About Us
Hoberman Associates is a multidisciplinary practice that specializes in transformable design — the development of products, structures, and environments that change their size and shape. We believe that a world undergoing accelerating change needs an adaptive, interactive approach to design. Whether that means inventing a rapidly deployable shelter, re-defining portability for children's products, or collaborating with architects to develop next-generation adaptive buildings our clients seek us out to shape change — and inspire it.
Overview
At Hoberman Associates, we don’t believe that answers come from following trends. For over two decades, we have demonstrated that our transformable art has the capacity to fascinate people of different cultures and backgrounds—generation after generation. And, as designers of iconic installation for museums, trade shows and destination architecture, we see new generations racing ahead in how they relate to the physical world.
Why shouldn’t an object magically morph into something else?
Why can’t things materialize in front of our eyes? As fantastic as our so-called ‘digital reality’ may be, isn’t real reality a whole lot better? — Chuck Hoberman
Shaping Change
For us, the quality of the viewers’ experience is the single most important factor for a successful installation. Activating their senses, engaging their curiosity, creating unforgettable memories, holding their interest—time after time—this is what we seek to achieve. From hands-on to architectural scale, our work promotes interactions that are, at once, intelligent, tactile, and surprising. We achieve this through methods that we’ve developed over 30 years of designing, building and programming our unique trans-formable sculptures.
Sphere of Influence
Our team has been seasoned by over two decades of experience in building our transformable art. We are committed to meeting the challenges that arise, bringing precision engineering and obsessive attention to detail to all of our projects. Our work falls into two broad categories – traveling work and permanent installations. Our traveling work has hit the road time after time and has circled the globe. We can provide full support for set-up and take-down. Our artwork lasts - many of our permanent installations are in operation after one or more decades of constant use. These pieces often become icons to the public that are as significant as the buildings that house them. Over these years, our pieces endure, speaking to new generations as clearly as when first installed.
Science Museums
We understand a core mission of science centers is to create places of wonder and fascination, to stimulate curiosity and lifelong learning—and, of course, to keep people coming back. Our transformable art is a universal communicator. It speaks to children and adults; it spans cultures and helps your visitors explore important scientific themes. Our pieces are created through a process that merges art and design with mathematics, engineering and technology.
Trade Shows & Architecture
We understand the importance of experiences in building brands—experiences that encompass tailored personal interactions, shared multimedia spectacles and immersive architecture. Our sculptures embody interactivity that is physical, visceral, and immediate—this unique experience gives visitors an emotional ‘take-away.’ Before moving someone, you must attract them—our dynamic installations are powerful draws.
(Hoberman’s work) is in defiance of our expectations… it fools the part of our brains that distinguishes the living from the nonliving. — Wired Magazine
Featured Projects
For more than twenty years, Hoberman Associates, Inc. (HAI) has pioneered and innovated in the field of transformable design -- the development of products, structures, and environments that change their size and shape. HAI was founded in 1990 by designer Chuck Hoberman, whose international career seamlessly fuses art, design, engineering, and architecture. HAI was founded with the primary aim to design behavior - to create objects that have the living qualities of organisms. Throughout its history HAI has focused on fostering a dynamic relationship between product and user. Our design explorations include kinetic sculptures, deployable architecture, and transformable stage elements.
Commissioned Artwork and Exhibitions
Hoberman has produced commissioned art work for a wide range of individual and institutional collectors, from small to large scale. His works have been displayed at New York City’s Museum of Modern Art and Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum, Centre Pompidou, Canadian Center for Architecture, and the Building Centre in London. He is currently represented by the Chase Contemporary Gallery in New York City.
Products
Hoberman is known for applying transformable design principles to commercially sold toys and other products, fusing design, art, and function into award-winning objects. His best known toy, the Hoberman Sphere has sold in the tens of millions and has appeared in numerous television shows and movies. Clients include Graco Baby Products, Herman Miller and Johnson Outdoors (Eureka! Tents), Spin Master and TOMY.
Science Museums
Hoberman is widely known in the science museum industry for creating works that merge art with mathematics, engineering and technology. These long-term displays (some running for decades) have been installed in North and South America, Europe and Asia. They are tangible demonstrations of the natural growth of organisms, cellular structure, cosmology and the laws of force and motion. These pieces are used extensively in support of STEM and STEM educational programs.