Dream

with me.

World-building means different things to different people.‍ ‍For me, it means designing thematic environments that unfold like cinematic experiences.

Tech adds creative range to how we design and in turn it inevitably changes our ability.

I can create with more depth, visualize on the spot in real-time, and deliver more. I can work on tighter timelines and higher expectations, whilst staying realistic and budget-aware. Learning AI fills many gaps in my own ability, and with structure it evolves into a natural habit of using technology to help me design beyond my discipline, making real impact in my client work.

What I am seeing is that for many, trying new tech is experimentation rather than a habit of working. Falling back on old ways of working to get the job done when frustration during experimentation kicks in, results in missing the opportunity to grow together with our client’s expectations, because clients are ahead, expecting more for their money in a fraction of the time that was given 10 years, 5 years or even 1 year ago.

That’s the gap I work in.

I'm Marlene Emig: Creative Director, AI educator, and spatial storyteller.

For over 14 years I've led complex, high-profile exhibition projects across Europe, Asia, North America, and the Middle East, for clients including FIFA, Formula 1, the Berlin Air Show, and Singapore's Botanic Gardens, through leading agencies in Germany, Singapore, Japan, and the U.S. My work spans thematic exhibitions, brand experiences, trade shows, showrooms, and retail, for corporations, institutions, and governments.

In 2022 I rebuilt my design approach around AI and real-time software compatible to designing projects that get built. I chose tools like Unreal Engine because they let me fold AI into my process without losing clarity, control, or creative authorship. Staying technologically fluent and creatively in charge of design process and production is the foundation of everything I do now.

I teach my design system that holds up on real projects.

Everything I teach comes from agency workflows and client-tested deliverables. I help design professionals integrate AI with clarity and control, build toolkits that evolve with them, and present work faster and with more strategic impact. To date: 150+ professionals trained, in 25+ countries with the same methods I use on active commissions.

Curious to sharpen your edge?

→ Explore my AI trainings
→ Testimonials of creatives in my AI trainings
→ Book a call with me

I am inspired

To innovatively shape the future of storytelling and dedicated to designing environments that captivate people physically, mentally, and emotionally.

What drives me.

I’ve always lived at the intersection of disciplines. Starting in Graphic and Media Design, deepening my focus with a Master’s in Exhibition & Experience Design, and building a career around translating stories into spaces. Since 2012, spatial storytelling has been my creative language. I live and breathe this work. That’s what my studio stands for: merging spatial design with emerging technology to create emotion and awe.

When I discovered AI for myself in 2022, I saw a shift in how we design, communicate, and scale creative ideas. Combined with traditional design principles, AI unlocked real-time prototyping of emotion, vision, and meaning in my own process. I evaluated all current software and reestablished a new personal toolkit of the future that allows me to be adaptive and powerfully future-ready in the challenges I get to solve.

Today, I help design professionals build AI-supported workflows tailored to their style, without losing authorship or intent. Many designers are silently struggling to keep up. There’s too much noise, not enough clarity, and few who truly speak the language of real-world design workflows.

That’s why I became the bridge, supporting design professionals to adopt future-ready workflows rooted in real-world agency practice allowing them to achieve creative independence through my personalized AI design training.

Speaking.

· Saint Mary’s College of California 2026: invited to lecture a 3-week elective course modernizing the Bachelor's curriculum (2026)

· WXO Experience Summit Conference Speaker, London 2025: selected as one of four featured AI speakers (2025)

· Fashion Institute of Technology, New York 2024/2025: invited to give design studio workshops modernizing the Master's curriculum (in 2024 and 2025 consecutively)

Recognition.

· Trade Fair Design Annual 2022/23 — top story award, Brand Experience (Space Pavilion, Berlin Air Show)

· Red Dot Design Award 2020 — category of Brands & Communication Design (FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019™, 2-month special exhibition in Paris)

· Singapore Design Week 2015/2016 — two consecutive projects exhibited, museum experience design (Singapore Botanic Gardens Gallery Exhibition, Home Team Gallery Exhibition)

My mission is simple.

To shape the future of design by bridging traditional experiential storytelling with tech-adaptive design, helping creatives design beyond their traditional discipline so that they can keep delivering projects that win clients.

“I had the pleasure of collaborating closely with Marlene on several projects. She’s an extraordinary professional, distinguished by her unparalleled attention to detail and an outstanding creative touch. Marlene excels in posing insightful questions that fuel meaningful discussions and ignite creative ideas. Her consistent commitment to going above and beyond expectations and infusing creativity throughout the entire process makes her work consistently stand out and she is definitely a pleasure to work with.”
— Mary Lam, Creative Director at Pico Group

Stories from different parts of the world.

🔹 Space Pavilion, Berlin Air Show with 30 space partners, 72,500 visitors, one award. 🔹 FIFA World Cup exhibitions in Moscow & Paris with up to 3,000 visitors a day, two awards. 🔹 Singapore Botanic Gardens from first pitch to a three-year exclusive contract, projects featured in Singapore Design Week.

  • The Space Pavilion had to represent 30 industry partners — DLR and ESA alongside Airbus, Thales, Jena Optronik, and others — in one coherent story. As Creative Director I led the pitch and design development, running monthly partner alignment while holding scope, budget, and timeline. The unifying idea, "Space for Earth," gave every partner a place in a single narrative rather than thirty competing ones. Over four days, 72,500 visitors from 80 countries moved through the immersive exhibition, artifact showcases, and central stage program. The pavilion won the top story award for Brand Experience in the Trade Fair Design Annual 2022/23. Delivered as Creative Director at Ad Modum GmbH.

  • Two exhibitions for the FIFA Heritage Museum, sponsored by Hyundai — one built in Moscow, one as a freestanding pavilion in Paris. The real challenge sat underneath the design: stakeholders in Korea and Switzerland, audiences in Russia and France, and cultural nuance in every content decision. As Senior Designer I led design and execution end to end — content, budget control, production quality, and the client relationship through every sign-off. Both exhibitions drew 2,500–3,000 visitors daily and delivered on quality and budget for both clients, FIFA and Hyundai. Delivered as Senior Exhibition Designer at TRIAD Berlin.

  • PICO Group wanted to move beyond trade-show booths into museum-grade exhibitions; and I led the design and pricing strategy for the pitch that opened that door, including communication with the office of former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew. The win became six consecutive high-profile exhibitions, a three-year exclusive design-and-build contract with the Botanic Gardens, and a long-term relationship. Two of these projects were exhibited at Singapore Design Week in consecutive years. Delivered as Lead / Exhibition Designer at PICO Group.

  • Space Pavilion Project, Berlin Air Show

  • FIFA World Cup Project, Paris

  • FIFA World Cup Project, Moscow

  • Botanic Gardens Project, Singapore

  • Botanic Gardens Project, Singapore

  • Space Pavilion Project, Berlin Air Show

See more client work.

Exhibition Experiences