WOW! That’s how you tell a city’s story.
Words by Michael Grupe, Head of Strategic Communications
WOW! That’s how you tell a city’s story.
Words by Michael Grupe, Head of Strategic Communications
Frankfurt is a city that many people can immediately picture. A financial centre. An airport. A trade fair venue. A skyline. All true. And yet, this picture is rather incomplete. Because Frankfurt is more than the image one quickly forms of it. The city is commerce and character, arrival and departure, literature and club culture, all within a compact space. It is sometimes aloof, often direct, rarely accommodating. Perhaps that is precisely where its appeal lies: Frankfurt does not always reveal itself at first glance. You have to get closer.
This observation gave rise to ‘Frankfurt: City of WOW!’. Initiated by Lorenzo Bizzi, Managing Director of NORDISK, and Nico Ubenauf, CEO of satis&fy, a former archive warehouse at Gutleutstraße 324 was transformed into an immersive experience space showcasing 800 years of the city’s history. With the support of Messe Frankfurt and the city, and as a project of World Design Capital Frankfurt RheinMain 2026, an immersive show was created that brings Frankfurt to life – to be seen, heard and felt.
From the very beginning, the ambition went beyond simply staging a spectacular production. It was about finding a new emotional connection to the city. Lorenzo Bizzi describes “City of WOW!” as a way of experiencing Frankfurt differently: not just through knowledge, but through a sense of closeness. Those leaving the show should not only take away vivid images, but also develop a better understanding of what has shaped this city and why it is so significant today. That is an important idea. Cities are not understood through facts alone. They are understood through connections. Through moments when history suddenly becomes linked to one’s own perception. This is precisely where “City of WOW!” comes in: the show translates the city’s history into an experience that moves the audience.
What we tell our clients’ purchasing departments…
Lorenzo Bizzi, a business graduate, and Frank Lottermann, a design graduate, met whilst at university. They soon discovered their shared passion for design and events – and founded the agency Nordisk Büro in 1996.
Today, the full-service agency – with over 30 staff and offices in Frankfurt and Hamburg – specialises in strategic brand communication with a keen eye for presentation. It has received numerous international awards for its work.
… and how it really was
Lorenzo and Frank met in the late 1980s. They became friends – and stagehands. At the Offenbach Theatre, later at trade fairs, somewhere between cable reels and backdrops.
After completing their studies, they briefly tried the conventional career path:
Frank went to MetaDesign in Berlin, Lorenzo to Accenture in Frankfurt.
After finishing their degrees, they briefly tried out the conventional career path:
Frank went to MetaDesign in Berlin, Lorenzo to Accenture in Frankfurt.
That lasted exactly until Lorenzo rang Frank:
“Mate, come back to Frankfurt – we’re doing something awesome.”
The financial basis for this idea was modest at first. In other words: parties.
They rented a vacant building with a 600-square-metre warehouse next to the freight station. They told Deutsche Bahn they would be “storing event equipment” there. Deutsche Bahn believed them. They were given keys, a contract – and, remarkably, never a rent invoice. Perhaps that explains Deutsche Bahn’s empty coffers.
What we tell our clients’ purchasing departments…
Lorenzo Bizzi, a business graduate, and Frank Lottermann, a design graduate, met whilst at university. They soon discovered their shared passion for design and events – and founded the agency Nordisk Büro in 1996.
Today, the full-service agency – with over 30 staff and offices in Frankfurt and Hamburg – specialises in strategic brand communication with a keen eye for presentation. It has received numerous international awards for its work.
… and how it really was
Lorenzo and Frank met in the late 1980s. They became friends – and stagehands. At the Offenbach Theatre, later at trade fairs, somewhere between cable reels and backdrops.
After completing their studies, they briefly tried the conventional career path:
Frank went to MetaDesign in Berlin, Lorenzo to Accenture in Frankfurt.
After finishing their degrees, they briefly tried out the conventional career path:
Frank went to MetaDesign in Berlin, Lorenzo to Accenture in Frankfurt.
That lasted exactly until Lorenzo rang Frank:
“Mate, come back to Frankfurt – we’re doing something awesome.”
The financial basis for this idea was modest at first. In other words: parties.
They rented a vacant building with a 600-square-metre warehouse next to the freight station. They told Deutsche Bahn they would be “storing event equipment” there. Deutsche Bahn believed them. They were given keys, a contract – and, remarkably, never a rent invoice. Perhaps that explains Deutsche Bahn’s empty coffers.
History brought to life from an archive
Spanning over 1,200 square metres, a 270-degree installation with a ten-metre-high screen has been created. Frankfurt unfolds all around the visitors: trade, migration, urban development, culture, trade fairs, everyday life, literature, music, sport and urban subcultures are not presented as separate chapters, but as a continuous flow. As a story one steps into. The fact that this place used to be a file storage facility seems almost symbolic. A space once used for filing has become a space for perception. Stored history becomes lived history.
