Immersive storytelling with Mark Grimmer, Founder of 59 Studio

As the founder of 59 Studio, Mark Grimmer has spent over 15 years pushing the boundaries of story-driven design, blending technology, architecture, and narrative to create immersive experiences. From theatre to museum exhibitions and large-scale installations like Lightroom, his work redefines how audiences engage with stories. In this interview, Grimmer shares insights into his journey, the evolution of immersive storytelling and recent projects. 

         David Hockney exhibition at Lightroom. Image Credit: Justin Sutcliffe

Could you tell us a few words about 59 Studio—a brief history, guiding principles, and recent evolution? 

At 59 Studio, our work revolves around story-driven design—the intersection of storytelling, design, and technology. We create impactful, narrative experiences for live audiences, using mediums that range from animation and projection to architectural design. 

We began as video projection designers for theatre, integrating visuals and technology into stage productions. Over the last 15 years, we’ve expanded into a multidisciplinary team of architects, animators, writers, and producers, all focused on pushing the boundaries of storytelling. 

It all started unexpectedly. In 2006, while working on a magazine project, we found ourselves drawn to Edinburgh’s vibrant theatre scene, just as the National Theatre of Scotland was emerging. With no formal training, we built our philosophy and practice from the ground up—an approach that still defines our work today.

In the early days of your career, particularly working in theatre, how did you begin to develop your understanding of storytelling? 

One of the most important lessons I learned in theatre was the value of collaboration. Success depended on working in harmony with choreographers, set designers, performers, and writers, always ensuring our work served the story and fit seamlessly alongside other disciplines. 

Theatre’s collaborative nature shaped our approach: we embraced experimentation, took risks, and explored emerging tools like projectors, which were just starting to be used in live environments. That willingness to try new things opened up exciting new possibilities for storytelling. 

When you began integrating projectors and emerging technologies into theatre, how did you approach introducing these tools to a traditionally collaborative—and sometimes resistant—environment? 

We started at a time when projectors and early media servers were becoming affordable, allowing us and institutions like the National Theatre to experiment. Instead of overselling the technology, we focused on small, tangible demonstrations—showing projection as a source of light and drama, not just a cinematic device.

Early on, we used basic techniques, but it was always about the philosophy: serving the story and exciting collaborators. Projection wasn’t about flashy effects—it was about integrating it seamlessly into the creative process to elevate storytelling.

         Vogue: Inventing the Runway at Lightroom. Image Credit: Justin Sutcliffe

The David Bowie exhibition at the V&A was a significant moment for you, marking a shift from theatre into other realms. What made this project so pivotal, and how did it influence your approach to immersive storytelling? 

The David Bowie exhibition at the V&A was a pivotal moment for us, reimagining a theatrical approach for a museum space. At a time when ‘immersive experience’ wasn’t yet a term, it allowed us to explore three-dimensional storytelling—thinking about pacing, structure, and how audiences move through and interact with a space. 

We treated it like a promenade documentary, where visitors had agency to assemble the story themselves. It taught us the power of participation—actively engaging audiences rather than having them passively receive a story. That principle has shaped much of our work since, empowering audiences to connect with stories in a personal, dynamic way.

When designing for spaces like Lightroom, how do you approach guiding the audience’s engagement and attention, especially given the scale and multi-surface format of the space? 

Lightroom is a unique format, and we’ve learned that single-screen techniques don’t directly translate to its scale. The pace of editing must slow down because audiences physically move to take in content across multiple surfaces. 

Sound is equally critical—it directs attention, creates intimacy, and balances overwhelming visuals with quieter, focused moments. 

The Vogue show, Inventing the Runway, seems like a significant evolution in your work at Lightroom. How did you approach it differently, and what were the key challenges in bringing it to life? 

Inventing the Runway was bigger in scope than our previous shows, covering 150 years of fashion history with archives from hundreds of designers, Vogue, and Condé Nast. The challenge was turning largely two-dimensional material—photos and runway footage—into a three-dimensional, immersive experience that felt worth visiting in person. 

We focused on storytelling through voiceover, with Cate Blanchett narrating and Vogue editors providing personal insights, creating a balance between visual spectacle and narrative depth. 

This time, we spent more time rehearsing in the Lightroom space itself, fine-tuning the rhythm and visuals to make sure the material worked in a physical environment. Like theatre, it all came together in an intense final stage—an exciting process that keeps pushing us into new directions.

You’ve mentioned that immersive storytelling feels young and full of possibilities. What excites you most about its future, and where do you see the next big shifts coming from? 

Immersive storytelling is still in its early stages, and it’s evolving rapidly. Real-time technology is already transforming how we create, and mixed reality could blur the lines between the physical and digital even further. 

What excites me most is the growing openness to collaboration. As more people see immersive shows, we’re reaching new artists—musicians, filmmakers, and choreographers—who bring unexpected ideas to the table. 

At the same time, shifts in remote collaboration are opening up new possibilities. Tools like real-time visualizers and shared interfaces are allowing teams to work together across time zones. The building blocks are already in place for truly global creative partnerships, which feels like an incredibly exciting step forward.

As you look ahead, what excites you most about the potential of immersive storytelling? 

Immersive storytelling is inherently collaborative, bringing together sound designers, visual artists, and musicians to engage audiences on multiple sensory levels. 

What excites me is the opportunity to combine cutting-edge digital tools with real, tangible human experiences. You still have a live audience, physically present and responding to the work, which adds a powerful emotional dimension. It’s that combination of technology and human connection that makes immersive storytelling feel so dynamic and full of possibility.

Read more about immersive storytelling in our latest series, The Future of Immersive Experiences.