Scenography and spatial concept
In keeping with the theme of the 'Long Night', our exhibition design concept focused on staging through lighting and large-scale projections. The lighting concept is primarily based on the distinctive jungle motif, which is central to the research content to be presented.
Large illuminated walls provide orientation in the exhibition, while spotlights draw attention to the exhibits.
We presented the individual research areas in separate thematic sections to make the most of the exhibition's architectural context, the Max Planck Society Administrative Headquarters.
Exhibits development
A significant part of our task involved science communication, that is translating scientific research content into tangible and comprehensible exhibitits and experiences.
We were able to draw on the full range of our creative services and developed various interactive experiences, ranging from quizes, games, and creative labs from ideation to functional prototypes and into fully operational exhibits.
A highlight of the exhibition is the “Immersive Campsite,” an “exhibit within an exhibit” in which items from the research camp in the Congolese rainforest are displayed within a replica of the camp's central hut.
The "earthquake simulator" is used as an example to show the process from concept to implementation. Visitors can experience the fact that pets are more sensitive to earthquakes than humans in a playful way using an interactive slider-control.
Modular exhibition furniture system
Due to the short duration of the exhibition as a one-night event, aspects such as assembly, storage and logistics had to be taken into account when we designed the bespoke furniture elements. The combination of these practical requirements and the customer's desire to reuse the furniture for future events led to the development of a flexible, modular system.
The core concept of MPI's exhibition furniture is a wooden frame system with flexible corner connections. It can be used to create displays, panels, tables, and lightboxes in a variety of sizes and configurations.
Prototyping and Production
Our multidisciplinary team of designers and engineers worked together to create functional prototypes based on the ideas, which we then used to verify their practical suitability.
Implementation
In addition to concept and design, we also handled the complete production and set up of the exhibition for our client. Keeping all aspects of the project inhouse enabled us to respond flexibly to changes in content right up until shortly before the opening, while also meeting the Max Planck Institute's high scientific standards.
The Event
The event was a great success, with around 2,500 visitors attending in one evening.
The Future
In light of the very positive feedback on the exhibition, the client has decided to take it to other locations throughout Germany.
