Architectural design firm Populous has teamed up with audiovisual, acoustics and immersive content experts Mark Murphy and Kevin Luckhurst to launch a new agency.
Experience Studios will specialise in audiovisual and acoustics design, delivering technical systems and creative content for the sports, music, live entertainment and arts industries.
Murphy (pictured right) and Luckhurst (pictured left), who will be co-founders and directors of Experience Studios, have worked extensively with Populous in the past on projects at numerous iconic venues, including the O2 Arena, Wimbledon’s Centre Court, the London Olympic Stadium and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
“Having collaborated with Mark and Kevin for many years on several major projects, the opportunity to support the growth and development of Experience Studios and strengthen our own offer is very exciting,” Christopher Lee, managing director – EMEA at Populous, said.
“For Populous, it’s all about holistic design, having the best people for the job and providing our clients a complete and tailored design package.”
Murphy led the design and implementation of the audiovisual systems at the new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, including managing the production of matchday content and working to help transform the venue for the NFL’s 2019 London Games series. Meanwhile, Luckhurst brings 15 years of industry experience, including working on the London Olympic Stadium with Populous.
On the Experience Studios website, industry veteran Mike Steer is also listed as a consultant, alongside senior associate Paulie Roche and senior designer Andrew Josephs.
Populous and Experience Studios are already working together on Germany’s first climate-neutral arena in Munich. Experience Studios is providing audiovisual, broadcast, and acoustic design for the 20,000-capacity MUCcc Arena, for which Populous was named the chosen architect earlier this year.
“In recent years, technology has truly started to break the boundaries of a venue’s physical architecture to deliver live experiences to audiences globally,” Murphy said. “We are really excited by the opportunity to build a talented team that will combine creativity with technical expertise to deliver the next generation of venues and immersive content.”
Luckhurst added: “There is no doubt that the needs of clients, venues and spectators have changed dramatically over the last two years. The wider-scale adoption of immersive technologies is now taking hold – these venues and systems must be designed with the content and artist vision at the forefront of this process.
“Experience Studios has the in-house expertise and experience to do just that, ensuring the quality of visual and audio systems is a vital contributor to the entertainment experience.”
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