DADA Studio (2020-2025)

Description

DADA Studio is a creative space I designed and directed in Geretsried, Germany, inviting children, families, teenagers, and adults to experience art as an immersive, joyful process.
The space merges artistic creation, sensory exploration, and movement into one holistic experience.

Alongside children’s workshops, DADA Studio also offered art courses and material experiences for teenagers and adults — from classical art coaching to open, process-based sessions. Depending on demand, I continuously designed and adapted the art program, combining fixed course structures with evolving, seasonal experiences.

As the founder, I was responsible for the spatial concept, experience design, and material curation, as well as the development of interactive art activities. I carefully observed how children and families interacted with the environment and shaped the rooms to evoke a sense of warmth, calm, and creative freedom — a place where art could be experienced without fear of mess or judgment, and where parents could connect socially while creating alongside their children.

DADA Studio will close in December 2025, marking the completion of a five-year project dedicated to exploring how space, art, and atmosphere can nurture creativity and connection.

Challenge

How can an art space invite people of all ages to experience creativity together — freely, without pressure, and through atmosphere rather than instruction?

I wanted to create an environment that reduces barriers between adults and children, between “art education” and “play,” and between “clean order” and creative chaos.

Concept

DADA Studio was conceived as a multisensory, inclusive environment where artistic expression and physical experience meet.
The design focused on emotional flow — each room was arranged to transition gently between active, tactile zones and calm, reflective corners.
Materials were chosen for their feel, warmth, and invitation to touch: wood, paper, clay, textiles, and natural pigments.

The concept blended elements of Reggio Emilia pedagogy with experience design principles — allowing curiosity and self-direction to lead the way.

Process

• Research & Observation: Studied how children and families behave in creative spaces; identified needs for freedom, comfort, and safety.
• Spatial Design: Divided the studio into zones (Art Room / Movement Room) supporting different states — creation, exploration, relaxation.
• Program Design: Created courses and workshops based on rhythm, sensory discovery, and creative experimentation.
• Iteration: Adapted layouts, tools, and materials based on participant feedback and atmosphere.
• Curation of Experience: Developed interactive art stations, open-ended materials, and rituals that built community and connection.

Outcome

Over time, DADA Studio became a warm local hub where families could share creativity and connection.
Children gained confidence in self-expression, adults rediscovered play, and many visitors described the space as peaceful yet inspiring.

Through this project, I learned that space itself can teach — the architecture of light, rhythm, and materials shapes behaviour and emotion as much as any instruction.

Reflection

This project marked my transition from art education toward experience and UX design — understanding not only what people create, but how they feel, move, and interact while creating.
Through DADA Studio, I learned to design experiences that balance structure and freedom, intuition and usability — lessons that now guide my approach to both spatial and digital design.
The insights from this project continue to shape my work in exhibition, spatial, and user experience design, where I aim to bring the same atmosphere of openness, sensory richness, and quiet transformation into museums, cultural spaces, and interactive environments.