Garamantis and Ars Electronica Solutions: a collaboration that began with the first Deep Space in 2009

The division of roles in the partnership

In the collaboration between Garamantis and Ars Electronica Solutions the tasks are clearly divided. Ars Electronica Solutions takes on concept, dramaturgy, design and staging. Garamantis takes on technical systems expertise, software development, hardware integration and stable operation. In practice these roles interlock from the first concept to commissioning: both teams are involved throughout, from the concept phase to realisation.

Ars Electronica Solutions is the division of Ars Electronica for tailor-made interactive and immersive experience spaces and was founded in 2011 for the project business. Managing Director is Michael Mondria. Garamantis GmbH was founded in Berlin in early 2014, according to its own account as a partner of Ars Electronica from the start. Managing Director is Oliver Elias, who took part in the development of the first Deep Space in 2009. At company level the partnership has therefore existed since 2014; the personal collaboration between Oliver Elias and Michael Mondria goes back to 2009.

“Garamantis is simply the right partner for us. We complement each other ideally, push each other towards ever new innovations – and with a mutual trust that could not be greater,” says Michael Mondria about Oliver Elias. According to both companies, both sides benefit from a transfer of technology and resources and from a strong mutual understanding of each other’s requirements and strengths.

What a Deep Space is

A Deep Space is a walk-in, high-resolution media space with interactive projection surfaces that stages digital content as a collective immersive experience. Wall and floor surfaces are played in seamless sync, loudspeakers are distributed throughout the room, and visitors change what happens through their movements in the space. Unlike with virtual reality headsets, the experience is public and shared. The spaces are used by artists as well as by cultural institutions and companies.

“The Deep Space is not just a unique technical infrastructure, but a comprehensive strategy for immersive experiences. It is a space in which virtual worlds bring people together,” says Michael Mondria, Managing Director at Ars Electronica Solutions.

Today’s Deep Space 8K at the Ars Electronica Center in Linz works with a 16 by 9 metre wall projection and an equally large floor projection, a resolution of 50 million pixels and a laser tracking system. Garamantis describes the underlying product field on its own website: Garamantis website.

Timeline of the collaboration

2008/2009 – A multitouch table as a student project. Oliver Elias studies media informatics at the Beuth Hochschule für Technik in Berlin (today the Berliner Hochschule für Technik) and, together with a fellow student, builds a multitouch table – from a projector, a camera and infrared lighting, running self-written software. He uploads a video of it to YouTube. “That probably had about 100 views,” says Elias. One of the viewers works at Ars Electronica. In the Ars Electronica Futurelab team around Michael Mondria, the idea emerges of using the table for the projects in the European Capital of Culture year. Elias and his fellow student are invited to Linz.

2009 – The first Deep Space. At the Ars Electronica Center in Linz the first Deep Space is created: an immersive media space in which full-HD projectors play walls and floor in seamless sync, and in which images and sounds react to the movements of visitors. It is developed by the Ars Electronica Futurelab, the research and development division of Ars Electronica. Those involved include Michael Mondria and Oliver Elias. Linz is European Capital of Culture that year. Elias stays in Linz for the project and makes it his diploma thesis.

2011 – Founding of Ars Electronica Solutions. As projects for science, research, business, industry and public institutions increase sharply, Ars Electronica Solutions is founded for the project business. Since then the company has realised showrooms, exhibitions and immersive experience spaces every year.

2014 – Founding of Garamantis GmbH. Oliver Elias founds Garamantis GmbH in Berlin in early 2014 together with Marcus Dittebrand – according to its own account as a partner of Ars Electronica from the start. From this point the collaboration exists as a partnership between two companies.

Deep Space 8K “Cubo Negro”, Culiacán (Mexico). The second Deep Space 8K is realised by Ars Electronica Solutions together with Garamantis at the Sinaloa science centre in Culiacán.

Shanghai and Hangzhou (China). Joint projects in both cities follow.

Further joint spaces. Joint projects also include the Deutsches Spionagemuseum (German Spy Museum) in Berlin, the ESA visitor centre in Frascati and the Samurai Museum.

From 20 March 2026 – “Mythos Wald”, Gasometer Oberhausen. The exhibition runs until 30 December 2026. Its central element is a 35-metre-high light and spatial installation of projections, LED structures and sounds. According to the two companies, the project is among their joint work.

2026 – More Deep Spaces. This year the first Deep Space in the USA is opening. In Oulu, Finland, a Deep Space is part of the programme of the European Capital of Culture 2026 and is shown at the Tiima Museum and Science Center. Temporary and smaller variants in science centres and exhibitions are added.

How joint projects come about

At the start of a project the teams of both companies usually meet directly at the future site, look at the architecture and get a picture of the people on the ground, the culture and the requirements. From joint brainstorming a story emerges, which is translated into stations in terms of content and technology. Interactions are defined as repeatable patterns, and the technical architecture is developed in parallel. Production and on-site integration, live tests and handover follow. According to those involved, an existing space cannot be transferred one-to-one from one location to another – content and staging are adapted to each place.

About Garamantis

Garamantis GmbH develops interactive showrooms, exhibitions and immersive spaces. Its range of services covers concept, spatial design, design, custom software development, content management systems, and operation and maintenance. The company is based at the EUREF Campus in Berlin-Schöneberg. More information: Garamantis website.