Making a vast amount of information visible within just 20 m² (roughly the size of an average student room). In fact, all of this information was initially presented in a 60 m² space. How do you tell a big story in a small space? As you may know by now, I love a challenge, so I eagerly took on this inspiring request from the Veenweiden Innovation Centre (VIC). In this blog, I’m happy to share more about this new project by &lotte.

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The VIC conducts research into opportunities for entrepreneurship on and with peatland. About 9% of the Netherlands consists of peat soil, a wet, sponge-like type of ground with high moisture content. During the six-month KIEM phase, the research team worked closely with pioneering farmers and agricultural businesses that focus on future-oriented themes such as climate adaptation and food production. These participants are referred to as front-runners. The goal of the research is to develop economically viable business models for peatland.

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All findings from the research were presented in the “concept room,” allowing the team to learn from the results during the process. This concept room consisted of three containers, totaling 60 m². My task was to translate all the information into digital reference materials and a spatial presentation. At times, this was challenging because the information remained highly dynamic and new input kept coming in. It required a different way of thinking about presentation design. Once printed or mounted on a panel, information can feel final, even though it does not have to be. As a result, the KIEM project involved many reprints.

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The second phase of the project, called JUMP, focuses on translating the KIEM research into long-term perspectives. As this phase approached, the idea emerged to create a second space where the KIEM process could continue to be presented. This new presentation space would be three times smaller than the original concept room, yet still needed to display all twelve themes.

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The design challenge was to develop an efficient way of presenting the information. For inspiration, I looked at museum storage systems, where paintings are often stored behind one another on large racks. When a specific work needs to be shown, it can be moved along rails to bring it into view. This principle of layered presentation was applied to the KIEM installation through the use of roller blinds. In the compact space, a total of 26 roller blinds, each 80 cm wide, were installed.

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Jolien Koole, project leader of KIEM, says the following about the design: “Compliments on how Lotte managed to create a compact and practical presentation format for a large amount of information and visuals, without compromising on content or message. Lotte is thoughtful, inventive, and creative, and remains enthusiastically involved from start to finish.”

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In addition to the permanent presentation at their site in Zegveld, the VIC also travels with the results of the KIEM research. To present the findings to a broader audience and test them with different target groups, I also designed a mobile presentation for this validation tour. The traveling exhibition invites visitors to engage with the researchers’ work by structuring, visualizing, and making connections. Curious to see what it looks like? Visit the &lotte website (LINK) and explore the photos.

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Lotte de Jong