igg Inc. is so adept at designing and producing an attractive utilitarian object that its iconic bottle found itself in the permanent collection at the New York Museum of Modern Art - twice. It makes sense, then, that the renowned Swiss maker of 100-percent recyclable water bottles would want to emulate the museum experience in its eco-friendly exhibit for the 2011 Surf Expo.

Designed by Hill & Partners Inc., the 10-by-20-foot exhibit exuded sophistication despite its simple aesthetic. "The minimal design is about removing the unnecessary and emphasizing the necessary," said Mark Holme, Hill & Partners' creative director. Thus, comprising a simple product display, reception desk, and swath of red carpet, the booth became a veritable art installation thanks to what Exhibit Design Awards judges called a clever combination of materials, textures, and colors.

The pièce de résistance was the back wall, an 8-foot-tall structure divided into two parts. The right section, clad in brushed-aluminum paneling, featured six custom-designed illuminated shelves on which more than 50 Sigg bottles were displayed. To counter the colorful products and smooth surfaces on the right, the left section of the wall was bedecked in white, Braille-like tiles made of recycled bamboo pulp and uplit via flush-mounted puck lights positioned near the base of the wall. Dubbed the "bumpy wall" by judges, it provided a backdrop for Sigg's logo and iconic Swiss-flag emblem.

Inspired by a simple Swiss vessel that has changed little since its inception nearly a century ago, this little exhibit proves that sometimes less is more. "The pure simplicity of the exhibit is what makes it work," Holme said, and judges agreed. "All we really have here is a reception desk and a back wall with a product display, and yet it feels like there is so much more," one judge said. "For a small booth, this one is undeniably delightful."e