From Analog Archives to Living Walls: The Interior Concept at the New Tandem IMS Campus

Spaces shape the way we think, learn, and feel. At the new Tandem IMS Campus in Küsnacht, interior design is therefore not just decoration, but an intentional part of the educational concept. An inspiring environment opens up new perspectives and can enrich learning in subtle yet lasting ways.

An Archive of Stories as a Source of Inspiration

The starting point for the interior concept is the analog image archive of artist Vreni Spieser. Over decades, she collected magazines, newspaper clippings, and sketches – material she used for her artistic work and personal inspiration. This visual memory has now become the foundation for the wallpapers at the new campus.

The result: collages where images of completely different origins meet – a toucan next to a wristwatch, Sahara landscapes alongside Josephine Baker. Each motif opens a window into another time, another culture and invites viewers to make their own associations.

Design Meets Didactics

The implementation goes far beyond pure aesthetics. Colors were reduced and processed to create a harmonious overall image. Only upon closer inspection do grids, color dots, and the subtle flicker of colorful undertones reveal themselves.

• Grids and printing techniques (RGB, CMYK, digital printing, screen printing, offset) make visual foundations tangible.
• Positive and negative contrasts demonstrate how perception can be shaped.
• Historical image sources spark discussions about cultural developments and social change.

In this way, art in architecture itself becomes a learning space—a place that not only conveys knowledge but makes it visible.

spaces that inspire thinking

The wallpapers create small thinking spaces. Here, one can pause, dive into other visual worlds, and take away inspiration.

The patterns are intentionally not static: they can be reinterpreted, associated, and read anew each time. Students often discover details only gradually—developing their own relationship with the space.

More Than Just Design

With its interior concept, the new Tandem IMS Campus demonstrates that spaces can be more than merely functional. They tell stories, open new perspectives, and inspire young people to become creative themselves.

At Tandem IMS, learning is shaped not only by teachers and teaching materials, but also by an environment that encourages reflection, discovery, and creativity.
We would like to warmly thank Vreni Spieser, Bea Spillmann and Haus der Farbe for this wonderful collaboration.

Would you like to experience how spaces at Tandem IMS inspire learning? Join one of our info events or contact us directly for a personal tour of the new campus in Küsnacht. We look forward to showing you our educational concept and inspiring learning environment.