Olympia Expo Entrance: Designed First Impression
Designing high-impact entry moments at scale
OVERVIEW
My role was to elevate the overall Olympia Fitness Weekend experience by designing the main entryway into the expo hall. This wasn’t just a visual moment. It was something over 500,000 people would pass through, so it had to work at scale and make an immediate impact. The goal was to keep the branding and overall theme consistent while creating an entrance that felt cohesive, intentional, and built for the real world.
THE CHALLENGE
The challenge was taking an existing structure and transforming it into something that felt intentional and fully integrated with the event. The design had to incorporate large-format graphics and work seamlessly with multiple LED panels on the front. Early on, the structure also had to manage large crowds, holding them at the entrance while still giving them something engaging to experience before the doors opened. After that, it needed to carry that same energy forward and remain part of the overall immersive environment throughout the week.
MY ROLE
My role was to make sure every graphic panel was accurate, to spec, and ready for real-world production. That meant coordinating with key stakeholders for approvals and keeping everything aligned before it moved to print. I also worked closely with vendors, answering questions and helping guide installation so the design translated correctly at scale. The project was delivered ahead of schedule and under budget.
Over 500,000 attendees moved through this entrance during Olympia weekend.
EXECUTION
The entrance was designed as a layered visual system, combining large-format graphics with LED panels to create depth, clarity, and impact at scale. Every element worked together to ensure consistency and visibility from multiple angles. Once in place, it became a focal point for the event. Attendees consistently used it as a backdrop for photos and social media, turning it into part of the experience rather than just a pass-through structure. Stakeholders were extremely happy with both the visual result and how well it performed in a real-world environment.
RESULT
The final result delivered exactly what it needed to. The entrance became a strong visual anchor for the expo, reinforcing the Olympia brand at scale and setting the tone the moment attendees arrived. It handled real-world conditions without breaking down visually or functionally, even with the volume of traffic moving through it. The branding came through clearly and consistently, and the overall impact was exactly what we were aiming for. From both a visual and experiential standpoint, it succeeded. It didn’t just look good. It worked, and it elevated the experience.