Leica Design | Special exhibition

Leica Design | Special exhibition — IADA 2026 award

Leica Design | Special exhibition received Honorable Mention recognition at the International Architecture & Design Awards 2026 in Interior. Project status, design team and credits are listed alongside the presentation.

About the project

“Leica Design” – introduced at the Ernst Leitz Museum in Wetzlar – was a special exhibition that focused on the essentials. Commissioned by Leica Camera AG and spanning 60 m², it ran from October 2023 to April 2025 and was dedicated to the design principles of the brand’s iconic cameras. The concept celebrates Leica’s design philosophy of simplicity, clarity and reduction to the essentials, translating it into a spatial experience.

The exhibition’s design revolves around geometric forms: a glowing circle, a dark rectangle and a red dot become architectural elements that allow visitors to enter and occupy the lens’s viewfinder themselves. The interplay of form, materiality and perception reflects Leica’s design DNA. Visitors encounter seven thematic categories – graphics, form, materials, colour, surfaces, operation and production – through curated objects and produced samples that invite tactile and visual exploration.

From the pioneering designers of the “Leitz design” era to the modern Leica cameras, the exhibition tells the story of design as function-driven clarity. Interactive elements offer visitors hands-on experience of the emotional and functional core of Leica design: they touch material samples, handle components and interact with conceptual models.

By merging minimalistic scenography, historical storytelling and hands-on participation, “Leica Design” transcends traditional exhibition formats. It articulates a coherent brand identity in space and invites visitors to step inside the logic and feel of Leica design – creating an experience that is both meaningful and memorable.

studio klv GmbH & Co. KG

The interdisciplinary consulting and creative agency studio klv develops interactive, identity-defining and educational exhibitions, visitor centers and brand spaces in close collaboration with its clients. The staging of scientific, historical-cultural, regional, or brand-related themes is shaped by a balanced interplay of knowledge transfer and entertainment. The focus lies on identifying the unique phenomena behind each topic, which form the foundation for developing authentic experiences. In this way, studio klv makes complex subjects accessible to a broad audience – with all senses, heart and mind.
Building on over 20 years of experience, the core team – consisting of around 20 professionals in consulting, concept development, project management, architecture and graphic design – creates unique experiences for diverse audiences.