Antoni Gerges

Exhibitions

Twenty-two shows built, 2010 to 2024 · from the AntBrush film, 2020

Exhibitions.

Twenty-two shows built, 2010 to 2024, and more than fifty designed: stands and pavilions for government departments and companies, from ADNEC in Abu Dhabi to Dubai and Sharjah. Through AntBrush, I led their design and delivery, working with our creative team and production partners.

Play the show film, Cityscape Abu Dhabi 2017 2:38 · sound

ADNOC’s stand at the World Future Energy Summit, January 2012: a white arch of slatted frames over a print of desert birds, two storeys of white panels, visitors in the aisle.
ADNOC at the World Future Energy Summit, January 2012 · designed by the team for the builder Marcoms

The shows, by year

Built, show by show.

In the order they stood. Where the record shows how a job was won, one line says so.

2010 to 2015

World Future Energy Summit

The capital’s city department, today the Department of Municipalities and Transport, at the Gulf’s yearly clean-energy summit, ADNEC, Abu Dhabi.

2013: won by public tender.

The summit, on its own page

The 2013 pavilion as built: a white tunnel lit along its floor and ceiling, panels on its walls, visitors walking through it.
2013 · the energy tunnel, as built

2012

ADNOC

Abu Dhabi’s national oil company, at the same summit: a two-storey stand, designed by the team for the builder Marcoms.

The front of ADNOC’s stand: two storeys of white panels and screens, a long counter, visitors on a black and white floor.
The front · January 2012
ADNOC’s glass tower at the corner of the stand, a panel reading Clean environment, visitors around it.
The glass tower

2012

Abu Dhabi Sports Channel

The emirate’s public sports TV network, at the Abu Dhabi International Sports Exhibition, ADNEC, April 2012: black ribbed shells, lit from inside.

The end of the stand: a white shell banded in black ribs and red stripes, glass behind it, lit at night.
As built · April 2012

2012

Nas Air, today flynas

A Saudi airline at the Arabian Travel Market, Dubai World Trade Centre: green and white, a map wall, a fares desk.

The Nas Air stand: a green and white desk with a host, a screen behind, the airline’s name on the fascia.
The desk
The map wall of the Nas Air stand, carved door shapes along the top, visitors at a counter.
The map wall

2013

NAS, Naval Advanced Solutions

A naval company at NAVDEX, the naval show held with IDEX in Abu Dhabi: two storeys and a planted roof.

The NAS stand: a blue and white two-storey front, plants along the roof, the company’s name on the fascia.
The front
The NAS stand’s lounge under its blue wings, a meeting table, visitors.
The lounge

2015 to 2018

Cityscape Abu Dhabi

Four years for the same department: the pavilion in 2015, 2016 and 2017, the film in 2018. In 2017: 7,200 sq ft (672 m²), fourteen projects, built in three days.

2016 and 2017: by direct order.

Cityscape, on its own page

The 2017 pavilion: a red carpet runs to a tall white gate under rows of white spheres hung from a black truss.
2017 · the carpet under the ceiling of spheres

2015 and 2017

Tawdheef

Abu Dhabi’s national jobs fair, for the same department. In 2017: five job-application kiosks, finished the night before the doors opened.

2017: by direct order.

The Tawdheef 2017 stand finished: a red frame carrying the department’s sign, white counters and touch-screen kiosks in front, a lounge behind.
29 January 2017 · finished
The five touch-screen kiosks for job applications in a row on the stand, the red frame behind them.
The five job kiosks

2018

National Bullying Prevention Week

The Ministry of Education: booths in Dalma Mall, Abu Dhabi, and RAK Mall, Ras Al Khaimah, April 2018.

The week, on its own page

2018

Department of Transport, Abu Dhabi

Today part of the Department of Municipalities and Transport. Its booth at Gulf Traffic, Dubai World Trade Centre, December 2018, handed over the evening before the show.

The Department of Transport booth finished: white walls under a white fascia, a carved wooden screen, a counter and a brochure tower; one of the crew stands at the side.
3 December 2018, 9:05 pm · handed over
The booth’s lounge: white armchairs and a sofa in front of a carved wooden screen, a flag at the side.
The lounge behind the screen

2018

Shurooq

Sharjah’s investment and development authority, at its FDI Forum, December 2018: a ballroom of stands, every measure drawn for the builder, Eleco.

Won by letter of award.

