Messe Düsseldorf 3D Exhibition Grounds
"When heart meets business." – Under this guiding principle, Messe Düsseldorf has become one of the five most successful trade fair organizers worldwide over the past eight decades, valuing personal progress just as highly as economic success. This approach has earned recognition not only in the capital of North Rhine-Westphalia, but around the globe. Despite its international expansion, the focal point remains the exhibition grounds in Düsseldorf. For this reason, redPlant Realtime Studios were commissioned to create a 3D reconstruction of the venue.
True-to-scale Reconstruction
The goal was to produce a true-to-scale reconstruction of the approximately 305,000 m² exhibition grounds, including all relevant buildings and facilities. The resulting fully walkable digital twin is intended to serve not only as a planning foundation for Messe Düsseldorf in the future, but also as a base for numerous innovative applications. These developments are expected to benefit the roughly 22,000 exhibitors and one million visitors annually in the long term.
Well Planned Ahead
The entire Düsseldorf exhibition center is based on a clever grid system. While the coarser external grid is used to define the position of all buildings on the site, the finer grid is used for planning within the halls, such as the layout of booth areas. These grids also served as helpful orientation tools for the reconstruction and were therefore integrated into the 3D hall and site plan.
Step-by-Step Approach
To ensure all halls were built to the same level of detail and to identify synergies early on, we planned a gradual reconstruction of the exhibition grounds – from a rough blockout to a detailed depiction of the halls, including all equipment relevant to planning. Initially, CAD plans provided by Messe Düsseldorf served as the foundation, containing numerous important details of the halls and surrounding areas. This information was further refined and supplemented during our on-site inspection.
Systematic Site Inspection
After reviewing the CAD plans provided by Messe Düsseldorf, we developed a well-structured inspection plan to verify exact conditions and systematically document additional aspects. The halls were broken down into specific categories to simplify documentation during the site visits. In addition to comprehensive data matrices, we also created a detailed visual record.
Measurements
Where the CAD plans left too much room for interpretation, we took our own measurements to verify proportions.
Materials
We reviewed the materials used and noted their physical characteristics.
Signage
We documented the placement and design of signs and other key markings.
Additional Details
We captured additional elements not included in the CAD plans but essential for orientation and completeness.
Let the Reconstruction Begin
Reconstruction started even before our site visits, using satellite imagery and CAD plans of Messe Düsseldorf. This early start helped ensure that we were already familiar with the layout, enabling a structured and efficient inspection. Once all relevant data—textual and visual—had been collected, full-scale reconstruction could begin.
From the Outside...
To create an authentic representation of the exhibition center, not only the halls and buildings of Messe Düsseldorf were reconstructed but also the surrounding infrastructure and architectural environment. In addition to the official site plans, we used up-to-date satellite imagery from platforms like Google Maps and Google Earth. This allowed for the integration of nearby buildings, roads, the Rhine riverbank, and even realistic vegetation based on real-world layout.
...To the Inside
Based on the grid system and CAD plans, the halls, entrances, and other buildings were reconstructed step by step—starting from a rough blockout and progressing to detailed models. Besides the CAD data and our inspection documentation, we also modeled additional on-site buildings at blockout level—those not relevant to exhibitors or visitors but useful for orientation.
Fully Equipped
The 3D reconstruction of the site forms the foundation for a range of Messe Düsseldorf software solutions intended to benefit both exhibitors and visitors. Therefore, it was essential not just to model halls and buildings, but also to include all on-site and in-hall infrastructure.
Gates
Most gates can be enlarged to allow vehicle access.
Rigging Points
These allow safe and flexible mounting of trusses and similar structures.
Fire Extinguishers
Always located near entrances and exits.
Signage
Designed for international guests using icons and symbols.
Info Cubes
Indicate which hall you’re in and the location of the nearest exit.
Floor Channels
Used for electrical and other utility lines.
Counters & Service Desks
Provide key information about the event and the venue.
