When creating a trade show exhibit space for the company’s PRO industrial division, Timberland needed an exhibit space that could present working gear for a wide range of professionals, products with features to protect wearers from occupational hazards such as weather, chemical, electrical, and fatigue. The concept needed to be modular to accommodate various trade show configurations. It was imperative that the exhibit space communicate the company’s well-known commitment to sustainability.

The resulting highly industrial design by JGA celebrates the “everyday heroes” that are the brand’s customers. The exhibit design is first and foremost a vehicle to showcase the brand’s product line through footwear and apparel displays and multimedia displays, but it also incorporates a working office with seating for eight to 10 people, as well as storage.

Recycled, Renewable, Reused, and Recyclable
Composed of sturdy materials characteristic of the Timberland PRO brand, the design is based almost entirely (83 percent) on what Timberland calls “earth-conscious” materials. Broken down, that includes 60 percent recycled materials, 4 percent reused, and 19 percent renewable. This includes reclaimed construction fencing, and recycled rubber flooring, among other sustainable materials.

Contributing to the industrial feel of the space are a highly visible superstructure and the signature PRO orange color palette, spray-painted logos on ribbed coiling doors, and at the entrance, construction-type barriers. Warehouse racking and construction supplies include Unistrut structural channels and fittings. Translucent wall panels are constructed of the same material as postal carrying cartons. Roll-up galvanized steel receiving doors open and close the exhibit. “The rolling grills mechanisms also reduce crating as compared to conventional partitions,” says Ken Nisch, chairman of JGA and principal in charge of this project.

Modularity and Reuse
While it was once a common practice to discard exhibit booths after use, this exhibit was designed to have a five-year lifespan. The geometric design is a deliberate strategy for the interchangeable framework of the booth. “It can be rearranged in numerous configurations within the footprint,” comments Nisch.

The modular exhibit debuted at the 2008 World Shoe Association Show at Sands Expo Center in Las Vegas.

What happens at the end of five years of use was an important aspect of the design. Timberland and JGA say that approximately 82 percent of the materials in the booth can be reused or recycled into other products.

As Timberland notes in a brochure about the company’s exhibit booths, “Like our products, this booth is built to be durable and functional—and engineered to limit its impact on the planet. Every element—from the floor to furniture—was chosen for its environmental sustainability. It’s recycled, renewable, reused, and recyclable.”