The Smart Table
SAP x Elbphilharmonie
An interactive infotainment table for the Elbphilharmonie Plaza in Hamburg that turns live architectural and musical data into a hands-on, bilingual experience. I led the digital design and motion direction — and helped pivot the project from a faltering supplier build into a responsive, Unity-driven installation that actually played the hall.
An interactive infotainment table for the Elbphilharmonie Plaza in Hamburg that turns live architectural and musical data into a hands-on, bilingual experience. I led the digital design and motion direction — and helped pivot the project from a faltering supplier build into a responsive, Unity-driven installation that actually played the hall.
TL;DR? See how music, light and touch became a single interactive experience — a short film of the installation, interactions, and public response.
TL;DR? See how music, light and touch became a single interactive experience — a short film of the installation, interactions, and public response.
Design Direction | Digital Design | Motion
Design Direction | Digital Design | Motion
01
The Challenge
Make the invisible — visible.
Make the invisible — visible.
Make the invisible — visible.
SAP wanted to show how real-time data could be humane, emotive and cultural — not just a chart in an enterprise dashboard. The Elbphilharmonie offered the perfect stage, but the brief came with a stack of constraints: a public Plaza installation that had to be intuitive for visitors, accessible for wheelchair users, bilingual (German & English), faithful to both SAP and Elbphilharmonie brands, and delivered within a tight schedule. On top of that, the physical build initially sold to the client by the initial supplier failed to perform in situ (glass + lighting = unresponsive touch), forcing a last-minute rethink.
SAP wanted to show how real-time data could be humane, emotive and cultural — not just a chart in an enterprise dashboard. The Elbphilharmonie offered the perfect stage, but the brief came with a stack of constraints: a public Plaza installation that had to be intuitive for visitors, accessible for wheelchair users, bilingual (German & English), faithful to both SAP and Elbphilharmonie brands, and delivered within a tight schedule. On top of that, the physical build initially sold to the client by the initial supplier failed to perform in situ (glass + lighting = unresponsive touch), forcing a last-minute rethink.
Technical Pivot
Original supplier hardware/tech underperformed; rebuild required
Technical Pivot
Original supplier hardware/tech underperformed; rebuild required
Technical Pivot
Original supplier hardware/tech underperformed; rebuild required
Accessibility
Consoles needed to be fully wheelchair-friendly.
Accessibility
Consoles needed to be fully wheelchair-friendly.
Accessibility
Consoles needed to be fully wheelchair-friendly.
Dual Audience
Tech-curious visitors and concertgoers with very different expectations.
Dual Audience
Tech-curious visitors and concertgoers with very different expectations.
Dual Audience
Tech-curious visitors and concertgoers with very different expectations.
Brand Balance
Represent both SAP’s tech credentials and Elbphilharmonie’s cultural gravitas
Brand Balance
Represent both SAP’s tech credentials and Elbphilharmonie’s cultural gravitas
Brand Balance
Represent both SAP’s tech credentials and Elbphilharmonie’s cultural gravitas
Bilingual Content
German & English UX copy and voice
Bilingual Content
German & English UX copy and voice
Bilingual Content
German & English UX copy and voice
02
The Solution
We turned orchestral data into an instrument you could play.
We turned orchestral data into an instrument you could play.
We turned orchestral data into an instrument you could play.
The idea
The idea
The idea
The Smart Table needed to be more than a screen: it had to feel like a small stage — tactile, playful, and immediate. We designed a three-console table that invites visitors to explore the Elbphilharmonie from multiple angles: fly-through drone videos, a playable organ, 360° views of the halls, artist guestbook, city music map and curated image galleries. Crucially, when the first build failed to deliver, we pivoted fast: SAP supplied a developer, we rebuilt the experience in Unity, commissioned a bespoke table housing three large interactive displays, and delivered a smooth, immersive result in time for the public launch.
The Smart Table needed to be more than a screen: it had to feel like a small stage — tactile, playful, and immediate. We designed a three-console table that invites visitors to explore the Elbphilharmonie from multiple angles: fly-through drone videos, a playable organ, 360° views of the halls, artist guestbook, city music map and curated image galleries. Crucially, when the first build failed to deliver, we pivoted fast: SAP supplied a developer, we rebuilt the experience in Unity, commissioned a bespoke table housing three large interactive displays, and delivered a smooth, immersive result in time for the public launch.
