Digital design concept for a BMW charging programme in Munich.

After the team designed the award-winning charging station for BMW Welt, I was given the opportunity to imagine its digital experience — the small yet vital screen that connects the user to the system.
‍
My task was to craft the core UX and a unique visual identity that reflects the character of BMW Welt, the installation, and the vision of the Neue Klasse.

Screen Design

Design Process

I started the project by exploring multiple visual systems through a reference board, searching for ways to represent the abstract concept of energy flow. Because it has no fixed form, every direction suggested a different mood and pace. The challenge was to define a visual language that captures this sense of motion without losing clarity or purpose.

In the early stage, this direction might have seemed almost too obvious — just one of many explorations. But when I looked at them together, the glow of blurred light and deep blue started to feel right. It carried a quiet sense of movement, like energy shifting from the tree. That softness and brightness became the most intuitive way to express an “energy transition” — something undefined in the brand.

Through each iteration and interface test, I gradually confirmed that the glowing effect should become the core visual element of the system. By simplifying on-screen information, I aimed to make the experience efficient and effortless — fitting for a small display that users only interact with briefly in real-life situations.

Across several rounds of iterations, I tested how light should move in static interface, how bright it should feel, and how much information the user really needs. Each version taught me something — sometimes to add, more often to take away. The process became about finding that thin line between emotion and clarity, until the interface finally felt calm, glowing, and alive.

I began by creating a series of abstract illustrations in Figma, experimenting with blur, gradients, and light to imagine how energy might move through the system. Some visuals pulsed gently from the center, while others streamed from left to right like current flowing into the vehicle. I explored how each motion could express a different emotion — static calmness for the homepage, and dynamic, kinetic movement for the charging state. Through this process, I started to shape how “energy” could look and feel in a digital form.

Takeaways + Insights

This project became a turning point in how I think about visual experience and abstraction. It pushed me to translate something invisible — the idea of energy flow — into a living interface. Through every iteration, I learned to balance aesthetic beauty with usability and purpose.

I’m deeply thankful to Julia Raith, our team lead, who guided me with patience and insight as a mentor. Her feedback helped me grow through every failure and find clarity in direction. And to Lenni, who first inspired me to visualize energy as movement — that spark shaped the heart of this project.