Favier Diaz is an exhibition architect at SYMA and a true expert in designing exhibition stands that not only represent your company, but also create the “wow effect” for trade fair visitors in a tight planning time and under tight specifications. In this interview, he talks about the passion and creativity that constantly drive him in his profession, despite some challenges.
The path to becoming an exhibition architect at SYMA
Growing up in Mexico in a family of master builders, Favier was exposed to craftsmanship from a young age. Following this path, he also chose to study architecture with a focus on design and interior design. He came to trade fair construction by chance, and was particularly interested in the potential for 3D room design and the possibility of experimenting with light and space.
An important profession that remains constantly exciting
It is precisely these possibilities for implementing innovative ideas that offer plenty of scope for creativity. At the same time, the dynamic nature of trade fair construction often requires quick decisions or rescheduling.
The biggest challenges in trade fair construction
In Favier’s eyes, this fast-moving nature and the short “survival period” of trade fair projects represent the greatest difference to other architectural works. In most cases, the time frames in which the often large stand construction projects have to be completed are also very tight. Under this time pressure, a strong graphic message must still be implemented. At large trade fairs, it is important to stand out from the crowd of competitors, which is why trade fair stands must always be striking and attractively designed. Thus, SYMA always designs its own concept so that the individual trade fair stand exactly represents the respective company. But technical guidelines and a small budget can quickly become a nightmare for the trade fair architect if this restricts his freedom of design. However, that is exactly what drives Favier:
“In the past, I wouldn’t have described the circumstance that way, however: that dynamic stimulates creativity if you can deal with it.”
The special advantages of trade fair architecture
In addition to the imagination-driven work, it is the graphic presentation of projects that Favier enjoys most about his job:
“I belong to the generation of the personal computer revolution, so 3D computer graphics have been with me all my studies. In trade show construction, I find the perfect conditions to present projects using the latest visualization techniques.”
In addition, Favier has taken a special interest in interior design in recent years and has expanded his knowledge in this area extensively. His job as a trade fair architect always gives him the opportunity to further his education and to actively experience the latest trends in the areas of materials, lighting, media technology and interior design.
About the most fascinating projects and the most beautiful awards
Ihr Text konnte leider nicht übersetzt werden. Bitte versuchen Sie es später noch einmal. His personal favorites were the projects ZKW Group GmbH at the IAA 2017 in Frankfurt and Primetals Technologies Austria GmbH at the METEC 2019 in Düsseldorf.
“I found and still find the connection between design and future technologies fascinating. In both projects, the interplay of design, digital presentation, media technology and teamwork was simply perfect – on top of that, both were great and cooperative customers.”
These two special SYMA projects were also awarded the “Goldener Hahn” advertising prize by the Lower Austrian Chamber of Commerce.
A look into the future of trade fair architecture
The openness and willingness to innovate are also reflected in Favier’s personal outlook on the future of the trade fair industry:
“I find the strong connection between 3D design and the new virtual worlds that have developed with the latest trends very interesting. For me, this means even more freedom in my design process.”
As a trade fair architect, he has been dealing with this topic for a long time, even if some customers were initially skeptical about the new options. However, due to the pandemic, interest increased noticeably due to the mere need for alternatives. For Favier, too, the outlook for the future is of course still uncertain, but one thing is certain:
“Digitization is a fact that is here to stay. In my opinion, customers and the public will get used to hybrid trade fair appearances and/or events – it will simply become the ‘new normal’.“
With this commitment and the almost endless creativity of the employees, SYMA designs tailor-made exhibition stands that reliably create a “wow effect” for visitors. Contact us for an individual consultation and get to know our trade fair architect Favier personally.
