Adidas Originals x BVG

Public Infrastructure as Cultural Interface
Creative & Production Lead

Context
Berlin’s public transportation system is one of the city’s most visible and trusted infrastructures. Any intervention within it carries an unusual level of responsibility — it is not just a backdrop, but a shared civic space that millions of people rely on daily. This project asked how a cultural object could exist inside that system without disrupting, trivializing, or exploiting it.

This collaboration translated two large, rule-bound public systems [sport and urban transit] into a shared experiential language rooted in movement, access, and everyday ritual.

The work focused on making overlapping infrastructures visible and human, without flattening their distinct logics.

Concept
Rather than treating transit space as advertising real estate, the activation reframed public infrastructure as a cultural interface. The sneaker was positioned not as a lifestyle product, but as an extension of the city’s circulatory system — something designed to move through Berlin alongside its riders. The idea centered on belonging, access, and everyday utility, allowing the work to integrate seamlessly into the rhythms of public life.

Approach
The activation was deliberately understated. Design decisions prioritized legibility, respect for context, and intuitive interaction over spectacle. By embedding the experience within existing transit behavior, the work avoided disruption and instead rewarded familiarity — inviting discovery rather than demanding attention. The result was an experience that felt native to the system rather than imposed on it.

Creative Leadership & Execution
I led the creative framing and production strategy end-to-end, balancing conceptual intent with the realities of operating inside civic infrastructure. This included close coordination with public authorities, transportation stakeholders, and production partners, as well as oversight of spatial design, fabrication, and delivery. A core responsibility was ensuring that every creative choice respected the trust inherent in public systems.

Designed to be reproducible by future teams without my direct involvement.

Outcome
The project demonstrated how cultural expression can exist inside essential infrastructure without compromising function or public trust. By treating the transit system as a living system rather than a canvas, the activation resonated with the city and its users — reinforcing the idea that meaningful experiences don’t need to be loud to be impactful.