For Kho Liang Ie – Mid-Century Modernist at the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, we designed the scenography for the first major retrospective dedicated to the influential interior architect and designer Kho Liang Ie. The exhibition brings together the full breadth of his work — from furniture and interiors to exhibition design, art direction, and his iconic total design for Schiphol Airport.
For the exhibition design, we closely studied Kho’s work and design principles. This research formed the basis for a spatial concept centred around structure, rhythm, refinement, and spatial clarity. The scenography unfolds across thirteen thematic galleries, each with its own spatial composition while remaining part of one coherent visual language. Through geometric lighting structures, floor compositions, graphic interventions, and carefully designed displays, the exhibition not only presents Kho’s work but also translates his way of thinking about space and experience into a physical environment.
A key aspect of the design is the balance between the strict modernist order present in Kho’s work and the lightness and subtle sophistication with which he shaped interiors. We translated this duality into a scenography where rhythm, transparency, and spatial illusion play a central role. Subtle interventions in light, perspective, and materiality create an exhibition experience that continuously shifts between clarity and atmosphere, between system and playfulness.
For the presentation of objects, we designed a series of custom display elements and podiums tailored to the different parts of Kho’s oeuvre and his collaborations with artists and designers. The result is an immersive exhibition experience that not only informs visitors, but also allows them to step into the world and design mentality of Kho Liang Ie.