The ballroom during the build: rows of white arched stands going up, cartons on the carpet.
8 December 2018 · the rows going up, from the build film

2024

Innovation Month, Al Ain

Al Ain City Municipality, February 2024: a gate and forty booths on the municipality’s forecourt.

Won by competitive quotation.

Innovation Month, on its own page

The Innovation Month gate open: stacked boxes in shades of blue frame a long blue-carpeted street of booths, a visitor walking through.
21 February 2024 · the gate open
The gate from across the paved forecourt, the street of booths behind it under a clear sky.
The gate from the forecourt

Plan, 3D, built

Drawn in 3D, then built.

Three stands, from the drawing to the hall.

Cityscape Abu Dhabi, 2017.

The client’s boxes, then one line, then the 3D, then the build.

The client’s block plan: rooms, a store, the souq and boxes for the projects.
1 · The client’s boxes
The design plan from above: one maroon carpet crosses the floor grid on the diagonal.
2 · One line
The approved 3D: a white and maroon pavilion, a red carpet under a ceiling of blue spheres.
3 · The 3D
The stand almost finished: the carpet laid, the wings glazed, the spheres lit.
4 · Built

Abu Dhabi Sports Channel, 2012.

Drawn as black ribs, built as drawn.

The 3D of the Abu Dhabi Sports Channel stand: white shells banded in black ribs, lit from inside, a counter at the front.
The 3D · black ribs, lit from inside
The same stand as built: the shells and their black ribs, lit, visitors and screens inside.
As built · April 2012

Shurooq, Sharjah, 2018.

Every measure drawn for the builder, then a ballroom of stands.

The 3D of one Shurooq stand with its measures drawn on: an arched white frame with teal edges, a counter and a seat.
The 3D, with its measures: one stand, 10 by 10 ft (3 by 3 m)
8 December 2018 · the stands going up, from the build film

The result

One department came back for twelve shows.

2011 to 2018: the World Future Energy Summit in 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016; Cityscape Abu Dhabi in 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018; Tawdheef in 2015 and 2017.

22shows built, 2010 to 2024
7,200sq ft, built in three days (Cityscape 2017)
6zones on open sand (Liwa)
6days from confirmation to launch (ZEISS)
14projects on one platform (Cityscape 2017)
Designed, not built

On paper

More than fifty, designed.

Designed for the builder, not built by us: most of them in 2011 to 2013, for the Dubai stand builder Marcoms. Each one shown here is a render, and says so.

Render of ABB’s stand at ADIPEC: a white two-storey stand with the red ABB name on top, display walls and counters around it.
Render · ABB at ADIPEC, 2012
Render of the ASUS stand at GITEX: a black pavilion outlined in blue light with the ASUS name, a tall red and black sign beside it.
Render · ASUS at GITEX, 2012
Render of Al Gaith’s stand at ADIPEC: a long dark two-storey pavilion with meeting rooms around it.
Render · Al Gaith at ADIPEC, 2013
Render of the Dubai Airport Freezone stand at the Dubai Airshow: a black and yellow frame, screens and a lit lounge.
Render · Dubai Airport Freezone at the Dubai Airshow, 2013
Render of the ADCOM Systems stand: a large white, red and black triangular canopy over model aircraft on a white grid floor.
Render · ADCOM Systems, 2011 to 2013
Render of the Bin Jabr Group stand: a red and black tower in the middle of white counters and display pods.
Render · Bin Jabr Group, 2012

Every stand, as designed. Drawn in 3D; each one shown whole.

The ASUS stand at GITEX as designed: a red Republic of Gamers tower and a blue-lit ASUS pavilion
ASUS · GITEX, 2012 · render
ABB’s stand at ADIPEC as designed: a white two-storey stand with the red ABB name on top
ABB · ADIPEC, 2012 · render
The JVC stand as designed: a white roof ring carrying the name over red and grey frames and rows of screens
JVC · render
The ADCOM Systems stand as designed: a white sail roof over aircraft models on a white floor
ADCOM Systems · 2011 to 2013 · render
The Emaar Misr stand as designed: a black cube with the Emaar Misr, Uptown Cairo and Marassi names
Emaar Misr · Uptown Cairo and Marassi · render
The United Broadcast stand as designed: a black pavilion under a floating lit ring
United Broadcast · render
The PAKSAT stand as designed: a curved white tower and a blue-framed pavilion on a blue floor
PAKSAT · render
The Ceramica Verdi stand as designed: white walls with magenta bands and the VerDi name
Ceramica Verdi · render
The RAK Porcelain stand as designed: black and white display walls with red pendant lights
RAK Porcelain · render
The NAS stand as designed: a two-storey blue and white stand with a boat inside
NAS (Naval Advanced Solutions) · render
The Dubai Airport Freezone stand as designed: yellow-framed walls with large photographs
Dubai Airport Freezone · Dubai Airshow, 2013 · render
The DOKA stand as designed: a two-storey blue and timber stand with an orange-framed sign
DOKA · render
The Pal Middle East stand as designed: a blue and white stand with a spiral stair
Pal Middle East · render
The Dar Designs stand as designed: a living room in timber slats, a grey sofa and framed pictures
Dar Designs · render

