Voll Stark!

An exhibition from the University of Vienna that brings muscle health and healthy aging to life.

Muscles are our silent engine, and yet we rarely think of them until they start weakening. “Voll Stark!” brings this topic from the laboratory to everyday life: into a pop-up exhibition in the courtyard of the historic old general hospital in Vienna, where muscle health, movement and aging are not just explained, but experienced. The exhibition revolves around the topic of sarcopenia, the age-related loss of muscle strength and muscle mass. Visitors learn how muscles change during the course of their life, and what they can do for their health.

The exhibition was created at the University of Vienna by an interdisciplinary team of sports scientists, molecular biologist, designers. BILDWERK designed the digital content of the exhibition and programmed the large interactive station at the center. In addition, we designed the exhibitions printed materials.

Instead of waiting for visitors, the exhibition goes where people gather. This mobile container makes research easy to engage with—no registration or background knowledge needed, right on campus.

Interactive Station

At its core of the exhibition is an interactive screen that literally gets visitors moving. A motion sensor wakes up the station as soon as someone approaches. Instead of a tap on the screen, it all starts with muscle power: using a handgrip dynamometer, visitors measure their grip strength, an established indicator of overall muscle health. From there, mini-games on the touchscreen let visitors interactively explore how muscles communicate with other organ systems and why they play such a vital role in our health.

Take a Postcard

Not every station needs a screen. For ‘Voll stark!’ we designed all print materials including a set of postcards that visitors could take home for free. The cards pick up on the exhibition’s visual language and carry its message into everyday life. For a studio that usually works digitally, this was a rare and delightful venture into the world of print.