“As an architect, I am very detail-oriented. Research is always my first step; it answers all the design questions! My aim is to translate research into experiences that encourage people to do, learn, and dream more. What I love most at KDJ is the transdisciplinary magic that happens within the team and being surrounded by talented people – it feels like everything is possible! Personal motto: Don’t stop until you are proud!”

“There is an atmosphere of generosity here, KDJ always gives you more than you asked for – I experienced it when I was one of KDJ’s clients. That’s why I joined the team – I wanted to be a part of it. As KDJ’s managing director, I support the work processes and manage the finances. Not one single project is the same. The result is always new and meaningful.”

“Learning about the world shouldn’t be boring or a textual maze. It should be a leisure activity for all different ages, cultures and subcultures. A common ground. I started learning more about the world when I visited the MAGNUM photo retrospective in 2008. The photos’ frames were gateways to new perspectives and it showed me new ways of learning. I’ve been hooked to the world of visual language ever since. I studied at the Design Academy Eindhoven, where my fascination for societal design started. As a designer, I strive for the moment when material, color, space, shape, content and context come together. A design is at its best when it triggers emotion but leaves enough space for understanding.”

“I take care of the financial part of the studio and our projects. I like having the overview of what happens at KDJ. I work on very diverse projects, with different countries, sizes, and levels of complexity. Next to my work I am pursuing a degree in Business Economics and give volleyball training to kids. I love watching them grow and develop their talent.”

“We mix content and spatial design into one clear and visible story. When story and design come together, a whole new world opens up. I studied spatial design, I love stories and I’m a good listener. This combination strengthens my ability to translate content into an entertaining and understandable exhibition. I like to participate in the content-making as much as possible. I enjoy getting involved in ‘how’ and ‘what’ we want to tell the visitor through the spatial, interactive, and digital design as well as in storytelling, text, and audio.”

“I’m vegetarian but when it comes to my interests, I’m an omnivore, a glutton even. Before I started at KDJ I worked as an architect in Japan, I wrote about art for an Italian newspaper, designed interactive art installations, founded an organization for refugees in the creative industry, and set up a climate change class at the Rietveld Academy. As content developer, I try to turn this jumble of experiences into an advantage, creating ever richer multi-dimensional experiences for real people.”

“I am co-founder of Kossmanndejong. Besides the exciting projects we realized and are working on, being a member of a skilled team of different disciplines and making places of drama, entertainment, and intellectual challenge is a daily inspiration. Thinking holistically, innovating, and challenging the boundaries of the ‘exhibition’ as a medium have become part of our DNA. I am proud we have developed such an adventurous place.”

“To design beautiful spaces is simply not enough for me. While studying interior architecture in Germany and the Netherlands, I realized that while it is wonderful to create pretty spaces, they become even more meaningful when you add content. I prefer to use a pen to shape my ideas and set the computer aside for a while. I am never afraid of a white sheet of paper. Even better is the back of an old sheet of paper from the recycling bin. Because reusing materials is really what gets my creativity going.”

“Working with top-notch designers is such a pleasure. They are extremely creative, passionate, dedicated, and have an insane work ethic. As a communicator, I learn a lot here. I can combine my background in cultural heritage and marketing and I’m pushed to try new things and experiment. The energy I get from this makes me do silly bike dances on my way to work and back.”

“I am fascinated by how people relate to their environments in a way which goes beyond simple function, I am interested in the emotional, social, cultural and imaginative nuances of the things that surround us. I studied visual communication in Italy, product design in the UK, and graduated from the Design Academy Eindhoven. I like to wear many hats, among which the designer’s, the artist’s, the musician’s, the lighthearted explorer’s.”

“As a writer and documentary film maker, my focus is on the content. I love the magic that happens when it merges with the spatial design into a complete new world. Personal stories are my favorite; they can bring any topic to life, no matter how abstract or complicated it looks at first. Each project is a new adventure. We plunge ourselves into the subject. We explore it from every angle to analyze the essence before we start designing.”

