Architect of Curiosity

What if curiosity isn't something you find — but something you build?

I'm Pim Schachtschabel — an experience designer, speaker, and author who helps people and organizations design the conditions where wonder becomes possible.

The Idea

We live in a world that rewards certainty — fast answers, proven methods, predictable outcomes. But the most alive people, teams, and experiences share something that certainty can't produce: wonder.

I've spent over a decade building places where curiosity comes alive — escape rooms, World Expo pavilions, immersive brand experiences. And then I got curious about curiosity itself. What I found, through 75+ research conversations across cultures and disciplines, is that curiosity is not a personality trait. It's a quality of attention. And like anything worth designing, it can be practiced, trained, and built.

That's what I do. I architect curiosity — on stages, in workshops, through the 6 Principles framework in my upcoming book, and in the experiences I design for organizations around the world.

World Expo 2025 Osaka·Google·Rijksmuseum·Heinz·ABN-AMRO·Adyen·The Social Hub·JDE

Speak

Designing Wonder

Keynotes, workshops, and facilitation that don't just inspire — they shift how people pay attention. From TEDx stages to corporate offsites, Pim brings a decade of experience design to every room he enters.

Explore Speaking →

Read

Architecting Curiosity

The Book

Six embodied principles for designing a life of wonder. Born from 75+ research conversations and ten years of building the world's most immersive experiences. Coming soon.

Explore the Book →

Work

Experience Design

As Design Director at Tellart, Pim leads holistic experience design for cultural and brand projects — most recently the Netherlands Pavilion and the Philippine Pavilion at World Expo 2025 Osaka.

See Selected Work →

The Framework

The 6 Principles of Curiosity

A framework for designing wonder — in yourself, your teams, and the experiences you create for others.

These are verbs, not nouns. Things you do, not things you know.

Sowing

Observing

Using all your senses to notice what is around you in the moment

Sowing

Suspending

Temporarily being open to the possibility of something new

Growing

Apprenticing

Using your beginner's eyes, mind, and heart to learn by doing

Growing

Ritualizing

Intentionally exploring a sequence of activities

Letting Go

Gracing

Acting with beauty, love, humor, and ease

Letting Go

Flowing

Moving smoothly and continuously from moment to moment

And then: Rest. Integration. And the spiral begins again.

Learn More in the Book →

Featured In & Speaking Stages

WXO·Creative Mornings·Immersive Tech Week·Cal Poly University·Brand Impact Awards 2025·Choose to Be Curious Podcast·Experience by Design Podcast·Design to Be Podcast

"One of the best experience designers I know. His attention to beautiful detail, gift for creating intricate and engaging narratives, and designing inherently personal experiences is second to none."

David Cranmer

Cal Poly University

Selected Work

Curiosity in Practice

Philippines Pavilion at World Expo 2025

World Expo 2025 Osaka

Directing the guest experience for the Netherlands Pavilion and the Philippine Pavilion.

Sherlocked escape room laser field

Sherlocked

Co-founded the #1 escape room in Amsterdam. Pioneered experience design principles around mystery, revelation, and play.

Wild Dining immersive dinner experience

Wild Dining

Reimagined the dinner ritual in unexpected locations — including the toilets of a moving train.

Architecting Curiosity book

The Book

Architecting Curiosity

Designing a Life of Wonder

Six embodied principles for designing a life of wonder. Born from 75+ research conversations and ten years of building the world's most immersive experiences. Coming soon.

Explore the Book

Get the occasional letter.

Thoughts on curiosity, experience design, and what happens when you pay attention. No noise, no schedule — just a note when there's something worth sharing.