Proposed and not taken up.

Render of the proposed UAE Pavilion: a white pavilion edged in blue light, large screens, a car on display, lounges on a white floor.
Proposal · the UAE Pavilion, World Road Congress, Abu Dhabi, 2019
Render of the proposed legislation exhibition: wooden display tables under a large screen showing a city at dusk.
Proposal · a legislation exhibition, Dubai, 2017
Render of the proposed Al Hamra stand at ISNR: a two-storey white building beside a road layout with hexagonal pods, in a dark hall.
Proposal · Al Hamra at ISNR, 2022, 56 by 66 ft (17 by 20 m)

All 25 stands and pavilions are in the Work archive

How a space is planned
The Cityscape 2017 pavilion’s ceiling of light seen from below: rows of white spheres hung from a black truss under the hall roof, the lower ones glowing red.

Spaces

How a space is planned.

From the client’s boxes to the opening day: the same steps, on every stand, pavilion and gate. Seven of them, shown with the real drawings.

The seven steps

1 · The brief

It starts with boxes.

Cityscape 2017. The Department of Municipal Affairs and Transport sent its plan: two conference rooms, a store, the souq and fourteen projects on one platform, 75 by 92 ft (23 by 28 m).

The client’s block plan for the platform, in English: two conference rooms in the top corners, a reception and a store at the sides, a large block for Souq Al Zafarana, seven boxes for the community markets and a row of boxes for the other projects.
The client’s block plan, from its brief of 20 March 2017.

2 · The idea

Then one line.

One diagonal across the grid. The red carpet carries the visitor past the projects to the souq, the main one, at its end; the rooms sit where the line leaves space.

The design plan seen from above: a maroon carpet crosses the square floor grid on the diagonal, from the open corner to a tower, inside a curved floor zone, with the project bases set along the edges.
The design plan, from above · 28 March 2017.

3 · The route

Where people will walk.

Cityscape 2015. The hall plan with the visitors’ way in drawn on it: an arrow at every entrance, and the stand in its place among the others.

The Cityscape Abu Dhabi 2015 hall plan: rows of exhibitor stands, two hatched aisles, red arrows at each hall entrance pointing in, and the stand’s own top view placed in the hall.
The hall plan, Cityscape Abu Dhabi, April 2015.

4 · The zones

Entry to exit, in zones.

World Future Energy Summit 2013. A 65 by 85 ft stand (20 by 26 m) planned as a walk: in through sun, power and water, across the core in the centre, out through the future.

Diagram of the 2013 stand: Zone 1, sun, power and water, along one side; Zone 2, the Department’s core, a circle in the middle; Zone 3, the future, along the other side; coloured lines link the topics around them, from energy and water to transport, waste, food, industry and research.
The flow diagram, from the exhibit story of 20 December 2012.
The 2013 stand as built: a white tunnel lit along its floor and ceiling, its walls lined with large panels, the first reading From the source of all energy; visitors walk through it, a brochure rack at its mouth, the exhibition hall around it.
The stand as built · World Future Energy Summit, 2013

5 · The drawings

Drawn, then drawn again for the builder.

The approved 3D, then the fabrication plan the contractor built from.

The approved 3D render: a white and maroon pavilion with two wings and a central tower, a red carpet running in from the open corner, a ceiling of blue spheres above it, project tables along the front.
The approved design, Cityscape 2017 · 28 March 2017.
The builder’s fabrication plan: the stand’s floor on a grid, with the diagonal carpet, the podiums, the stairs, the access ramp and the main dimensions.
The fabrication plan, by Divine Creations, the stand builder.

6 · The build

Three days in the hall.

Cityscape 2017: 7,200 sq ft, fourteen projects, built in three days. Tawdheef 2017, the recruitment fair: the same client’s stand, glass going in on 28 January, finished the next night.