“Curious by nature, I am driven by telling stories that matter in any shape or form: be it a podcast, animation, text, film or exhibition. I like to deep-dive into people’s stories to give them a voice and turn their histories into memorable experiences. I keep the herd on track and the plot together by moving through concepts, sets, storyboards and time schedules.”

“I have a great love of art, design and architecture and am passionate about creating projects that tell exciting stories and are meaningful experiences. For over 15 years, I have worked as a project manager creating beautiful stories all over the world. I feel most vibrant and driven when working in a team alongside designers, artists and other creative people. As a project manager at Kossmanndejong, I can do just that! Together with my colleagues and a team of experts from different fields, we create experiences that mesmerise. Being part of that process gives me a lot of energy and joy.”

“I am the DJ of KDJ. I am trained as an architect and a self-taught graphic designer. But it takes much more than just these two disciplines to create narrative spaces: we operate and move between lots of different media and collaborate with so many interesting people. It is truly inspiring to be able to define this profession with each new project, together with all these people.”

“Having worked at KDJ for almost 20 years, I have seen it grow from four guys to over thirty people. I’m involved in almost every project in some way, from 2D design and 3D design to visualizations. Between designs I take care of basic IT stuff. Sometimes I miss the construction aspect of the exhibitions we design. I also build things for the office, such as a modular magazine rack made of found objects.”

“Kossmanndejong is a pressure cooker for creativity in which I feel like a fish in water. The horizontal corporate culture. The ambition to strive for the very best at all costs. Our clients share this, creating conditions where you can fly high as a designer. Moving from being a theater/TV maker to designing exhibitions, I have even more tools at hand and a wider audience. I love telling stories, touching people in their heads and hearts. I like to incorporate a little excitement, some humor, desire, and to ruffle some feathers. Everything starts with a good concept.”

“I have a broad interest which is really useful when being an exhibition designer. As an industrial designer I’m trained in designing products and services for people and I’m always focussed on how visitors will interact with exhibits. I see myself as an all-round designer with a very critical view on everything I make. I love the intense process of creation and the social interaction with all people involved. There is always room for humour in those processes. I think KDJ is an office where we really realise special projects. Seeing visitors having a meaningful experience in our designs is the most rewarding feeling ever.”

“Every day is a celebration for me when working at Kossmanndejong. Exhibition design unites many factors that I find important. I enjoy collaborating with (international) clients, designers, architects, storytellers and visitors. Although I am more involved with our clients before the creative process begins, my engagement certainly does not end once the designs come to life.”

“From permanent spaces to ephemeral spatial encounters: I use the technicality of my architectural training and the theatricality of my scenography background to create immersive and interactive experiences that take spectators on playful and engaging journeys. Space becomes an evolving entity that can only exist with the audience’s participation. Coming from such a group-oriented culture in the Dominican Republic, collaboration is indispensable to my practice. Allowing these multidisciplinary encounters to happen is one of my favourite things at KDJ.”

“I’m keen to learn, explore new subjects and transfer knowledge to visitors. At KDJ, form always follows content – nothing is incidental. I always enjoy seeing the first physical expression of a design like a sample or mockup. I keep a good overview in large projects with lots of parties. As an architect, I see the possibilities of a space. I’m able to advise the architect on how the experience can best take shape. Two truths about exhibition design: No amount of money ever bought a second of time and nothing goes right automatically.”

“As a 2D designer, I translate content into a visual form – to inform visitors or teach them something in a comprehensible way. As a result, I learn something new every day and no two days are the same. Working together with such a fun and talented team is very inspiring, motivating, and educational. Whether it’s drawing, painting, cutting and pasting, or using the computer, I love creating colourful illustrations, letters, and patterns. After working hours I happily continue.”

“I am a multidisciplinary Sri Lankan designer and am driven by creating access to knowledge, enhancing spiritual connections, and empathetic exchanges. The way we design our spaces and our world exposes who belongs, so I try to cultivate the sense of belonging across identity. I have a background in Visual Art and Sociology, and I am motivated by post-colonial theory, de-digitization, and notions of Queer Utopia. ‘Take a moment and feel the earth below us holding our bodies. We belong here.'”