Turnstiles
Equipped with QR scanners to track visitor numbers.
Escalators
Available alongside fixed staircases for convenience.
Elevators
Ensure all floors are accessible to everyone.
Info Points
Mainly located in halls with green outer walls.
Points of Interest
Includes restrooms, dining areas, and cloakrooms.
Hall Manager Offices
Typically located behind glass fronts on the first floor in multi-level halls.
Lighting
Evenly distributed to ensure consistent illumination throughout.
Plants
Mostly on wheels for easy repositioning.
Seating Areas
Especially in the shopping area and near the North Entrance.
3D Hall and Site Plan
To provide an interactive look at the reconstructed venue—including all halls and equipment—the 3D hall and site plan was developed as the first internal software solution. It gives Messe Düsseldorf a comprehensive overview of the entire site and serves as a basis for further digital tools.
Your View, Your Choice
In addition to a perspective 3D view, the hall and site plan also offers a top-down view of the entire area. Users can freely switch between views based on their needs. If you're looking for a quick overview of building placements, the top-down view is ideal. For exploring hall and site details, the 3D view is better suited.
Stay Oriented
With 17 halls, three entrances, and numerous connecting paths, it’s easy to lose your bearings. For better orientation, every building is marked with either a hall number or an icon representing its function. These markers float above the building and display more information when interacted with. Selecting either the marker or the building zooms you in and centers your view.
Clear Interface
For those who prefer 2D interaction, all buildings are also listed in the user interface. From there, you can select any building to zoom into a local view and access further options, including interior views and toggling key features on and off.
Interior Views
But there’s more. Besides a clear exterior view, you can also jump inside each building and explore it from within—either in perspective or top-down view. Planning-relevant features can be toggled or highlighted directly through the user interface.
Show Grid
Like the exterior, a grid can also be displayed inside the halls.
Highlight Channels
Click to show floor channels used for cabling.
Show Rigging Points
Displays ceiling mounting points for trusses.
Toggle Lighting
Optionally display all light fixtures, which are hidden by default.
Hall-to-Hall Navigation
Inside the buildings, users can look around 360° and zoom into details. For larger or more complex halls, additional hotspots are available to jump through the space. These also support full 360° navigation. If halls are connected in real life, jump points let users move seamlessly between them.
Reactive Vegetation
To prevent vegetation from obstructing your view during exploration, we applied a special shader. When the camera gets close to vegetation, dithering fades the geometry based on pixel calculations to create a semi-transparent effect. This technique, common in video games, is both visually appealing and performance efficient.
No Walking Through Walls
A special collision system is used in the hall and site plan to prevent the camera from passing through walls. When a collision occurs, the camera is gently redirected rather than blocked, avoiding a sense of restriction. A similar system was used in Messe Düsseldorf’s 3D stand builder to prevent objects from being placed outside designated areas.
Less Is More
The more detailed a 3D object is, the more polygon and texture resolution it needs—significantly impacting performance. Given the scale of the exhibition grounds, a performance-optimized approach was essential. The LOD (Level of Detail) system swaps high-detail models with simpler ones depending on their screen size percentage. This ensures excellent performance without sacrificing visual quality, even with many objects on screen.
Features
WebGL
The application was developed using WebGL and is accessible via all common browsers.
Responsive Design
It is available across devices—from smartphones and tablets to desktop computers.
Linerendering
Via Linerendering werden die Grids generiert, auf denen Gebäude und Innenräume angeordnet sind.
Tools
State Engine
The heart of every 3D configurator is our State Engine. It ensures that a valid state of the product is delivered at all times.
Construction Engine
Our Construction Engine implements the 3D reconstruction of the product based on and within the specifications of the State Engine, placing all components.
Performance Monitor
Our performance monitoring monitors the graphics load and dynamically adjusts the quality of the 3D configurator to the current performance of the device.
Cloud Service
Our CloudService generates on demand various formats of our configurations and makes them available to the user, for example, as an AR model.