Day one in the hall: the stand’s floor boards laid out, crew in safety vests on it, the frames of neighbouring stands going up behind.
14 April, 8:33 pm · day one, the floor goes down.
The truss low over the floor with rows of white spheres hanging from it, a crew standing beneath before it is lifted.
15 April · the truss and its spheres, before the lift.
The stand half built, its white wings still open in places, the ceiling of spheres switched on above it.
15 April · the spheres lit, the wings half built.
The stand almost finished: the carpet laid, the two wings glazed, the ceiling of spheres lit, a few of the crew still on ladders.
Almost finished, before the doors opened on 18 April.

Tawdheef 2017

The Tawdheef stand under construction: glass panels going in around a red-framed room, crew in safety vests, cartons on the floor.
28 January 2017, 5:24 pm.
The Tawdheef stand finished at night: a red frame carrying the Department’s sign, white lounge chairs behind a glass rail, a reception desk at the side.
29 January 2017, 9:45 pm · built.

7 · The opening

Then the doors open.

Cityscape Abu Dhabi, opening day 2017. Innovation Month, Al Ain: from an empty forecourt to a gate in nine weeks.

Opening day: a crowd of visitors walking the pavilion’s maroon carpet, the other stands of the hall behind them.
Opening day, 18 April 2017.

Innovation Month, Al Ain City Municipality

The municipality’s forecourt in Al Ain: empty paving under a clear sky, the main building behind.
19 December 2023 · the empty forecourt.
The same forecourt at dusk: steel frames and scaffolding set out on the paving.
18 February 2024 · the steel.
The gate open: stacked boxes in shades of blue frame the entrance to a long, blue-carpeted street of booths, visitors walking through.
21 February 2024 · the gate open.

The hall

Five built, in the order they stood.

  • The 2013 pavilion as built: a white tunnel lit along its floor and ceiling, panels on its walls, visitors walking through it.
    2013 World Future Energy Summit
  • The Tawdheef 2017 stand finished: a red frame carrying the department’s sign, white counters and touch-screen kiosks in front, a lounge behind.
    2017 Tawdheef
  • The 2017 pavilion: a red carpet runs to a tall white gate under rows of white spheres hung from a black truss.
    2017 Cityscape Abu Dhabi
  • The Department of Transport booth finished: white walls under a white fascia, a carved wooden screen, a counter and a brochure tower; one of the crew stands at the side.
    2018 Department of Transport, Abu Dhabi
  • The ballroom during the build: rows of white arched stands going up, cartons on the carpet.
    2018 Shurooq
What we delivered

Delivered, not photographed.

  • Tawdheef 2015 · the department’s stand, 39 by 39 ft (12 by 12 m)
  • Cityscape Abu Dhabi 2015 · the department’s pavilion; its renders are on the Cityscape page
  • World Future Energy Summit 2015 · the department and its three municipalities on one stand
  • Cityscape Abu Dhabi 2016 · Al Qudrah Holding’s “Traditional Market” booth, produced for the developer
  • National Housing Exhibition 2018 · Musanada’s stand, a touch screen and two scale models; the client approved our quotation

Also built, shown elsewhere.