Nico Ubenauf views the project primarily from the perspective of the experience. For him, the art lies in realising a technically highly complex production in such a way that it feels effortless for the guests. If visitors forget within a few seconds just how much precision is at work behind the scenes, then the experience is right. This is by no means a given, particularly with immersive formats. The temptation is great to make the technology visible simply because it is impressive: more screen space, louder sound, more special effects. ‘City of WOW!’ takes a different approach. The technology serves the story. It is not there to demonstrate what is possible; rather, it is there to enable the space to make an impact.
History brought to life from an archive
Spanning over 1,200 square metres, a 270-degree installation with a ten-metre-high screen has been created. Frankfurt unfolds all around the visitors: trade, migration, urban development, culture, trade fairs, everyday life, literature, music, sport and urban subcultures are not presented as separate chapters, but as a continuous flow. As a story one steps into. The fact that this place used to be a file storage facility seems almost symbolic. A space once used for filing has become a space for perception. Stored history becomes lived history.
Nico Ubenauf views the project primarily from the perspective of the experience. For him, the art lies in realising a technically highly complex production in such a way that it feels effortless for the guests. If visitors forget within a few seconds just how much precision is at work behind the scenes, then the experience is right. This is by no means a given, particularly with immersive formats. The temptation is great to make the technology visible simply because it is impressive: more screen space, louder sound, more special effects. ‘City of WOW!’ takes a different approach. The technology serves the story. It is not there to demonstrate what is possible; rather, it is there to enable the space to make an impact.
For anyone who wants to rediscover Frankfurt
This is also where the project’s communicative strength lies. “City of WOW!” presents Frankfurt as an experience. The city is allowed to remain full of contrasts: international yet local, economically strong yet culturally unique, steeped in history yet constantly evolving. The project is not aimed solely at visitors to the city. It is just as much intended for people who live, work or grew up here. For everyone who thinks they know Frankfurt but can still see it in a new light. The aim is to foster a sense of togetherness that can emerge from the ‘WOW’ moments.
The response shows that there is a real need for this. Just four weeks after its launch, ‘Frankfurt: City of WOW!’ had already attracted more than 5,000 visitors. Later, events such as the Night of the Museums were added; a stronger focus on families, school classes and educational groups also makes the show a cultural hub for learning and socialising. As part of the World Design Capital Frankfurt RheinMain 2026, the project forms part of a wider context. It demonstrates how design can help us perceive the city anew as a connection between history, space and people.
For NORDISK, “Frankfurt: City of WOW!” is therefore also an example of creativity that makes an impact. A powerful idea becomes an experience. Complex urban history is transformed into a personal connection. A derelict building has become a meeting place, as a former archive has been transformed into a space where people come together to feel the pulse of Frankfurt. And often, by the end of the 60 minutes, their view of the city has changed. Anyone who wants to see Frankfurt in a new light can start right here.
“Frankfurt: City of WOW!” presents 800 years of the city’s history as an immersive, all-round experience at Gutleutstraße 324. Further information: www.cityofwow.com
For anyone who wants to rediscover Frankfurt
This is also where the project’s communicative strength lies. “City of WOW!” presents Frankfurt as an experience. The city is allowed to remain full of contrasts: international yet local, economically strong yet culturally unique, steeped in history yet constantly evolving. The project is not aimed solely at visitors to the city. It is just as much intended for people who live, work or grew up here. For everyone who thinks they know Frankfurt but can still see it in a new light. The aim is to foster a sense of togetherness that can emerge from the ‘WOW’ moments.
The response shows that there is a real need for this. Just four weeks after its launch, ‘Frankfurt: City of WOW!’ had already attracted more than 5,000 visitors. Later, events such as the Night of the Museums were added; a stronger focus on families, school classes and educational groups also makes the show a cultural hub for learning and socialising. As part of the World Design Capital Frankfurt RheinMain 2026, the project forms part of a wider context. It demonstrates how design can help us perceive the city anew as a connection between history, space and people.
For NORDISK, “Frankfurt: City of WOW!” is therefore also an example of creativity that makes an impact. A powerful idea becomes an experience. Complex urban history is transformed into a personal connection. A derelict building has become a meeting place, as a former archive has been transformed into a space where people come together to feel the pulse of Frankfurt. And often, by the end of the 60 minutes, their view of the city has changed. Anyone who wants to see Frankfurt in a new light can start right here.
“Frankfurt: City of WOW!” presents 800 years of the city’s history as an immersive, all-round experience at Gutleutstraße 324. Further information: www.cityofwow.com
