Ralph Appelbaum Associates is seeking a full-time, US-based Physical Design Director. This position is based out of our New York City studio but is remote optional.
At the heart of RAA’s design philosophy is the desire to seamlessly integrate the visitor experience and the architectural environment. The Physical Design team on any project are responsible for conceiving, developing and delivering the physical expression of the project’s design. They work directly with visual designers, content staff, consultants (lighting, audio/visual, media, etc.) and clients throughout the duration of a project’s execution. Encompassing interior design, design of exhibits, design of interactives and immersive experiences, architectural coordination, and more, the Physical Design team is composed of diversely skilled practitioners who are at once technically minded and relentlessly creative.
The Physical Design Director works with other senior project directors and leaders, architectural and visual designers, and Content Developers to create an engaging and cohesive system of physical elements which represents an exhibit’s narrative. This role leads the communication of the Content narrative through the creation of a fully integrated exhibition within an architectural shell from conceptual design through design development and construction documentation. The candidate will be a physical storyteller who will have excellent conceptual ability and diversity, thorough understanding of architecture, and be capable of both acting as the designer for project-specific assignments and overseeing multidisciplinary teams to achieve a connected design, translating strategic direction into innovative results.