  • World Future Energy Summit 2010 and 2011 · on the summit’s page
  • Al Forsan International Sports Resort, about 2011 · on the Al Forsan page
  • Al Fahad at ISNR, the security show, 2012
  • ZOWD Project at the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair, 2012
  • Cityscape Abu Dhabi 2016 · the department’s pavilion, on the Cityscape page
All twenty-two, by year
  1. 2010 World Future Energy Summit · Department of Municipal Affairs · built
  2. 2011 World Future Energy Summit · Department of Municipal Affairs, with the three municipalities · built
  3. about 2011 a show at ADNEC · Al Forsan International Sports Resort · built
  4. 2012 World Future Energy Summit · ADNOC · built, designed for the builder Marcoms
  5. 2012 ISNR, the security show · Al Fahad · built
  6. 2012 Abu Dhabi International Book Fair · ZOWD Project · built through the builder Marcoms
  7. 2012 Abu Dhabi International Sports Exhibition · Abu Dhabi Sports Channel · built
  8. 2012 Arabian Travel Market, Dubai · Nas Air, today flynas · built
  9. 2013 NAVDEX · NAS, Naval Advanced Solutions · built
  10. 2013 World Future Energy Summit · the department and its three municipalities; Abu Dhabi Chamber · built; won by public tender
  11. 2015 Tawdheef · the department and Abu Dhabi City Municipality · delivered, not photographed
  12. 2015 Cityscape Abu Dhabi · the department and its three municipalities · delivered, not photographed
  13. 2015 World Future Energy Summit · the department and its three municipalities · delivered, not photographed
  14. 2016 Cityscape Abu Dhabi · the department and its three municipalities · built; by direct order
  15. 2016 Cityscape Abu Dhabi · Al Qudrah Holding: the “Traditional Market” booth · produced, not photographed
  16. 2017 Tawdheef · Department of Municipal Affairs and Transport · built; by direct order
  17. 2017 Cityscape Abu Dhabi · the department and its three municipalities · built; by direct order
  18. 2018 National Bullying Prevention Week · Ministry of Education · built
  19. 2018 National Housing Exhibition · Musanada: the stand, a touch screen and two scale models · delivered, not photographed; an approved quotation
  20. 2018 Gulf Traffic, Dubai · Department of Transport, Abu Dhabi · built
  21. 2018 FDI Forum, Sharjah · Shurooq · built; by letter of award
  22. 2024 Innovation Month, Al Ain · Al Ain City Municipality · built; won by competitive quotation
The scope

What we delivered.

For the Department’s stands, the whole job: the stand, the screens and their content, the campaign, the invitations, the gifts, the event on site, the coverage.

Space

  • Cityscape 2017: 7,200 sq ft (672 m²), built in three days
  • Cityscape 2015: the same footprint, redesigned in 2016
  • World Future Energy Summit 2013: 5,600 sq ft (520 m²), a mezzanine and a tunnel
  • World Future Energy Summit 2015: 3,100 sq ft (286 m²)
  • Tawdheef 2015 and 2017: 1,550 sq ft (144 m²) each
  • Majlis, meeting rooms and VIP areas

Screens & content

  • Interactive presentations on touch screens, 18, in 2014 and 2015
  • Informative films and documentaries, 20, in 2014 and 2015
  • Touch-screen kiosks for job applications, five, Tawdheef 2017
  • LED walls and screens, with IT support on site

Campaign & print

  • Main visuals and campaign artwork, 2013 to 2016
  • Wall graphics for the 2014 pavilion, five areas
  • Brochures, 4,000, and leaflets, 5,000, in 2015
  • E-invitations, three, in 2015
  • Gift items, 4,500, and recycled bags, 5,500

Event

  • Event management on site
  • Build-up, dismantling, transport and storage
  • Catering, flowers and chocolates

Film & coverage

  • Video coverage with an edited report, two shows in 2015
  • Show film, Cityscape 2017
  • Social film for the stand, Tawdheef 2017
  • Corporate documentary, Cityscape 2013
  • Design render of the Cityscape 2015 stand: coloured touch-screen kiosks on a grey floor, subject icons on poles and a tall screen wall.
    Cityscape 2015: the touch-screen kiosks, design render
  • The sphere ceiling lit pink and white over the half-built Cityscape 2017 stand, ladders below.
    Cityscape 2017: the kinetic ceiling lit during the build
  • Two wooden dhows moored at a quay under a pale sky, a frame of the 2014 water documentary.
    World Future Energy Summit 2014: a frame of the water film
  • A low vase of white lilies and green leaves beside a glass bowl on the white reception counter of the Tawdheef 2017 stand.
    Tawdheef 2017: flowers on the reception counter, three days

From the delivery notes, the invoices, the 2017 agreement, the bill of quantities of the 2013 stand and the letters releasing the guarantees.

Proposed and not taken up: for Cityscape 2017, a campaign and 11 short project films; for Tawdheef 2016, a stand with five touch-screen panels.

RoleAntoni Gerges
Creative Director, Brand & Experiential
Made byAntBrush.
Built byCityscape 2017: Divine Creations, Dubai. Innovation Month: Halwan Advertising and Production. The 2012 and 2013 brand stands: Marcoms, Dubai. Shurooq 2018: Eleco. National Housing Exhibition 2018: Divine Creations.
The documentsBlock plan from the client’s brief, 20 March 2017. Hall plan from the Cityscape 2015 presentation. Flow diagram from the WFES 2013 exhibit story. Photographs taken on site. Show photographs of 2012 and 2013 from the AntBrush exhibition presentation of June 2013.
Next projectThe Big GrillA festival starts with a drawing.