SRDK Architekci Studio Sródka, one of the first private design studios in Poland (founded in 1986 as Archicom Studio) over time became one of the largest development companies in Poland (known as Archicom Group). The company has completed over 150 architectural structures and urban complexes, winning several dozen awards.

The client commissioned us to prepare an event that would reach the widest possible audience and was a part of the ongoing studio's rebranding process and its most important inauguration event.

Rebranding of the studio was a response to the following needs:

1. return to architectural roots,

2. raising the brand awareness,

3. increasing market share,

4. strengthening the personal brand of main architects,

5. communicating the values behind consistent project implementation from an idea to construction,

6. promoting the studio's philosophy of urban living,

7. creating space for an opinion-forming dialogue on architecture, urban planning and urban development.

In response to the brief, we presented the idea of organizing a wide-ranging multimedia architectural exhibition, which would place the rebranding activities as part of social and cultural events engaging diverse audience: from industry specialists, through architecture enthusiasts, to statistical culture recipients and participants of urban life.

We chose the Museum of Architecture in Wroclaw, the only museum in Poland devoted to architecture, as a partner with unquestionable reputation and ensured access to a permanent group of recipients.

The exhibition would cover 500 m2 and include:

- set design elements - a symbolic reconstruction of an apartment from the People's Republic of Poland era and an old architectural studio,

- interactive drawers, rotating panels, archival designs, photos and magazines, old TV sets and computer monitors;

- boards with texts, photos, visualizations and designs;

- screens and projectors displaying multimedia materials: films, interviews, archives, slide shows, video installations.

The starting point was of narrative nature. We have outlined the exhibition theme, weaving the tale about the brand into a broader story about architecture, urban planning, the role and social responsibility of architects, development and sociology of contemporary cities, as well as the story of Wroclaw.

We tried to reconcile the recipient's needs with the brand goals, focusing on an authentic, often personal message, without advertising notions and using possibly varied communication tools. We have presented the history of main architects with a vision, inscribed in a specific generation, whose fates are both individual and universal.

The exhibition's catchy title "I AM NOT HERE" was a play with the audience. It drew attention to the paradox of the architect's activity, having a fundamental social role and yet absent in the consciousness of space users. The sub-title "Human dimension of architecture" indicated an important aspect of the studio's design philosophy.

Apart from the title we have created the typographic Key Visual, an integral complement in all communication channels.

A total of 72 texts of different genres - narrative texts, specialist texts, expert texts, anecdotes, brand manifesto - were created.

We created 19 videos combining various techniques, included in the exhibition, and other 12 promoting it on social media and cinemas.

The highlight of the exhibition experience was a specially designed, darkened multimedia room. It consisted of: four illuminated boxes containing multimedia; development mock-ups; a 2D and 3D animated map of Wroclaw projected onto the floor, showing historical development of the city and projects carried out by the studio; a cinema room showing a film about one of the largest residential projects in Poland; and originally composed ambient music.

The key outdoor activity was the design and implementation of the urban spatial sculpture.

We designed a webpage dedicated to the exhibition.

We created a PR campaign concept involving integrated promotional activities covering digital and traditional media. It aimed at building a positive image of SRDK Architekci Studio Sródka and sparking social dialogue on urban planning, architecture and life in a modern city.

We organized special events to involve the audience, including: lectures, film premieres, expert debates (both radio and live), walks with the architects around housing estates.

We engaged influential people: local government officials, journalists, writers, influencers, celebrities, people from the world of business, art and culture. Polish Nobel Prize winner Olga Tokarczuk and the Canadian writer Charles Montgomery participated in the exhibition. Their recommendations were published in the form of dynamic videos.

The exhibition attracted media attention, focusing around signaled values. It was also the first Wroclaw exhibition opened after the lifting of pandemic restrictions, constituting a fresh source of constructive dialogue on important and current urban life topics.