Peter Simlinger zählt zu den prägenden Persönlichkeiten des österreichischen Informationsdesigns. In dieser Folge spricht Markus Scheiber über das Buch design|er|leben #29: Peter Simlinger. Beruf (ung) Design. Empowering People. Design for Modern Living. Die Publikation von Veronika Egger, Severin Filek und Martin Fössleitner erschien in der von designaustria herausgegebenen Reihe design|er|leben.

Anhand des Buches zeichnet Markus wichtige Stationen aus Peter Simlingers Leben und Wirken nach. Dabei geht es um Leit- und Orientierungssysteme, verständliche visuelle Kommunikation und seinen Einsatz für die Professionalisierung des Informationsdesigns. Im Mittelpunkt stehen auch sein Engagement für Forschung, internationale Standards und ein Verständnis von Design, das er stets interdisziplinär und wissenschaftlich gedacht hat.

Ergänzt wird dieser Blick durch persönliche Erinnerungen an Begegnungen mit Peter Simlinger während des Studiums und an Erfahrungen, die Markus’ Interesse an Leit- und Orientierungssystemen geweckt haben.

Shownotes

Resource
Peter Simlinger. Beruf (ung) Design. Empowering People. Design for Modern Living
Veronika Egger, Severin Filek, Martin Fössleitner
design|er|leben #29

Links
https://www.designaustria.at/publikation/designerleben-29-peter-simlinger/
designaustria

https://www.designaustria.at

IIID – International Institute for Information Design
https://www.iiid.net

https://www.motasdesign.com/
https://www.geraumt.com/

Whose stories get told in our cities – and whose stay invisible?

In this episode, Christian Lunger speaks with Eugenio de Gregorio, founder of TravaPowa, a free, EU-funded travel platform focused on regenerative tourism and positive impact travel. His work connects storytelling with public space – from scouting sustainable travel initiatives to building learning modules on social tourism across Europe.

The conversation starts with a simple idea: public space is never neutral. Every street name, statue and city tour shows a choice about whose story gets told and whose gets left out. The real question is why so many stories, especially women’s stories, stay hidden in public life.

Two ideas run through the discussion. Feminist city tours look at familiar streets from a new, gender-aware angle, linking historical women’s stories to today. And the idea that public memory is both shared and selective, shaped less by what actually happened than by who had the power to decide what gets remembered.

Examples from cities across Europe show how a guided tour can turn tourism from simple sightseeing into a way of questioning space itself. Sometimes the most powerful change isn’t a new sign or route, but a human guide who links a hidden story to life today.

A conversation about memory, power and the quiet decisions that shape which stories a city tells.

Shownotes

Book Recommendation
Kern, Leslie (2020). Feminist City: A Field Guide.

Resource
TravaPowa (Etikbnb) – a free travel platform for regenerative tourism and positive impact travel.
https://transition-pathways.europa.eu/pledges/pledge-formulated-etikbnb-travapowa

Further Reading Tip
Haynes, Natalie. A Thousand Ships.

Links
https://www.motasdesign.com/
https://www.geraumt.com/

How can the spaces we design shape the way people move – and behave?

In this episode, Christian Lunger speaks with Andrew Barker, award-winning designer and Head of the Sign Design Society. His work connects wayfinding with behavioural science from research for the UK government to the everyday choices people make as they move through space.

The conversation starts with a simple thought: wayfinding is never neutral. Every sign, route and spatial cue influences how people behave. The real question is how to guide them well – “nudging for good” rather than manipulating.

Two frameworks run through the discussion. The COM-B model looks at the person – their capability, opportunity and motivation. The EAST model looks at the behaviour itself, making it easy, attractive, social and timely. Often, timing and context matter more than the sign.

Examples from shopping streets and cultural venues show how much can change by shaping the environment. Sometimes the best intervention is not another sign, but a different space – and decisions grounded in evidence rather than intuition.

A conversation about behaviour, responsibility and the quiet ways design shapes how we move.

Shownotes

Book Recommendation

Halpern, David (2015). Inside the Nudge Unit: How Small Changes Can Make a Big Difference.

Resource

The Theory and Techniques Tool – an evidence base linking behaviour change techniques to how they work.

https://theoryandtechniquetool.humanbehaviourchange.org

Note: Andrew’s full presentation is available free to Sign Design Society members.

Links

https://www.andrewbarker.co.uk

https://www.signdesignsociety.co.uk

https://www.motasdesign.com

https://www.geraumt.com

In this episode, Christian Lunger speaks with Jonathan Huffstutler from EONAX about the role of data and data spaces in shaping the tourism experience and guiding visitor flows. The conversation is based on the project in Isère, where mobile network data, satellite imagery, Strava movement traces, local counters and payment data are combined to better understand visitor dynamics in sensitive natural areas.

The discussion shows how important it is to work with different types of data and why algorithms alone are not enough. Hypotheses need to be tested, local conditions matter, and human judgement remains essential.

A central theme is the idea of data spaces: open, interoperable environments where organisations keep control of their data while sharing it under clear rules. For destinations, this means more reliable insights, better forecasting and the ability to guide visitors in a way that benefits nature, residents and guests alike.

The episode highlights how technical infrastructure, local expertise and European strategies come together — and why data only becomes valuable when it is shared, understood and used responsibly.

Shownotes

Data Space Manifesto

EONAX EchoSystem Podcast

www.geraumt.com

www.german-creative-economy-summit.de

www.kreativland.tirol

www.motasdesign.com

Künstliche Intelligenz war das zentrale Thema des German Creative Economy Summit 2026 – und damit auch der Ausgangspunkt dieser Folge. Zwei Tage lang wurde auf dem KampnagelGelände in Hamburg darüber gesprochen, wie KI kreative Arbeit verändert: in Gestaltung, Urheberrecht, Verantwortung und Wertschöpfung innerhalb der Kreativwirtschaft.

