How Labs works
From hunch to reality
Our in-house team prototypes the tools, tech and ideas that end up in tomorrow's experiences, and shares what it learns along the way.
Every experiment follows the same loop. Most stay in the lab; the best ones become the backbone of a client project.
- QuestionAsk “what if…?”A hunch from a project, a client or a new piece of tech.
- PrototypeBuild it roughFast, scrappy versions on the workshop floor.
- TestPut people in itReal bodies, real rooms, real feedback.
- ShipTake it liveHardened and deployed in client work.
Research areas
Curiosity, applied
- Projection & lightMapping onto complex surfaces, architecture and moving objects.
- Sensing & interactionTracking, gesture and spaces that respond to crowds.
- Real-time enginesLive, generative content running at room scale.
- AI & generativeMachine learning as a creative tool for personalised stories.
- Spatial audioSound that moves through space and follows the audience.
- Kinetic & physicalRobotics, motion and mechanical sculpture.
From the labto the world
Labs is where we make something from nothing. We push every brief further than expected, which has led to world firsts and new inventions. We keep every experiment, even the ones that didn’t work, because that’s where the next breakthrough starts.
Curiosity is what I champion above everything else. Sparks of real innovation are fleeting, so we look after the baby steps: the small experiments, the odd questions, the ideas that don’t work yet. We play so our clients don’t have to gamble. By the time something reaches a project, we’ve already broken it, fixed it and put people inside it.
Explore our labs…
Proximity
About
This elegant lighting installation activated clean columns of white light as passersby were detected via infrared sensors. With over 5,000 interactions during its one lunar cycle duration, the project showcased the beauty of simplicity and interactivity in public spaces.
Aims
To create a minimalist interactive lighting installation for design agency Accept & Proceed, using infrared sensors to detect passersby and activate a sequence of pure white lights.
Insights
The installation featured hidden floor lights that illuminated in response to pedestrian movement, creating a clean, simple visual effect. Over 5,000 people interacted with the installation during its one-month run, demonstrating the power of subtle design to engage and captivate an audience.
From lab to live
How an experiment became The Dress
This groundbreaking LED dress responded to movement with dynamic lighting patterns, capturing the attention of millions at the BAFTAs. Created in just four weeks, it featured on live television and garnered extensive media coverage, marking a milestone in wearable technology and fashion innovation.
Tools & open source
Built in-house, shared out loud
Some of what we make in Labs is useful beyond our walls. Here's what's on the way.
- ToolComing soonAn open-source tool from the Labs
- ToolComing soonAn open-source tool from the Labs
- PaperComing soonA research paper from the Labs
Collaborate
Got a wild idea? Bring it to the lab.
We partner with brands, universities and technology companies on research projects and co-developed prototypes.
Let's talkWork with us
Have a brand, a destination or a development that needs a story?