Second Story is a network of design studios with a powerful specialization in the worlds of storytelling, exhibit design, and interaction design, especially large-scale variants of those three interconnected fields.
Storytelling is a term in the design world that refers to the union of meaningful, purposeful communication, the aspirations and visions of people, and the assets and possibilities of technology. Oftentimes, this kind of design is in a cyclical process- relating back and forth between the natural world and the digital or designed world. The Interaction Design Foundation defines storytelling within this format as a tool to sort of peer inside the minds and souls of viewers, jumping past the shell of unfamiliarity and newness that design sometimes suffers from and right into human empathy. (https://www.interaction-design.org/literature/topics/storytelling)
Exhibit design deals with experiences that are linked to a time, a place, and emotion. Exhibits center around a topic and must work toward as much clarity and ease of flow as possible to get visitors to move through the entire experience without awkwardness, rough patches, or hesitation more than is necessary. Exhibit design’s goal is to make impactful, meaningful, and lasting changes in the attitude or mind of the viewer. To have this done effectively, the design of these experiences must be carefully thought out with respect to every element.
Interaction design is intimately linked to both of these. A bit more straightforward but broad in its definition, this facet of design does deal with anything that is made and interacted with- but it also deals with curating those very interactions. A key phrase that Usability.gov links with this type of design is “well thought-out”. (https://www.usability.gov/what-and-why/interaction-design.html) Interaction design is almost akin to customer service, where the goal is to make things both as efficient and enjoyable as possible. In order to bring customers joy, the company must first know them and understand what they want and how they work. Similarly, interaction design produces tailor-made products, experiences, and environments that help the user get where they need to be- whether it be to find the solution to their problem, to educate them, or to simply delight them.
Second Story’s mission is to “elevate the art of storytelling” by creating engaging brands, marketable identities, and real, genuine, heartfelt empathy between customer and company. Their design practice is story-centric, first and foremost- for them, this means that they work to build relatability within a brand, giving it a life and a narrative that makes people understand and relate to it. Their work steps beyond the commercial world, though. Their true drive, as one studio split into three locations is to unite people, give them a cause to believe in, and leave the world a better, more functioning place than it was when they found it. The closing line in their bio is “We transform our clients’ stories into lived experiences people can embody, personalize, and share.” This certainly embodies storytelling, and through that, their dedication to interactive design.
The studio collective has worked with massive companies like Target, Coca-Cola, and Whole Foods, but the heart of their design work is for museums and other educational powerhouses- the Smithsonian, the MoMa, Harvard, and the New York Public Library. Their work is often a beautiful blend between digital and real, openly inviting to the person interacting with it. They have completed exhibits and experiences of all kinds- musical, technological, biological- all of it. One that I found really, really interesting-honestly delightful- and indicative of the spirit of their work was their partnership with Nutella to create a temporary placeholder for a café. The boldness and clarity of the colors, shapes, signage, digital aspects- all of it works together beautifully and holds your attention, guiding you through the information seamlessly as you hunger for more. Second Story has a remarkable power to bring you all the way through their exhibits and experiences without ever wondering what to do next- they have a kind of magic to them. It’s sweepingly grand at times, reserved and clever at others- but it always has the same touch. Maybe that magic is the magic of storytelling!
Nutella Café pop-up exhibit: https://secondstory.com/work/nutella-cafe
Times Square 4K screen debut: https://secondstory.com/work/vornado
