From Petri dish to product staging:
Science Lab + Creative Agency = aerosoap
A soap bubble is a mixture of air and soap. For a brief moment, a floating object with minimal surface area comes into being, whose ultra-thin membrane reveals the entire colour spectrum of light through interference. Perfect geometry in extreme fragility, maximum stability with minimal energy, a colourless object of every colour, a mathematical formula for poetry so accessible that even a child can apply it. Hard to explain, easy to explore. No magic, just air and soap. A simple mixture with big impact.
Aerosoap is also a mixture. A blend of science lab and creative agency, examining such physical phenomena for their design potential in transmedial productions.
Founded by Thomas Wirtz and Frédéric Wiegand, both trained communication designers and born lab rats, aerosoap develops independent and commissioned design concepts at the intersection of art, design, technology and science, as well as the tools and systems that enable their realisation. In other words: we make things float, flow, burn or explode.
At the heart of our work lie real materials and physical processes, which we use as a medium for showcasing brands, products and people. We also share our experimental design methods through workshops, as well as in teaching and research at various universities. Our work has already been recognised with numerous international awards.
»Welcome to the experimental creative lab of aerosoap! A designer duo that puts everyday things in motion. With the help of physics and chemistry, they stage their material, for example for spectacular corporate videos.«
– arte TWIST
»It is hard to describe and at the same time simple yet fascinating when you actually see it. It is the continuation of Experimental Typography by other means and — by the way — a generator of countless new forms for fonts, logos, appearances and displays. It is a fascinating source of inspiration. It’s great!«
– Johannes Erler, founder and owner of Bureau Erler, on the “By the Way” project
Thomas Wirtz
Co-Founder
Thomas‘ body is a temple … Well, more like a laboratory. When he isn‘t coating himself in UV-reactive couscous, dipping his head in electrically conductive slime or juggling Petri dishes, his passion lies in typography – which, as his experiments show, is no contradiction. The graduated communication designer (M.A.) gained experience in various spatial communication agencies during and after his studies. With his experimental methods, he not only laid the foundations for aerosoap, but has also added several design awards to his collection of laboratory equipment. He also shares his experimental methods with students at various universities, working with them to explore the design potential of physical processes.
Frédéric Wiegand
Co-Founder
Frédéric is the living, breathing solution to every technical challenge and a sanctuary for all devices that have fallen out of favour. From breathing new life into old treasures to bringing new machines into being – wherever he lends a hand, things just work. Amidst soldering irons, oscilloscopes and voltmeters, his heart beats especially for electronic music. If you set him up properly behind the decks, it becomes clear that he can get not only machines but also people moving. As a trained sound engineer and graduated communication designer (Diploma), he looks back on many years of experience as a self-employed designer in the fields of editorial and corporate design. As a creative generalist, he knows how to operate the mixing desks of many design genres simultaneously.
References
Lectures
Düsseldorf University of Applied Sciences
Department of Design
Since winter semester 2018|19
Intuit.Lab Paris
Visual Communication Design
Summer semester 2023
Dortmund University of Applied Sciences and Arts
Department of Design
Winter semester 2022/23
Berlin University of the Arts
Institute for Transmedia Design
Sommersemester 2018
Workshops & Speeches
Rhein-Waal University of Applied Sciences
Speech „Burning Flowing Melting Glowing“
Kamp-Lintfort 04/2023
Creative Mornings Düsseldorf
Speech „Take your time“
Düsseldorf 02/2020
Open Source Festival Congress
Workshop / Live Experience
Düsseldorf 07|2018
Baden-Württemberg Film Academy
Seminar “Contemporary Motion Design & Typography“
Ludwigsburg 01|2018
Adobe Creative Jam
Lecture & Juror
Berlin 11|2017
Adobe MAX Creativity Conference
Exhibition / Live Experience
Las Vegas 10017.
University of Applied Sciences Würzburg-Schweinfurt
Lecture
Würzburg 05|2017
Open Source Festival 2016
Workshop: Open Squares
Düsseldorf 07|2016
Fair & Exhibition
IAA Transportation
Hannover 09/2024
NRW-Forum Düsseldorf
Permanent Installation
since 04/2024
Podest Exhibition
Dortmund 04/2023
IAA Transportation
Hannover 09/2022
Fashion for Bank Robbers Exhibition
München 08/2022
Im Wandel der Stoffe
Düsseldorf 04/2022
KomKuK – Sternverlag
Düsseldorf 07/2021
KomKuK – Loretto 9
Düsseldorf 05/2021
Im Wandel der Stoffe
Düsseldorf 02|2019
Adobe MAX Creativity Conference
Las Vegas 10|2017
ADC Exhibition
Hamburg 05|2017
MCBW Munich Creative Business Week
Munich 03|2017
DDC Good Design 17
Frankfurt 11|2016
Red Dot Design on Stage
Berlin 11|2016
rapid tech
Erfurt 06|2016
Awards
European Design Awards
Motion Graphics: Bronze Award | 2025
European Design Awards
Silver Award | 2024
Federal Government of Germany
Kultur- und Kreativpiloten | 2020
European Design Awards
Exhibition Design: Bronze Award | 2018
ADC – Juniorwettbewerb
Silver Nail, 2017
European Design Awards
Miscellaneous Categories: Gold Award | 2017
Bavarian State Prize for Young Designers
Category Communication Design | 2016
DDC – Gute Gestaltung 17
Category Future: Gold Award | 2016
Red Dot Communication Design
Best of the Best | 2016
Golden Award of Montreux
Talent Award Design | 2016
TV
Arte Twist 04/2021
Deutsche Welle Euromaxx 03/2021
WDR Lokalzeit 02/2021
Publications (Print)
kultur.west
K.West Verlag GmbH
02 / 2022
HSD PBSA, FB D: AAD, ED, KD, RD, RD
Publisher: Düsseldorf University of Applied Sciences
Department of Design 2019
Spaces of Communication
Düsseldorf University of Applied Sciences,
Department of Design 2018
Editor: Gabi Schillig
ADC Yearbook 2017
Publisher: Edel Books
Publisher: Art Directors Club für Deutschland e. V.
Yearbook Good Design 17
Publisher: Spielbein Publishers GmbH
Publisher: German Designer Club e. V.
Catalogue: Bavarian State Prize for Young Designers 2016
Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs and Media, Energy and Technology
International Yearbook Communication Design 2016 / 2017
Publisher: Red Dot Edition
Publisher: Peter Zec
Novum Magazine 10|16
Publisher: Stiebner Verlag GmbH
Publisher: Dr. Jörg D. Stiebner
Étapes 231, Magazine 05|2016
Verkag Étapes Éditions
Publisher: Michel Chanaud
Chois Gallery Vol. 19, Magazine 10|2012
Publisher: Chois Publishing Inc.
Publisher: David Choi