The Era of Sustainable Logistics

CLIENT

DHL

ROLE

Lead Experience Designer
& Rental Furniture Sourcing

TIMELINE

1 week concept phase

DELIVERABLES

Event Concept, Environmental Design, Interactive Exhibits

The Challenge

A confidential event company was competing for a major DHL Americas Technology Conference contract—a project typically awarded to much larger firms. They needed a bold, innovative concept from me that would prove a smaller agency could deliver big ideas. The timeline? One week to create a complete vision.

Creating a Winning Proposal

The proposal needed to include:

  • A strong, innovative event concept that blended education with entertainment

  • Designed interactive exhibits showcasing sustainable logistics

  • Sourced furniture, lighting, and digital signage specifications

  • Accurate financial projections for production, rentals, and staffing

The concept needed to showcase DHL's commitment to sustainable logistics while creating an engaging, hands-on experience that would inspire attendees to see sustainability not as a constraint, but as an opportunity for innovation.

The Concept: Festival Meets Science Fair

I proposed "The Era of Sustainable Logistics"—a hybrid experience that transformed a traditional conference into an interactive sustainability festival. The concept centered on five thematic zones, each telling a different story about DHL's sustainable future.

“Inspire attendees to become active participants through hands-on demonstrations—showcasing that a sustainable future is not just necessary but also achievable and exciting.”

Design Philosophy

Every element was carefully chosen to reinforce the sustainability message:

Repurposed shipping containers as structures

Living walls creating hope and greenery

Upcycled and recycled materials throughout

The Plenary

The main plenary space served as the heart of the conference. I designed it using DHL's shipping containers as the primary architectural element—practical, on-brand, and powerfully symbolic. Living green walls softened the industrial feel while reinforcing the sustainability message. Clean, modern furniture created a bright, hopeful atmosphere rather than feeling preachy or austere.

Four Interactive Experience Zones

Each zone offered hands-on engagement with a different aspect of sustainable logistics:

01 Circularity

Showcasing circular economy principles:

  • Sustainable packaging gallery with mannequins

  • Physical flipbooks showing product lifecycles

  • Waste sorting challenge game

02 Clean Energy

Demonstrating renewable energy solutions:

  • Working solar panel and wind turbine models

  • Clean transport timeline visualization

  • Energy storage device displays

03 Decarbonization

Exploring carbon reduction strategies:

  • Electric vehicle information kiosks

  • Eco-route planning stations

  • Carbon reduction board game

04 Digitalization

Interactive exhibits demonstrating technology's role:

  • Smart logistics puzzle with LED feedback

  • Efficiency comparison displays with QR codes

  • Data strategy card game teaching analytics

Themed Networking Spaces

Beyond the plenary and exhibit zones, I designed cozy networking areas that maintained the sustainability theme while encouraging meaningful connections:

Green Tech Lounge with upcycled furniture and living plant walls

Furniture made from recycled DHL cargo netting, pillows in DHL yellow and red, and mannequins wearing clothing made from recycled packing materials all reinforced the circular economy message in unexpected, delightful ways.

Renewable Energy Nook featuring solar-powered charging stations

The Outcome

Client Response

"Ours was their [DHL’s] favorite concept, but our pricing was too much to win the project."

While we didn't win the contract due to budget constraints, the concept validated that compelling, strategic design can level the playing field between small agencies and industry giants. The DHL team specifically praised the concept for its innovation, attention to detail, and genuine understanding of their sustainability mission.

What I Learned

This intense one-week sprint reinforced several key lessons:

01 Speed + Strategy

Tight timelines can drive focused, decisive creativity when paired with clear strategic thinking

02 Storytelling Matters

Every design element should reinforce the core narrative—in this case, sustainability as opportunity, not limitation

03 Hands-On Engagement

Interactive experiences create memorable moments that passive presentations can't match

Reflection

This project showcased my ability to move quickly from concept to comprehensive execution under pressure. In just one week, I developed a cohesive vision that spanned event strategy, environmental design, interactive exhibits, sourcing, and financial planning.

The "festival meets science fair" concept demonstrated how experience design can make complex topics like sustainable logistics accessible, engaging, and inspiring. While budget constraints prevented this vision from becoming reality, the strategic thinking and creative execution validated my approach: great design tells a story, invites participation, and transforms how people see possibilities.

Most importantly, this project reinforced that sustainability messaging works best when it feels hopeful and achievable rather than prescriptive—a principle I continue to apply across all my work.