The Smart Table needed to be more than a screen: it had to feel like a small stage — tactile, playful, and immediate. We designed a three-console table that invites visitors to explore the Elbphilharmonie from multiple angles: fly-through drone videos, a playable organ, 360° views of the halls, artist guestbook, city music map and curated image galleries. Crucially, when the first build failed to deliver, we pivoted fast: SAP supplied a developer, we rebuilt the experience in Unity, commissioned a bespoke table housing three large interactive displays, and delivered a smooth, immersive result in time for the public launch.
Design direction & brand blending
We married the concert hall’s deep blues with SAP’s golden accent — typographic voice mixed DIN (Elbphilharmonie) for headlines and Benton Sans (SAP) for body copy, creating a visual grammar that felt both cultural and modern.
Design direction & brand blending
We married the concert hall’s deep blues with SAP’s golden accent — typographic voice mixed DIN (Elbphilharmonie) for headlines and Benton Sans (SAP) for body copy, creating a visual grammar that felt both cultural and modern.
Design direction & brand blending
We married the concert hall’s deep blues with SAP’s golden accent — typographic voice mixed DIN (Elbphilharmonie) for headlines and Benton Sans (SAP) for body copy, creating a visual grammar that felt both cultural and modern.
Crafting the interactions
I designed and curated all motion elements: smooth transitions between drone speeds, tactile play states for the organ stops (8 recorded organ stops rendered playable), map pin interactions, 3D model orbit controls.
Crafting the interactions
I designed and curated all motion elements: smooth transitions between drone speeds, tactile play states for the organ stops (8 recorded organ stops rendered playable), map pin interactions, 3D model orbit controls.
Crafting the interactions
I designed and curated all motion elements: smooth transitions between drone speeds, tactile play states for the organ stops (8 recorded organ stops rendered playable), map pin interactions, 3D model orbit controls.
Every animation had purpose,
to teach, delight, or guide.
Every animation had purpose,
to teach, delight, or guide.
Every animation had purpose,
to teach, delight, or guide.
Content Sections
Playable Organ: authentic sampled stops so visitors can “be the organist.”
Drone Exploration: switch between a fast and a slow drone for two narrative speeds.
3D Building Model: explore halls, reflectors and the “White Skin.”
City Music Map: musical points of interest around Hamburg.
Guest Book & Program: artists’ guestbook and upcoming programs.
360 Photo & Image Gallery: detailed photography to complement the tactile experience.
Playable Organ: authentic sampled stops so visitors can “be the organist.”
Drone Exploration: switch between a fast and a slow drone for two narrative speeds.
3D Building Model: explore halls, reflectors and the “White Skin.”
City Music Map: musical points of interest around Hamburg.
Guest Book & Program: artists’ guestbook and upcoming programs.
360 Photo & Image Gallery: detailed photography to complement the tactile experience.
Saving the Symphony
The originally proposed circular 2m glass surface proved unreliable under real conditions. After cutting ties with the supplier, one of SAP’s in house developers rebuilt the experience in Unity in a two-week sprint. I collaborated directly with them—providing motion specs, interaction docs (After Effects prototypes + a mini creative brief), and remote QA during the build.
The originally proposed circular 2m glass surface proved unreliable under real conditions. After cutting ties with the supplier, one of SAP’s in house developers rebuilt the experience in Unity in a two-week sprint. I collaborated directly with them—providing motion specs, interaction docs (After Effects prototypes + a mini creative brief), and remote QA during the build.
Where Music Meets Technology
Where Music Meets Technology
The Smart Table: Data in Motion
The Smart Table: Data in Motion
The Smart Table: Data in Motion
The Smart Table: Data in Motion
03
The Outcome
After some early technical challenges, the project ultimately launched as a polished, public-facing experience on the Elbphilharmonie Plaza. The Smart Table delivered on the brief: it made architectural and musical detail discoverable and delightful for a broad audience, marrying SAP’s technical ingenuity with the concert hall’s cultural story. The final Unity build and custom table brought clarity and elegance to the experience, while ensuring accessibility and localisation for visitors from all backgrounds.
SAP and the Elbphilharmonie praised the collaboration, the seamless problem-solving, and the balance struck between technical precision and visitor engagement.
Credit where it's due
Credit where it's due
Agency: Momentum Worldwide
Design Director: John Buckell
UX Designer: Oliver West
Creative Technologist: Gunnar Gunnarson
Copywriter: Alfred Rinaldi
Producers: Dele Momo / Oliver Kraege
