Could you give an example of how you’ve developed a concept for a recent project?
Rmeily: Our process starts by sitting with the client and creating a content workshop where they share their vision, what they're imagining, how they want to interpret the specific thematics or contents that they're tackling. From there, we take this more curatorial or historic content, then we shape it and transform it into narrative, spatial content. Throughout the process, we start involving all the different disciplines that could start imagining how this content can be shaped spatially and enhanced through media, graphic design, light design, sound design.
Of course this is a difficult topic, because how do you define something that has not been experienced or doesn’t exist yet? To do that—for example, with the Museum of the Future in Dubai that opened last year—we worked in collaboration throughout the process, not just from within ATELIER BRÜCKNER cross disciplinary people, but also with artists, technologists, and scientists. We worked with the consultants from NASA, bio engineers, genetic engineers, etc. We tried to imagine with them how the future in the year 2071 would be.
After imagining this possible future, we created these in-worlds that transport the visitors into the future in outer space, the future on earth, and the future in the inner self—your connection back to yourself, your senses and to each other. This exhibition exists in a space, which is the Museum of the Future in Dubai, but within that space, you're transported fully into other expansive spaces.
In a lot of cases, when we say we translate space or the content into spatial narrative, when the client comes, sometimes they think they also need a space, but sometimes it completely changes. So it can shift depending on who we're communicating with and what we're trying to say. We also always develop that with them.
Which part of your job gives you the most joy?
Rmeily: For me, the biggest joy is this concept of transpositioning. Whether I'm exchanging with an artist or media designer or product designer, it's so stimulating. Every time, you have to delve into different topics and meet people who are so familiar with the field that they are working, whether it be history, anthropology, brand, etc. Then you have to collaborate and sometimes switch roles. That's why I say transpositioning: to switch roles between different disciplines, learn from them, engage with them. Then each time, you create something new. This really collaborative work for me is always very stimulating, and you learn a lot from it.
Müller: This is definitely also something I enjoy throughout this process—getting completely different inputs in your own design process. But at the same time, really being able to get into the zone—digesting a specific topic, getting the idea of “Okay, I think I understand.” Then being able to shape this. At the end of the day, you have something where you look at it and think, this is absolutely the correct and perfect outcome for this specific task or topic. If you're lucky, the client thinks the same.
Rmeily: Another thing that’s interesting with emerging technologies is that each time you’re thinking: What kind of sensory tool am I going to use to translate the content? Because now, there's a big menu of options. It's tricky for us each time to decide, because you can easily fall into the trick where the media is guiding your approach. We usually try to use media just to facilitate rather than letting it guide the full spatial process, that narration in a space. So each time, figuring out the tool that’s gonna evoke specific emotion and create emotional engagement for the visitor and also give them empathy to an object or each other or to their surroundings.
This interview has been lightly edited and condensed.