Ask any fisherman why he lives to cast his line into a quiet stream at sunrise, and he'll likely tell you that there's no experience like being in accord with nature. Dolly Varden Outdoor Clothing captured that essence via an exhibit that seamlessly combined the company's gear with the rugged outdoor environments in which it's intended to be worn.

Described by Exhibit Design Awards judges as part rustic cabin, part industrial loft, this booth, built by JDHgroup, channeled the best of both attributes to create a harmonious space as chic as it was Green. Designers repurposed light fixtures salvaged during a loading-dock renovation project, and recycled all of the wood used in the exhibit twice over: The lumber had originally been repurposed from an old barn for another client. The rustic feel of design elements such as a tent-like canvas canopy, a back wall with hemp-rope detailing, and a desk adorned with log slices epitomized the company's environmentally conscious ethos.

What's even more incredible than the exhibit's repurposed and natural components is the short time frame in which they were fabricated. Dolly Varden, as a newly minted company preparing for its first trade show, approached the builder three weeks before the International Fly Tackle Dealer Show. "On one hand, there wasn't time for revision after revision of the design," said Coty Creighton, creative director at JDHgroup. "But on the flip side, we didn't have time to develop an overwrought concept." Due to the time crunch, designers were forced to go with their gut to encapsulate the fledgling clothing brand.

Judges praised the design. "Sometimes, the best designs are born of first thoughts, not an ongoing process of overworking and second guessing," one judge said. Perhaps it's fitting then, that a pastime requiring incredible patience was embodied in a space designed with quick, careful choices.E