Heartland — May Project Walk Recap: Atlas9

by Jessie Sanders, RDI, NCIDQ

heartland@retaildesigninstitute.org

The RDI Heartland Group stands outside the entrance to Atlas9 with guest presenter Randall Statler, Executive Creative Director at Dimensional Innovations. Photo Credit: Maximus Coric

Walking into Atlas 9 last week felt a little like stepping back into my own childhood—if my childhood had included a few more interdimensional anomalies.

One of my very first jobs was working concessions at the local dollar movie theater. I can still picture the sticky floors, the hum of the projectors, and the thrill of sneaking glimpses of whatever was playing in Theater 3. So when I pushed open the doors of Atlas 9, I was hit with a wave of nostalgia… followed immediately by the sense that something was just a little off. In the best way.

Dimensional Innovations, our hosts for the evening and the creative team behind the project, have crafted a space that begins as a lovingly re‑created 90s-era movie theater and then slowly unravels into something far stranger. What starts as familiar quickly becomes a narrative experience full of surprises, puzzles, and environmental shifts that pull you deeper into the story.

Before we even stepped inside, Atlas 9 scanned our faces — a small, almost playful moment that later became a key part of the experience. Throughout the museum, our likenesses appeared in movie posters, digital glitches, and unexpected corners of the narrative. In-character staff and live performers added another layer, guiding us, teasing us, and sometimes startling us as we explored. The result was a space that felt alive and reactive, blurring the line between guest and participant.

And then there were the details. Paraphrasing Charles Eames, “Design is in the details,” and Atlas 9 proves that philosophy at every turn. From the typography on faux film memorabilia to the lighting cues that subtly shift your attention, every element felt intentional. Every corner invited curiosity. Every room rewarded a closer look. It was impossible not to appreciate how much craft went into building this world.

Our group had a fantastic time comparing notes, spotting Easter eggs, and piecing together the unfolding narrative. It was one of those rare project walks where you could feel the collective spark—designers, students, and industry partners all leaning in, all discovering something new.

We wrapped up the evening at Splice Brothers, the on‑site pizzeria, where Dino‑Nugget Pizza (yes, really) became the unofficial snack of the night. It was the perfect, quirky capstone to an already unforgettable experience.

I left Kansas City feeling energized and inspired—not just by the creativity of the space, but by the conversations it sparked about storytelling, immersion, and the evolving role of experience in retail and beyond. Atlas 9 is a reminder that design can transport us, surprise us, and reconnect us with the sense of wonder that first drew many of us into this field.

A huge thank‑you to Dimensional Innovations for hosting us, and to everyone who joined the Heartland Chapter for this adventure. I’m already looking forward to our next gathering and the ideas it will ignite.