The Frame Tree by NOA

A visit to the company served as the inspiration for the WOLF Fenster exhibition stand. NOA recreated this exciting experience for visitors at Klimahouse 2023 using 50 frames suspended from the ceiling, instantly transforming the stand into a recognizable sculptural installation...

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From the architect: When the architecture and interior design studio NOA was tasked with designing the exhibition stand for Klimahouse on behalf of South Tyrolean company WOLF Fenster, several requirements came into play. The designers needed to showcase the company's new offerings, convey its philosophy, and highlight its technological research, all within a compact 100 m2 space while also ensuring that the stand could capture visitors’ attention in a place where they are overwhelmed by information of all kinds. NOA tackled this challenge with its characteristic willingness to give the project its own twist.

“In the design of an exhibition stand, novel parameters emerge from the marketing context, including visibility, attractiveness, and innovation. Where it would have been tempting to display too much, we decided to give space to a few selected products and highlight the real beating heart of the company: production” explains interior designer Niccolò Panzani.

The design concept originated from a visit to the WOLF Fenster production facility in Natz, South Tyrol, where NOA had the opportunity to observe the window-making process up close. This day vividly highlighted WOLF Fenster's core values - sustainability, quality, technology, and corporate welfare. Inspired by this experience, NOA’s designers decided to transform a key production step, the painting of the counterframes, into a visually impactful installation. At the heart of the stand, 50 yellow frames in four different shapes hang from the ceiling at varying heights, forming a tree-like structure visible from afar. In the middle of this vortex a mountain pine represents the deep connection with nature and the company's roots in the South Tyrolean landscape. 

“The frame tree acts as a highly distinctive landmark, denoting a key stage in the production process, ensuring immediate recognition of the stand’s subject, and accentuating WOLF Fenster's signature colour. Its considerable height, exceeding 5.5 meters, imparts a strong verticality to the space and ensures visibility from the connecting paths” remarks interior designer Maria Dal Canto.

NOA has proven its ability to decipher the dynamics of the trade fair, designing an exhibition space that offers both an exploratory path and welcoming zones. By studying the flow of visitors, four types of attendees were identified: the potential customer interested in the company, the acquaintance, the tired visitor, and the passer-by. The stand effectively captures the attention of each individual by strategically dividing the floor plan: the kitchen and bar serve as a welcoming area, the lounge area provides space for relaxation and portfolio viewing, and the frame tree installation functions as the focal point for presenting the company's flagship products.

The window, seen as an element that frames and draws attention to a specific subject, is also used as a medium for the display panels on the stand’s perimeter. The bar counter, clad in strips of different wood types, as well as the mountain pine vase, evoke the material storage observed by the designers at the company visit. Inside the stand, the significant presence of textiles serves to improve the acoustics, while the choice of a dark colour makes the installation stand out.

“In the stand we wanted to strike a balance between product presentation, the creativity of the company, and the space for personal relationships, which is a must for a family-run company,” concludes Niccolò Panzani.

The stand has been designed with no barriers and can be completely disassembled and reassembled.

Design: NOA
Client: WOLF Fenster
Location: Bolzano Trade Fair
Year: 2023
Surface area: 112 sqm
Photography: Alex Filz