The biopharmaceutical company Merck commissioned us to create an inspirational welcome installation for their newly built Innovation Center in Darmstadt, Germany. The Merck Innovation Center is both a physical space, and a culture of openness and exchange between employees, experimental startups, visionaries and companies around the globe. Our task was to develop a digital media installation that communicates Merck’s values–innovation and inspiration–to the users of the building. We were expected to use innovative material technology developed by Merck, such as OEDs, displays or pigments–and execute the design, production and set-up of the installation.

The Inspiration Wall communicates Merck’s values and materials both visually and technologically. Our response was a kinetic installation consisting of 72 screens and generative content. Its visual universe is derived from material states fundamental to Merck's research and development–and is mixed with textual information. The physical movement of the screens is either driven by the generative visual content, or in reverse, affecting the visuals. Text that flows into the visuals such as announcements of activities and hashtags from Merck Twitter channels turn the installation into a daily updated communication platform for the Merck community. Thus the installation builds a strong connection between the company, its employees, the building and its visitors.

We took products and materials from the company’s departments Healthcare, Life Science and Performance Materials as a starting point for designing the visuals. The 45 scenes are inspired by four material properties–crystalline, cellular, molecular, and fluid. The custom-built and extremely bright monitors use Mercks’s liquid crystals.

We created an ever-changing choreography, weaving in information on events and hashtags from Merck. The movement of the monitors is controlled by the visuals generated in real time–at other times the movement of the monitors influences the visuals. This innovative feature is made possible by the development of software that controls the movement of the displays and their content depending on their position. Content can be integrated at any time via a CMS. The interaction of visuals and monitor movements is additionally influenced by the movements of the visitors via video tracking, resulting in a dynamic choreography throughout the day.

The Inspiration Wall’s visibility, also from the outside and at night, contributes to the successful brand communication from Merck. The text information that flows into the visuals such as announcements of activities and hashtags from Merck Twitter channels turn the installation into a daily updated communication platform for the Merck community, which is also reflected in the high number of social media posts featuring the Inspiration Wall, creating additional attention for the company.