JOURNEY
The Sixth Sense:
Unlocking the Power of Multisensory Design.
By Max Italiaander & Journey
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ourney is a global design agency shaping the future through multidimensional experiences( MDX) that connect people, brands, and culture.
Our layered MDX approach crafts sensory-rich, story-driven engagement across physical, digital, immersive, and virtual spaces— fuelled by creative and technological innovation.
Born from a legacy of pioneering studios, Journey blends deep creative and strategic expertise to deliver solutions across sectors.
Journey’ s MDX approach fuels growth and forges lasting value for audiences and partners, by creating cultural connections that resonate with impact.
The Assyrian Reliefs at The British Museum. Photography courtesy of Journey.
Sound and Vision: 3000 Years of Sensory Design The ancient Greeks had it figured out: build your amphitheatre on a hillside with perfect acoustics, time your plays with the setting sun, and let the senses do the rest. Thousands of years later, our tools today may have evolved, but the human body hasn’ t. Designers are still working from the same principle: experiences that engage multiple senses leave the deepest impressions.
At Journey, whether it’ s a museum show, live event, brand activation, or immersive environment, this principle guides everything we create.
Let’ s explore six innovative takes on time-tested methods that leave lasting impressions on audiences and elevate experiences to the next level.
1. The Art of the Reveal Sometimes, less is more. Cut the lights, drop the sound, strip back the stimulus, and then bring it all roaring back in for full sensory impact.
Or do the opposite: overload the senses with layered visuals, surround sound, rapid motion, then pivot sharply into stillness. The contrast demands attention.
We used this at the British Museum’ s Assyrian Gallery, where spotlighting and ambient sound give way to a fully synchronised projection-mapping crescendo. At Lift 109, inside Battersea Power Station, guests rise through a chimney in near-total darkness, then emerge into a panoramic 360 ° view of London.
2. Light Up the Room— Literally From limelight to LEDs, lighting has always shaped how we perceive and feel in a space.
At Lightroom London, a dark corridor prepares the eye so that colours pop dramatically on entry. Artists like Olafur Eliasson and UVA have used these techniques to make light the lead character, crafting entire experiences from nothing but illumination.
3. When Sound Surrounds the Story Sound is emotional architecture, and it’ s one of the most powerful tools designers have.
Sound masking can heighten immersion by reducing distraction. Use instruments
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