Christian Lunger und Markus Scheiber waren vor Ort und sprechen über ihre jeweils drei persönlichen Highlights. Darunter Smart Hans von Max Haarich, eine Installation, die im Raum präsent war und Teil des Programms; Miriam Abada, Gründerin von Creative Match, die gezeigt hat, wie sich Kreativwirtschaft und KIProzesse verbinden lassen; sowie die besondere Atmosphäre des Summits – Räume, Formate und Gespräche, die den Austausch zwischen Disziplinen möglich machen.

Die Eintrittskarten für das Summit wurden von kreativland.tirol zur Verfügung gestellt – danke dafür.

Ein Rückblick auf zwei intensive Tage, an denen deutlich wurde, wie eng KI und Gestaltung heute miteinander verbunden sind – und warum genau das die Kreativwirtschaft gerade so spannend macht.

Im Gespräch werden unter anderem folgende Highlights erwähnt:

• Max Haarich, mit seiner Installation Smart Hans

• Zamina Ahmad, KI und MachineLearningExpertin

• Dr. Peter Kurz, Oberbürgermeister a.D., Kreativwirtschaftspolitiker

• Dr. Bastian Lange, Forscher zu Kreativökonomien und Stadtentwicklung

• Dr. Matthias Rauch, Experte für urbane Kreativwirtschaft

• Dr. Dorothea Winter, Philosophin

• Miriam Abada, Gründerin von Creative Match

www.geraumt.com

www.german-creative-economy-summit.de

www.kreativland.tirol

www.motasdesign.com

How do we navigate spaces in a future shaped by intelligent systems?

In this episode, Christian Lunger speaks with Alison Richings, Wayfinding Design Director at Endpoint. Her work brings together human behaviour, environmental psychology and strategic wayfinding – from largescale guidelines such as those for the NHS to complex spatial systems.

The conversation begins with changes already visible today. Digital tools like Google Maps influence how we move through cities. With AI, navigation may become more personalised and responsive. Routes become less linear, shaped by time, context and individual needs.

Despite technological developments, the human perspective remains central. Emotions, stress, familiarity and trust continue to influence how we read spaces. At the same time, AI raises new questions around data, responsibility and transparency.

Physical space also remains essential. Wayfinding is not only about signage, but about spatial experience – architecture, light and atmosphere.

A conversation about orientation, design and the role of wayfinding in a future where paths are no longer predefined.

Book Recommendation

Arthur, Paul & Passini, Romedi (1989). Wayfinding: People, Signs, and Architecture.

Podcast Recommendations

The Knowledge Project – https://www.youtube.com/@tkppodcast

99% Invisible – https://99percentinvisible.org/

Hard Fork (NYT) – https://www.nytimes.com/column/hard-fork

https://www.weareendpoint.com/

https://www.motasdesign.com

https://www.geraumt.com/

Sustainability in signage is a subject that often feels abstract. In conversation with Erik Sørensen Ruiz of Modulex, it becomes far more concrete. Modulex has worked with modular systems for many years and continues to explore how wayfinding can become more durable and more circular.

Erik explains how deeply this mindset is embedded within the company. For Modulex, sustainability means considering materials across their entire life cycle: cleaning, recoating, reusing or recycling locally – depending on what is most appropriate from an environmental perspective.

One example is ReBond, a material produced from discarded carpets from the hospitality sector. The textiles are shredded, processed and pressed into new panels. An independent CO₂ analysis shows that ReBond carries significantly lower emissions than conventional aluminium composite sheets.

The discussion also turns to how designers and clients can make informed, sustainable choices: through certified raw materials, aluminium sourced from regions powered by renewable energy, local procurement and a clear understanding of genuine recycled content. The CO₂ footprint can act as a shared language – provided the data is gathered in a comparable way.

Another key point: the most powerful levers often lie in design. The size, number and placement of signs influence the environmental impact more strongly than material selection alone. To support this, Modulex has developed a carbon modelling service that evaluates projects holistically and highlights early on where emissions arise.

Towards the end, Erik reflects on the market share of sustainable solutions. It remains small. Pricing structures and limited awareness both play a role. Modulex therefore focuses on sharing knowledge and making alternatives more widely accessible.

This episode illustrates how sustainability in wayfinding can emerge – not as an addon, but as an integral part of material, process and responsibility.

https://modulex.com

Modulex | How to implement a sustainable signage project

Modulex | Eco-Friendly Signage

Modulex | Billund Upcycling

Turning Waste into Worth: How Modulex Designs for a Circular Future

Modulex | Carbon Modelling: How We Can Measure the Carbon Footprint of Your Project

https://www.motasdesign.com

How do we find our way through spaces we have never visited before? And what happens when orientation is shaped less by signs and more by atmosphere, landmarks and subtle spatial cues?

In this episode, Christian Lunger speaks with Ari Lorenzana and Simon Borg from Populous, a global architecture and design firm specialising in large‑scale public venues. Their work spans sports environments and immersive settings, always with a focus on how people move through and experience a building.

The conversation explores how gaming influences our understanding of navigation. Open worlds instead of linear routes. Exploration rather than simple direction. Spaces that guide through their own character.

Ari and Simon describe how these ideas can be translated into real architecture: through spatial choreography, through light, through landmarks, through buildings that lead without instructing. And why wayfinding becomes more meaningful when it is considered from the very beginning of the design process.

A calm, focused half hour on movement, perception and the question of how spaces can speak — quietly, but with intention.

https://populous.com

https://www.motasdesign.com