Journey, a global design and innovation studio pioneering multidimensional experiences (MDX), has announced the acquisition of the story-driven design leader 59 and the creative technology firm VMI Studio. This merger strengthens Journey’s global MDX leadership by bringing together 250 employees specialising in strategy, design, architecture, video, technology, and narrative, all aimed at crafting sensory-rich experiences that spark emotion and enhance the connections between people, brands, and culture.
“Joining forces with 59 and VMI Studio adds exciting new creative, theatrical and technical dimensions to our work, making Journey the first truly multidimensional experience studio in the world that spans verticals including entertainment, healthcare, retail, hospitality, financial services, real estate and cultural institutions,” says Journey co-founder and CEO Andrew Zimmerman.
“Together, we can literally and figuratively design the theater and create the show, redefining the boundaries between space, story and spectacle.”
Joining forces with 59
Based in New York and London, 59 is a multi-award-winning interdisciplinary studio that conceives, directs, designs, and delivers ambitious, large-scale, story-driven artworks, stage productions, events, and immersive experiences.
Recent highlights include Vogue’s “Inventing the Runway” immersive show, which launches in London this month, Sting’s sold-out “My Songs” residency in Las Vegas, and collaborations with a variety of performers, including Nitin Sawhney, Anne Nikitin, David Bowie, and renowned visual artist David Hockney.
59 started by revolutionising the live theatre experience for contemporary audiences through work at the UK’s National Theatre and the Metropolitan Opera in New York. Recently, it has contributed to groundbreaking productions such as “Stranger Things: The First Shadow,” which is set to debut on Broadway in 2025.
Additionally, 59 has teamed up with other Journey partners on innovative design projects, such as a pavilion for Expo 2025 in Osaka for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, designed in collaboration with Foster + Partners. It was also a founding partner of Lightroom, a trailblazing venue in London and Seoul that offers distinctive, IP-driven immersive storytelling experiences, one of which includes “Moonwalkers: A Journey with Tom Hanks.”
“In Journey, we found a true partner that shares our vision for interdisciplinary design and placemaking whilst widening the creative and technical possibilities available to us,” says Leo Warner, founder and CEO of 59, who now joins Journey’s board and leadership team as a managing director.
“This partnership helps us conceive and deliver storytelling experiences at an even more ambitious scale, to supercharge the creative possibilities of our work and to take that work to new audiences.”
Bringing in the expertise of VMI Studio
With the inclusion of London-based VMI Studio, Journey has become the leading global force in creative technology and virtual twins for real estate and architecture clients worldwide.
This new alliance builds upon VMI’s contributions to Illuminated River, a long-term art project that transforms the appearance of the Thames at night, as well as Thresholds, a virtual reality piece by Mat Collishaw, and VMI Studio’s collaboration with Journey on TSX Broadway in New York. Together, they aim to expand Journey’s influence and outreach as clients envision the future of cities and real estate.
“In Journey, we saw like-minded partners that could help us accelerate our vision to become world leaders in visualisation, interactive tool sets and Unreal Engine-powered virtual twins,” says VMI Studio co-founder Nicholas Byrne, who joins Journey’s management team as managing director. “This partnership allows us to grow our presence in EMEA while also expanding into new markets and capabilities that are at the leading edge of MDX and virtual world building.”
Journey was established in 2022 to tackle today’s most complex design challenges using innovative solutions for the future. At the heart of Journey’s strategy for clients like Empire State Realty Trust, JPMorgan Chase, and MSG’s Las Vegas Sphere is the Experience Stack—a groundbreaking framework influenced by the methodologies tech companies use to develop software.
This approach layers various design capabilities to create MDX across physical, digital, and immersive environments.
“The Experience Stack becomes stronger with each strategic partnership,” says Jules Coke, who has been elevated to chief operating officer of Journey to help oversee the company’s continued global expansion. “ICRAVE and Squint/Opera formed the foundation. Now 59’s roots in story-driven design and VMI’s expertise in Unreal Engine-powered virtual twins add new capabilities and dimensions to our work, all while maintaining the cohesive experience that sets Journey apart.”
The deal was backed by private equity firm Growth Catalyst Partners, a private equity firm that focuses on investing in tech-driven creative companies.
Last month, Journey shared details of its Davidson Prize-winning AR wellness tool, HomeForest. This multisensory and multidisciplinary AR environment combines the physical and virtual worlds to bring nature to the home or workplace. Journey also recently shared insights into multidimensional design.