“I studied visual communication at the Universität der Künste in Berlin. I like the moment when a new project starts, when everything is still possible and we look for the best way to tell a complex story. We don’t take assignments as they come, but question the brief when it’s for the best. I like to travel to step out of my usual environment, to be confronted with different perspectives and to immerse myself in another cultural context.”

“What I like about my work is sharing and combining ideas and skills to create immersive experiences for visitors. I am a multidisciplinary 2D/3D thinker. My work is to apply graphics in an architectural/spatial context. I make (very) large scale graphics and create clear infographics and icons. I love food and music. My way of working is to question everything, always.”

“As a designer at KDJ I combine my education in interior architecture with a bachelor in anthropology. For me it’s all about space, atmosphere, and story. When you play with these three parameters the possibilities are endless. I’ve been working at Kossmanndejong since the early days. The good thing about this studio is that we are thorough, and we don’t stop until we are completely satisfied. And that’s when something really happens to the visitors and they are transformed in some way.”

“Designing a narrative space is like putting together a giant puzzle. As a trained teacher and designer, I combine both skills at KDJ. I love to dig deep, find patterns and create order out of chaos. Whether it’s typographic details or the structure of a concept: things have to make sense as a whole. And that doesn’t mean things can’t be funny or extreme, very minimalistic or a feast to the eye. Besides my work at KDJ, I design theater sets and installations. One thing is always the same: it’s about putting your all into a project.”

“After graduating in musicology, I worked as a producer for opera and music theater, broadcast facilities, and digital productions. Since 2008 I work as a project manager in the exhibition sector. I apply my experience in digital media and performing arts within our projects. As a link between business management and the project leaders I play a central role within our team – that’s my favorite place!”

“I am an art historian with a background in 17th-century Dutch art, collections management and magazine publishing. As a communicator at KDJ, I translate our designs into words to share with you. The creative energy at KDJ is infectious. Seeing how the designers communicate through their designs encourages me to push my communication abilities. When not at KDJ, I work at a French patisserie where I can practice my Dutch.”

“I found my dream job at Kossmanndejong. As a project manager with a background in history, I dive enthusiastically into all interesting projects alongside a dedicated team of designers and content developers. I find it important that content and design become one. After all, this is the strength of KDJ. Every project is an exciting challenge that I like to take on and accompany, because I believe that life is about doing what you love to do.”

“Before becoming a graphic designer I worked as a teacher. I used to tell the children stories of all sorts. This is something I still do but now in a graphic way. It feels good to see the stories come to life in the spaces we create. Working in a team provokes the best in me, we inspire each other and go for the best. After work, I design prints for children and make illustrations for imaginary stories. There is so much in life that makes me curious and eager to learn. I feel privileged to be able to dive into a new topic every time we start a new project.”

“I studied product and interior design, after which I did my master’s in interior architecture. What I like about working at KDJ is that you can think and design more artistically to translate stories and make them experiential. I am a curious spatial designer, which makes me want to fully immerse myself in a concept, social theme or issue. I also believe that the story behind or around a design is just as important as the design itself. The thoughtfulness within a project shows why (design) choices were made.”

“I love going on adventures such as (sky)diving & traveling. For me, creating an exhibition is an adventure in itself. I have been designing experiences, exhibitions, and media for more than twenty years in some of the most prominent museums in the Netherlands before joining KDJ in 2018. I graduated from the Gerrit Rietveld Academy, worked for the architecture firm Concrete, and founded my own design studio. Technical knowledge and concept development go hand in hand in my work.”

“I very much believe in inspiring each other. Where one thought leads to another, bringing each design a step further. Theater fascinates me: the way a minimal decor can suggest a whole world. This elusiveness touches me; I try to incorporate it in my designs. After work I do pottery. Being able to work with my hands and switch off every thought is a wonderful feeling. The total concentration, feeling immersed in another world, being in the moment, is a feeling I hope to give visitors.”