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Radiohead’s eerie audio-visual virtual world

Kid A Mnesia by Radiohead in collaboration with Epic Games

Global – The Kid A Mnesia Exhibition is a virtual world from British band Radiohead and its long-term creative collaborator Stanley Donwood, created to promote the joint re-issue of its albums Kid A and Amnesiac.

Produced in partnership with Epic Games Publishing, the platform and experience sits somewhere between gaming and a virtual art show. Presented as a shadowy interactive underworld, Kid A Mnesia is inhabited by strange, unworldly creatures. Users can navigate this realm, experiencing art, visuals and music derived from the band’s archive of original artwork and album motifs.

Originally conceived as a physical exhibition, which was thwarted owing to planning restrictions and Covid-19, the digital rendition has allowed the band to experiment further. 'Our dream was dead… Until we realised It would be way better if it didn’t actually exist. Because then it didn’t have to conform to any normal rules of an exhibition,' explains singer Thom Yorke.

The project brings Radiohead into the realm of Digital Fandom. With a focus on interactivity, the project generates new levels of intimacy between fans and artists through creativity in a metaverse setting.

Strategic opportunity

Don’t be afraid to defy genre. Create promotional material which sits between game, advertisement, art piece and product to connect with curious consumers

Exhibition furniture that you can take home

Re-Source exhibition by Lanza Atelier, New York

New York – Targeting the wasteful aspects of temporary exhibition design, studio Lanza Atelier is rethinking how materials and furniture are used within art settings. Its resulting exhibition furniture for the Re-Source show at New York's Storefront Gallery is made with recycled plywood and surplus items from the gallery’s past collections.

Taking the Marimba – a Latin American percussion instrument like a xylophone – as its starting point, the exhibit's furniture consists of a series of tables and stools of varying heights that resemble the instrument. One of the few instruments that sounds better when played as a group, the Marimba complements the Storefront’s mission of collective action and unity. The display includes 56 inexpensive tables and chairs that have been painted green and can be purchased by visitors to take home.

By allowing visitors to buy its gallery displays, the studio is combatting the single-use nature of the exhibition design industry. Previously, we have seen designers repurpose previous exhibition materials at Milan Design Week 2021.

Strategic opportunity

When it comes to sustainable displays, bricks-and-mortar retail has a lot to learn. Take inspiration from art galleries and create visual merchandising objects that can be repurposed

Qatar’s flexible stadium is a nod to sustainable sports futures

Qatar – Responding to the commonly unsustainable nature of large sporting venues, Qatar has unveiled a demountable stadium ahead of the FIFA 2022 World Cup. Formed using repurposed shipping containers and partly recycled modular steel structures, Stadium974 can be dismantled and re-assembled after use, or repurposed as a series of smaller venues. Its efficient design, by Fenwick Iribarren Architects, also significantly reduces water use, compared to a conventional stadium.

The shape of the stadium also allows for natural ventilation, which means that it won’t require artificial cooling. While such large venues are often heavily energy-intensive, and not guaranteed to have longevity, Stadium974 points to a future in which adaptable and eco-efficient construction will be the norm. ‘We consider this innovative venue a game-changer for future mega-event hosts,’ says Hassan Al Thawadi, secretary-general for the Supreme Committee for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.

With environmental concerns front of mind for urban planners, large-scale events will increasingly need to be hosted in adaptive venues that can be transformed in line with the needs of our communities and planet.

Stadium 974 designed by Fenwick Iribarren Architects, Schlaich Bergermann Partner and Hilson Moran, Doha

Strategic opportunity

Cultural venues must work with architects to prioritise environmentally conscious design. Industries such as music, film, sports and fashion should also consider partnering to ensure venues are multi-purpose and adaptable

Stat: Affluent US consumers drive media engagement

Kaleidoscopic Home by Tin & Ed for IKEA’s Everyday Experiments at SPACE10, Denmark

As the media landscape becomes increasingly complex, research by Ipsos reveals that affluent consumers are still keen to engage with a variety of entertainment and information formats – this group are spending more than 46 hours a week engaging with media brands, including social media, audio, television and print.

Among its findings, Ipsos reveals that more than half of affluent US audiences put the television on in the background while they are completing other tasks. By contrast, more than 90% will listen to a whole podcast episode, and two thirds will consume most episodes in their favourite podcast programme. In addition, most podcasts are listened to within a week of their release, demonstrating that being on top of social agendas is also a key factor in audio media consumption.

Indeed, as more people return to daily routines and commutes daily, the potential of podcasts and audio content shouldn't be overlooked. For wealthier consumers in particular, brands can build on the growing Luxtainment industry to explore the right format for next-gen luxurians.