Area-17 designed the Ellai stand for Kitchen & Bath China 2016, which opened at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre on July 1st, 2016. Fully in line with the brand’s motto – Live life –, Ellai Booth is inspired by the idea of the visit as a discovery. The stand is conceived as a miniaturized and synthetic replica of a village, where the display boxes represent houses and the paths through them are streets crossing the village.

The maximum opening on every side is an invitation to enter and explore addressing the visitor, who moves through a maze of irregular paths and angular views that lead to the exhibition cores. Within 350 sqm of stand space, 150 sqm are dedicated to a replica of the young Chinese brand’s store. The other 200 sqm are divided into thematic areas devoted to three different concepts: craftsmanship, design research, and materials, which are the company’s core values.

A great attention has been paid to the bar area, with hand-made decorations and soft, precious furniture that encourage visitors to take a break from the show, enhancing the idea of hospitality. The graphic palette, simply played on the tones of black and off-white, guarantees the highest emphasis to the product design.

Design: Area-17
Photography: Francesco Tarentini