DHL Innovation Center for Deutsche Post World Net
The central task was to present DHL as a leading innovative force and to explain the complexities of logistics. Triad Berlin developed an experience center with interactive audiovisual media installations, where customers and clients have the opportunity to witness touch, and experience DHL’s innovations first hand. An integrated communication and design platform brought the various complexities and research areas together and put them on display in an interactive tour covering over 50 items and subjects.
Concept of communication
Devised as a walk-on logistics chain, the experience center guides the visitor imperceptibly through all stages. The synthesis of theatrical production and exhibition serves to make DHL’s complex world of topics more transparent, as well as offering the visitor of the centric world of logistics. DHL is positioned as the innovative force. Depth of information, clarity of detail, the dramatic charge dramaturgy and scenography ensure a tour not to be forgotten.
Topics
The main topics in the showroom include global ordering processes and the highly integrated production processes, transport, security issues, disaster relief, control centres and HUBs as well as the current debate about CO2 emissions and climate change. The so-called “Hands-on Lab” explains the latest research with the help of prototypes, e.g. in RFID-controlled processes, and lets the visitor experience DHL’s current and future areas of research at first glance.
Exhibits and media
In order explain more than 50 subjects, nine stations were conceived
with various interactive exhibits. Even through these subjects were
extremely heterogeneous, it was possible to design a compelling look
which focused on the delivery of information for the exhibits. The
exhibits’ spectrum of topics extends from software tools for network
optimization to packaging boxes and the prototype of an intelligent
container to electronic invoicing.
Global flow
Global Flow symbolizes the worldwide flow of data and goods: the flow of data is represented by an LED strip, the flow of goods by a conveyor belt for packages. Both elements are linked with each other interactively and also with the exhibits at all stations. They symbolize the global logistics as an interplay of complex streams of data and goods by means of intelligent and ever more efficient mobility processes.
Design of the exhibition
The experience center’s architecture provides a functional stage for the highly complex contents. Strikingly clear uses of form facilitate the visitor’s orientation. The materials are of high quality, but used sparingly and in neutral colours. The corporate colours only occur in the guidance system and orientation on DHL’s products. Nonetheless, the brand is omnipresent: it is represented via the innovative applications and the associated vision of logistics.
Media production
Apart from the exhibits, Triad Berlin was also in charge of the conception and production of all films animations, and for the motiongraphics. The spectrum included emotional brand trailers as well as touch screen applications and animated info graphics detailing individual topics. Many exhibits connect the interaction with a media presentation area that again reacts live to the interaction. This way, even complex contents can be conveyed in a simple and comprehensible way.
Media installations and mobile interface
Light, media and sound support the dramaturgy of the tour. The tour guide can use a mobile interface to control light, sound, exhibits, global flow and conveyor technology at each station. The visitors experience a room which seemingly has a life of its own and which reacts to their respective position and communication needs: an intelligent showroom as a hybrid of exhibition and stage, presentation and interaction.
Trade fair modules
The DHL Innovation Center’s contents can be presented in mobile form with trade fair modules. Their design approach is based on the current corporate design of the Innovation Center. Following this design, the rhombus was chosen as a three-dimensional basic module for the shape of counters, wall and ceiling elements; graphics and interactive communication elements were added. This ensures clear memorability independently of the size of the stand.
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