Medium and Message: An Introduction to Exhibition Design

This is the first of a series of events of The Spaces Between Objects: Architecture, Exhibition Design, and the Collaborative Process which, over the course of 2026 and into 2027 will explore exhibition design on multiple levels. This panel discussion will provide an introduction to the multifaceted practice of exhibition design seen through the lens of three practitioners. Join the AIANY Cultural Facilities Committee as we explore some of the universal elements inherent in this type of design practice as well as fundamental considerations that make exhibition design distinct from other forms of architecture and interiors: narrative (the message) and the spatial experience built through multidisciplinary collaboration (the medium).

The panel will address:

• Identify the defining characteristics that distinguish exhibition design from other forms of architecture and interior design.
• Describe how narrative structure and storytelling inform spatial design decisions in exhibition contexts.
• Apply lessons from exhibition design practice to broader architectural and interior design contexts
• Investigate multidisciplinary collaboration in the context of spaces driven by narrative and experience.

Speakers:
Urshula Barbour, Co-Founder, Pure+Applied
Koray Duman, AIA, LEED AP, Founder, Büro Koray Duman
Celia Imrey, AIA, Founder, Imrey Studio

Moderator:
Stefan Klecheski, AIA, Co-Founder, SAT Spatial and Steppe

About the Speakers:
Urshula Barbour is a cofounder, with Paul Carlos, of Pure+Applied, a New York-based multidisciplinary design studio whose mission is to "create spaces — physical and virtual — that invite people to linger and learn." The studio's work spans exhibition design, wayfinding, graphic design, books, and public space. Clients include the New York Public Library, YIVO Institute, Olana State Historic Site, Bayard Cutting Arboretum, The Heckscher Museum of Art, and the artist Gabriel Orozco.

Koray Duman is the founder of Büro Koray Duman, a New York and Istanbul-based architecture and design studio. His clients have included MoMA PS1, MOCA Geffen, the Noguchi Museum, and contemporary artists including Richard Prince and Paul Pfeiffer. Koray collaborates directly with artists, curators, and cultural institutions to translate curatorial visions into spaces that foster connection, generosity, and knowledge exchange. His work consistently engages themes of justice, inclusion, and public good. Prior to founding B-KD in 2013, he worked as lead architect on museum projects at Frederick Fisher & Partners.

Celia Imrey is the founder of Imrey Studio, a New York-based international design practice specializing in cultural institutions including the Smithsonian, Harlem School of the Arts, and the Louvre Lens Museum in France. As Global Head of Exhibition Design at Adjaye Associates, she led museum and exhibition design for over 20 cultural institutions worldwide, including the Princeton University Art Museum and the Thabo Mbeki Presidential Centre in Johannesburg, S.A. Earlier in her career she worked for I.M. Pei on the permanent galleries of the Miho Museum in Japan and MUDAM in Luxembourg.

About the Moderator:
Stefan Klecheski is an architect and designer whose practice spans exhibition design and residential interiors. He is a co-founder of SAT Spatial, an exhibition design studio working closely with cultural institutions including the Metropolitan Museum of Art – recent projects include the Costume Institute exhibitions “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty” and “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style.” He is also a co-founder of Steppe, a Brooklyn-based interior design studio, storefront, and home of SMS Gallery. His work across both practices informs his perspective on exhibition design as a discipline that sits at the intersection of architecture, storytelling, and collaboration.