EXHIBITION | Information Design | Research-based
How are we picturing Cells?
(orig. Wie denken wir Zellen?)
Client / Collaboration
Joosten Mueller (Artistic PhD, HfK Bremen)
House of Science Bremen
Humboldt University of Berlin
Joosten Mueller (Artistic PhD, HfK Bremen)
House of Science Bremen
Humboldt University of Berlin
ROLE
Developed the visual system and translated research content into an accessible exhibition experience.
Visual Concept, Graphic Design, Information Design
Dalila Maganinho
COLLABORATION
Research, Content, Production
Joosten Mueller
Photography
Jimi Liu
An interactive exhibition developed in collaboration with researcher Joosten Mueller, exploring how visual representations shape our understanding of cells and translating biological processes into accessible formats for different audiences.
24. April 2023 - 31. Dezember 2026
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
Institut für Biologie
17. Juni 2023
Lange Nacht der Wissenschaften Berlin
9. November 2022 - 18. Februar 2023
Haus der Wissenschaft Bremen
Challenge: Making complex biology understandable to a broad audience.
People don’t have a single, unified understanding of what a cell is. Instead, their perception is shaped by scientific models, textbook images and visual conventions.
The challenge was to question and restructure these existing mental images, while making the topic accessible to a broad audience, including visitors of different ages and with no prior knowledge of biology.
At the same time, the project needed to translate a research-driven perspective into an engaging and understandable exhibition format.
APPROACH
The project was developed in close collaboration with researcher Joosten Mueller (HfK Bremen), whose work examines how scientific and popular visualisations shape our understanding of cells.
Based on this research, I developed a visual and spatial concept that makes these underlying representations visible, while opening up new ways of engaging with the topic.
Through a combination of visual design and interactive elements, the exhibition invites visitors to explore, question and reframe their own understanding of cellular structures and processes.
OUTCOME
The result is an exhibition that not only communicates biological knowledge, but also reflects on how this knowledge is constructed through images and models.
By making abstract concepts visually and interactively accessible, the project enables diverse audiences to engage with the topic and develop a deeper, more critical understanding of what a cell is.
REFLECTION
The exhibition makes complex biological concepts accessible and invites visitors to rethink their understanding of cells. The project shows how design can go beyond communication and actively shape how knowledge is understood.
Haus der Wissenschaft Bremen / House of the Science Bremen
9. November 2022 - 18. Februar 2023
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin / Humboldt University of Berlin
Institut für Biologie
24. April 2023 - 31. Dezember 2026
