When Varian Medical Systems Inc. planned its exhibit for the 2017 American Society for Radiation Oncology meeting, it wanted to avoid the attendee bottlenecks previously caused by clumping its products together.

Marketers for the maker of radiation-oncology hardware and software also desired round design elements they felt would be more welcoming than the harsh angles also typical of those earlier booths. Working with ET Global Exhibit Group, Varian created 11,800 square feet of elegant curves and uncluttered exhibit space.

Visitors approaching the double-deck island booth were struck by a 120-by-20-foot length of translucent stretch fabric streaking across the air. Even more arresting was a pair of swooping louvered walls made of dozens of laminated foam slats extending in a bow-like trajectory more than 60 feet long. More than just an architectural embellishment, each wall served as a visual marker for Varian's two main presentation areas displaying its Halcyon and TrueBeam radiation-therapy machines. Instead of placing the products in the booth's center, the company set them in opposing corners next to a 16-by-20-foot LED backdrop that cycled between Varian messaging and swirling abstract shapes. Nearby, under an ovular fabric lightbox and positioned between two curved freestanding wall sections, was an international pavilion showcasing cancer treatment-related software tools.

Rounding out the booth were 34 individual workstations. Rather than radiating them from the center outward, as the company had done before, it arranged them beside one long aisle, providing visitors ample room in which to explore. By repositioning its product displays and offering refined design flourishes, Varian found a way to radiate an irresistible appeal to hundreds of visitors. E