meplan designs the catering areas
for EXPO REAL 2026

At trade fairs, food and beverage areas have long been more than places to eat and drink. They create spaces for meeting and exchange, and shape how an event is perceived. For EXPO REAL 2026 in Munich, meplan is therefore developing and delivering a comprehensive catering concept based on woodï, its award-winning exhibition design concept. woodï is a modular concept for trade fair presentations rooted in the principles of Doughnut Economics. Based on Kate Raworth’s economic model, it enables exhibition stands, shared spaces, hospitality areas and special-purpose areas to be planned flexibly, reused multiple times and adapted to different requirements.

The centrepiece of the catering areas for EXPO REAL 2026 is a Roof Garden, where meplan brings together spatial design, media staging and bespoke products to create a holistic experience. The concept combines flexible furniture, carefully planned lighting and digital content in an integrated system that allows the design to be reconfigured time and again. The area is divided into a Cozy Lounge, a Green Lounge, a Community Area and a Service Area. Plants and open, permeable dividers create distinct zones for relaxing, unwinding and communicating. A complementary lighting concept enhances the atmosphere in the Roof Garden with warm ambient lighting, gobo projections and focused lighting accents. Lighting that adjusts to the time of day adds further visual highlights.

The four guiding principles—“Breathe”, “Connect”, “Perspective” and “Activate”—represent the space’s defining qualities: relaxation, exchange, fresh perspectives and activation. They also provide the basis for the spatial narrative and the customer journey.

The media staging is an integral part of the concept. AI-generated content, carefully choreographed to complement the Roof Garden theme, is shown on the screens. Using artificial intelligence and carefully crafted prompts, the team created cinematic clips that would have been more costly and time-consuming to produce using conventional methods.

The desired “WOW experience” emerges from the interplay of space, staging and human interaction. meplan’s creative team views light, sound, materials, spatial structure and digital content as elements of a shared narrative.

This way of thinking was already central to the development of woodï. The “Change by Design” approach served as a strategic tool, shaping a product’s material selection, construction, use and future reuse from the outset.

woodï considers the entire life cycle and value chain—from the origin of materials and resource consumption to use, logistics, repair, reuse and reintegration into circular systems. A scientifically grounded material inventory captures relevant information and supports development decisions. Material selection takes into account origin, waste generation, and water and energy consumption. The design, in turn, determines functionality, ease of disassembly and scope for future adaptation. woodï received the German Design Award in recognition of this development approach.

Product development – Change by Design in collaboration with Rolf Benz

A tangible outcome of this approach is the collaboration with Rolf Benz. The aim was to combine Rolf Benz’s expertise in furniture and production with woodï’s criteria—such as modularity, durability, repairability and material selection—and the principles of Cradle to Cradle.

“We are delighted that meplan has chosen furniture by ROLF BENZ. The combination of sophisticated design, lasting quality and a clear design language is an excellent fit with meplan’s vision for contemporary brand and working environments. We see our armchairs and chairs—manufactured entirely in our two facilities in the Northern Black Forest—as part of these spatial concepts as a special recognition of design, quality and German manufacturing expertise. It also reflects a responsible approach to resources, made tangible in the longevity of our products.”

Brian Therkelsen, Head of Contract, ROLF BENZ

The collaboration is designed as a two-way exchange of expertise and marks the starting point for a longer-term partnership. Rolf Benz contributed its experience in furniture development and production, particularly in fabric selection, upholstery and durability. woodï complemented this expertise with knowledge of circularity and modular systems. Together, the partners analysed production processes, identified opportunities for optimisation and integrated sustainability requirements from the development stage.

At EXPO REAL 2026, this approach will be brought to life. Furniture developed in collaboration with Rolf Benz—guided by the principles defined by meplan and a high standard of quality—will be paired with woodï’s modular system logic to create a sustainable ROOF GARDEN concept. meplan views the product and the space as an integrated system. The project therefore combines the design of a place for meeting and communication with the development of products that take materials, construction, use and future reuse into account from the outset.

Back to Overview “woodï”