Throwback Tunnel

For its 130th birthday Croatia Osiguranje d.d. did rebranding of its corporate identity. In order to represent itself as an integral part of Croatian history it organised an exhibition inside of an old war tunnel passing underneath the centre of Zagreb. The exhibits were a mixture of important moments and revelations in Croatian history and the ways Croatia Osiguranje was a part of it, but also how ordinary civilians took part in it. Citizens were engaged through social media by inviting them to post the photographs of their individual histories (with #povijestpisemosami, i.e., wewritehistoryourselves).
The tunnel is a cultural heritage site under strict protection, which means that we couldn't alter it in any way. So the base for interior design was a net-like steel structure, installed like a tunnel within the tunnel, the surface of which is partially empty, with the idea of filling it up with the content of precisely those individual stories in time. The remaining surface is filled with reproductions of historical artefacts. 
The passageways have been turned into interactive spaces featuring the specificities of the period they are from. One passageway is dedicated to Nikola Tesla and displays his discoveries. Another passageway has become a war bunker, whereas the third is a tavern from the 1960’s in which visitors can dance to the music of the era. In order to see the whole exhibition, in the central part, visitors have to walk through a dimmed, rainy section of the tunnel representing a sort of cleansing after a turbulent period of war. This is the main branding element since the Croatia osiguranje insured umbrellas for a safe passage underneath the rain. The rain installation was also self-standing, combining safety, functionality and aesthetic appeal.
Giving people the opportunity to sit in an old chair, watch a Croatian cartoon from the 60’s or hear the electricity of Tesla's coil made this exhibition attractive to more than 100,000 people in a month and a half, far exceeding the initial target of 30,000 visitors.