Integration: the possibilities are endless

Think Bigger Blog

While there has been much talk about the integration of print and new media and technologies such as augmented reality (AR), it has been harder to find glowing examples of it in reality. Peter Karn, design director at the award-winning experiential designer MET Studio, sees it as very much part of print’s future though. In this month’s Think Bigger video interview, he explains how the organisation used it to great effect in a pavilion for EDF at the 2012 Olympics to provide far more content than a traditional exhibition ever could. In the future, he believes a single large-format print could form the trigger for an entire exhibition.

Without doubt the collision of media and the world of possibilities this throws up means it’s an exciting time to be a designer but what does it mean for the printer as less print can never be a good thing? Karn has no doubt print’s future is assured though, stressing that it too is evolving: ‘You now have 3D printing and print is overlapping and complementing these new technologies so it is no longer a two-dimensional media.’ He adds that as designers, they must also be mindful that people can become sick of looking at screens and it is how integration is achieved that is key. ‘You could have a 3D form with graphics printed on to it and then audio-visual added and it is how they are all brought together that gives it the wow factor,’ he says. ‘It will always need to be bespoke.’

For the printer, the word ‘bespoke’ is as important as integration and Karn says that the more bespoke the job, the more need there is to bring the printer in for some consultancy during the creative process. Ultimately, the integration of media isn’t about providing more information but about providing a more immersive and engaging experience. Print has as vital a part to play in achieving this so in some cases less really can mean more.

You can watch the interview over on the Think Bigger site by clicking here.