform at a premium level in a major commercial environment, that argument requires the material to be visible. Covering it with conventional finishes would have produced a booth that looked like any other booth, communicating nothing about what it was made of or why. The tension between raw industrial material and premium brand environment was resolved not by softening the material but by elevating everything around it — the spatial composition, the lighting, the proportions — until the blocks read not as limitation but as character. KBank's willingness to commit to this approach reflects a level of brand confidence that we found genuinely impressive.
Reforma invites a reassessment of the word "temporary" itself. In conventional exhibition design, temporary means short-lived — a structure built to serve one event and then discarded. Reforma proposes a different definition: a structure designed for multiple lifetimes, each one complete, each one leaving a smaller material footprint than a conventional alternative would have. Excellence in this context is not measured by the richness of surface finish or the novelty of form — it is measured by the coherence of the system over time, the integrity of the material decision, and the demonstrable gap between what was produced and what would have been wasted. The lessons most transferable to other disciplines are perhaps the simplest: begin with the material's constraints as a creative brief, prioritize systems over surfaces, and design for the second deployment before the first one happens.